By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
The developers of Seneca Golf Club are one step closer to building 193 new homes in the Town of Van Buren. The Van Buren Town Board voted June 18 to approve a zone change for the golf course property from Residential-40 (R40) to Planned Unit Development (PUD) and referred the matter to the Van Buren Zoning and Planning Board.
Town Attorney Kevin Gilligan explained that the zone change allows for more flexibility in terms of setbacks, front yards and lot sizes.
“The town would have to take care of the same amount of infrastructure regardless if it was R40 or a PUD,” Supervisor Claude Sykes said. “We get more tax dollars from a PUD obviously to help support the infrastructure when the time comes for repairs and maintenance.”
Town officials clarified that the 72 patio homes referred to in the proposal — sometimes referred to as “townhomes” — will not be attached townhouses but will be smaller single-family units marketed to empty-nesters. The project also includes plans for 121 traditional single-family homes.
Brandon Jacobson, a representative of Brolex Properties, said a Class A homeowners’ association will provide lawn and snow maintenance for the patio homes. This HOA will forbid pools and swingsets and will have a limited exterior color palette for homeowners to choose from.
“I understand they’re probably as stringent as Radisson’s,” Sykes said.
“No, I don’t think we’re going to be that stringent in terms of fencing and things like that,” Jacobson said. “We want to be good neighbors.”
The HOA for the 121 single-family homes will be less restrictive but will still have rules about parking large recreational vehicles and boats. This HOA would have a one-time fee plus an annual maintenance fee for the development’s detention ponds.
Jacobson said developers plan to place the stormwater detention ponds in each corner of the development toward the Seneca River with drainage easements behind the houses.
“In the development world, you don’t want to fight Mother Earth, you want to work with it,” he said of following the natural drainage pattern.
Jacobson said Brolex Properties is planning to maintain the existing tree line between the development and Henderson Boulevard and maintain as much greenery as possible.
Resident April Schad expressed concern about maintenance of the drainage ponds.
“We have enough mosquitoes from the swamp, so unless that’s going to have running water, we’re going to have an issue,” she said.
Schad also said construction would disturb woodchucks and other wildlife.
The town board’s zone change resolution included the following recommendations from the Onondaga County Planning Board:
• The town and developer must ensure maintenance and funding mechanisms for stormwater management and greenery, such as an HOA or easements.
• In keeping with New York State Department of Transportation requirements, the developer will have to submit a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, a Traffic Impact Study for Route 48, a site plan and the lighting plan.
• The developer must consult the Onondaga County Water Authority regarding easements, right-of-ways, water availability and service options, and necessary testing.
• The Onondaga County Health Department and Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection must approve any extension of the public wastewater infrastructure. Furthermore, the towns of Van Buren and Lysander and the village of Baldwinsville must work together “to identify an allocation strategy for the limited remaining capacity within the county system, given potential constraints at the Baldwinsville-Seneca Knolls Wastewater Treatment Plant, and to ensure capacity is used for the most beneficial land uses for the communities and the region, especially job creating entities.”
• Finally, the developer is encouraged to retain tree cover and vegetation and reduce stormwater runoff through green infrastructure practices.
The town board referred the proposal to the planning board, which next meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 9.
Notes from the town clerk
In the minutes for the June 18 meeting, Town Clerk Lynn Precourt included the following announcements:
• Van Buren Pool is open daily from 12:30 to 6:55 p.m. from June 27 through Aug. 16. Visit townofvanburen.com/van-buren-pool/ for more information about admission prices and safety policies.
• Mosquito Beater packets are available at the town clerk’s office for anyone who has standing water or ponds. They are free and provided by the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District.
• The Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA), Assemblyman William Magnarelli, Confidata, ProShred and Simple Shred will host “Shred-O-Rama,” a secure document shredding event, from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 13, at the New York State Fairgrounds. People can drop off up to five boxes for free shredding. For more details, visit ocrra.org/events/shred-o-rama-2019.
