In an eleventh hour vote on the eve of the Nov. 3 municipal election, Middletown’s Common Council approved the purchase of 38.6 acres of Wesleyan-owned property on Long Hill Road for $950,000.
Wesleyan had signed the rights to the property over to Real Estate Services of Connecticut (RESC), a private developer, which had proposed plans for a 53-lot housing development. RESC Owner Bob Fusari approached the city about selling the land after the Common Council voted down his proposal due to a citywide moratorium on development.
The Council’s decision to purchase the land allayed neighbors’ concerns that the proposed development would bring increased traffic and ruin the area’s rural character.
“The neighbors felt it was too much development,” said Middletown Planning Director Bill Warner. “They worried that it would change the character of the area and they were concerned about the wetlands.”
Approximately five of the parcel’s 38.6 acres are classified by the city as wetland areas, which are home to vegetation and aquatic life that require an abundance of groundwater to survive.
On Nov. 13, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a plan to conserve the land as a Green Space. The Parks and Recreation Department will maintain the property for passive recreation in the form of walking trails and will likely convert a portion of it to soccer and baseball fields in the future, according to Warner.
“I think [the Long Hill Road property] is a good piece of land to purchase to control future development and enhance recreation space,” he said.
The Nov. 3 decision to purchase the land did not come without opposition, as it was added to the council’s agenda just minutes before the meeting.
“They asked us to spend $950,000 with 20 minutes notice,” said Republican Councilman Francis Patnaude. “I was kind of upset about that… but I voted for it because I’m for open space.”
Wesleyan had no involvement in RESC’s development plan and subsequent decision to sell the property. According to Wesleyan Director of Finances Marcia Bromberg, the controversy surrounding the Long Hill Road property has not affected relations with the Middletown community.
“I don’t think it will damage [Wesleyan’s image],” Bromberg said. “The concerns the neighbors had were with the developer. The conclusion is to the satisfaction of the neighbors.”
The purchase likely will be finalized by the end of the month, according to Warner. Bromberg said that the sale might not be complete until the end of the calendar year.
Funding for the Long Hill Road property will come from the city’s three million dollar open space bond passed in a referendum two years ago.
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