HomeMy Public PortalAbout10-08-2013 EDP report_201310091202122240MEETING MINUTES
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT and PLANNING
Meeting: October 2, 2013
Report: October 8, 2013
Attending were: Economic Development Committee members Steven Corbett, Chair, John
Donohue, Vice Chair, and Susan Falkoff, Secretary; Councilor Piccirilli, Planning Director
Stephen Magoon, and Atty Robert Richards Jr of Murphy & King, One Beacon Street, Boston.
The meeting was called to order at 2:10 PM.
Councilor Corbett introduced the purpose of the meeting: to make a recommendation to the
Council about whether to proceed with buying a land -locked parcel of land on the Pirolli property
on Arsenal Street. A small part of the railroad right-of-way was not correctly deeded to the
Pirolli family and so the MA Department of Transportation has given the Town of Watertown
right of first refusal to purchase the property for $4275.00 but we need to act by October 11 or
forfeit the right.
Attorney Richards represents the WRT company, a Pirolli family -owned corporation. Pirolli is in
negotiation with a developer but if the town owns this piece of the property, the developer will
not be able to obtain financing to develop the entire 5.3 acre site. The rail bed was formerly
owned by the B & M railroad but was deeded to the Pirolli family after B & M declared
bankruptcy. The 2850 square foot portion in question was not properly conveyed. The Attorney
said the DOT has questions about the legal status of the deed and he requested that we not take
any action until MA DOT studies the situation further. The bankruptcy file has been destroyed,
complicating the ability to assess the title. He said that if we choose to exercise our right, it will
cause immediate harm to the Pirolli family, harm which would outweighs any public benefit from
this small parcel.
Councilors pointed out that the Economic Development Plan makes several references to the
value of creating a community path through the property. Mr. Magoon pointed out that if the
town owns it, the process for re -selling it could be cumbersome. Councilor Donohue stressed that
the Council needs to be sensitive to the needs of the abutters in how this property is eventually
developed. Any development would require a special permit, and Attorney Roberts pointed out
that this would therefore give the town continued ability to shape the plan for the property.
Committee members worked together to craft the following motion:
We recommend to the Council that we proceed with purchasing the property by October 11
UNLESS the WRT Company can craft a Developer's Agreement assuring that the development
will include a mutually acceptable plan to create a community path through the property OR the
WRT Company is able to obtain an extension from DOT of the October 11 deadline, giving DOT
time to further assess the legal issues involved in this sale.
Councilor Piccirilli stated that if the developer did not honor the Agreement, that would in itself
be grounds to deny a special permit, offering protection for the community path.
The meeting adjourned at 2:50 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Falkoff, Secretary