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Editorials
In December, Glenn Cooley of E&M Engineering and others presented a revised preliminary plat plan review before the Lancaster Planning Board for a four phase, 90 single-family lot subdivision located on the west side of Lake Avenue, just south of William Street. Beleaguered with many issues, the applicant requested the project be tabled until the January 6, 2010 meeting.
Well, at the January 6th meeting the applicant requested the board table the project for further review after hearing the Planning Board still requested fourteen issues be addressed.
Issues that need addressing
1. Approval of road names by the Chief of police,
2. On lot 90, the culvert will be designed and approved by the Town Engineer during Phase I,
3. Want to see an easement on lot 90 to the town for drainage purposes,
4. Correction of the legend on the drawing to show that the private drainage easements are public drainage easements,
5. Need to see the letters from the Erie County Department of Sewage Management (DSM) with regard to approval of 0.2% sewer slope (going through the County Health Department for approval). The county will not permit use of a pump station. Flat sewers are very shallow and can require much maintenance,*
6. Want to see water pressure analysis considering a “dead end” system is being used here,
7. Need engineering approval of the detention basin on the north side of road A,
8. Notation that although the overall subdivision is being considered, further phases would be subject to further wetland review; if wetlands change over time, as they tend to grow on occasion,
9. Have to sign a protective agreement contract regarding Lake Avenue disturbance and restoration (damage/repair) from sewer installation. Before a work permit will be issued a protective deed (bond) will be required,
10. Want to see plan design for temporary snow control west of roads C & D when built in respective phases,
11. Consider addition of a snow fence for snow control,
12. Monument wetlands.
The applicant requested tabling the resolution until the next meeting to give time to address the issues brought forth.
Other concern/issues that current & prospective homeowners should be aware of
So that future homeowners understand some of the potential risks/obligations they face in the future and will not be told, “You should have known better,” the following are some items to consider:
• *Flat sewers are very shallow and can require much maintenance. Who would bear that cost, the DSM, meaning us taxpayers? Specifically meaning homeowners in Sewer District #4.
• Is the size and depth of the retention pond adequate to capture storm water? The pond is only 5.5 feet deep.
• The town has made it clear that it will not be responsible for the pond. Language will be needed regarding ownership of the pond and maintenance responsibility. Will there be open disclosure to prospective homeowners who will live adjacent to the pond that as the owners of part of the pond they are liable for its maintenance obligations and liability – that they will be paying more for insurance?
• County has expressed concerns on the size of the box culvert. If too small of a structure it could cause flooding onto adjacent properties. County also expressed concerns on how the project could affect discharge into Slate Bottom Creek and impact structures downstream. County expressed concerns on filling in the stream that is located on the property – north branch of the north branch of Slate Bottom Creek.
• Several lots south of Road ‘A’ are shallow, close to the conserved wetland location. Pools will be out of the question unless house size is limited. Will homeowners living adjacent to wetlands be told that the lots will be monumented to indicate wetland area and that the wetland area is not theirs to build on, use and/or clear?
• There will be three backyard shallow drainage swales. Concerns voiced that fences constructed over swales will rot out. Swales? Not piped drainage?
• Will prospective homebuyers be told at time of sale that their home may sit on a wetland or on hydric soils that have significant potential for causing foundation and structural damage and/or sump pumps running 24/7?
• It would behoove the prospective homebuyer to ask the Building Inspector’s office whether borings and/or soil samples are taken and analysis made to determine whether special construction methodology should be used on foundation construction. Hiring your own hydrology engineer on such site is advisable.
• The county sent letters on Deer Run and Summerfield Farms regarding storm water capture and drainage issues downstream. How are we ever certain that the ponds that are constructed allow no more water to be discharged into the creeks that before development took place? Over time, when the pond fills with sediment and loses capacity function, what is the risk of neighborhood flooding and drainage issues?
• Traffic impact from the development was considered to be small. No mention made of the developer being responsible for contributing to the town for road improvement funding; as happened with the Windsor Ridge development. As with Windsor Ridge, the developer should be held to contributing to a road improvement fund. At full build out there will be several hundred more daily vehicle trips at the Lake Avenue/William Street intersection and a good portion of those travelling west on William Street, an already overburdened two lane county road.
This project can be best summed up by the statement Planning Board member Rebecca Anderson made: “You know, this property came up for consideration three times before it was purchased. No one bought it because of the stuff they would have to go through. So, you bought what you bought.”
Interesting is that the applicant paid over $550,000 for the 43 acres of land, over $12,000 an acre when previous offers were for $3,000 to $4,000 (so I have been told). Was the applicant promised “special” consideration in getting the project approved where others failed? Why should this project not be considered another Mohawk Place and where development should not take place?
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