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Development
Gary B. Olin, P.E. of Bergmann Associates of Rochester, appeared before the Lancaster Planning Board for recommendation approval to modify the approved 2003 Lancaster Transit / William Wal-Mart site plan.
In sum, Olin informed the board the proposed modification to the approved site plan was aesthetically more pleasing, presented a more visible building for marketing, added more buffer for the neighboring subdivision, provided better drainage for both parties, was not increased in size and would not bring more traffic to the area despite their intent to make the store a 24/7 supercenter.
Olin’s presentation also covered the numerous concerns and questions asked of him by planning board members and Town Board liaison Donna Stempniak.
Changes proposed from original site plan
* Shifting the near same sized building 280-feet to the north
* Dropping the tire and lube express operation
* Moving the loading / unloading dock from the southeast side of the building to the northeast side of the building. The building will extend behind the loading docks and provide for sight and noise mitigation.
* Moving the building north will provide for a near straight shot access to the loading dock and will eliminate the need for deliver trucks to cross over the customer traveling lanes, thereby providing safer site travel.
Planning Board member Neil Connelly stated that when this project was introduced in 1999, when he was a Town Board member, he had requested such location and was ignored. “Well, they are listening now,” declared board member John Gober.
* No trucks will access the site off William Street.
Improvements over 2003 site plan
*New design. No other stores have the new aesthetically pleasing concept architecture in place.
Olin declared that Wal-Mart had been working with the Northwood Association subdivision to the east to provide adequate buffering, improved drainage and a less intrusive operation. He informed the board:
*The berm will be extended to the north.
*Landscape has been added to buffer a portion of the parking lot – south end of the parcel - where the building no longer located.
*Last fall, the Northwood Association requested we add a fence to the top of the berm. We are putting that into the application as well. The fence will be a six-foot high vinyl board-on-board fence. We presented that to the Northwood Association president and gave her a copy of the landscaping plan as well.
*And, we will be adding additional landscaping along the berm at their request.
*The stormwater system will also be upgraded. We will be meeting the 2003 standards set. Control drainage was added to the southeast corner on the eastside of the berm and we added control drainage to the north to pick up any pockets of water and discharge them to the existing retention pond.
*The driveway behind the building will be for emergency vehicle use only, not for smaller delivery van unloading use.
*Truck deliveries will only be restricted to daylight hours.
*There will be no dumpster on site. Refuse will be compacted.
*No product storage containers will be allowed on site.
Time of construction and opening
When asked when construction was to start, Olin stated that going through the building permit process and other, best guess was this fall. “We are looking for a 2009 opening for the store. We are looking at an eight month construction period.”
Supercenter / Traffic
When asked about the nature of the supercenter, Olin stated that the store would handle general merchandise and groceries, but that it would be a downsized version of their large supercenters.
When asked about the increase in traffic that was sure to occur considering the store would now be a 24/7 operation, Olin responded that, “if you consider the traffic study that was done in 1999, the generation numbers that were used for the Gateway Shopping Center at that time compared to the new Wal-Mart supercenter generation traffic numbers, the a.m. peak numbers are less than the numbers in the original traffic study.”
“The Friday peak hours were virtually the same as the original study. The Saturday p.m. peak hours are 5% higher than the former 1999 study.”
Olin added that the traffic study was performed for a build out for the entire Gateway Center project of 278,000 – 300,000 square feet. “We are about 150,000 square feet. Total traffic generation from Wal-Mart is obviously about half of what was projected for the overall development.”
Planning Board member Donna Stempniak asked what would be different in product sales considering a store that was intended for only general sales would now be a supercenter.
It was answered that the supercenter format here did not mean that there would be less choices, but that there would be fewer of them stocked. “Whereas if you had a 200,000 square-foot supercenter and there were four rows of Crest toothpaste, here you would have two rows of toothpaste.”
Stempniak asked if there would be fresh meats sold. It was answered that the meat products available would be packaged.
Building design
The walls will be constructed with pre-cast concrete panels.
There will be skylights.
Inside the building LED lighting will be utilized for refrigeration cases.
The building’s front façade is a new concept incorporating a multi-use look with aesthetically pleasing multi earth tone colors. The back of the building has a new look with same pleasant color tone.
The HVAC units will be screened and placed on the top of the building as far west as possible
The landscaping design has been improved and enlarged over that of the 2003 approved site plan.
Other
Lighting standards will be 29-feet high and sit on a three-foot base as with original plan. The lights will be shielded.
Looking at the elevation maps, the buffer provided (berm / fence / trees) residents of Northwood should be screened from vehicular lights in the parking areas.
Recreational vehicles will not be allowed to park overnight for camping out purposes.
A right hand turning lane will be added at the intersection of Transit and William. An approach lane to the Wal-Mart Transit Road driveway will be constructed. A William Street lane will be added allowing vehicular traffic an option of traveling west or making a turn into the William Street access that will be signalized and installed when construction begins.
When asked if the existing driveway onto William Street (Sunoco gas station) that services the parcels along Transit Road will be removed, Olin declared that have a right-of-use permit. Board members voiced that they would like to see that access disappear. “We don’t control that,” stated Olin. As there is interconnectivity between the Transit Road parcels and the Wal-Mart, this driveway flies in the face of good access management principals.
Planning Board member Rebecca Anderson requested adding more tree buffer to the south, near William Street. Considering it’s going to be a 24/7 operation it would shield more light from adjoining subdivisions.”
A Planning Board motion was made to recommend revised site plan approval to the Town Board with one condition, namely of landscaping to a point 100-feet from the centerline of William Street. The motion was voted on and approved unanimously.
Northwood Association president Evelyn Chowaniec agrees with Planning Board member Steven Socha’s assessment that with the added greenspace, the natural building colors and design and the moving of the driveway, it is a much better project than the original concept.
Chowaniec and Northwood Association residents are pleased with the dialogue that has ensued between the two parties since Wal-Mart purchased the property and became directly involved with its development.
“Wal-Mart has really been responsive to the welfare of our community, in trying to protect our quality of life by providing adequate buffer and responsible drainage,” says Chowaniec.
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