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Thread: phase #1 (MY ---)

  1. #1
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    phase #1 (MY ---)

    From Speakupwny.com

    Development
    Windsor Ridge South, Part I: Lancaster issues negdec for Phase I
    By Lee Chowaniec
    Aug 23, 2007, 01:17



    The Town of Lancaster Municipal Review Committee (MRC), made up of town and planning board members, voted SEQR review approval to declare that all environmental impacts had been mitigated for Phase I of the six phase 303 subdivision Windsor Ridge South development.

    Sean Hopkins, Windsor Ridge Partnership attorney, informed the MRC that until such time they render a negative declaration on the first phase of the project, they would be unable to attain the necessary permits (wetland disturbance, curb cuts, sanitary sewer hookups, etc.) from the regulatory agencies. Getting this negdec allows us to move the process along.

    Town Attorney Richard Sherwood read a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stating that partial waiver of placing sanitary sewers in wetlands was approved. He declared that the town had not received anything in writing from Erie County to ascertain approval, nor had the town received anything from the county on the traffic study being conducted by the town in conjunction with the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Committee (GBNRTC).

    In the early stages of the one-hour SEQR review meeting, it appeared the town was of the mind to table the consideration until such time documents were received from the county asserting they (county) were comfortable sewer and traffic issues were mitigated to the extent practicable.

    Planning Board member Rebecca Anderson made a motion to table the consideration until the next meeting until such information could be garnered. The motion was defeated by a six to three vote (Anderson and council members Donna Stempniak and Dan Amatura voting yes).

    Second motion

    Planning Board Chair Stanley J. Keysa then presented the following motion:

    “I make a motion at this time to issue a negative declaration with a specific notation that if it’s determined there is a traffic impact, that traffic impact is to be mitigated per oral agreement with the developers present, and that such agreement be reduced to writing in the SEQR Findings.

    Also note that there was an apparent violation of earlier EPA restrictions in regards to certain lots and that that has been mitigated by the letter from the EPA authorizing sanitary sewer tie-ins as had been applied for by the Erie County Sewer Management.

    Developers would pay for the Supplemental Traffic Impact Study after Phase I was completed.”

    The motion passed seven to two (Anderson and Stempniak voting no).

    The SEQR review had nothing to do with site plan approval. It is confusing to others and myself exactly what this negative declaration had to do with building commencing or why this SEQR process should not be considered “segmentation”.

    Nor should it explain why a bulldozer was on the Windsor Ridge South site today (two days after neg. deg.) tearing down trees in locations far from where Phase I development is proposed to occur. Were the necessary permits issued by the regulatory agencies and/or town to allow for such land clearing and the felling of hundreds of trees?

    Hopefully, the federal wetlands in the northeast quadrant were not compromised.


















    Part II: Meeting minutes (traffic impact implications)




    © Copyright 2003 by Speakupwny.com




  2. #2
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    Town Meetings and planning Board all Dog & Pony show

    It appeared that our town officials new exactly what they were doing and they were going to pass phase #1 for Windsor Ridge South. The players did a 180% on voting for phase #1 (confusing double talk). Mr. Keysa and Mr. Giza leading the group and Mr.Sherwood completly changing his mind on legal issues and backing the others..... If I may represent some facts.. The #1 fact is on January 21st 2004 Mr.Keysa recused himself from voting because his brother participated in the sale of part of this property. Now, why would Mr.Keysa participate in pleading the developers case on what phase 1 would involve and that no issues should be involved with developement within phase #1. This is after Mr Harris asked about segmentation and where do we draw the line. The only respected members that stood there ground was Donna Stempniak and Rebecca Anderson. All I have left to say is Vote for Ward it's time to clean house........

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    Vote For Ward

    I Agree 110%. Vote For Ward, Its Time To Clean House!!!

    Giza And The Commies Are A Joke!!

