A battle of developers is brewing in Cornwall and it came to a recent town council meeting as a concern about propane.
The Guardian reported on that meeting, with a story on how Kevin Connors is concerned about a propane distribution facility near residential lots.
Tim Banks was also at the council meeting. He now owns the Cornwall Business Park where the propane distribution yard is a tenant.
There are no residential lots anywhere near the propane facility, said Banks, and a few days after the council meeting he provided an aerial photo to the Guardian to prove it.
Banks told The Guardian that he knows Connors as a United States resident and partner in a holdings company. It is developing Sunrise Cove residential subdivision in Cornwall. Sunrise Cove and the Cornwall Business Park are all part of a strip of land known as the Borden farm, said Cornwall Mayor Barney Fullerton.
In between the business park and Sunrise Cove is a large stretch of undeveloped land now in agriculture use, said Banks and Fullerton. That land is zoned mixed use which could be developed residential, or commercial but council must approve any proposed development and so far it has not been called upon to do so.
"I have no idea what their agenda is," said Banks. "Maybe they are trying to get the park closed."
The Guardian was not able to contact Connors for a response.
The business park has been in place since the late 90s and its propane tenant there since at least 2008, said Fullerton. He said Connors would have known of its existence when he bought the land around the business park.
Fullerton also said that Cornwall Council has been made aware that Conners as hired a lawyer to look into his claims that the permits for the propane site are not valid. That is why Banks said at the meeting that he would welcome a chance to see Connors in court over the issue.
"All I am saying is (Cornwall Council) needn't waste their time listening to charges and accusations," said Bank. "If this gentlemen believes they have merit, then pursue it and I'll defend it.
"He also wants an independent review of the other businesses facilities located in the Cornwall Business Park," said Banks. "Well, one of those was mine, Central Truss, for example. I moved that company out there and created a bunch of jobs and subsequently I have sold it.
"We are very proud of developing that business with that commitment to the community and all of a sudden some guy from the U.S. arrives in town and he represents that he's living in the back yard," said Banks.
I'm sorry I couldn't quite hear you. Can you speak louder? Or type like normal people..