Groton — The Town Council reached a consensus Tuesday to not sell the Noank Gardens property and to preserve it as green space.

Councilors still are hashing out details of what they envision for the roughly 6-acre property at 42 Smith Lane.

They discussed ideas at Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting that included an arboretum to help replenish trees cut down on the Merritt Property during the construction of the new Groton Middle School; sports fields to address a shortage of fields in the community, along with other features; and a plan for garden areas, a youth playing field, a playground, paths and trees; or combinations of those options.

Town staff members have been researching potential uses for the town-owned property after the council last year voted to terminate the guiding document with the Noank School Public Gardens Task Force, a group that created a community garden on the former Noank Elementary School site.

At the council’s June 9 Committee of the Whole meeting, speakers discussed options outlined in a report developed by town staff. Those included selling the land to a developer for single-family homes; partnering with the Groton Housing Authority for the development of affordable housing or a mix of market rate and affordable housing; selling or leasing the land to the Noank Fire District for open space; or keeping the property in town ownership as a park or open space.

Resident Edward R. Johnson presented a proposal to create the “Noank Woods” arboretum with native trees. It also could include fruit trees, trails and a multipurpose playing area.

Brian Kent, principal at Kent + Frost Landscape Architecture in Mystic, presented a modified plan of the Groton/Noank Community Park and Garden that the task force presented about a year ago. The plan shows a youth playing field, paths, a playground, garden areas and trees, and removes the more costly pavilion, outdoor classroom and restroom that were contemplated in the original plan and require more maintenance.

The councilors said Tuesday the overwhelming majority of people who sent in public comments favored keeping the land as open space. Michael Speller wrote that it “is one of the few available open spaces around this part of town that people can walk or drive to easily and enjoy the environment."

“It has long been a perfect space for people to relax in,” he added.

The Conservation Commission also supports keeping the property as a park or open space.

Portions of the property had been taken by eminent domain to build the school building in the 1940s. Allyn de Vars, whose grandparents owned four parcels that were taken by eminent domain, said in a phone interview that his family maintains the town does not have the right to sell that land.

The town report states that: “According to our attorney, because the eminent domain was handled by the Court, there is a court ruling that title is vested in the town.”

A smaller number of people want to see the land back on the tax rolls.

“Considering that one of the largest budget increases has been interest payments for the new schools, it seems to me there is a need to mitigate these payments by selling the Noank land and develop it for single residential housing,” Ed Ettinger wrote.

At Tuesday's meeting, Councilor Juan Melendez said he favors keeping the land as open space and thinks “the residents have spoken.”

But Councilor Lian Obrey said the councilors needed more information to make a decision on whether or not to sell the property and were missing a step by not issuing a request for proposals, as the town had done for other vacant school properties. She later said she would support the consensus of the council members on what they envisioned for the green space.

Councilor Aundré Bumgardner supported Kent’s vision for the property and said New London’s Riverside Park, in which the Riverside Park Conservancy works in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Department, could serve as a model. He said the Noank Gardens property should be protected by a conservation easement.

Councilor Rachael Franco called for sports fields that would fit the needs of the community, which has a dwindling number of fields, along with other features that would fit on the property.

Town Mayor Patrice Granatosky favors the Noank Woods proposal. The funding for purchase and planting of the trees and shrubbery would be by donation via the Groton Parks Foundation, she said.

In a similar fashion when the council sought to determine the best use for Groton Heights, staff consulted with the fire district zoning as to what would be permissible for the Noank Gardens property, she said.

“My decision was a solution that would benefit everyone in Town both financially by increased value as outlined by the Conservation Commission report, and environmentally by sequestering carbon,” she said by email.

The council plans to again pick up the discussions at its next Committee of the Whole meeting.

k.drelich@theday.com