Expired rules change business park outlook in Bethel

BY DIRK PERREFORT
Hearst Connecticut Media

For more than three decades, officials with the town of Bethel’s Economic Development Commission have overseen the Francis J. Clarke Business Park, home to dozens of businesses that employ nearly a thousand workers.

That changed last month when a narrow majority of property owners in the business park voted against renewing the regulations that had been in place since the park was formed by town officials in the 1970s. They expired this month.

The changes come at a time when the park is receiving renewed interest, both from businesses looking to move there and town officials who want to expand the facility. The park has also evolved to include more retail and commercial uses, including a power equipment company, a bakery and Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline facility.

“There has definitely been an uptick of people interested in locating at the park,” said Michael Boyle, chairman of the development commission. “It’s disappointing what happened. There will no longer be any true oversight of the park like we’ve had in the past.”

The rules that have governed the park came into focus in recent months after one of the property owners, MonoCrete, proposed building a crematorium on the site. While the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a request to allow crematoriums in the industrial park zone, it wasn’t an allowable use according to the park’s regulations.

No authority

While property owners say the rules were too restrictive, commission members say the regulations allowed them to have a say in the development of the park while overseeing maintenance and landscaping issues.

“Without the rules and regulations in place, we no longer have any authority over the park,” Boyle said. “It’s now the town’s responsibility. Of course, we’ll continue to serve as a conduit to the town and tell them what’s needed, but we have no authority to get it done.”

Shelby McLoughlin, the office manager for the family-owned MonoCrete company, said some property owners were concerned that the commission, an appointed rather than an elected body, had too much say over the park’s activities.

“It’s a good thing that the rules expired,” she said. “They wanted to be the sole arbitrators of anything that happened in the park. None of us could understand why we needed a second set of rules that other businesses in town don’t have to deal with.”

During a December meeting to vote on the rules, Planning and Zoning member Robert Legnard agreed with the property owners.

“Build the park up ”“ that should be the charge of the EDC ”“ and leave the usage issue up to Planning and Zoning,” he said. “Anyone who wants to build a building up there, well, we should be on a bended knee so they’ll build a building and lower our taxes.”

Boyle said that’s what he’s trying to do, and what the rules and regulations were designed for. Rules, including the commission’s right of first refusal to purchase a property up for sale, prevented speculators from purchasing land to prevent further development.

He added that a crematorium is not a good use for the park, saying negotiations with a company interested in building a 25,000-square-foot warehouse in the park stopped when the crematorium use was approved.

“We don’t want to limit our prospects at a time when they are looking to expand,” he said.

Expansion

The commission and Janice Chrzescijanek, the economic development director, were successful recently in winning a $100,000 grant to fund a feasibility study for adding as many as a five additional 2-acre parcels to the park for development. Results of that study are expected within the next month.

Boyle said town leaders put the commission in charge of the expansion, and they intend to continue managing the project.

“We will continue to move forward with the expansion,” he said.

Kevin Dee, the co-owner of Bethel Power Equipment, which moved to the park about two years ago, said he also believes Planning and Zoning should have the final say on uses for the property. He added, however, that he has some concerns about making sure maintenance issues are addressed.

“I don’t think anyone wants the park to fall into shambles, and I don’t think it will,” he said. “We’ll have the responsibility of monitoring the situation ourselves.”

Dee said it might be a good idea to form a group of property owners who could oversee the park and bring their concerns to town officials.

The controversy has done little to dissuade some potential tenants, according to Mike Struna, of Advantage Commercial Realty, who represents many of the properties in the park.

Struna said he has tenants interested in a number of spaces, including the building where Sky Zone is located on Francis J. Clarke Circle.

“We have one lease that will be signed this week and others pending that should fill up the building,” he said, adding that the park is about 85 percent occupied. “It’s always had a low vacancy rate. I know there have been statements made that things are bad in the park, but it’s a great place to do business.”

Boyle added that there are no ill feelings on his behalf.

“We will continue to be supportive of the businesses in the park, like all the businesses in Bethel,” he said. “That’s our mission and our charge.”

Hearst Connecticut Media includes four daily newspapers: Connecticut Post, Greenwich Time, The Advocate (Stamford) and The News Times (Danbury). See newstimes.com for more from this reporter.