By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Shrewsbury – The Shrewsbury Development Corporation (SDC) met with the Board of Selectmen at their Oct. 23 meeting. Richard Ricker, president of the SDC, spoke on behalf of the corporation.
The SDC is primarily responsible for management and marketing of town-owned property, Centech Park North on South Street. Centech Park North, a.k.a. the Allen Property, was purchased after a vote by the town in 2002.
Ricker provided an update on progress made toward the property’s Master Plan and marketing study. He cited a Site Readiness Grant that was approved and explained that Bohler Engineering and Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) have been working with them through a grant from the state that will enable them to move forward with a roadway in the northern parcel of property.
“We’ve ramped up efforts these past few months at least in an effort to meet certain deadlines and some goals for these grants with the hope that we will be ready to come back to you with the applications for the Employer Identification Number for the MEPA [Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act] process for your [next] meeting,” Ricker said.
He also hopes to be ready for the eventual grant application from MassWorks for the roadway construction on the north parcel in August of next year.
Mike Dryden from Bohler Engineering said that boundary survey has been completed which includes buildings and utilities as well as an investigation of sub-surface soil.
The 2008 Master Plan is also being evaluated and updated with current constraints on the property to ascertain buildable areas and to position the property for today’s market.
“What is the budget and where is the money coming from?” inquired Selectman James Kane.
“We received a $302,000 grant from MassDevelopment from the Site Readiness Grant to do the entire boundary topographic and wetlands survey. Also included in that dollar amount is the design and permitting for the north roadway,” replied Kristen Las, assistant town manager.
Additional funding has come from District Local Technical Assistance.
Las also informed the board that at the local level the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission would have opportunities to weigh in, consult and provide their approval for the plan.
