Weston Charts Future of Old Library

Weston Selectmen on Tuesday took the first steps in a new effort to reuse the Old Library.

Selectmen and residents, during the regular Selectmen’s meeting, discussed the mechanics and ideas for finding a way to reuse the Old Library, with one selectman saying the town may not get another commercial use proposal. However, no votes or final decisions were made on the issue.

The discussion comes weeks after Special Town Meeting voters rejected plans that would have allowed a proposal to construct condominiums on the Old Library site.

POTENTIAL PROCESS FOR FUTURE REUSE OF OLD LIBRARY

· Selectmen Chairman Ed Coburn said he did not believe the reuse process should begin during the summer and that the town should wait until September to take further steps. “I just don’t see how we can do enough process … in time to get things into a warrant [for a Town Meeting],” he said. “I don’t see how we could do anything before the spring town meeting,”

· Selectman Michael Harrity suggested creating a new process for determining the site’s reuse, while Selectman Doug Gillespie said he believed the prior request for proposal and process could be revived with few changes.

· Harrity and Gillespie agreed the town could see few or no future proposals. “We may get none,” Harrity said.

· Also, Coburn said several town organizations could possibly be interested in using the space. However, paying rent could play a factor in whether they use the space, he said.

· Also, overall residents said the community should be given time to formulate clear proposals with cost figures and put that into an RFP.  

· As for a zoning bylaw to allow for potential uses for the site, Planning Board Chairman Al Aydelott, noting his belief residents were not opposed to a prior zoning proposal that would have allowed for the Urbanica proposal, said the board could bring proposal to the fall town meeting.

· Coburn, in response to a question from the audience, said he could look into possibly bringing several proposals, instead of just one, to town meeting. That, however, could be problematic if voters approved various proposals. 

RESIDENT CONCERNS

· Overall, residents discussed whether the town should sell the building. One resident said the issue needs to be settled before proceeding while another resident suggested taking that issue to a ballot vote.

· Coburn, however, said “ownership does not equal control and control does not equal ownership. We can control buildings without owning them.”

· As for the prior proposal from Urbanica, selectmen essentially said residents should consider that dead. “We are not under the impression Urbanica is waiting around to push forward,” Coburn said. He noted, however, Urbanica could “talk to us again.”

· In response to concerns of attracting more residents to the decision-making process, Coburn said the town plans to publicize the reuse process more than prior reuse processes.