Development
Alden Planning Board denies rezone for big box development
By Paul Pawlak
Oct 11, 2007, 20:12

Alden’s Town Planning Board denied rezone approval for developer Frank Russo’s application that would allow for the construction for a Wal-Mart at 12270 Broadway.

When the petition came before the board during their agenda, Planning Board Chair Ralph Witt addressed the board thusly:

“Mr. Russo has finally submitted a completed form with his application. All his documents are in here.

At this time, I would like to propose a motion. Upon new consideration of the request, this application which was recently submitted in a form determined to be complete, the Planning Board is advancing a motion to recommend to the Town Board disapproval of Mr. Russo’s request to rezone the property at 12270 Broadway.

This recommendation for disapproval is based on the Planning Board’s belief that at the present time, adequate availability of appropriately zoned property exists in the area to accommodate the proposed project, and number two, that the subject property is better suited for uses other than those that would be allowed under the proposed C2 zoning classification.”

Witt asked the other board members whether they were comfortable with the language of his motion. They answered they were.

Witt then asked for a second for the motion put before them, it was put forward. A vote was taken and all four board members present voted “aye”.

“So, we will recommend to the Town Board not to rezone the property,” Witt declared.

According to today’s Buffalo News, Town Supervisor Ron Smith declared that at this point he believed the Town Board would “go with the recommendation of the Planning Board.”

Smith further declared that the decision was not based so much against Wal-Mart, but to re-examine the master plan, which has not been done since the 70’s and determine whether a big box store meets the best interest of the community.

Developer Frank Russo had petitioned the board for rezone approval for 36 acres of resident/agriculture land to commercial for the purpose of building a 155,00 square foot Wal-Mart supercenter.

Russo sought to rezone 36 of the original 97 acres originally filed for to C2; the same zoning that comprises the front 500 feet of the parcel (21.7 acres). The front parcels would also be developed.

Russo had previously informed the board that the 21.7 acres (frontage) is large enough to allow for the building of the Wal-Mart. “The reason I am looking for the rezoning is so that I can place the building farther back, add greenspace have something that really conforms with the buildings of today.”


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