Lancasters Informal "Smart Growth Planning" over 300 more homes for Lancaster
INFORMAL PRESENTATION - WILLIAM TUYN OF GREENMAN-PEDERSEN, INC., 633-4844,
REQUESTED TO BE SCHEDULED AS AN INFORMAL PRESENTATION TO DISCUSS THE OVERALL
PROJECT OF PLEASANT MEADOWS, SOUTH SIDE OF PLEASANTVIEW DRIVE AND WEST OF STONY
BROOK DRIVE
William Tuyn, Greenman Pedersen, Inc. and Victor Martucci, Marrano Pleasant Meadows, LLC, informally presented
to the Planning Board the proposed plans for the overall project of Pleasant Meadows. This project is located on the
south side of PLEASANTVIEW Drive, west of Stony Brook Drive. Mr. Tuyn presented the following phases of the project
to the Planning Board for comments:
Pleasant Meadows, Phase IV - Will consist of 7 single-family homes along the south side of PLEASANTVIEW Dr. Lot sizes
will be 75' X 367". Currently there are no sewers along this section of PLEASANTVIEW Drive. Once the sewers are
extended, development can begin. Tax payer funded sewer extension for private capital gain.
Pleasant Meadows, Phase V - Will consist of 61single-family homes on the south side of PLEASANTVIEW Dr., west of
Juniper Blvd.
Pleasant Meadows, Phase VI - Will consist of 41 single-family homes west of Juniper Blvd., north of Seneca Place.
Pleasant Meadows, Phase VII - Will consist of 47 single-family homes east of Traceway, west of Juniper Blvd.
Pleasant Meadows, Phase VIII - Will consist of 148 townhouses. These units will be fourplexes with private streets and
a common area. The roads will be 24-ft. wide with 2-ft. gutter curbs on each side.
Mr. Martucci told the Planning
Board that the plans for this phase do not show any sidewalks. He said that the cost of the sidewalks will impact the price of the homes, and that the maintenance and shoveling becomes a cost to the homeowners association. He said that homeowners in townhouse developments in other towns, prefer not to have sidewalks. He will bring in sidewalk cost information for the Planning Board to the next Planning Board meeting.
Chair Keysa stated that the preference of the Planning Board is 5-foot sidewalks on one side of the street . Chair Keysa also reminded the applicant that the space requirement between the face of the garage and the sidewalk must accommodate at least one car.
Mr. Tuyn told the Planning Board that this is a mixed-use project and that each section will have its own identity. The Planning Board liked the concept and flow of the overall plan. Member Anderson stated that as the phases are developed, the developer should not fill in any floodplains, even if it is allowable. The Planning Board noted that there is a need for a numerical file of the phases for this project. It will be necessary for the developer to discuss this with the Town Attorney and the Town Clerk to coordinate a numerical system for the phases.
When addressing the issue of fencing for the Cemetery on PLEASANTVIEW Drive - Mr. Martucci told the Planning Board that during construction of the patio home section of this project that is adjacent to the cemetery, a temporary fence will be put up that is stronger than the snow fence that is presently there . A period-appropriate fence will be constructed around the cemetery when the patio-home section is completed. Council member Stempniak stated that the permanent fence should be no-maintenance or very low maintenance type of fencing . Developer will need to work with the Town Board to determine the type of permanent fencing that will be used.
(The almost non-existent plastic "Snow Fence" was dumped there by the Developer - He agreed earlier to install a wrought Iron Fence- Now Mrs Stempniak is back peddling by restating the requirements- and leaving the material to be used open to the builders discretion. Slick!)
Over 300 more new homes for North Lancaster - South of PLEASANTVIEW Dr.
Questions:
Was there or is there going to be a traffic study done to show how the added 400 to 500 new cars will affect area traffic ?
Not a study for each phase - a total accumulative affect of the total daily auto and school buss trips in and out of this area on the neighboring roads?
Will there be more "retention" ditches/ponds associated with the building of these new home sites ?
If so , are they like others in our Town going to end up costing the taxpayers money to maintain - will they be "Given" to the Town by the Developer to relieve themselves of the financial burden of maintaining what they have created ?
Will the purchasers of these homes be notified in written form that they are buying homes in on or near flood plains or and wetlands ? ..:eek:
Will the purchasers be notified that "Flood Insurance" which is usually double the cost of home owners insurance may also be required by lenders ? . . :confused:
Why didn't the planning board ask these questions?
Other states and communities require Developers contribute
Quote:
Originally Posted by WNYresident
How many children on average will 300 new homes add to the school system?
Does the developer use some of their profits to build the extra school rooms the children these 300 or so homes need?
Other States and communities require Developers contribute!
Response to first part of your question : The average number of children used for this calculation is 2.5 children per new home . I never heard of anyone having .5 or one half of a child!
Many States and other Communities do require Developers to include Landscaping , public side walks , trails , paths , within Residential and Commercial Developments. Also many do require the Developers contribute to the Construction of Schools and other Community Related structures.
Many times Lancaster's Town Board has been requested by residents to require such things . As witnessed in recent discussions at the planning Board Level about the Pleasant View Dr. subdivisions - the developers are usually let off the hook on such things - including basic public walk ways called sidewalks .
Our Town Board and Planning Board have routinely swallowed the Developers argument that "It would add too much to the "Cost" of the new home and the new Buyers wouldn't want it." Or , " The New Trend is not having side walks."
Time and time again , When a project is first proposed the Developer will say, "We will have Ponds , Nature Areas and Green space!" Like in the case of the Larkspur Sub division off Wherle Drive . The Developer showed/advertised to prospective buyers a "Green Nature Area" complete with Deer and Nature Scape." They later found out that this area was slated for further Development .
Even before the project was completed they (the new residents) raised this issue with the Lancaster Town Board . The Developers said , "We will remove that portion of the Advertisement and Representative Items in the projects final Conceptual Drawings." That was good enough for the Lancaster Town Board . The new owners felt defrauded or at the vary least mislead .
"Lancaster Ponds" turn out to be unusable ground water "Retention Basins." That the developers "Give Back" to the town so Lancaster's tax payers can pay to maintain them .
"LANCASTER Nature Area's" turn out to be unusable , Unusable "wetlands." That the developers "Give Back" to the town so Lancaster's tax payers can pay to maintain them .
"LANCASTER Green Space" ends up being the front and back "Lawns" of each new parcel . That the new resident maintains .
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As others have stated , "Lancaster Town Government Bends over ^ to Facilitate the BUILD OUT OF LANCASTER." (Bob Giza)
There are multiple ways our Lancaster Planning Board and Town Board could work with Developers to reduce the tax burden of all the new development - So far , they chose to except Campaign Funds and Insider Real estate deals instead .:D
Add another one to the list
22 acres on Broadway and Pavement.....
Development in the works.