Penora development before the town board again

[Lee Chowaniec]

Speaking on behalf of clients Susan Dubois and B. Seiler, Consul Edward Lewis petitioned the Lancaster Town Board to consider claiming town owned paper streets in a 22 acre land parcel as surplus and putting them out for sale by auction. The parcel of land is located off of the north-side of William Street, just east of Penora.

Lewis told the board that a number of years ago the land had been set up to be a subdivision, was set into individual lots, but for whatever reason it was never constructed. He declared that Dubois and Seiler have longstanding ties with the community and have formed a partnership and have assembled the lots.

Lewis stated that the challenge to developing the parcel of land is brought about because of the two town-owned two paper streets (West Street and Eastern Avenue) that run in a northerly direction from William Street and separates some of Seiler’s lots. To develop the land it would be required to purchase the two paper streets from the town and use them as right-of-ways. That would require the approval of the town board to declare the two streets as surplus property and put them up for public auction. The public auction would allow DuBois and Seiler to bid for the paper streets.

If Dubois and Seiler were successful in their bid attempt and assemble the contiguous acreage then they would come back to the board seeking to rezone the property R-2 for a luxury condominium development.

At this point, Supervisor Dino Fudoli asked Council member Donna Stempniak if the property in question was the same property that developer Nicholas Natale approached the board on (August 2013). Stempniak replied that it was.*

The representing project architect then presented a drawing of the 22 acre property, surrounding existing homes, the paper streets discussed, and told he was commissioned to present some ideas on what they could be expected to achieve. “In its preliminary stage, the concept is for four unit buildings; each unit has its own separate entrance, and is designed for fine living; a little different than what’s in the town.”

Council member Donna Stempniak, a liaison to the planning board, told the project representative that an application to rezone the property from R-1 to R-2 is not doable, but that a MFR-3 or MFR-4 rezone would have to be applied for a condominium development.

The architect added that they hoped to build large units; approximately 1,350 square feet in size. The units would sell for $140,000.

When asked by Supervisor Fudoli how many units were planned for development, the answer was it was unknown at this point and that without the purchase of the paper streets development was likely not to happen.

* At an August 2013 town board work session, Supervisor Dino Fudoli declared that he has been approached by developer/builder Natale who asked whether the town of Lancaster would be willing to declare the paper streets it owned in an undeveloped area off William Street surplus property and up for sale. Natale would then bid for the paper streets and consider developing 30 to 42 homes on a piece of property adjacent to state regulated wetlands.

The town had been approached several times in the past regarding its development and no action was taken. There are numerous so-called BINGO lots on the property; lots that were given away as BINGO prizes years ago and by code too small to develop.

At the public comment session of that meeting Supervisor Fudoli was asked if the town was considering declaring the paper streets surplus and putting them up for sale. Supervisor Fudoli replied with a “Yes”.

Comment

Considering the purchase of the two paper streets and development of this property has been before the board numerous times in the past, and where no action has been taken by the town to sell the paper streets to allow for development to take place, one has to believe the town will once again weigh town revenue vs. the potential significant adverse impacts from having development occur in this location, and whether such impacts could be mitigated in the best interest of the community. Impacts such as:

Traffic

William Street is already an overburdened two-lane county road that was recently improved to the extent where no more improvement is forecasted in the foreseeable future. Where this subdivision is located daily vehicular traffic count for William Street was determined by the GBRTC at 15,000.

There will be no signalization or turning lane available along this stretch of William Street making a left turn onto William Street (heading east) near impossible. It would be equally difficult for traffic heading east on William Street to make a left turn into the subdivision.

Wetlands
Milton Pond sits in this location as well as wetlands that disallow development on 30 BINGO lots. Despite all the hoopla about storm water detention ponds and slow release the 22 acres of wooded property would be mostly filled in with imperious surface and contribute to more water being pushed into water bodies and adjacent developed areas. Many existing, adjacent homes have been built on wetlands.

Flooding & Drainage Issues

Flooding and drainage issues have become more numerous. Sump pumps are running 24/7 and activating seconds apart during heavy snowmelt and rains. It appears likely to many living in the area, and especially adjacent to the site, that with the destruction and/or filling in of other wetlands in adjacent areas already the water table has risen.

Sewage Capacity
Until the new sewer line is in operation (Aurora to Borden Road in Cheektowaga) sewer capacity and sewer backups experienced in the south of Lancaster remains a concern.

[shortstuff]

The sewage capacity relates to the Windsor Ridge development if my memory serves me correct. The purpose of the new sewer lines was to accommodate the extensive development in the Windsor Ridge phases (lost count). To add more development would be a hardship on the surrounding housing developments & does not sound like a good plan. It is my understanding that Lancaster now has limited space to develop further. One would think that was a good thing, but others like myself feel that a moratorium should take place on development to reflect the smart growth initiative/concept.

Traffic issues should be part of this decision making, William Street cannot accommodate more traffic.

[FMD]

Sounds to me that Lancaster is tying to catch up with amherst.

In the process they have forgotten about major infrastructure.

Like Amherst, Lancaster is ruled by big money developers. Unless the people of Lancaster, take a real stand, as in risking violence in the form of the Lancaster Govt doling out said violence, in response to their citizens standing against them, NOTHING will change.

This large parcel of land will be developed. Your house? be damned! No one but you and your neighbors, care!

Until you stand up against the money, in a very real way, nothing will change. Vote all you want... Voting... HAHAHAHAHA ! Voting is for wishful thinkers...

Stop being a btch and passing the buck to 'your' local official... Its about damn time people take a stand.

[Lee Chowaniec]

Sounds to me that Lancaster is tying to catch up with amherst.

In the process they have forgotten about major infrastructure.

Like Amherst, Lancaster is ruled by big money developers. Unless the people of Lancaster, take a real stand, as in risking violence in the form of the Lancaster Govt doling out said violence, in response to their citizens standing against them, NOTHING will change.

This large parcel of land will be developed. Your house? be damned! No one but you and your neighbors, care!

Until you stand up against the money, in a very real way, nothing will change. Vote all you want... Voting... HAHAHAHAHA ! Voting is for wishful thinkers...

Stop being a btch and passing the buck to 'your' local official... Its about damn time people take a stand.

What is a btch? If it was meant to be spelled 'bitch', please explain its connotation here as well as 'passing the buck to your local official'?