About 100 residents crowded the April 20 Clay Town Board meeting to protest the possible connection of Route 31 to Soule Road through Pepperidge Way and Sutcliffe Drive. Residents said a townhouse developer’s plan to connect the busy roads would redirect dangerous traffic through quiet neighborhoods.
Mufale Limited Partnership is seeking a zone change from R-7.5 One-Family Residential District to R-TH Townhouse District in order to build the Hamlin Farm townhouses, which could include up to 66 units.
Hal Romans, surveyor and planner for Mufale, displayed three possible site plans for Hamlin Farm. Option A would completely connect Soule Road and Route 31 by connecting Pepperidge Way and Sutcliffe Drive, Option B would connect the development to Route 31 only through Pepperidge Way and Option C would connect Hamlin Farm to Soule Road via Sutcliffe Drive and Pine Gate Parkway.
Residents of Pine Gate, which ends at the Sutcliffe Drive cul-de-sac, had presented the town board with a petition of 768 signatures opposing the connection through Sutcliffe Drive. James Jarosz, a resident who went door-to-door to collect signatures, said this represented nearly 60 percent of those who live in the Pine Gate neighborhood.
James Jarosz’ wife, Liz Jarosz, said the family moved to Pine Gate because of the neighborhood’s low traffic and potential for quiet, safe family activities. She said most of the neighborhood’s foot and bike traffic takes place in the street because of a lack of sidewalks.
“Safety of our children and ourselves is our number one concern,” Liz Jarosz said.
Opponents of the Soule-Route 31 connection said they welcome economic and residential development in the town of Clay as long as it doesn’t interfere with their safety and their quality of life.
“We’re not opposed to the zone change or the new townhouses, which we want to happen,” James Jarosz said. “[But] we believe Sutcliffe should remain a dead end.”
Resident Bruce Swift presented his findings of an informal traffic study of the area. He said about 1,600 cars make 5,600 trips each day on Sutcliffe Drive; if Soule Road and Route 31 drivers could cut through Sutcliffe Drive, overall traffic would increase tenfold. There would be 35 percent more vehicles during school bus pick-up and drop-off times.
“That’s a cost no neighborhood should have to pay,” Swift said.
Romans said Mufale has “no set preference” for which option the town approves for Hamlin Farm’s traffic.
“We prefer doing what the town thinks makes sense,” Romans said. “We can develop it without both connections.”
Romans assured residents that Mufale would not be able to connect Sutcliffe Drive after the townhouses are built because the area that would be used for the cut-through would be in the backyards of two townhouses.
“People technically wouldn’t even be allowed to walk through there because it’s private property,” Romans said.
Referring to Mufale’s Option B, Town Councilor Eugene Young asked, “Is everybody thinking it would be better to connect Pepperidge Way?”
“Yes,” many of the residents responded in unison.
The town board has not yet ruled on the fate of the Hamlin Farm site plan, but Town Supervisor Damian Ulatowski said the board would take the public’s comments into consideration before making a decision.
“Thank you not only for your passion but your civility as a body,” he said.
Back to the drawing board
In addition to the Hamlin Farm public hearing, the Clay Town board briefly heard from a representative of Stewart’s Shops. Stewart’s is seeking a zone change from R-APT Residential Apartment District to RC-1 Regional Commercial District for a nine-acre piece of property on the southeast corner of Buckley and Bear roads.
The board told Chuck Marshall, real estate representative for Stewart’s, that they needed to see a site plan for the property before they could refer the zone change request. Stewart’s had only indicated the construction of a self-serve gas station on the property and hadn’t specified the proposed uses for the rest of the land.
Young pointed out that documents Marshall submitted to the board right before the meeting had a small site plan, but Ulatowski said he wanted to give the developers the opportunity for a more formal presentation.
“I think it’s clear that … we have little or nothing to go on here,” Ulatowski said. He recommended Marshall “do his homework” and work with the developer to bring a more specific proposal to the town board.
“You’ll have another bite at the apple,” he said.
Enjoying the view
While the town board postponed a decision for Hamlin Farm, Hal Romans presented on another client’s development. Associated Group Services is seeking a zone change from RA-100 Residential Agricultural District, O-2 Office District and R-TH Townhouse District to RC-1 Regional Commercial District for the construction of a car dealership on Route 31.
Romans said the revised site plan addressed neighbors’ concerns of preserving the natural viewshed behind the property. The developer has agreed to move a set of solar panels from the rear of the property to the roof of the proposed dealership. The developer is also looking at improved stormwater management to avoid “negatively affect[ing] any of the existing wetlands,” Romans said.
“It’s fair to say that the impact of this project is on Route 31 and not the residential [developments behind the property],” Ulatowski said.
Town Councilor Naomi Bray suggested the developer look into an archaeological study near the site to protect buildings that are important to Clay’s history.
Martin Golanka, a Junco Trail resident, said the developers should be mindful that dirtbikers and snowmobilers cut through the property. Romans said they may be able to put “posted” property signs to deter such traffic and they may look into “memorializing the green space” there.
