It looks like the town of Clay may not welcome a second Stewart’s Shops after all.
With minimal discussion, the Clay Town Board voted unanimously July 20 to deny Stewart’s request for a zone change for a parcel on the southeast corner of Bear and Buckley roads.
Representatives for the eastern New York-based convenience store chain had requested the nine-acre property be re-zoned from R-APT Residential Apartment District to RC-1 Regional Commercial District.
Chuck Marshall, a real estate agent representing Stewart’s, expressed confusion after the board’s vote.
“We don’t 100 percent know,” Marshall said as to what is next for the proposed Stewart’s. “We’re not sure if it was a technical thing. Up until now, everything had been positive.”
Supervisor Damian Ulatowski offered some insight into the board’s vote.
“I’m guessing it had something to do with the traffic patterns in and out of the proposed site and some of the additional structures that may have accompanied the Stewart’s as to whether they can conform to the zoning they were requesting,” Ulatowski told the Star-Review July 24.
Even if the town board had granted the zone change request, Stewart’s still would have had to apply for a special use permit, since RC-1 does not explicitly allow what Stewart’s plan calls for.
In May, Marshall and CHA engineer James Trasher presented a site plan for the Bear-Buckley site that would have featured a standard Stewart’s Shops with 12 self-serve gas islands and three other commercial buildings, which could include a bank, a small restaurant and a strip of retail stores.
At a May 4 public hearing, residents expressed concerns about Stewart’s exacerbating traffic woes at an already busy intersection.
Stewart’s opened its first Syracuse-area location on Morgan Road in October 2014.
DOT restricts Sonic access
In addition to the puzzling Stewart’s vote, the town board also heard from representatives of Sonic Drive-In regarding a possible drive-thru restaurant at 3808 Route 11 and 5431 S. Bay Road.
Ryan Churchill and Sonic franchisee Fran DeSimone reported that the state Department of Transportation had denied Sonic’s request for full access on Route 11, instead recommending a right-in, right-out entrance. Sonic is seeking full access on South Bay Road.
“I would love to have a left turn going into my property,” DeSimone said.
Churchill said a history of accidents in that area could be the DOT’s reasoning for restricting full access on Route 11. DeSimone said most of the accidents occurred south of the traffic light, so the DOT’s reasoning didn’t make sense.
“That doesn’t make sense,” Councilor David Hess said of the denial, noting that other area restaurants have full access entrances.
Councilor Naomi Bray said she could not think of a property in the area that did not have full access, allowing left turns.
“I don’t understand it. We empathize,” she said.
“Would the town be able to petition the DOT as to their reasoning, or is that outside my purview?” Ulatowski asked. Town attorney Robert Germain said the town could “advocate” on behalf of Sonic.
Ulatowski said a right-in, right-out only access could cause confusion for drivers.
Deputy Supervisor Joseph Bick said he would be willing to contact the DOT “and tell them exactly what I think about this issue.”
Churchill said Sonic would continue to “hammer out a plan” with the DOT to improve access to the proposed restaurant. The town will revisit the issue at its Aug. 6 meeting.
