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With price off target, land deal shot down
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - July 11, 2012)
With price off target, land deal shot down
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Newbury Township Trustees failed to reach an agreement last week with a buyer for township-owned property.
Trustees met in special session to discuss the possible sale of a 10.8-acre property formerly known as Grange Park with township resident Jodie Swartwout. But a selling price could not be agreed upon.
The property once served as a community gathering place with annual picnics, but they were suspended during World War II and were never held again. The property off Kinsman Road (Route 87) was deeded to the township in 1958 but was rarely used.
Mrs. Swartwout said she planned to build a shooting range on the property. She said the $2 million project would employ a minimum of 30 people. She said other townships that were interested in the project.
Newbury officials rejected an offer of $139,500 for the property, saying it would be unfair to township residents if they sold it well below the appraised price of $165,000.
Mrs. Swartwout said the property is not worth the asking price, given that about half of it is considered wetlands that could not be built on.
Newbury Trustee Glen Quigley said the appraisal obtained by the township made no mention of wetlands. He asked what expertise Mrs. Swartwout used in determining that the property contains wetlands.
"My expertise is, can you build on it?" she said.
Trustee William Skomrock said the township isn't willing to consider lowering the price because Mrs. Swartwout believes some of the land was unusable. "If you're going to buy it, it's 10 acres," he said.
He said the property had been landlocked, but the township was able to gain access by swapping an acre off the rear for property owned by Kinetico.
Approximately half of the property is zoned for commercial.
Trustee Jan Blair said trustees initially got an appraisal for the property at $276,000 but questioned that amount. In an effort to be fair, she said, the township obtained a second appraisal that listed the $165,000 figure.
Mrs. Swartwout said the property lacks a driveway, which would cost an estimated $60,000 to build. "I'm trying to prove to you it's not worth $165,000," she said.
Trustees adjourned to a closed-door session to discuss the issue and returned with a $160,000 asking price.
But Mrs. Swartwout would not deviate from her offer. "I'm at $139,500. Sorry," she said.
Mr. Quigley said he believes township officials fulfilled their obligation in seeking two appraisals on the land.
Mrs. Blair said she was disappointed by the outcome. "Had they come a little closer to us, this deal would have been done," she said. "I would have loved to have sold this."
She said the business would have meant economic development, additional tax dollars and jobs for the community.
Mr. Skomrock said the property would have been ideal for a shooting range, because it's isolated with no nearby residential properties to be disturbed by any noise.
Mrs. Swartwout said she has been attempting to bring a shooting range to Newbury for about three years.
She said she initially inquired in an industrial area along Ravenna Road (Route 44), but lenders were reluctant to invest in a rental arrangement, as opposed to owning the building.
Negotiations for the former Distech property at Sperry and Kinsman roads also fell through, she said, because of the price.
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