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    Question SEQR process a joke(Windsor Ridge South)

    Anyone who watched the dog and pony show on monday and how the meeting took a complete turn wonders whats going on in this town. Mr Keysa who excused himself from voting in jan 2004 on Windsor ridge South(because his brother participated in the land sale)all of a sudden offers a resolution and turns the entire meeting around. Is this legal?????? I thought SEQR was a legal process on environmental issues.... Environment issues are suppose to be addressed by lead agency (the Town). When will mitigation begin after all the homes are in what do residents (taxpayers) do now!!! what happened with no building until traffic study is complete...More lip service ..Was site plan approved? Who the hell runs this town the developers and Keysa !!!!

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by shadow
    Anyone who watched the dog and pony show on monday and how the meeting took a complete turn wonders whats going on in this town. Mr Keysa who excused himself from voting in jan 2004 on Windsor ridge South(because his brother participated in the land sale)all of a sudden offers a resolution and turns the entire meeting around. Is this legal?????? I thought SEQR was a legal process on environmental issues.... Environment issues are suppose to be addressed by lead agency (the Town). When will mitigation begin after all the homes are in what do residents (taxpayers) do now!!! what happened with no building until traffic study is complete...More lip service ..Was site plan approved? Who the hell runs this town the developers and Keysa !!!!
    OOOOOHHHH someone sees the light....

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    Lightbulb Could we , should we - expect any thing different ! ?


    This will be the year of :

    "No contest - No accountability - No developer left behind"

    Mr.Giza gets his full tax payer funded New York State retirement and Bennie's for life.

    Mr.Monour become "Justice La Democrate" and new Court facility.

    Developers get four more guaranteed years of free reign , they will need a much larger pipe line - to stuff with subdivisions that will consume the final barely build-able areas of Lancaster!

    The "New Me Me Me Boys" in the Democratic Commitee Employment Agency will receive a whole "Menu" of new patronage jobs to fill.

    I for one am starting to lean to wards voting for the "Sparrow!" If we cant remove them - lets at least try and send a message they will have to live with and maybe CNN would pick up on !




    Quote Originally Posted by shadow
    It appeared that our town officials new exactly what they were doing and they were going to pass phase #1 for Windsor Ridge South. The players did a 180% on voting for phase #1 (confusing double talk). Mr. Keysa and Mr. Giza leading the group and Mr.Sherwood completly changing his mind on legal issues and backing the others..... If I may represent some facts.. The #1 fact is on January 21st 2004 Mr.Keysa recused himself from voting because his brother participated in the sale of part of this property. Now, why would Mr.Keysa participate in pleading the developers case on what phase 1 would involve and that no issues should be involved with developement within phase #1. This is after Mr Harris asked about segmentation and where do we draw the line. The only respected members that stood there ground was Donna Stempniak and Rebecca Anderson. All I have left to say is Vote for Ward it's time to clean house........
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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    Angry

    This will be the year of :


    "No contest - No accountability - No developer left behind"

    Mr.Giza gets his full tax payer funded New York State retirement and Bennie's for life.

    Mr.Monour become "Justice La Democrate" and new Court facility.

    Developers get four more guaranteed years of free reign , they will need a much larger pipe line - to stuff with subdivisions that will consume the final barely build-able areas of Lancaster!

    The "New Me Me Me Boys" in the Democratic Commitee Employment Agency will receive a whole "Menu" of new patronage jobs to fill.

    I for one am starting to lean to wards voting for the "Sparrow!" If we cant remove them - lets at least try and send a message they will have to live with and maybe CNN would pick up on !
    why don't people expect more from our leaders why is the same old bull OK with everyone in Lancaster. I didn't think Giza would win last time but he did ... How is this OK with taxpayers who work hard for there money and everyone is trying to keep there heads above water with more and more jobs leaving the area? When is enough -enough.. What finally gets people to do something and take some action. I just hope people vote and not just sit home and B---- about the community leaders and do something about it..
    I maybe nieve about this whole situation but if everyone who complains votes we may make a differance and stand for change... people need to stand for something.... were getting steam rolled by our own community leaders and it's OK with everyone!!!!!! All those promises years ago when our forefathers fought to keep building out of Lancaster that more developement will make our taxes go down!!! has anyone seen this happen they forgot to mention our infrastructure can't handle all these new homes. so we have to pay for that too...I for one am tired of paying for building out the community and lining our leaders pockets and putting people in charge or liasons to our traffic study and you may as well took our tax dollars and flushed it down the toilet. what did that cost the taxpayers 60 grand for information that you know is bias and far from legite...It's time to take a stand and send a message if you vote for ward or the bird.....Send a message on how things are being run in this town.

