The Essex
Reporter
Prsrt Std ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 266 Burlington, VT 05401 Postal Patron-Residential
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Village seeks to condemn private land for Crescent Connector road By COLIN FLANDERS
To make way for the long-awaited Crescent Connector road, the village could soon force two unwilling commercial property owners to sell parts of their land. The village trustees authorized staff last week to begin a process known as the necessity of public good, in which the municipality can commandeer parts of property owner’s land if it can prove why it’s in the public’s best interest. Forty days from May 14, the trustees will visit the site and conduct a hearing to judge the necessity of the project and whether the inconvenience placed on property owners warrants changing the plans. Discussion at last week’s meeting suggested the trustees believe the Connector project will meet the standards spelled out in state law. “If this project were not completed, there would be significant funds, both federal and state, that the village would be on the hook for,” said village president Andrew Brown. “So in terms of necessity, I know I personally see this as one in which we need to continue to see this forward, and we can’t continue to have further delays.” The Connector is a bypass road that will connect Park and Maple streets and, officials hope, significantly reduce traffic at the Five Corners. The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission selected the road as one of the area’s core alternative projects to be funded with money previously earmarked for the circumferential highway. After repeated delays, the Connector appears to be finally on track, with phase one of the project – work on railroad crossings – expected to take place this construction season, and phase two scheduled for next summer. But the village still needed to secure 18 easements prior to fully constructing the See CONNECTOR, page 6
Essex honors the fallen
PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS
Crowds gather along Pearl Street in anticipation of the 34th annual Essex Memorial Day Parade last Saturday. The event featured speakers like Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who commended Essex for its Vietnam War Veteran Memorial, and Gov. Phil Scott, who then led a procession of motorcycles through the parade. See more photos from the day on page 16.
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essexreporter.com
Essex Reporter | THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2019
Essex Jct. | (802) 857-5994 www.julesvt.com
Vol. 18 No. 22