Town Officials Eye Potential Property for New Highway Garage

In its search for a site on which to build a new town highway garage, Canton officials are eyeing a potential property.

As allowed by state statute, the Board of Selectmen discussed a potential real estate transaction in a recent executive session (closed-door meeting) as did the Permanent Municipal Building Committee Tuesday night.

“We have a parcel that we’re exploring,” First Selectman Richard Barlow confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

Barlow said he could not yet divulge its location but did confirm it is not 5 Cherry Brook, the parcel residents rejected purchasing at a 2010 referendum. The town had planned to put a $6.5 million highway garage project involving a modified piece of the same property and a new garage on the November 2012 ballot but pulled the project after the appraisals came in lower than the purchase price.

Barlow said the property, which is not town owned, was previously considered by at the time seemed to involve “impediments” that would prevent its purchase.

With further information, the town has realized those may not be as insurmountable as believed, Barlow added.

“On first analysis, the property has some good attributes in term of access, utilities and land acquisition,” Barlow said.