  8. #8
    Member Foot Fungus's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by 4248

    I for one am starting to lean to wards voting for the "Sparrow!" If we cant remove them - lets at least try and send a message they will have to live with and maybe CNN would pick up on !
    Originally Posted by shadow

    It's time to take a stand and send a message if you vote for ward or the bird.....Send a message on how things are being run in this town.
    I like the way you're both thinking, maybe someone is seeing what I' m seeing here.

    Q: How many votes were cast in the last Supervisor's election?
    Q: How many votes would it take for a bird to break the party system?
    Q: Would there be enough people to support that number not only for a Supervisor write in for the bird, but also for two board seats and a town judge?

    Now that's breaking the party stranglehold. More later...

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    Angry

    Lancaster Supervisor Robert Giza often says he would like to do to Lancaster what Chauncey Depew did to the village of Depew.

    The village of Depew, New York was named for Chauncey Depew.

    Chauncey Depew (1834-1928) was an attorney who worked for Robber Barons like Jay Gould and Commodore Vanderbilt. He was an associate of William M. Tweed; better know as “Boss” Tweed, of Tammany Hall fame.

    From 1899 to 1928 Mr. Depew was Chairman of the Board for New York Central lines, a railroad company.

    Mr. Depew was a one term U.S. Senator. He failed to win re-election because of a scandal over retainers he received from the Equitable Life Assurance Company.

    Jay Gould is infamous for a number of questionable business ventures. In 1869, Gould and James Fisk schemed to corner the gold market. Their joint venture created the Black Friday panic of September 24th, 1869. Thousands of innocent people were driven to financial ruin as a result.

    Mr. Depew helped Robber Baron Jay Gould establish Gould Coupler in Depew.

    Gould Coupler manufactured railroad car coupling devices. The village of Depew grew around the plant. At one point in time, Gould Coupler was the largest employer in the village.

    Like many former American industrial firms, Gould Coupler no longer exists

    Sometimes pictures speak louder than words. The following picture symbolizes the Ultimate Legacy of Chauncey Depew.

    The collapse of Gould Coupler financially crippled the village of Depew. Depew never recovered from the loss. Due to the loss of revenues and bad financial management, the village government is virtually bankrupt. The number of abandoned houses in Depew increases every year. The Main Street area, once the center of Depew, is now a federally recognized poverty zone. Depew’s financial condition has deteriorated to the point where the village is contemplating abolishing its police force.

    Chauncey Depew’s ultimate legacy to the village that bears his name is one of industrial blight and ruin.

    Is this what Robert Giza wants to do to Lancaster?

    Sometimes the specifics differ but the end results are the same.

    During Giza’s tenure as Supervisor he aided the birth of one large business, the Top’s Warehouse.


    Lancaster Supervisor Robert Giza


    The Top’s Warehouse is no longer owned by Top’s Markets or Dutch Royal Ahold. The warehouse is currently owned by CSX, an international transportation company.

    CSX is currently experiencing financial difficulties. In the near-future, there is a good chance that the company’s financial problems will negatively impact its operations in Lancaster.

    Originally, the warehouse was supposed to hire six hundred people. Three hundred of the employees were supposed to be Lancaster residents. Now the operation employs three hundred people and no one on the town board knows how many CSX employees live in Lancaster.

    But here’s where the specifics of Robert Giza’s ultimate legacy will differ from Chauncey Depew’s. Under Giza, the town’s development has not been evenly balanced. There is no huge corporation that is drawing people to and sustaining the residents of Lancaster.

    During Giza’s reign, Lancaster experienced a glut of housing developments. Lancaster’s town board approved every housing development proposed under Giza.

    Industrial and commercial growth in Lancaster is lackluster. The failure of small business is almost at par with the growth of new small businesses.

