|
Published: September 29, 2007 11:43 pm
TOWN OF LOCKPORT: Wal-Mart hearing set for Tuesday
By Joyce Miles/milesj@gnnewspaper.com
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
TOWN OF LOCKPORT —
SUPERCENTER: Plan for
mall site being presented again, ahead of expected town voting.
By Joyce M. Miles
milesj@gnnewspaper.com
TOWN OF LOCKPORT — The public is invited to weigh in, again, on the Wal-Mart question Tuesday night.
In a formal public hearing at 7 p.m., the town planning board will re-present Wal-Mart’s proposal to build a supercenter at the Lockport Mall property.
The required hearing was held last year, but after a succeeding, lengthy gap in town-corporate communications, Wal-Mart asked for, and the planning board agreed to host, another one.
“The board thought it made sense because it’s been out of the public eye,” attorney Dan Seaman said. “We’re not looking for repetition, but everybody will be given a chance to speak.”
Wal-Mart appears on the verge of getting the town’s permission to erect a supercenter at the mall site after several years of on-and-off pursuit and protracted public debate. According to town planner Drew Reilly, Wal-Mart representatives will present the company’s proposed site plan, and members of the public will be able to comment again on its effects.
Afterward, it will be up to the planning board whether to approve the site plan, grant a required special use permit and allow subdivision of the mall lot, where current owner General Growth intends to hold on to Bon-Ton and share some of the premises with Wal-Mart. Then the zoning board can go to work deciding whether to grant variances — exceptions to local zoning code — that would allow Wal-Mart to finally build.
The Wal-Mart/General Growth sharing arrangement is what’s generating some of the procedural wrangling faced by the planning and zoning boards, according to Reilly. A longstanding question about exactly how many variances the two property owners will require is still being sorted out.
Wal-Mart attorney Leslie Senglaub did not return a call for comment.
Reilly on Friday reiterated his stance that the project will not require 42 variances as has been reported. Once duplicative elements of business zoning and Commercial Corridor Overlay District codes are narrowed, and if the planning board agrees to waive some stricter requirements of the overlay district, the public will find the number of exceptions being granted is greatly reduced, he said.
“In the end, there really is only a handful of meaningful variances (required),” he said.
Of the variances, about half will be needed by Wal-Mart and half by General Growth because of subdivision. Each business is supposed to have certain setbacks, parking minimums and the like. Bon-Ton and Wal-Mart would be side-by-side, however, and Wal-Mart can’ meet all the requirements and still have its site plan work.
“These are the no-brainer variances,” Reilly said.
More variances can be eliminated if the planning board agrees to waive or modify certain requirements of the overlay district code, which was written to impose some aesthetic order on South Transit Road.
For instance, Reilly said, the overlay district requires a storefront to have 25 percent windows. Wal-Mart argued it can’t install more than 17 percent because of the way the interior is arranged. Another overlay requirement, limiting access to/from the road to one curb cut, should be lifted because a business of Wal-Mart’s size ought to have two. Traffic would be snarled otherwise, he said.
The point of the public hearing is for the planning board to receive public input on the site plan before making a final decision about approving it, the special use permit and the subdivision application.
Planning board action is not likely Tuesday but it is expected within the next 30 days, Seaman said.
The planning board’s next formal meeting is Oct. 16. The Zoning Board of Appeals will meet Oct. 23.
Contact reporter Joyce Miles at 439-9222, ext. 6245.ᶖ
|
|
|
|
 |
Nurses
NURSES
RN - LPN
Join our progressive health care team
FT-PT - Per Diem ...>MORE
INSURANCE - CSR with Personal Lines exp., for Lockport area. $25,000 salary. 433-7504...>MORE
Packers
Entry Level Packers Apply Wed. 11/4/09 or Wed. 11/18/09, 9-11am, DOL, 81 Walnut St, Lkpt Durham Staffing 283-...>MORE
Instructors
Join Our Team! Would you like to work on a top performing team who is ranked 17th in the nation and have the opport...>MORE
Job Fair
HUMAN SERVICES JOB FAIR For COMMUNITY MISSIONS
Program Locations/Job Opportunities working w/c...>MORE
Certified Pharmacy Tech's & Certified Medication Tech's
Certified Pharmacy Tech’s & Certified Medication Tech’s Competitive wages. Call Lisa McKensie Ransomville Manor 79...>MORE
Nurses
NURSES
RN - LPN
Join our progressive health care team
FT-PT - Per Diem ...>MORE
Echo Tech
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY TECHNICIAN, Full-time. Certification by ARDMS or registry eligible. Up to $7500 Sign On Bonus!; MEDICAL...>MORE
Cook Manager
COOK /Manager full time exp. req. Call for appt. 297-2500 ask for general manager. ...>MORE
Nursing
NURSING. RN's. Up to $7500 Sign on Bonus. Thinking of a change? Consider Mount St. Mary's Hospital. Various positions av...>MORE
See all ads |
Chevy 2007 Impala LT
CHEVY 2007 Impala LT 25,800 mi, ext. warranty Exc. Cond, $16,500 297-2199...>MORE
Mercury 1999 Grand Marquis
Mercury ‘99 Grand Marquis 4 dr, leather, all options, 49k org mi., showroom cond. $6000. 860-2854, ...>MORE
Dodge 2001 Neon
Dodge 2001 Neon 4 dr, auto, a/c, new tires, c/d no rust, inspected, $3900. white 860-2854...>MORE
Buick 2005 Lesabre
BUICK 2005 Lesabre Custom, excellent condition, fully loaded, $6700 or best offer, 754-4540...>MORE
Chevy 2003 Impala
CHEVY 2003 Impala 25,600 miles, loaded Exc. Cond. $10,000/bo 297-2199...>MORE
Mazda 1995 Millenia
Mazda 1995 Millenia loaded, leather, only 26k mi. exc. cond. $2995. Best Offer 531-3548, 297-1526...>MORE
Ford 1995 Crown Victoria
Ford 1995 Crown Victoria 4 dr, loaded, new tires must see & drive $3500. red. 860-2854...>MORE
VW 2001 Beetle
VW 2001 Beetle, loaded, GLX turbo, exc. cond, all service records, fun to drive, blue bk $5600, take best offer, 990-06...>MORE
See all ads |
|
See all ads |
|
 |
|