Mill site rezoning in works

A Burlington-based developer has plans to renovate the town's historic paper mill on Main Street into a mix of residential housing and retail stores, an effort that officials are hailing as a step toward revitalizing a defunct industrial blemish in Pepperell's downtown.

The Planning Board met Monday with an attorney of prospective developer Freedom Development Corp. of Burlington to review the draft of a bylaw that would allow the combination of housing and retail space.

The tentative zoning measure, which officials may bring forward as early as this spring at annual Town Meeting, would still allow industrial uses at the site, though it would preclude such businesses as automotive shops and car washes.

William Proia, an attorney representing Freedom Development, said the uses could range from research and development to small retail and office space.

But he said the redevelopment will hinge largely on the outcome of the zoning changes and market demand. He could not yet provide a square footage estimate for the redevelopment because of the preliminary nature of the project.

He also declined to specify a tentative price for the property from the current owner, Pepperell Realty LLC, owned by Perry Videx LLC of New Jersey.

''We have to make a determination about what the market will bear," Proia said.

On Monday, the Planning Board requested that an outside consultant review the draft bylaw.

Although the board had technical questions about the new zoning, chairman Joseph Sergi said Freedom Development's plans are a welcome improvement to the derelict mill site. But Sergi said he wanted to make sure the new bylaw would fly with local residents.

''As planners, we want to do everything possible to revitalize that area," he said. ''At the same time, we want the townspeople to feel comfortable" with the new zoning.

The paper mill is in one of the more scenic and centrally located areas in town. The mill sits on one side of the Nashua River, which cascades past it over a steeply graded dam, where a hydroelectric plant on the opposite side of the river still operates.

A chain link fence prevents would-be jumpers from leaping over the railing of a Main Street bridge overlooking the falls.

Susan Smith, assistant assessor and president of the Pepperell Historical Society, said the paper mill has been abandoned for years, mainly because the town is so distant -- almost 20 minutes -- to the nearest highway.

That problem has also hampered other industrial growth in the town.

''Having industrial property smack in the middle of town without any transportation, it's not a good economic opportunity for anyone," Smith said. ''The economic viability of keeping a mill on the river" is dubious.

But the hope is that with the new zoning in place the site may become an attractive option for would-be developers such as Freedom Development, said Smith.

''It's fair to say that the town has to take another look at the zoning," she said.

The paper mill dates back to 1862 but doesn't have a great deal of historical value, with the original structure having been torn down in the 1970s, said Smith. The mill has been owned by several owners with accompanying name changes, including the Mills at Babbitassit Falls, the Nashua River Paper Co., and most recently, the Pepperell Paper Co., she said.

The hydroelectric dam originally had the same owners as the mill, but in 2004, the dam was separated and sold to Swift River Hydro Operations Co. of Wilbraham.

Proia said Freedom Development hopes to refurbish the existing abandoned buildings on the paper mill site instead of demolishing them.

''Depending on due diligence, there's a real interest in renovating the existing structures," he said.