    Historically, housing developments use $1.00 of government services for every $0.85 of tax revenue they generate. On the other hand, businesses use $1.00 of government services for every $1.35 of tax revenue they generate.

    Lancaster’s unbalanced growth is not generating the tax dollars necessary to sustain it in the long run.

    To further exacerbate the problem, the new homes built in Lancaster generally cost more than twice the average value of homes in Erie County. The average value of a home in Erie County is around $100,000. New homes in Lancaster generally sell for $200,000 plus.

    Many new home buyers stretch their budgets thin to purchase one of these homes.

    The following factors will expose the disastrous and short-sightedness of Robert Giza’s unbalanced development schemes.

    Gasoline Prices: For years, oil analysts told Americans that the price of gas will eventually rise above three dollars a gallon. For years, we ignored the warnings.

    The majority of working Lancastrian adults are not employed in Lancaster. The rising cost of gasoline will eat into their budgets. This will hurt home buyers who stretched their budget to buy an expensive new home in Lancaster.

    Home Heating Fuels: The costs of all fuels used to heat homes during long Western New York winters are rising astronomically and will continue to rise.

    New homes are energy efficient. But they are also larger. Savings accomplished through efficiency are negated by the need to heat larger spaces.

    Again, these increased costs will further strain stretched household budgets.

    Rising Taxes: Because the mass volume of development are structures that require more government services than they pay for in tax dollars, property taxes will continue to rise.

    Between 1994 and 2004, Lancaster's budgeted property tax levies increased from $6,681,800 to $14,826,770, a 121.90 percent increase. The largest annual increase occurred between 2002 and 2003, when the tax levy increased a whopping 15.08 percent.

    It is a well-documented fact that high costs, including high taxes, drive people away from communities. As witnessed in the city of Buffalo, population declines are further exacerbated by the lack of good paying jobs.

    The supposed “Smart Growth” platform championed by Robert Giza has not created “high-paying” jobs. But it has created an environment where people live in expensive homes that are costly to maintain. Most of these people do not work in Lancaster. Their daily commute to work grows more expensive with every increase in the cost of gas. Their tax burden grows with every new home built in Lancaster.

    Will Robert Giza’s Ultimate Legacy mirror that of Chauncey Depew’s? Only time will tell. But it’s clear that if Mr. Giza’s development strategies do not change, Lancaster is headed for the same financial disaster that haunts Depew.


    © Copyright 2006 by Speakupwny.com

    I Think this says it all

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    Angry

    November 1, 2006
    Planning Board Meeting: Stanley J. Keysa, Chairman Administrative Item - Chair Keysa referred to Com. 11-1-11 which is a draft letter from Chair Keysa to Steven
    Doleski, NYSDEC regarding the Amendment to NYS Freshwater Wetlands Maps for Erie County, New
    Wetlands LA-17. Chair Keysa told the Planning Board that 80% of what is considered uplands area located
    east of Bowen Road, both north and south of William Street, will now be considered to be a large new wetland
    LA-17. The draft letter is asking what methodology the NYSDEC used in making this determination and why
    this area is now being determined to be a wetland. Chair Keysa asked the Planning Board to authorize him to
    send this letter to Mr. Doleski at NYSDEC. A print of hydric soils in Lancaster prepared by Earth
    Dimensions, Inc. will be attached to the letter. Lawrence Korzeniewski made a motion to authorize Chair
    Keysa to send this letter with the hydic soil print to Steven Doleski, NYSDEC. Motion was seconded by
    Steven Socha and unanimously carried.
    The print of Hydric soils probably stated that Lancaster only has 2 to 5 % water and built on bedrock.... Sound familiar...

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    Talking Giza & Keysa... Mr.Clark is watching

    The city isn’t the only municipality investigators might be eyeing, Clark warned. In the early stages of the probe, the district attorney looked into contract issues involving the Town of Amherst. Clark said a decision was made to focus on Buffalo based on the strength of the evidence.

    Still, he said prosecutors “have their eye” on other municipalities. Which ones?
    Clark won’t say.

