Lynn dairy deal aids Waterfront power play

LYNN – Garelick Farms will reportedly transfer a piece of its land to the city this week to aid a massive redevelopment project to relocate power lines on the Lynnway, according to Economic Development & Industrial Corporation Executive Director James Cowdell.The latest development comes on the heels of General Electric inking a deal with the city in June to relocate 70 percent of the power lines onto its property.Sine then, Cowdell said the city has sought easements with Garelick, property owners Ken Carpi and Don Algeni, and Mutual Electric to house the rest of the lines.In turn for placing a pole on a section of Garelick’s land and for rights to the overhead lines, Cowdell said Chapter 90 funds would be used to repair an area of Circle Avenue at the rear of the property, and install two crosswalks and yellow flashing lights for the safety of its employees.While $750,000 was given to GE for a one time lease payment in exchange for the right to install power lines on their property, money was not exchanged in the Garelick deal.The city has until Sept. 30 to pay the full amount to GE.”Garelick is one of the city’s largest employers and this was all done amicably,” Cowdell said. “It was all done fairly quickly and it is just the next domino to fall.”Cowdell said there have been positive discussions with Mutual Electric over the past few weeks and said talks are still ongoing.Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. said the city is reportedly running into problems with Carpi over the potential easement.”We’re trying to sit down with Carpi and Algeni, but Carpi may test the powers of eminent domain,” he said.Clancy said he hopes it doesn’t come to a land taking procedure and hopes an agreement would be reached soon.Should the deal come to a land taking, Clancy said he is confident the city would be able to prove a public and municipal benefit to the land taking.Cowdell said the current timeline calls for all permitting to be in place by the end of the year, with construction slated to start in the winter or spring of 2009.For nearly 50 years, the power lines have hindered development along the waterfront, thwarting the creation of a new image for the city.Now after years of discussions and debates, officials say the project is finally nearing reality.Currently, the power lines are situated along the east side of the Lynnway along the harbor. The relocation would place them on the west side of the Lynnway by GE, then crossing over the Lynnway by Harding Street, continuing near Commercial Street.