Owner of lot requests permit

When the Watertown City Council voted in a split decision last year to sell the property at 804 State St., it was promised steadfast development along one of the city's busiest thoroughfares.

That property at State and South Rutland streets has sat devoid of activity since, much to the chagrin of city officials.

Its owner, Mark J. Bonner, owner of Franklin Street Market, is proposing to sell and clean cars at the property. He will have to obtain a special-use permit from the city before the business can operate.

That might not be exactly what the City Council thought was going to happen a year ago.

The Watertown City Council sold the 11,500-square-foot lot last year to Mr. Bonner for $35,125, even though another businessman offered to purchase the property for $70,000.

The lawmakers justified the decision, saying Mr. Bonner was the first person interested in the property.

At the time, Mr. Bonner suggested he had received offers from franchise restaurants as a way to sweeten his purchase offer.

No improvements have been made to the one-story garage that sits on the property since the sale.

Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham called out the owner last fall during a City Council meeting by referring to the property as "that piece of blight along a $12 million project."

The mayor reaffirmed his stance Monday.

"Well, it's not a Tim Hortons, because that's what we were promised when we sold that property," he said. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see what comes of it."

Mr. Kenneth A. Mix , city planning and community development coordinator, said the property is within a neighborhood business district, requiring the owner to obtain a special-use permit before opening a car-sales facility.

The city Planning Board will review the initial request today. The City Council will make the ultimate decision on whether the permit is granted.

"He isn't proposing too much of a change to the property," Mr. Mix said. "It looks like he's going to be leasing the property to run the car-sales operation, then there's a second company to do the detailing operation."

The property's owner has yet to pay the city 2009-10 property tax bill of $913.52, which was due in early August, said James E. Mills, city comptroller.

A message left at the Franklin Street Market for Mr. Bonner was not returned Monday.

The city Planning Board will meet at 1:30 p.m.today in the third-floor council chambers at City Hall, 245 Washington St.