Liverpool — A little less than 10 years ago, the village of Liverpool adopted a Comprehensive Plan designed to guide development here through 2025.
One of the plan’s most important recommendations was to create a walkable environment to counter the onrushing commuter traffic that has plagued the village for decades.
As a specific village-enhancement suggestion, the plan urged this:
“Enhance distinctiveness from big box and suburban retail environments by attracting and promoting mixed-use pedestrian-friendly uses including unique shops, restaurants, services and vendors.” Traffic reduction efforts, the plan noted, “will encourage movement away from auto-oriented uses.”
So, to discourage auto-oriented uses, the village zoning code prohibits restaurants (but not banks) from operating drive-thru windows in the village business district.
But now Dunkin’ Donuts — certainly not a “unique” shop by any definition — wants the village to issue a special permit waiving the prohibition of drive-thrus.
The question is: Will the village trustees abandon the vision outlined in its own Comprehensive Plan in order to please the franchisee, or will they remain true to the plan’s admirable objectives to please their constituents?
Public hearing Monday
The answer could come as early as 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 29, when the village board conducts a public hearing on the matter, at the Village Hall, 310 Sycamore St. The board is considering a modification of the village code, Chapter 380-41, to issue special permits to allow restaurants to provide drive-thru services.
Architect Robert Abbott Jr., told trustees on Jan. 19 that without permission for a drive-thru, the franchisee, ESW Realty LLC, would not move forward with the project. Right now, ESW has a purchase option on the property at 105-113 Second St., the former locations of Seneca Savings Bank and Venesky Appliances.
“Dunkin’ Donuts typically does between 50 and 60 percent of their business at the drive-thru window,” Abbott said. ESW Realty is the real-estate component of The Wolak Group formed by New England donut entrepreneur Ed Wolak.
Traffic congestion
continued — At the Jan. 19 village board meeting, however, Trustee Dennis Hebert pointed out that traffic was already a problem when Seneca Savings was there. “It was terrible trying to get out of that parking lot and back out onto Second Street,” Hebert said. Last August, Seneca Savings moved to a new location on Route 57 in Clay.
Alternate Planning Board member Michael LaMontagne also expressed concern that a line of cars at a drive-thru window could affect the flows of vehicles on Second Street. At the Dec. 28 planning board meeting, LaMontagne said “a traffic study could be warranted.”
Dunkin’ domination
Some village residents and business owners want the trustees to maintain the drive-thru ban.
“I oppose the idea of allowing a Dunkin’ Donuts to be operated with in the village of Liverpool,” Raymond Finney posted on the village’s Facebook page. “We have local, small businesses in town which serve coffee and other breakfast foods. I believe a DD would create more traffic in our already congested streets making for a more dangerous and noisy village.”
Shanna Delaney-Hasto, who lives on Fifth Street, points out that there are already enough Dunkin’ Donuts shops doing business in the Liverpool area.
“There is one right down the street [so] we don’t need a Dunkin,” she wrote on Facebook. “We need to support Café 407 and Freedom of Espresso! Plus we do not need any more congestion in the village!”
Dunkin’ Donuts already has eight restaurants in the Liverpool area — two on Route 57, two on Seventh North Street, one on Route 31, one in Great Northern Mall, one on West Taft Road and one on Henry Clay Boulevard.
If Liverpool residents are concerned about the possibility of Dunkin’ Donuts building a new restaurant in the village, they should be sure to show up at Monday’s public hearing.
Bust a gut for Bernie
continued — “Syracuse for Sanders,” the local effort to promote Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, is celebrating his victory in the New Hampshire Primary with humor.
“Bust a Gut for Bernie” is scheduled from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at Mac’s Bad Art Bar, 1799 Brewerton Road, in Mattydale. The fundraiser will showcase eight comedians, including CNY Sanders delegate candidate Maurice “Mo” Brown and musician Joe Driscoll.
The sliding scale admission fee is $5-$20.
Syracuse for Sanders is a grass-roots organization inspired by Sanders’ call for economic and social justice.
For information, visit facebook.com/events/966067090129874/, or email [email protected].
The columnist can be contacted at [email protected].
