July 9th Hearing Set on Proposal to Sell 15 Acres of Watershed Land for $276,000

The City Council is set to hold a public hearing on the second of two controversial watershed proposals from the administration of Republican Mayor Erin Stewart. On July 9, 2018 the Council will hold a hearing on a resolution that would authorize Stewart to sell fifteen acres of Class 3 watershed land owned by the city of New Britain in Burlington.

On June 26th, there was overwhelming public opposition to plans being pressed forward by Stewart that would allow Tilcon to strip-mine protected drinking watershed land. Members of the public echoed concerns from two key state commissions that the mining plan may put the quality of drinking water at risk, while damaging the environment and perhaps creating new taxpayer costs.

The resolution being heard at the July 9th hearing, proposed by Ald. Jamie Giantonio (R-1) and Ald. Daniel Salerno (R-AL), says that Stewart has already authorized the sale of fifteen acres of New Britain’s Class 3 watershed land to the Town of Burlington for $276,000. The item was proposed at the May 9th City Council meeting.

The Council’s public hearing on the proposal land sale will begin at 6:45pm and will be held in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall at 27 West Main Street. People will be permitted to speak at the hearing and submit written comments, as well.

The fifteen acres on Covey Road in Burlington, according to the resolution, are “Class 3 watershed land which does not require approval of the proposed sale by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.”

An appraisal done for the Town of Burlington, according to the resolution, concluded that the value of the fifteen acres is $200,000.

On April 18, 2018 the New Britain Board of Water Commissioners voted to approve the sale, saying that, “the property was not needed for the Burlington watershed system.”

Copies of the proposal are available for public inspection in the Office of the Town Clerk during normal business hours.