Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Sale Habitat Garden topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves sale of 45 Adelaide to Habitat for Humanity amid gardeners’ concerns about soil testing and relocation costs
Summary
The City Council voted 5–1 to sell 45 Adelaide Street to Habitat for Humanity for $1 to build two-family dwellings. Gardeners and park volunteers asked the council to refer the matter to Public Works to allow soil testing, budget for moving 40 raised beds and structures, and confirm a relocation timeline; the referral failed and the sale passed.
New London’s City Council approved the sale of a vacant parcel at 45 Adelaide Street to Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut for $1 on July 21, rejecting a motion to refer the matter to the Public Works Committee.
Several Riverside Park community gardeners and volunteers urged the council to delay any closing and to refer the sale to Public Works so the city can complete promised soil testing and estimate relocation costs for 40 raised beds, sheds and fencing. Jana Flaherty, a gardener at Riverside, asked the council to "refer the matter to your public works committee to study and evaluate the logistics and ensure that all parties, including the gardeners, are protected and the move is well planned." Diane Hanson, another gardener, said soil-test results had not been shared and that if contamination exists, gardeners would need higher raised beds and replacement soil.
Ron Stiller, a founder of the Riverside Community Garden and a Park volunteer, told the council that a closing before the end of the growing season would force gardeners to move beds while crops are still active and could create unplanned costs. Several gardeners asked the city to require Habitat to pay relocation costs or for the city to fund the move; Dave Ridings and other council speakers said city staff and the mayor had committed to work on relocation logistics.
Habitat representatives said the organization plans to build six new affordable homes on the site and stressed the housing need in the city. A speaker identifying herself as Sarah, representing Habitat, said the organization’s homes will give "families a chance to buy and to stay" and noted that 54% of New London households rent, with many cost-burdened.
Council debate focused on whether to refer the sale to Public Works to confirm the timeline and cost estimates. Councilor Hart moved to refer; that motion did not carry. The main motion to approve the sale — the formal language on the docket described the action as "sale of certain real property known as 45 Adelaide Street ... for $1 to Habitat for Humanity to develop a 2-family dwelling" — then passed by a 5–1 voice vote.
Mayor Passaro said the city would continue coordinating with gardeners, public works, utilities and Habitat on logistics and financing; he noted the city cannot legally close on the sale until the purchase-and-sale agreement terms are met and the parcel can be delivered, but said moving forward now allowed Habitat to assemble financing and meet project timelines.
Gardeners and some councilors urged the city to document commitments in writing (a memorandum of understanding) and to share soil-test results and cost estimates. The gardeners said there was no budget identified for moving the beds and requested the council ensure that the move would not leave gardeners with unexpected bills.
The council’s approval of the sale does not, by itself, authorize a closing before the gardeners’ relocation is complete; the mayor and staff repeatedly said that closing cannot occur until required conditions in the sale and relocation timeline are satisfied.