    “If you know I’m looking at you, you’re going to be a good boy,” he said.
    Buffalo News-Sunday August 26,2007

    you think they can keep things legite so they don't end up in Jail.. Maybe they can take Mr. Sherwood with them... Board members better be careful don't listen to everything they tell you. It may cost you dearly... I wonder how much funds they got from wm.schutt and associates and greenman peterson and should the list go on..

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    Sherwood A Crook!!!

    THIS GUY SHOULD BE DIS-BARRED!

    I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN OPERATION WHERE THE TOWN LAWYER AND SUPERVISOR GET SUCH KICKBACKS AND PUSH EVERYONE AROUND.

    SHERWOOD IS A WEASLE AND HIS FAMILY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIM!

    I CALL FOR AN AUDIT OF SHERWOOD AND GIZA......BETCHA THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS HAVE ALOT MORE THAN WHAT THEY MAKE.....HMMMM

    AND WE ALL SIT BACK AND TAKE IT

  13. #13
    Member Foot Fungus's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Joesph1319

    THIS GUY SHOULD BE DIS-BARRED!
    Why?

    I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN OPERATION WHERE THE TOWN LAWYER AND SUPERVISOR GET SUCH KICKBACKS AND PUSH EVERYONE AROUND.
    List of kickbacks please.

    SHERWOOD IS A WEASLE AND HIS FAMILY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIM!
    His family?

    I CALL FOR AN AUDIT OF SHERWOOD AND GIZA......BETCHA THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS HAVE ALOT MORE THAN WHAT THEY MAKE.....HMMMM
    Go get 'em tiger.

    AND WE ALL SIT BACK AND TAKE IT
    Ahhhh...relaxation.....

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    Angry All there Hands are in the cookie jar!!!! WHERES SANDY TAN

    I CALL FOR AN AUDIT OF SHERWOOD AND GIZA......BETCHA THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS HAVE ALOT MORE THAN WHAT THEY MAKE.....HMMMM

    AND WE ALL SIT BACK AND TAKE IT
    I hope Clark has enough brains to look at Lancaster and see what goes on here with developers and contracts they have with all the same firms - greenman peterson,Wm schutt and associates everything done in this town their involved in... Mr. Harris the town engineer works for Wm.Schutt and associates is that not a conflict of interest..Mr.Keysa and his Brother take care of land deals in this town and mr. Keysa puts deals through for developement on the planning board and tells everyone there is no issues and no traffic issues... All these new developements and traffic has not increased just a few areas where theres no signalization,many new developements,new homes a school that causes a traffic nightmare on william, BUT NO ISSUES. Mr.Ward we need you to step up to the plate. we need a voice of reason for our community and we need it fast.....

  15. #15
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    Lightbulb Its not in the banks

    Quote:
    I CALL FOR AN AUDIT OF SHERWOOD AND GIZA......BETCHA THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS HAVE ALOT MORE THAN WHAT THEY MAKE.....HMMMM

    AND WE ALL SIT BACK AND TAKE IT




    Sir,

    The only way to truly see the historical Picture of profiteering in Lancaster's Governmental past is to go almost forty years back(or more). The local "controlling group" has been shuffling deals among friends for decades. One would have to go back to who owned the land south of the rail road tracks - who granted rezones on "wetlands" and who owned/purchased/resold these and other property's similar to those - that were later rezoned for "commercial and or residential use"

    They have been doing it all over Town . The real problem is that so many "respected" Politically connected people (mostly with legal back grounds) are involved . No one even DA Clark would have the inclination or funding to "investigate" such a trail.

    Example - if a well connected person used another family members name to purchase a parcel - then its inherited or given to that person - who's to say thats a shady deal ? Remember some past Town Fathers were jailed over fraud issues ! It slowed that generation down a bit - then sons and daughter were slid in - some times unaware . They as all good family members - don't ask questions when it comes to "Hot Deals" they are "Turned on to" or "pointed out to them"

    These people are not that untrained - they wouldn't just keep piles of cash in the bank - it would raise too many flags.

    When you own the system - you can make things happen and easily squash any outside interference.

    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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