This article first appeared in the December 16th print edition of the Vermont Standard.
By Gareth Henderson
Standard Staff
The Woodstock Village Trustees and the Town Selectboard signed an agreement Tuesday that could pave the way for the revitalization of the East End.
Sustainable Woodstock’s East End Action Group proposed a “land swap” Tuesday night that would result in a new location for the village snow dump. The group’s members say this would be a major boost to its plan to create a Riverfront Park at the part of the East End called the jungle.
The purchase and sales agreement Woodstock officials signed Tuesday night would need the approval of the village and town voters.
In the deal, the village and town would pay 50 percent of the cost of a private 5-acre parcel that abuts Woodstock Foundation land, just outside the village limits. The other 50 percent would be from private donations. If the deal goes through, this parcel would be traded for a 2.1-acre parcel owned by the Woodstock Resort Corp. that abuts the Woodstock sewer plant land. The Woodstock Resort Corp. parcel would become the site of the new snow dump.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Municipal Manager Phil Swanson estimated that this plan would cost $35 more in taxes for a village property valued at $300,000. The purchase price for the 5-acre parcel is not being disclosed at this time, and the owner’s name has not been released.
Laird Bradley, a member of the East End Action Group, said the snow dump’s removal would be “the catalyst” for the park plans moving forward. Speaking with Woodstock officials on Tuesday, he said the park would make a huge difference for tourism and would add incentive for development.
“I think it’s short-term money for a huge return,” Bradley said.
However, Village Trustee Chris Miller said village residents should not have to pay for the land swap deal, since they would also be paying into it as town residents. He said it amounted to “a surcharge for moving the snow dump.”
“I would be 100-percent in favor of this if the village did not pay a dime,” Miller said.
Trustee Chair Candace Coburn understood that point but believed “the contingencies were there” to protect the municipality in this deal. Selectboard Chair Jack Anderson agreed.
Trustee Eric Nesbitt, who voted against the purchase and sales agreement, said he “wasn’t convinced” it was a good move. He said he wanted to see more specifics about the cost of moving the snow dump.
Selectboard member John Doten said the 2.1-acre parcel owned by the Woodstock Resort Corp. would need some gravel put down on it, if it is to be used as the new snow dump. That’s because the parcel can get muddy early in the season or after a thaw, making it more difficult for large equipment to operate on the surface, Doten explained.
The purchase and sales, as approved on Tuesday night, says the private landowner and the Woodstock Resort Corp. must conclude their negotiations by Jan. 28 if the deal is to go through. If that deadline is met, Coburn said there would likely be some public meetings in February for voters to weigh in. The agreement requires positive votes from both the village and town in order to move forward.
