Last week, residents near Fairview Hill learned that a water tank they helped stop years ago is now being reconsidered, thanks to Park Central.
A reader alerted me that some residents were notified of the proposal by letter this week. Apparently, residents of Deerfoot Extension, Skylar, Sarsenstone Way, Tara Road and Bantry Road received letters informing them of a Public Works Planning Board meeting taking place this week.
In the letter, residents were informed that the Town is now considering building the tower there to meet increased water needs expected to come out of the Park Central developments.
Margarite Landry of Deerfoot Road wrote me:
In 2007-2009, the DPW attempted to place a 3 million gallon storage tank on Fairview hill, but withdrew plans after residents made a convincing case that storage with this proposed tank would be more expensive and inefficient than improving the pumping system with relays, and repairing out of date mains. The repairs were made and the pumping relays were installed in locations around town.
The approval of 180 condos and 140 townhouses at Park Central changed that.
The Town was promised land for a water tank as part of the Park Central development project to allow for building a tank. Public Works charged its consultants with re-evaluating the options for building a tank and making recommendations for the best site.
The consultants concluded that Fairview Hill would be the best spot, costing the Town $1.4 – 2.3 million less to build the necessary tank than it would at Park Central. (You can read the report here.)
The tank in consideration is 1.5 million gallons, half the size of the one explored years ago. But it’s still not likely to be welcome news to most homeowners abutting the area. Landry opines:
This would destroy the neighborhood’s beauty and real estate values, and be a visible eyesore to many neighborhoods in town.
Of course, recommendations by a consultant aren’t equal to a done deal. The first public meeting discussing this issue is consultant PARE Corp’s official presentation to the Public Works Planning Board this Tuesday night.
That meeting is scheduled for December 13 at 7:00 pm in Cordaville Hall (aka the Senior Center), 9 Cordaville Road.
So is Park Central paying for the new water tank?
A water tank within Park Central development is part of the project, and it is stated like this during the entire review process. If this critical and essentials component of the project changed, Park Central project should be re-evaluated.