AUBURN — The City Council gave the go-ahead Monday for putting 11 city properties on the market.
City administration said Monday that Bill Bergeron of Fontaine Family Realty was awarded the bid for selling the properties after a request for proposals was conducted.
Some of the parcels were unbuildable before the city passed the new zoning types known as T-4.2 and T-4.2B, which allow greater flexibility for infill redevelopment. At least one of the parcels that could be sold was the site of a fire, but the previous zoning rules made the lots considered nonconforming.
Prior to a unanimous vote from the council, there was some concern over previous marketing of some of the properties, and whether that gave an unfair advantage to certain people looking to purchase.
Former Councilor Andy Titus said it will be “great to get them back on the tax rolls,” but questioned whether there was a level playing field in terms of potential buyers.
“The biggest problem we’ve had in the past is fairness,” he said.
However, Jay Brenchick, economic development director, said some of the properties had received earlier permission from the council to be marketed, but not sold yet, while others hadn’t received permission for either.
City Manager Phil Crowell said Monday that the properties “are not high-market parcels. We don’t anticipate seeing a lot of revenue coming back in from these.”
Most of the properties are less than an acre, but one plot, on Northern Avenue, is more than 9 acres. It’s in the multifamily suburban zone.
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