A year of progress and preservation in Falls Village

FALLS VILLAGE — In 2023, the question of the former firehouse at 35 Railroad St. was finally resolved.

At a town meeting that ran concurrently with the municipal elections Nov. 7, voters approved the sale of the property for $300,000 to James Gillispie, who ran through his proposal for a gym. A related issue was also settled Nov. 7. The former firehouse encroached on the Falls Village Inn property. Voters approved a land swap with the Falls Village Inn, which makes 35 Railroad St. a legal lot and grants two easements to the Inn.

Also on Nov. 7, with an impressive 63.2% of registered voters turning out, Dave Barger was elected the new First Selectman in Falls Village. He is joined on the board by Judy Jacobs and Chris Kinsella.

In January, the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) approved an amendment to the town’s zoning regulations that allows for two types of cannabis manufacturing activities in the town’s Light Industrial Zone.

The amendment does not allow for any retail cannabis operation.

Housing and traffic dominated the discussion of the PZC’s draft of the 2024 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) at a meeting at Lee H. Kellogg School Saturday, Sept. 30.

The PZC held a discussion on the POCD with about 70 residents in March. Residents were asked to identify their top areas of interest, which turned out to be: “Community Character,” “Housing Affordability and Needs,” “Economic Development,” and “Village Center.”

This generally reflected the priorities identified by some 231 residents who responded to the January online survey.

During the Sept. 30 meeting residents expressed concerns about problems arising from increased activity in the downtown area and batted around ideas on affordable housing.

There will be a public hearing on the POCD Thursday, Jan. 26, on Zoom. The draft POCD is available on the town website.

The Center on Main named Brook Martinez as the Center’s new creative administrator, and Adam Sher said in March that the Center had three immediate goals: to hire the creative administrator, to develop an annual program of events and activities, and to “take care of the building.”

The Center hosted a variety of events and performances throughout the year, including the Joe Bouchard Band, “Folk Tails” from the Falls Village Children’s Theater, and a community forum with the candidates for the Board of Selectmen.

After numerous hearings, meetings and discussions, on April 10, the Board of Finance voted down a motion to recommend to town meeting a deal with Frontier Communications to extend fiber optic access to about 60 addresses in town for $350,000.

Frontier is in the process of building a statewide fiber optic network. As explained by company representatives, some addresses in Falls Village are too remote for the company to extend the service without a financial contribution from the town.

There were two well-attended public hearings on the matter.

In May, the Falls Village Housing Trust completed a deal to buy 17-21 Miner St. The property has five apartments in two buildings.

Trust president Jandi Hanna said the purpose of buying the property is to keep it as “organic affordable housing.”

The nonprofit FVHT will be in a position to apply to the state for funds for renovation. The FVHT also successfully applied for a $750,000 federal grant for infrastructure at the site of the River Road Homes.

On Memorial Day, five residents were recognized for their contributions to the town: Tim and Andrea Downs, for their continued participation in the AFS Intercultural Program; two town officials who retired, assessor Hazel McGuire and treasurer Linda Paviol; and the town’s emergency chief, Michelle Hansen, for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hometown baseball hero Steve Blass gave a talk at the South Canaan Meeting House on July 25. The 1971 World Series champ shared tales from his youth in Falls Village, his time as a major league pitcher, and his career in broadcasting.

“I can’t imagine growing up in a nicer place, a nicer area, nicer people and a nicer time,” said Blass.