Town Negotiates Deal on Tax Forgiveness in Westbrook, Connecticut

WESTBROOK - A deal of sorts was made on April 21 when the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance voted at their joint meeting to forgive part of the back taxes and interest owed on 88 Pond Meadow Road.

Paul Cusson, owner of the property which formerly was home to Turnpike Auto Wreckers, said that he has already spent $200,000 for environmental cleanup and is participating in a voluntary remediation program with Guilford-based Triton Environmental, Inc.

The property has been designated as a "brownfield" by the Environmental Protection Agency for contamination caused by the storage of tires, oil, and automobile parts.

Board of Finance Chairman Paul Connelly said that as of May 1, there will be $201,767 of back taxes, interest, and liens owed on the property which was recently assessed at $64,750.

In 2005, Cusson acquired the property and an adjacent parcel at 17 Willard Ave. for $50,000.

He has requested that the town forgive approximately $51,767 in interest by accepting his offer of $150,000.

Town Attorney Michael Wells said that the state statues allow a town to forgive all or a portion of back taxes on "environmentally challenged property" as long as an environmental cleanup is completed.

Wells said that the town can attach additional conditions regarding the tax forgiveness.

Pond Meadow Road resident Joel Maynard said he "would like to see the property cleaned up" and supported the town to participate in a "give and take" approach rather than accept Cusson's $150,000 offer.

The property is zoned as medium density residential, MDR, with a non-conforming use as a junkyard and Cusson was denied a zone change by the Zoning Commission last year.

In an April 3 letter, Cusson stated, "Having been before both planning and zoning, I believe everyone is in agreement that some type of 'transition' zone between LI (light industrial) and MDR would be best for this property."

Maynard did not believe a zone change would be approved by the Zoning Commission before another town administrative change which would happen, at earliest, in November 2009 when the terms of all three selectmen will expire.