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Bee Intelligencer AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Informing the towns of Middlebury, Southbury, Woodbury, Naugatuck, Oxford and Watertown
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Volume XIII, No. 7
June 2017
Paint peels from the wood siding at Brookdale Farm (Fenn Farm) in Middlebury. A decision has been made to remove this siding and replace it with red cedar siding. (TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE photo)
LPOS settles on re-siding By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
EIDC releases survey results By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) has released the results of a two-page survey it mailed in April to about 300 local businesses. The survey asked owners to rate the importance of two dozen factors in doing business in Middlebury. Those results are shown in the accompanying graphic. The survey also asked open-ended questions about the local business climate and any difficulties owners were having establishing and keeping a business in Middlebury.
Twenty-nine of the 300 surveys were returned, yielding a 10-percent response rate. EIDC Commissioner Frank Mirovsky said that was a good return rate. Businesses responding included four attorneys, four medical offices, four landscape and building contractors, four financial firms, and three restaurants, along with various professional and personal service companies. Mirovsky, Chairman Terrence McAuliffe and Commissioner David Cappelletti read through the surveys May 23 so they could tally the results for a promised
– See EIDC on page 2
Proposals in for Nichols Road property By MARJORIE NEEDHAM Two proposals for use of the town-owned Nichols Road property were submitted to the town, one from Connecticut Yankee Winery and one from the Middlebury Land Trust (MLT). The MLT holds a conservation easement on all but roughly six acres of the 134-acre tract, on which the Peck-Nichols house, built in the mid-1700s, sits. The land is off Shadduck Road down a long driveway with a Nichols Road sign where it meets Shadduck Road. As reported in July 2016, Jonathan Bosman of Shadduck Road and his partners in Connecticut Yankee Winery approached the Economic and Industrial Development Commission with a preliminary proposal to work out an agreement with the town to rebuild the old barns on the Peck Homestead on Nichols Road with a similar look and design as the originals and use them in a
working winery. The general concept was for the winery to have a long-term lease of the town-owned property for construction of replica barns that would be used for winery operations and wine tastings, tours, etc. The winery proposal outlines the same basic plan. Two to three acres would be used for grape growing, and a barn similar to the smaller of the two original barns would be built. It would include a basement for winery operations, a loading bay, and a wine tasting and wine sales room. The winery would operate in spring, summer and fall but not in winter, and it would be open to the public primarily on weekends. The proposal also includes holding events to raise money to save the historic farmhouse. A long-term goal would be to build a second, larger barn to use
– See Proposals on page 4
Inside this Issue
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June 7
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June 23
Nearly four years after the Middlebury Land Preservation and Open Space Acquisition Committee (LPOS) began considering what to do about the weather-beaten siding on the farmhouse at Brookdale Farm (aka Fenn Farm), it has decided how to proceed. At its May 3 meeting, it announced a joint partnership with the Middlebury Land Trust (MLT) to replace the siding with new cedar clapboard siding instead of residing it with vinyl or attempting an expensive sanding and repainting of the current clapboards. Committee members deliberated on what to do about the dilapidated siding as far back as May 2013 but made no decision due to the high cost of removing linseed oil from the clapboards before they could be painted. That labor-intensive undertaking was predicted to cost $25,000 or more, and it came with no guarantee the paint would adhere. Vinyl siding was considered as an alternative in October 2016, but that option was not pursued because a conservation easement held by the MLT restricted changes to the farm buildings. The MLT had paid $400,000 of the $1.6-million cost of the 66-acre property in August 2006 in return for the farm’s preservation as a “model operating historic New England Farm.”
