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Williston tells committee it will not buy former state police barracks; town asks to preserve future right-of-way options
Summary
Town of Williston told a state committee it will not pursue purchase of the former State Police barracks parcel, about 3 acres, but urged officials to preserve options for a future grid street and to consider housing in reuse plans. Buildings and General Services (BGS) retains authority to sell the site.
The town of Williston told members of the Legislative Committee on Corrections & Institutions on March 13 that it does not intend to buy the former State Police barracks parcel the state may put up for sale.
Town Manager Eric Wells told the committee the parcel is about three acres and that Williston had explored possible uses including a community center and affordable housing, but found the site too small for the community-center plans and was unable to secure a housing partner. “The town at this point is not interested in moving forward with the purchase of the property,” Wells said.
The report-back requirement was inserted into last year’s capital bill (page 19, section 16) to give Williston time to study potential uses and to state its interest. Committee members said the town’s letter and Wells’ testimony make clear the town does not plan to exercise purchase rights at this time.
Why it matters: the parcel sits near planned grid streets in the 2014 CERC alternatives study and town officials pressed the committee to preserve future rights-of-way or easements for an east–west grid street envisioned along the southern edge of the parcel. Wells told the committee that, if the state sells the land, the town wants “to make sure that there was some right of way for this Grid Street to be created in the future.”
Committee discussion focused on the exact boundary lines and whether the scoping study’s conceptual street would encroach on state-owned land. Wells said the town’s property line likely runs to the edge of the paved area around the barracks building and that the green space shown on the scoping map may belong to a private owner rather than the state. The committee and town agreed to coordinate maps and possibly take a site visit to confirm boundaries before any sale proceeds.
Buildings and General Services staff present explained the state has previously been given authority to sell the property in earlier capital bills and, with Williston now reporting it will not pursue purchase, that authority remains in effect. Committee member Wanda Manoli said the committee would have time to work with Williston and BGS to confirm parcel lines and any right-of-way implications before taking further legislative action.
Other details noted in the hearing: the site currently stores state equipment that must be relocated before any sale; the land — rather than the building — is where most of the parcel’s value lies; and the town explored whether it could serve as a conduit to transfer the parcel to a third-party housing developer but was not positioned to be a lead developer itself. Wells: “We see that as a role the town could play, but we also don't want to hold the property… and not be sure of the viability for redevelopment.”
Next steps: Williston and BGS staff will exchange maps and confirmations of property lines and right-of-way overlays and report back to the committee. Committee members said they do not plan to add new sale authority at this time and will allow staff-level coordination to continue.
Credits: Quotes in this article are drawn from testimony by Eric Wells, Town Manager of Williston, and committee member Wanda Manoli during the March 13 committee hearing on the capital bill.
