Committee approves lease amendment as Norwalk Land Trust merges with Aspetuck Land Trust; tenants, rent change noted

During public participation Diane Loracella urged the city to use the lease-renaming moment to open the Fodor Farmhouse space to a broader range of nonprofits and to establish a transparent application process. "I just ask that you open up who can actually rent a desk in the near future," Loracella said, noting her long involvement with the Norwalk Land Trust and support for the merged organization.

Committee members then considered a lease amendment authorizing renewal of the lease under the Aspetuck Land Trust name for part of 328 Flax Hill Road (the Fodor Farmhouse). Ken told the committee there are currently four nonprofit tenants occupying second-floor cubicles — the Norwalk Land Trust (now merged into Aspetuck Land Trust), Norwalk Tree Alliance, Live Green and Norwalk Preservation Trust — each paying a nominal monthly fee. "We are increasing the rent from $1.50 a month to $4.50 a month, and we're gonna go tenant to tenant now and do the same for the rest of our tenants," Ken said.

Ken said each nonprofit holds its own individual lease for one cubicle, and that the department plans to notify existing tenants and advertise any space that becomes available. He told members that, during initial lease negotiations decades ago, tenants were chosen by prior administrators and the city is open to creating a more formal outreach process if space opens up.

Why it matters: the Fodor Farmhouse provides low-cost workspace for small environmental and preservation nonprofits; modest rent increases and a formalized leasing process affect those organizations and the taxpayers who subsidize the property.

The committee voted to authorize the lease amendment. No formal call for a separate policy to expand eligibility was adopted at this meeting; Diane Loracella said she will follow up with staff and council members about opportunities to formalize an application process.