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Development
Benderson Development Company presented to the Planning Board the site plan for a proposed 15,121 sq. ft. grocery store located at 4937 Transit Road. This parcel is located 300 feet south of William Street adjacent to the existing Rite-Aid Pharmacy.
For now, it appears that the Aldi’s that was proposed last meeting for the 4745 William Street location, is going here.
However, the project was tabled until it could be determined and assured by written agreement that the Aldi’s operation would be so designed to allow for interconnectivity with the proposed reconfigured Flix driveway.
Benderson and 81&3 of Florida (Bella Vista) would have to work out an agreement, and document such agreement, in order for Aldi’s to have signalized entry and exit access from William Street.
The project sponsor declared they well understood the need for an inner road system and favored such design. They are willing to consider any design or option that would result in that taking place.
Benderson wants to begin the project by April and begin operations as soon as possible. The Planning Board was informed that because of the delay in getting the William Street project underway, Aldi's chose to locate on Transit Road when land became available.
The project sponsor was denied driveway use by Lancaster Bowling and there was concerned shared by PB members that the Transit Road driveway they would provide would add another curb cut to the overabundance of such curb cuts in existence.
In order to not create another curb cut on William Street, that would be close to the Rite Aid, Benderson proposes using the Rite Aid driveway which they have access to by previous arrangement when they owned the Rite Aid property.
The PB voiced concerns with the Aldi’s intent to use the existing Rite Aid Pharmacy driveway that is narrow, overburdened and dangerous already for vehicles accessing William Street - and within a few hundred feet of the Transit / William intersection.
Joseph Cipolla, president of Bella Vista, declared he would permit use of his reconfigured shopping center driveway, but that his project might not be approved in time for him to begin relocating the Flix driveway for his operation and in time for the Aldi’s operation.
Benderson asked the PB for consideration to allow Aldi’s use of the Rite Aid driveway until such time the relocated Flix driveway is constructed. Aldi’s would not want to be held up until the Wal-Mart came in, and then signalization and then shopping center site plan approval.
That did not sit well with the PB. The PB declared it would be much more difficult for project approval if there were not internal access to the sites. “Alternatively, you would have only one access, and that would be on Transit Road,” said PB member Rebecca Anderson. “That (Rite Aid) is a horrible driveway. You can’t even make a right hand turn out of it, let alone make a left.”
The Benderson spokesperson went on to say that they did not want to be tied down to other development and site plan approvals when they could possibly use the Rite Aid driveway in the interim if the county highway department did not object to said use.
Chair Stanley Keysa admonished the spokesperson that it not only depends on what the county determines “but what this board through the Town Board says.” “To control the traffic here, we have to look at the overall pattern in here and that’s what we’re doing right now.”
Benderson also declared that the impact from their Aldi’s would be less than the impact from the proposed William Street shopping center. Not so declared Keysa. He alluded to the traffic coming from a Tim Hortons that often brings more traffic than a larger commercial enterprise – more traffic per square foot.
At that time Chair Keysa noted five items that need consideration:
1. Still looking for provisions for road and business interconnectivity
2. Still looking for provision of a stub roadway to the south and front of the building for future (?)
3. Looking to the project sponsor to come back with some layout for connection to the Bella Vista property to the signal as proposed on William Street
4. In connection with that, that the board may possibly allow a temporary connection through the Rite Aid if there is commitment from Benderson to remove that connection and connect through the signal, if and when that signalization and Flix driveway relocation takes place.
5. We would like too see a written agreement between Benderson and 81 & 3 of Florida on Aldi’s use of the Flix driveway. That would be appropriate for both site plan reviews and approvals.
Cipolla interjected that he was fine with the arrangement, but if he didn’t build it (shopping center), and Aldi’s goes in, there would still have to be a signal somewhere on William Street or you’re going to have a nightmare. “He’s got to work something out with us to get that signal because it would never be allowed at the Rite Aid driveway.”
“If we put the building up and we want to begin operations before Wal-Mart and signalization comes in, then we have to put it in.”
Council member Donna Stempniak commented that she would like to a clean drawing showing the interconnections at the next meeting and a site plan drawing with details. “The drawing you provided looks like a site plan conception.” Stempniak was told such drawings had been provided.
Benderson requested an adjournment until they were able to come back with answers to the five items noted that needed addressing.
© Copyright 2008 by Speakupwny.com
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