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February 3, 1975
MATERIAL FOR MEETING WITH BOARD OF FINANCE
The 1973 Town Charter, in brief, charges the Economic
Development Commission to study and recommend to the appropriate
town agencies action to improve economic conditions and develop-
ment of the Town and if advisable, to accomplish this to co-
operate with unofficial bodies of the Town.
Thus , its duties are not confined to industrial Develop-
ment alone, but to any and all matters which may affect the
economic growth of the town by creating a better general atmos-
phere, such as beautification, housing for the elderly, zoning,
etc. since all these and many more have a bearing, good or bad,
on the long range economy of the town.
Until the adoption of the new Town Charter, the Commission
then known as the industrial Development Commission, confined
its studies and activities to manufacturing alone. -It has since
enlarged its surveys and attention to General Commercial and
Retail businesses and attempts to successfully deal with problems
presented to it in these areas as well as in the area of Industry
or Manufacturing, and other miscellaneous areas.
A short time ago it surveyed the former two areas and
quite recently the latter. Following are some statistics gathered
from these surveys which may be of interest.
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Industry ( light, heavy end planned)
Presently there are 107 separate industrial companies
or shops operating in Berlin employing a total of over 4900
people and occupying more than 230,000 square feet of floor
space, and approximately 450 acres of land. Some of these
companies are non-conforming according to present zoning.
These figures compare with 80 Firms, 94035 sq. ft. and
2726 employees in 1966, and 98 firms, - 2,237089 sq. ft. and
4684 employees in 1971, the big increase due mainly to Emhart
who came into the picture between the 1968 and 1971 surveys.
There was a slight drop-off in the categories of sq. ft. &
employees between the 1971 and 1972 surveys but a pick-up to
the pre. ent figures from the low point of 1972. Since the first
survey which was conducted in 1965 there has been a 30% increase
in the number of firms, a 146% increase in the sq . ft. of manu-
facturing, space and a 100% increase in the number of employees,
again mainly due to Emhart.
According to present zoning there are about 1200 acres
zoned for heavy, light or planned industry but which are not
occupied by industry. However, if an appraisal made by the Field
Representative in conjunction with the Engineering Dept. is
accepted only about 250 acres can be classified as usable and
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300 acres as possibly usable without major excation or filling
or demolition of a substantial occupied residence. The total
of approximately 1200 acres referred to above are owned by 150
different people which f ac't might complicate efforts to acquire
a substantial area in one piece.
General Commercial
69 General Commercial businesses now occupy approximately
274 acres. There are a total of 104 parcels or 227 acres un-
occupied by a business left, according to present zoning. Of
these however, 89 parcels or 207 acres are either of extremely
poor topography or are non-accessible, or are occupied by a
substantial residence in which people are living, leaving but
15 parcels or 20 acres readily occupiable for further expansion
in this area. These are mainly along the Wilbur Cross highway.
As in the case of Industrial land, the zoning map does
not indicate truthfully the amount of land readily available for
General Commercial Usage.
Retail Business
108 Retail businesses presently occupy 12480 front feet
on streets. There are 85 parcels with a total of 9456 front feet
unoccupied by retail businesses according to present zoning, but
50 of these with a total of 4180 front feet are presently occupied
with a residence in good condition, leaving 35 parcels with 5276
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front feet readily available for expansion in this area. These
are pretty well scattered mainly on the streets in the business
areas.
To indicate the problems involved in locating new in-
,
dustries in Berlin, a log on inquiries a short time agoshowed
that of 18 unsolicited inquiries for land or building space for
industrial use, over a period from Feb. 1973 to Feb. 1974) we
were unable to satisfy a single one, either because our present
zoning regulations were not suitable for the prospects ° require-
ments or because no building space was available. Since Feb .
several additions requests for land or buildings have been re-
eeived, none of which we could satisfy for the same reasons -
non available or incompatible zoning.
For this reason and the fact that private developers
appear to be inactive presently, the Commission has concerned
itself with the possibility of developing a Municipal Industrial
Park with financial help in some form from the State or Federal
Government and is already in active communication on the matter
with the State Department of Commerce in connection with a plot
of land served by a railroad and spur track involving nearly a
hundred acres, practically all of the owners of which a re in
favor of the idea. Incidentally, the plot has been examined by
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a professional appraisal company which has pronounced it as
having excellent potential as an industrial area. We are now
in active neF°otiations with the State Dept. of Commerce to
expedite this program which is becoming more and more urgent and
important due to the activity of all surrounding towns in de-
veloping competitive Industrial Parks all of which lessens our
chAnce of obtaining State Grant money. We have requested a
comparatively small amount of money to advance this program and
will eventually be 100% re-imbursed.under a State grant. If we
fail to complete this project we can expect little if any further
industrial growth in this town.
Although not the first to s tudy the subject, because of
its importance to the general municipal health of the town and
its image, the Commission has conducted a preliminary survey on
the need for housing for the Elderly. Early this year, a question-
naire was submitted to the Senior Citizen Center at the Corner of
Farmington Ave. and hew Britain Road. Of the 50 copies distri-
buted, 22 were returned, all indicating an extreme interest in
low cost housing mainly on financial grounds, or inability to
properly care for present accomodations.
It has now been established that this type of multiple
housing can legally be built in this town if on town-owned land
,
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and the Commission has visited and photographed housing for
the Elderly already in operation in Southington, Plainville,
Bristol and East Granby and is under construction in Farmington
and Newington. It has also obtained much pertinent information
from the managers of this housing in these towns and is about i
to set up a meeting with State Department of Community Affairs
for further information relative to financing, possible res-
trictions and other details particularly meansof limiting
occupancy to residents of Berlin or to parents of residents.
This whole matter, however, although originally initiated
by the E. C.A. has now been taken over by the Executive Board
since it has been determined that the only feasible approach to
this problem is through the State which requires the appointment
of a Housing Authority as the administration body.
Finally, the matter of upgrading the appearance of the
main business areas through which strangers passbr which may be
subject to inspection by businesses quietly looking for new
locations is being scanned, with the idea of first calling public
attention, as have other groups, to the fact that improvement in
the general housekeeping of a town adds toits assets in attracting
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new business and retaining present desirable businesses, thus
to lessen the tax burden: actually the prime reason for the
existence of the Economic Development Commission.
Fred Downs
Field Representative
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
NOTE: Statistics correct at time of surveys - early and mid
1974.
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