L’pool Planning Board OKs apartment complex site plan

By Russ Tarby

Contributing Writer

After three long years of discussions, the Liverpool Village Planning Board finally voted on a site plan for the proposed Meyer Manor apartment complex at 1225 Tulip St. The planners approved the plan by a vote of 4-1, with board member John Eallonardo voting no.

Over the past three years, Eallonardo had often voiced concerns about the 108-unit apartment complex being planned by developer Cosimo Zavaglia. “My concerns are density, scale, traffic and visibility,” Eallonardo said.

Zavaglia plans to purchase Marvin Meyer’s property to construct four 27-unit apartment buildings on a vacant wooded lot, just north of the Thruway.

The 7-plus-acre parcel is located just south of the Johnson Tract residential neighborhood. Many of the project’s opponents who live there turned out for several public hearings. The neighbors opposed the plan citing increased noise and traffic, intrusive lighting, lack of privacy and destruction of greenspace.
Eallonardo generally agreed with the neighbors.

Board members who voted on May 29 to approve the site plan — pending ongoing review by Village Engineer Greg Sgromo — were Michael LaMontagne, Peter Osborne, Jim Rosier and Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr.

Prior to the vote, the planners completed a State Environmental Quality Review. Eallonardo also dissented on the SEQR negative declaration, which passed 4-1.

Ostuni pointed out that the Syracuse-Onondaga County Planning Agency had twice reviewed the site plan and issued no major objections.

Zavaglia’s spokesman, project engineer Steve Calocerinos, appeared again May 29 to summarized sewer and storm-water arrangements as well as landscaping and fencing plans designed to mitigate any negative effects on the neighborhood.

Calocerinos said a berm with bushes as well as a solid vinyl fence would be placed between the 168-space parking lot and the neighboring homes to block vehicle headlights and outdoor lighting on the apartment buildings.

Impacts on plants and animals were also discussed as was potential impact on local transportation. Calocerinos said county traffic engineers characterized the complex’s potential impact on local traffic “to be marginal.”

After the vote approving the site plan, Ostuni thanked the board.

“It has been a lot of work,” he said, “but you’ve made it a better project than it was three years ago.”