Bethel Residents Approve Bethel Cycle Move

After a promise to adjust the parking language on the lease, Bethel residents and business owners unanimously approved Bethel Cycle & Fitness's move from 120 Greenwood Ave. to the old town train station on Depot Place.

On Tuesday night, Bethel officials and about 30 residents came to a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. and town meeting at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the issue.

First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker said he was very happy with the outcome of the Bethel Cycle lease vote as a compromise was reached concerning parking.

Knickerbocker said a few surrounding business owners that shared the parking lot in the proposed location attended the meeting, including owners from The Spot, Nicky's Haircutters, Bethel Glass & Shower Door and The Putnam House.

"They looked at the whole issue of Bethel Cycle coming in as costing them parking that was going to hurt their businesses," Knickerbocker said. "The biggest issue was that the lease called for a certain number of parking spaces dedicated for Bethel Cycle during business hours."

Greg Pelican, owner of Bethel Cycle & Fitness, said he had no problem losing the designated  parking spaces, as most employees and customers typically ride their bikes to the shop. Bethel Cycle is also only open during the day, which Pelican said should not hurt the restaurants that also use the parking lot. Overall, he said there should not be future conflicts. 

Knickerbocker said the shop would probably need two or three spaces and originally the business' lawyer put it in about 11 spaces in the lease due to planning and zoning regulations. Since the old train station lot as a whole holds more than 60 spaces, replacing that language from the lease should still meet town zoning laws.  

Since the lease could not be changed during the meeting, Knickerbocker said he asked the people present to approve the lease and "trust [the officials] to change it after the fact."

According to Knickerbocker, Board of Finance member Philip J. Gallagher, and Selectman Paul Szatkowski wanted to table the discussion to adjust the lease before an official vote. Before Bethel Cycle moves into its new space, Knickerbocker said the parking lot needs to be fixed and needs drainage added to it. If approved later, the project would risk being delayed due to winter weather.

Therefore he said he urged voters to, "trust us to do the right thing, Greg is willing to give this up, we can amend this lease afterward, but we can't afford to put this off."

Because the lease was approved, Knickerbocker said, "The town is immediately going to work on parking lot, which all the businesses were very happy about."

Pelican said Bethel Cycle & Fitness will also start its move "shortly" and thinks it will take about three months to complete. His goal is to reopen March 1, 2011, before his busiest season. 

"In general, the main concept of the shop is to be a destination for local cyclists, which is a good thing for the town, community and nearby businesses," Pelican said. 

He explained that his customers who typically ride their bikes in town also frequently visit downtown restaurants and stores. When Bethel Cycle holds large group rides, it brings an extra 40 to 50 customers to businesses, Pelican said. 

The other two items on the meeting's agenda were the abandonment of a road in the Knollwood area and to approved the YMCA Children's Center lease. These items were also unanimously approved. 

Knickerbocker said the Knollwood vote was the final approval on a road that had been in negotiation for awhile. "The town actually owns that property but now we're letting it go," Knickerbocker said. "It was a part of a settlement with a company that wanted to build condos there for a long time."

Approving the YMCA's lease was to adjust an error found in the previous lease.