The contract specifically says “the house shall be maintained in its present configuration and color so that it remains a Victorian farm house. Small additions which are compatible with the architecture may be made so long as they are consistent with the character of a Victorian house. Thus, the kitchen may be upgraded with modern appliances so long as it looks like an upscale Victorian kitchen.” At the March 1, 2017, meeting, members voted to get estimates for re-siding with red cedar clapboards. The bids were reviewed in executive session April 5 but no immediate decision was made. At the May 3, 2017, meeting, Chairman Ray Pietrorazio said he met with First Selectman Edward B. St. John and also with officers of the MLT to discuss the proposals. In a memo of understanding to MLT attorney Curt Titus and town attorney Dana D’Angelo, Pietrorazio specified the contract would be between the MLT and the successful contractor, with the MLT overseeing the project to preserve its conservation interests and Pietrorazio acting as the clerk of the works. The town’s share of the siding contract will be $20,000, paid on completion of the work. The land trust will pay the balance. MLT President Scott Peterson said, “Brookdale Farm is a joint project of the Middlebury Land Trust and the town. We
MLT acquires 14-acre parcel By JANINE SULLIVAN-WILEY member, was a prime driver in this process. He was very happy On April 28, 2017, the Mid- when it was completed and dlebury Land Trust’s (MLT) said, “It is a marvelous connecnewest acquisition joined the tion between the two properranks of properties conserved ties. It joins them together in a in Middlebury. At roughly 14 single holding that might some acres, the land formerly owned day become a nature preserve by the White Deer Rock Land with trails.” Corporation joins two previBill serves as the site manously separated MLT tracts. ager for the now-adjoining On the MLT maps, these are properties, and he noted that No. 10 – the Camp Parcel – to having the new property also the north and No. 35 – the North will give him improved access Shore Reserve Parcel – to the in his monitoring duties. He has south. White Deer Rocks Road usually done these in the drier bisects them, forming the seasons due to the many northern boundary of the new- swampy areas. Such monitoring est and as yet unnamed parcel. of its conserved properties is a (See map that accompanies this key responsibility of the Land article.) The three properties Trust. now form almost 50 contiguous By some accounts, the three acres. parcels comprise some of the The Middlebury Land Trust’s (MLT) most recent acquisition is shown in dark green on this map. The parcel connects the MLT’s Bill Crutcher, a long-time Middlebury resident and MLT – See MLT on page 8 Camp Parcel and North Shore Reserve Parcel. (Submitted map) Middlebury Congregational Church Strawberry Festival What: When: Where: Info:
Games, musical entertainment and food, including homemade strawberry shortcake. 5 to 7:30 p.m. On the Green (Route 188) in Middlebury. Eat in, take out or call ahead for a to-go order: 203-758-2671.
American Red Cross Blood Drive
What: Donate blood to help the American Red Cross provide blood to patients who need it. When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road in Middlebury.
St. John of the Cross Second Annual Takeout Chicken Dinner Fundraiser
saturDAY
June 24
are therefore helping out with re-siding the farmhouse in a historically appropriate manner. Preserving the historic character of the farm is in fact required by our easement. Our contribution and oversight of the project will save the town significant dollars. We are very pleased to be able to keep Brookdale Farm the Middlebury jewel that it is.” Pietrorazio said a final decision on the contractor had not yet been made, nor was the exact cost known. Details of the work include removal and disposal of existing clapboard, installation of Tyvec® air infiltration wrap over the house sheathing, installation of ½ by 6-inch finger-jointed and primed cedar siding with the rough side out, aluminum flashing where required, Benjamin Moore oil-based exterior primer and white oil-based clapboard and trim paint. Pietrorazio said window replacement was not part of the contract, but at St. John’s suggestion he would get estimates for them as well if they were needed. He said window replacements were unlikely, but might be done at the discretion of the MLT and handled as change orders so the siding work could be scheduled before too much time goes by. The next regular LPOS meeting will be Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 6 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.
What: When: Where: Info:
$12 for a take-out order of barbecued half chicken, baked potato, cole slaw, baked beans and roll. Pick up orders between 4 and 6 p.m. Parish House at 1321 Whittemore Road in Middlebury Purchase tickets before June 18. Buy them at the Parish House or outside Mass at the church June 10, 11, 17 and 18. For more information, call Lou at 203-758-1464 or the Parish House at 203-758-2659.
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