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Development
Alden Planning Board Chairperson Ralph Witt waved the established rule where residents are not allowed to speak at board meetings and gave Paul Pawlak, spokesperson for the Alden Residents for Responsible Growth (ARRG) coalition, an opportunity to speak on the Wal-Mart rezone application.
Recognizing the importance of the rezone petition regarding the impacts that could result from the building of a Wal-Mart in “Smalltown” U.S.A., Witt allowed Pawlak to present information that would challenge that of the applicant and his representatives.
Before the rezone application was considered, Witt had read a correspondence excerpt from the New York Planning Federation to the Planning Board members that he thought was pertinent in regards to rezone proposal presented Monday evening. The correspondence read: “Is your Town anywhere U.S.A.? We live in a land of vanishing beauty, a shrinking open space. The special character of our town, villages and landscapes has been disappearing at an alarming rate. We all have a special need for a sensible place, that which makes our physical surroundings worth caring about, and makes our communities different from the others. Although growth is both inevitable and desirable, progress does not demand that we degrade our surroundings.”
ARRG comments
Paul Pawlak acknowledged that Don Owens, soil consultant for developer Frank Russo, “is a very smart man.” What he earlier testified to was correct in many instances. The Ma and Mb soils are well drained. What he failed to mention is that it drains directly into the aquifer that feeds the water wells in the town.”
Pawlak then declared, “Mr. Owens was asked by the board, “How do we know for certain that aquifers don’t change, or if they do change, how and why?” Mr. Owens based his authoritative response on the report of an Erie Niagara Water Resource book that even he did not know how old it was. He referenced information from a book (Erie County Soil Survey) that he wrote 20 years ago.”
“One of our core ARRG members visited a Erie County Soil and Conservation District office consulting expert on January 5, 2007, just four days ago. He was informed that three-quarters of the Martin Farm sits over the primary recharging aquifer that is used to supply water to the Village of Alden.”
“Mr. Owens made a statement that I would like to challenge. Just because water on the top of the ground flows in a certain direction does not mean it flows in the same direction below ground level.
Pawlak referred to occasions where proposed projects in relatively the same general area were previously denied specifically because of the precious aquifer that is positioned directly beneath this property (and most of the town of Alden). He read a 1999 correspondence to the previous Town Board from David Metz that focused on the aquifer’s importance to the Village:
“On behalf of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees, the Village of Alden Planning Board is requesting that the Town of Alden not approve the proposed Lambert Drive area subdivision, with manufactured homes, with individual leach fields. The proposed subdivision will be located on land that has been identified as part of the recharging area for the aquifer that the Village of Alden depends upon for its potable water. A subdivision with numerous dwellings, each containing wastewater leaching to the groundwater reserve constitutes an adverse impact on the Village of Alden’s water supply.”
Pawlak referred to another similar correspondence that had been sent to the Alden Town Board in 1990 requesting same consideration when the West Ridge subdivision was proposed. “Two previous administrations spoke on the importance of this aquifer and the need to avoid development that could have a significant adverse impact on the aquifer and our potable water supply,” Pawlak asserted. (Both subdivision applications were denied approval)
Chairperson Witt asked what relevancy the correspondence had considering soil expert Owens’ testimony declared that site water would flow north / northwest, away from the village.
Pawlak replied that they had returned to the Erie County Water & Conservation (ECWS) department for more information. “As Mr. Owens stated when he addressed the board, “We get smarter as we go,” said Pawlak!
Witt interjected that even if the aquifer is larger than estimated, so what? He again referred to Owens’ concept that the water doesn’t get down to the aquifer, that it hits a certain level of impervious clays and then flows in a north, northwesterly direction.
Pawlak presented an ECWS drawing that showed that the water from the site flowed in a southwesterly direction, contrary to Owens’ claim. “That’s the point declared Pawlak, it’s flowing toward the Village.
Witt interjected that although a map was presented supporting Pawlak’s contention, “There is no writing that says that.”
Pawlak responded that they would provide such written documentation within a week.
Pawlak went on to inform the board of the “tinkering” that went on in the wetland portion of the Martin Farm. “They tried to dry that wetland up with a series of ditches and were in violation of Section 4 of the Clean Water Act. Yet, nobody is penalizing them. If it were any of us, the results would have been different.”
Pawlak cited that there was but one police car patrolling the town – going up the street once in awhile. He claimed the town would have to add another police officer when a project of this size comes into a municipality.
When Witt asked why it would be necessary to add police presence, the crowd jeered and Pawlak responded it would be necessary because of the increased traffic (10,000 more vehicle trip generations per day from a Wal-Mart alone), shoplifting / muggings / robberies, etc.
Pawlak cited the impact on jobs. Statistics clearly indicate that when a Wal-Mart opens, 1.5 jobs are lost for every Wal-Mart worker hired – and at a lower pay scale.
Pawlak closed by stating that ARRG members are concerned about their town’s future. “We love our small town!” That’s why we moved here. We don’t mind driving 9 miles to the nearest Wal-Mart. If that’s too far to drive, perhaps you don’t belong in Alden.”
Pawlak received a resounding cheer from the 100+ attending residents who oppose a Wal-Mart coming to their town.
Other comments
As the ARRG is impressed with their town officials for their consideration and demeanor, this writer is truly impressed how quickly the Alden RRG coalition has coalesced and in how much was accomplished in just six months. ARRG has organized an active membership of several hundred concerned citizens in such short time. The Town and Planning Board meetings draw at least one hundred ARGG members at meetings of importance. Compared to neighboring communities, often five times Alden’s size, this represents a sizeable percentage of the community.
Several AGRR members have shared the following with this writer:
The applicant and the town talk of the tax dollars that would be generated from this development. Although the Alden RRG provided numerous articles from various sources showing that Wal-Mart’s actually raise taxes due to the numerous added expenses (i.e. road construction, emergency services, utility services, and the net loss due to the closure of local Mom and Pop stores).
Russo Developers earlier stated that there would be a grocery store in this supercenter. Mr. Pawlak pointed out that Alden with it's 10,000 citizens is not a large enough community to support two grocery stores, as has been proven in the past when Tops first came to Alden and Bells IGA closed within just a few months. So we would then most likely have TWO empty shopping plazas to deal with in the future.
Mr. Pawlak specifically addressed Mike Metzger, Town Engineer, referring to the previous night's presentation when addressing the issue of sewage pollution. Mr. Metzger stated that a 155,000 sq ft retail store would only produce the same amount of sewage as three or four private residences. An independent research study from Boston University stated that a store of that size produces 8,000 gallons of sewage per day. Mr. Pawlak estimated that he and three of his neighbors would each have to flush their toilets 1000 times a day to meet Mr. Metzger's estimate.
ARRG members profess a united theme: “We do not want to see this project at all and do not support any rezoning to commercial in this area. We support the Ames plaza development or if need be, the development behind the present new Tops plaza.”
ARGG members profess that they don’t want to see an increase in Four Rod Road traffic or to see it widened to provide for more traffic that would come into their town to get to the Broadway Wal-Mart.
They want Town officials to know that they moved to “Small Town, U.S.A” for the tranquility, safety and friendliness that a small community provides. They invested a great deal of time and money to improve their quality of life and do want to see a development come into town that will significantly impact that quality of life from potential traffic, traffic safety, personal and property adverse impacts, noise / air/ water pollution, etc. issues.
NEXT: Part 3: Wal-Mart by itself brings reasons for concern
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