Seneca Neighborhood PUD hearing to be held Aug. 20
By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
The Van Buren Town Board unanimously approved an amendment to the Marion Meadows Planned Unit Development (PUD) at the Aug. 6 town board meeting. The PUD originally was approved for three-story apartment buildings a decade ago, but developers requested to change it to 65 townhouses and tweak the setbacks from the property line.
Developers Michael and Mario D’Arrigo appeared at the public hearing. Michael D’Arrigo said the Van Buren Zoning and Planning Board has collaborated with developers on the design change. The D’Arrigos are requesting to change the setback from 25 to 35 feet on the easterly side of the property to along Route 690 to accommodate the redesign.
Resident Andy Bowes said he was concerned about the possibility of increased traffic on Van Buren Road and asked if sidewalks could be built for students to walk to Ray Middle School. Supervisor Claude Sykes said the planning board will handle traffic concerns.
Another resident, Shaun Burdick, shared that his neighbors who live near 690 have been complaining about noise from the highway since some trees were removed.
D’Arrigo said developers are looking into natural barriers for noise mitigation.
Also at the Aug. 6 meeting, the town board voted to schedule a public hearing on the proposed amendment of the Seneca Neighborhood PUD. That public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20.
The amendment brings the total homes in the Seneca Neighborhood proposal down to 172: 84 single family homes, 72 attached townhomes and 18 detached homes.
Sykes said reducing the number of lots allows the average lot size in the development to be close to the town’s R-15 lot size.
“I like the idea of larger lots,” Town Councilor Wendy Van Der Water said.
Brandon Jacobson of Brolex Properties said Ryan Homes has pulled out of the development of what is now Seneca Golf Club. Brolex will work with a variety of homebuilders.
Jacobson also announced that Seneca Neighborhood will be part of the 2020 Parade of Homes. The annual event attracts 40,000 visitors.
