Houlton lends hand to warehouse project > Company plans 100,000 square foot facility

HOULTON – The Town Council on Monday night, sitting in its capacity as the Shiretown Development Corporation, took the first step that could help a local company build a 100,000-square-foot retail and warehouse facility at the town’s industrial park.

C & C Salvage has proposed building the facility on four subdivision lots at the former World War II air base, which is owned by the development corporation.

In order to proceed, however, the four lots must be combined as one, so that the company can proceed with its application to the Department of Environmental Protection.

C & C representatives in early October initially went before the town’s planning board with the request. However, since the development corporation owns the lots, it must make the request to the planning board.

Monday night’s action was approved unanimously.

“This is the first hoop we have to jump through,” said Town Manager Allan Bean, adding that other actions will have to be taken along the way to finalize a deal with C & C.

As part of its request, C & C also will require that an abutting road be realigned and that a sewer line be moved.

In addition, it was discovered during project planning that the storm-drain system at the industrial park had deteriorated over the years to the point where it is no longer functional in most areas. Because of that, C & C will be forced to build an expensive storm-water retention pond to handle runoff from its proposed building and parking lot.

Company representatives indicated last month that because the problems with the storm drain system were not their fault, they would be looking for some help from the town in addressing the issue.

The development corporation has asked the town’s Community Development Department to expedite that process for C & C.

Community Development Director Charles Upton said Monday night that funds were available from state economic development grant programs to address the road, sewer line and storm drain issues.

Pending a firm commitment from C & C on the project, those funds could be in place with 60 days, he said.

The SDC made it clear as part of its action Monday night that any grant funds that are obtained by it or the town will be based on a firm commitment to the project from C & C and its developers, including that all funding for the project be known and in place.

Any work on the project by the development corporation or the town also would be contingent upon the same financial commitment on the part of C & C .

Monday’s action did not constitute any sale of property to C & C. If for any reason the project doesn’t go forward and the development corporation doesn’t sell the lots to C & C, Monday’s request to planning board to consolidate the four subdivisions would be rescinded and the lots would remain separate as are now.