Granby Selectmen Move Closer to Approving Deli Lease

The Granby Board of Selectmen on Monday conceptually authorized the town manager to enter into a lease agreement for the purpose of opening a deli and country store at the building located at 83 Salmon Brook St.

According to a memorandum from Town Manager William Smith, the town purchased the parcel of land at 83 Salmon Brook St. last year for $90,000. The intent behind the purchase was to limit the access to a separate parcel behind 83 Salmon Brook St. that is available for commercial development.

Granby resident Jennifer Girard plans to open the Pepper Mill Store and Deli at 83 Salmon Brook St. after making substantial renovations to the building.

The six-year lease would call for, among other things, Girard to pay rent in the amount of $300 per month in the first year, escalating over time to $1,000 per month in the final year of the lease. The town, for its part, reserved the right to have a road built on the parcel connecting it to the land in the rear for development, thus avoiding possible multiple access points off of Salmon Brook Street, according to Smith.

The relatively low rent is a reflection of the amount of money - in the range of $60,000 to $90,000 - that must be invested in the building for its renovation.

“It was never intended to lease the building,” said Director of Community Development Fran Armentano. “It’s not usable without substantial investment. … This would be a wonderful demo project [and it will be] an attractive building and hopefully a successful building.”

Girard was the only prospective developer to respond to a request for proposals from the town. The Planning & Zoning Commission and the Economic Development Commission both expressed their approval for the project.

Still, several selectmen, including Ron Desrosiers and B. Scott Kuhnly, expressed their reservations over several points in the summary memorandum of the lease; the board did not have a full copy of the draft lease to review as it was not completed prior to the meeting.

Two of the concerns were under what terms, if any, could the building be sublet and what protections the town had that the business would not change into something to which the town might object.

As such, the selectmen in a 5-0 vote authorized Smith to enter into the lease, provided that no questions arose within a span of 24 hours after the meeting, enabling the selectmen to review the lease in greater detail.

Girard, who was in attendance at the meeting, said she was anxious to get started as soon as possible on the work that needed to be done.

“We’re ecstatic; we’re looking forward to it,” she said. “Hopefully we will get it done before summertime. It’s a good situation for us and the town. We have a lot to offer each other.”

During the public hearing on the matter prior to the selectmen’s meeting, two people expressed their concern over the traffic safety in the area around 83 Salmon Brook St.

Residents Bob Smith and Lloyd Shibles wanted to know what, if anything, was being done in terms of possibly installing a traffic light at the intersection of Floydville Road and Salmon Brook Street for the safety of the bikers and walkers who utilize the Greenway in that area.

“I see that as a very important thing to consider,” Bob Smith said.

First Selectman John Adams said that no formal plans had been made for a traffic light, as Salmon Brook Street is a state road that requires approval from the state Department of Transportation for the installation of a light.

Adams said that the DOT performed a traffic study several years around that area and found that there was an insufficient car count to warrant a light.

In other business, the selectmen unanimously approved the use of $3,200 for the Granby Recreation and Leisure Services Department to host three summer concerts at Salmon Brook Park. The $3,200 would come from the $12,000 that was given to the town by the Celebrate Granby 225 Committee.

The selectmen also set April 23 for the Annual Town Meeting on the budget to be held in the Granby Memorial High School Auditorium.