Will it move forward, or won’t it?
Based on the most recent feedback, many hope the redevelopment of BayTowne Plaza will get the green light, and soon.
On Wednesday, Aug. 22 about 40 residents and local business owners voiced their opinions on the proposed rezoning of nearby residential properties to accommodate the latest site plan that will add a Walmart Supercenter and street of shops near Empire Boulevard in the town of Penfield.
The majority of speakers were supportive of the developer's plan, saying it would generate sales tax revenue and economic opportunities in an area in need of revitalization.
"The plaza needs to be whole so we can move forward, create jobs, and maybe help our neighbor," said speaker Patrick Pagano, the owner of Premiere Fitness, which has been in the current plaza for two years.
He and others commended the Planning Board for conducting a thorough review, and urged the town board to approve the proposed rezoning.
"This plan, in my opinion, is the best compromise on both sides of the fence,” he said, adding, “You can either lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
The new plan
Since his original site plan was voted down by the Town Board in 2010, developer John DiMarco and his consulting team have presented a series alternatives to the Planning Board that show modifications to address the initial concerns of area residents — the most significant being noise and traffic.
They presented an overview of the site plan, titled CP-02, that was most favorably received by the Planning Board, who accepted a final environmental impact statement on this plan after a lengthy review process in May.
In comparison to the original site plan, CP-02 uses half the acreage of residential property that would be rezoned for commercial use. A border of 27-foot berms and additional green space bordering the plaza to reduce noise pollution and an enclosed truck docking area and four new plaza entry points for traffic.
As business owners and hopeful shoppers stepped up to the podium, many said they don't want to see BayTowne become a “ghost town” like Medley Center or the former Northgate Plaza, in Greece.
“The businesses are failing, and the scariest thing would be having a dead mall because we’re afraid to move on,” said Tony Laduca, who lives on Angels Path, in Webster.
The developer claims that the improvements will yield a combined $1.4 million in additional revenue from sales tax and real estate tax for the town.
Will it move forward, or won’t it?
Based on the most recent feedback, many hope the redevelopment of BayTowne Plaza will get the green light, and soon.
On Wednesday, Aug. 22 about 40 residents and local business owners voiced their opinions on the proposed rezoning of nearby residential properties to accommodate the latest site plan that will add a Walmart Supercenter and street of shops near Empire Boulevard in the town of Penfield.
The majority of speakers were supportive of the developer's plan, saying it would generate sales tax revenue and economic opportunities in an area in need of revitalization.
"The plaza needs to be whole so we can move forward, create jobs, and maybe help our neighbor," said speaker Patrick Pagano, the owner of Premiere Fitness, which has been in the current plaza for two years.
He and others commended the Planning Board for conducting a thorough review, and urged the town board to approve the proposed rezoning.
"This plan, in my opinion, is the best compromise on both sides of the fence,” he said, adding, “You can either lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
The new plan
Since his original site plan was voted down by the Town Board in 2010, developer John DiMarco and his consulting team have presented a series alternatives to the Planning Board that show modifications to address the initial concerns of area residents — the most significant being noise and traffic.
They presented an overview of the site plan, titled CP-02, that was most favorably received by the Planning Board, who accepted a final environmental impact statement on this plan after a lengthy review process in May.
In comparison to the original site plan, CP-02 uses half the acreage of residential property that would be rezoned for commercial use. A border of 27-foot berms and additional green space bordering the plaza to reduce noise pollution and an enclosed truck docking area and four new plaza entry points for traffic.
As business owners and hopeful shoppers stepped up to the podium, many said they don't want to see BayTowne become a “ghost town” like Medley Center or the former Northgate Plaza, in Greece.
“The businesses are failing, and the scariest thing would be having a dead mall because we’re afraid to move on,” said Tony Laduca, who lives on Angels Path, in Webster.
The developer claims that the improvements will yield a combined $1.4 million in additional revenue from sales tax and real estate tax for the town.
Why supersize it?
Despite the revisions to the site plan, it continues to face opposition from residents who worry about how the new Super Center will affect their property values and impact the quiet and aesthetics of the surrounding neighborhood.
Several residents continue to question why a Super Walmart is necessary when there is already a Walmart in BayTowne.
Jewelberry Drive resident Al Circelli said the rezoning for commercial use would be an “inappropriate” use of the property.
"It's small potential, and it's already there," he said. "The environmentally friendly thing to do is to use the existing building an upgrade it."
Anna Orosz lives southeast of the plaza on Guygrace Lane. She agrees the plaza needs revitalization, but without rezoning.
“To say ‘my mall is empty, so I should make it bigger,’ doesn’t make economic sense,” she said.
Penfield Town Supervisor Tony LaFountain said the board will likely wait several weeks following this date to make a decision on whether to allow rezoning.
The Town Board will review the proposal at its next work session on Sept. 12.
