Economic Study Group: Town is not business friendly

SHARON —  The recently formed Economic Study Group presented a report on the town’s economic health at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The committee, formed in April, with Lynn Humeston serving as chairman, conducted interviews with commercial-property landlords and business owners in town.

They found that there are three prevailing perceptions.

“Perceptions, positive and negative, generally stem from at least some small basis in fact,� Humeston said at the beginning of the report, which she presented to the board. “However, a very wise man once said that truth is nothing, perception is everything.�

The first perception listed in the report is that the town is not business friendly. The report cites the location and size of the local enterprise zone, the lack of sewer and water within the zone itself and zoning regulations regarding commercial use of town buildings.

“It is our suspicion that some of the difficulties stem from the specifics of the myriad of regulations the building officials need to enforce,� Humeston reported. “This can sometimes be a frustrating situation for all sides.�

The second perception listed in the report is that the town is dying.

“Sharon has been described as a place where old people go — to visit their parents,� the report said. “It is not quite that bad yet, but the perception is borne out by the fact that nearly one-half of the town’s population in 2008 was over 50 years old. Also, the town is not only unable to attract new businesses, it cannot attract replacements for businesses that have existed here in the past.�

The third perception is that many believe the town will never attract another supermarket to replace Trotta’s market, which closed in December 2008.

Despite rumors throughout the year and a petition drive to bring Trader Joe’s into the vacant space in the Sharon Plaza, the spot remains unoccupied.

“The Donovans [the family that owns Sharon Plaza] is committed to attracting a good, long-term tenant for the space,� the report said. “This could prove to be a more daunting task than most people realize.�

Later on, the report lists aspects of a community that a company evaluates before moving into a town or city; the data was taken from a study done by Connecticut Light and Power.

They include: market access, transportation, utilities, labor force, education levels, community facilities and services, taxes, business climate, quality of life, available sites and buildings and available financing and incentives.

“Sharon falls on the low end of the scale in at least nine of those categories,� according to the report.

At the Sept. 8 meeting, Humeston told the selectmen that the next step for the committee will be to conduct a survey of residents to get their thoughts about the town’s future.

“What we would like to do is to take it to the public and see what direction they would like it to go,� Humeston said. “Because right now it is going....� (She made a downward gesture with her thumb.)

Committee member Mary Robertson suggested to the selectmen that the town join the Connecticut Main Street Center, a nonprofit organization that provides resources to towns, including information and analysis, to help revitalize business.

“None of us are urban planners,â€� Robertson said.  

Membership would cost $500 a year. The board agreed to ask the Sharon Association if it would split the cost of membership with the town.