(April 21, 2016) Berlin is getting closer to issuing occupancy permits for more than a dozen homes at Cannery Village, although sewer system issues still persist at the new affordable housing complex.
In an email dated April 14, developer Andrew Hanson, vice president of Osprey Property Company LLC, said water meters had been set for lots 1 through 22.
“[Lots] 1 through 15 will be final today or tomorrow, and it is up to the town to issue [occupancy orders],” Hanson said. “It has always been up to the town.”
During a phone interview on April 14, Mayor Gee Williams agreed that the town was close.
“The first certificates of occupancy should be given by the end of the week if everything falls into place,” he said, adding that orders for all townhomes on the property were likely “within two-to-three weeks.”
“Within the next month, everything that can be occupied, I think, will be ready for occupancy,” he said. “One thing I do want to make clear is that the problems with getting a certificate of occupancy approved for the development – it’s all because we require all the town standards to be met. We’re not going to accept a system that does not meet town standards that the citizens of Berlin are going to be responsible for, in perpetuity.”
Williams said he believed original estimates were that the first wave of Cannery residents would move in last November.
“That was the original estimate that we heard,” he said. “You don’t criticize good news, but I’m not sure that – given what everyone knows now – that they would have been that optimistic.
“I think, in this case, everybody tried to make this happen as quickly as they can, but, still, I hope people remember that the groundbreaking just happened in May,” Williams added. “In the greater scheme of things, we’ve gone from a completely undeveloped lot that was mostly forested, to the first rent-to-own, affordable community project, in less than a year. We’d love to have had people in there earlier, but there’s the real world out there and it doesn’t care about schedules.”
He also said he was optimistic that an accord would soon be reached between Hanson and residents on Flower Street, whose properties abut Cannery Village and who asked for a barrier around the complex.
During the last several weeks, Williams said he and several residents took walking tours of the area.
“We discussed some ideas that we all agreed sounded very practical and reasonable, and would be effective both in the short-term, and – hopefully – for the foreseeable future,” he said. “My next step is then to set up a time when I can talk to Mr. Hanson, and discuss with him the ideas that the residents of that neighborhood and myself discussed.
“I’m hopeful. I don’t think that anyone’s proposing anything that would be unreasonable, and, in many cases, many of the ideas are based on one of Mr. Hanson’s proposals,” Williams added. “I think I can say with confidence I’m hopeful – I’m not going to say it’s a done deal. If both sides want to make it work, it’ll last and be a permanent solution – not a temporary one.”
On Monday, however, Town Administrator Laura Allen said the project was still trying to overcome a few minor issues, related to its sewer system, before Berlin could issue occupancy orders.
She said she met with Hanson and Water Resources/Public Works Director Jane Kreiter, that morning.
“Things are moving along, and I would expect, shortly, to be issuing some CO’s (certificates of occupancy) later this week,” she said. “It’s all predicated on getting things set up so that the systems function well for the folks that are moving in. We just have a few little things to work out.”
Allen said 17-22 homes were close to passing town inspections.
In an email dated April 14, developer Andrew Hanson, vice president of Osprey Property Company LLC, said water meters had been set for lots 1 through 22.
“[Lots] 1 through 15 will be final today or tomorrow, and it is up to the town to issue [occupancy orders],” Hanson said. “It has always been up to the town.”
During a phone interview on April 14, Mayor Gee Williams agreed that the town was close.
“The first certificates of occupancy should be given by the end of the week if everything falls into place,” he said, adding that orders for all townhomes on the property were likely “within two-to-three weeks.”
“Within the next month, everything that can be occupied, I think, will be ready for occupancy,” he said. “One thing I do want to make clear is that the problems with getting a certificate of occupancy approved for the development – it’s all because we require all the town standards to be met. We’re not going to accept a system that does not meet town standards that the citizens of Berlin are going to be responsible for, in perpetuity.”
Williams said he believed original estimates were that the first wave of Cannery residents would move in last November.
“That was the original estimate that we heard,” he said. “You don’t criticize good news, but I’m not sure that – given what everyone knows now – that they would have been that optimistic.
“I think, in this case, everybody tried to make this happen as quickly as they can, but, still, I hope people remember that the groundbreaking just happened in May,” Williams added. “In the greater scheme of things, we’ve gone from a completely undeveloped lot that was mostly forested, to the first rent-to-own, affordable community project, in less than a year. We’d love to have had people in there earlier, but there’s the real world out there and it doesn’t care about schedules.”
He also said he was optimistic that an accord would soon be reached between Hanson and residents on Flower Street, whose properties abut Cannery Village and who asked for a barrier around the complex.
During the last several weeks, Williams said he and several residents took walking tours of the area.
“We discussed some ideas that we all agreed sounded very practical and reasonable, and would be effective both in the short-term, and – hopefully – for the foreseeable future,” he said. “My next step is then to set up a time when I can talk to Mr. Hanson, and discuss with him the ideas that the residents of that neighborhood and myself discussed.
“I’m hopeful. I don’t think that anyone’s proposing anything that would be unreasonable, and, in many cases, many of the ideas are based on one of Mr. Hanson’s proposals,” Williams added. “I think I can say with confidence I’m hopeful – I’m not going to say it’s a done deal. If both sides want to make it work, it’ll last and be a permanent solution – not a temporary one.”
On Monday, however, Town Administrator Laura Allen said the project was still trying to overcome a few minor issues, related to its sewer system, before Berlin could issue occupancy orders.
She said she met with Hanson and Water Resources/Public Works Director Jane Kreiter, that morning.
“Things are moving along, and I would expect, shortly, to be issuing some CO’s (certificates of occupancy) later this week,” she said. “It’s all predicated on getting things set up so that the systems function well for the folks that are moving in. We just have a few little things to work out.”
Allen said 17-22 homes were close to passing town inspections.