The road would be built only if a private company planning an assisted living facility spends $2 million of its own money to clean up environmental hazards.
BELCHERTOWN — Town Meeting said yes Monday night to a $1.25 million bond to build a new road into the former Belchertown State School property.
The road would be built only if a private company spends $2 million of its own money to clean up the environmental hazards on an 11-acre section of the property that would eventually house a 170-unit assisted living facility.
The outcome was not unanimous, and many abstained, but the overwhelming majority of those casting votes decided the idea was worth the risk.
“What they presented shows promise,” resident Paul Healey said as he exited the meeting with his young child. According to the town clerk’s office, 379 of the town’s nearly 9,000 registered voters packed the high school auditorium Monday night.
Town officials say the $1.25 million roadway project would not only put an 11-acre parcel on the tax rolls — and generate at least $150,000 in annual tax revenue — they said the road would do the most to unlock the stalled development potential at the remaining 50 acres. The town-appointed Belchertown Economic Development and Industrial Corporation board is the legal owner of the property
The town has an agreement with Weston Solutions Inc. for the company to spend $2 million to clean up the pollution at the 11-acre site, known as Pad 1. The pollutions was created when the state owned the land.
Weston intends to erect a large assisted living facility. Town officials say they are optimistic the state would release a $10 million bond that would be used to clean the remainder of the property, if the Weston plan shows promise.
In other business, Town Meeting unanimously approved spending just over $45 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The amount is a 2 percent increase.
School spending was increased by 1 percent, to $25.1 million; the Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School budget was approved at just over $1 million.