Van Buren debates Crego Road sidewalks
By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
An attorney wishing to move his practice to the west side of Crego Road will have two years to complete sidewalks on the property, the Van Buren Town Board decided May 5. The board voted 5-1 on the measure, with Councilor Wendy Van Der Water casting the dissenting vote. (Councilor Pat Dickman was absent.)
Supervisor Claude Sykes said the town has asked developers to install sidewalks in that area for the last several years.
“I know it was part of the Downer Street Corridor study that was done to have sidewalks for conveyances for pedestrians in that area, so we’ve got to get an action from the board on whether or not they still feel that it’s a good idea to have sidewalks where the Planning Board feels it is necessary,” Sykes said.
Sykes said the sidewalk requirement will ease future development.
“I for one think it should be there. I know the Crego Farm is eventually going to develop and the current people who live in the Comstock Tract I’m sure would like a conveyance to walk down to some of the shops and stores on Downer Street,” he said. “You’ve got to take the opportunity when it arises. … If we don’t start now, you’re never going to be able to require them in the future.”
Van Der Water said it is one thing to ask national chains such as Walgreens or Aldi to install sidewalks, but this applicant is a sole practitioner looking to relocate his business from Lysander to Van Buren. She also said she got a different impression about the town’s view on sidewalks from a discussion that took place in March.
“I felt like everyone agreed that the tone was not to require the sidewalks up Crego, only Downer Street,” she said. “I am kind of disappointed that we are bringing it up again because I thought after discussing it that we were going to have a recommendation sent to the Planning Board that they could put in there that if the county presses and wants that done, he would be held accountable to do that, but we wouldn’t require it.”
Sykes said Planning Board Chair Tony Geiss approached him asking for the town board’s guidance on the sidewalk issue. He said Geiss suggested giving the applicant a couple of years to meet the sidewalk requirement.
“I am not looking to treat anyone differently, so to me, there is no difference between Aldi and a sole proprietor,” Councilor Darcie Lesniak said. “Second, while the Downer Street Corridor did recognize some roads coming off Downer Street, until Crego gets fully developed I can’t see making one business fill in the next little section. What if that never comes to fruition and Crego Farm never materializes? I just think there was no need to make this individual or business put sidewalks in now.”
Lesniak said she would be okay with a future requirement, but Town Attorney Kevin Gilligan cautioned that the town board “really can’t leave it amorphous.” Gilligan said the cost of installing a sidewalk could change drastically over five years.
“If you’re going to do it for a couple years that certainly gives the landowner enough time to save up to do the sidewalk and at the end of the two years if he hasn’t done it you can take that security and the town can do it,” Gilligan said.
“I don’t see the point of forcing a sidewalk to nowhere at this point. That’s where I am coming from,” Lesniak said.
According to Sykes, it would cost the town just under $10,000 to put in a sidewalk at the site, but a private property owner could do it for less because they are not required to pay prevailing wage like a municipality is. Sykes said the town would not require the property owner to tear up the driveway like the village of Baldwinsville would.
Town Engineer Jason Hoy said based on the applicant’s comments at a planning board meeting, he is amenable to installing a sidewalk from his driveway to Walgreens.
The board voted to require the applicant to extend the sidewalk to the driveway now and within two years put in the balance, less the driveway, with a letter of credit in the amount of $10,000.
“This is why we are going to charge the Land Use Committee with looking at not just this area but other area of the town giving the Planning Board direction on where the Land Use Committee thinks we need sidewalks, and that will give them some guidance and direction and the mechanism on how to do it,” Sykes said.
$2K for streaming approved
Also at the May 5 meeting, the town board approved up to $2,000 in expenditures related to streaming the meetings of the Van Buren Town Board, Planning Board, and Board of Assessment Review. Among the expenditures will be a camera and a Zoom subscription.
Councilor Darcie Lesniak asked if this spending was reimbursable.
Supervisor Claude Sykes said the town has been keeping track of expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic — including payroll, face masks and hand sanitizer — in case grant money becomes available for those expenses.
While the town canceled its April meetings because of the pandemic, the town board and a few officials met at town hall May 5 for a socially distant meeting that was streamed on Facebook Live. Sykes said the town expects to stream the May 19 town board meeting on Facebook as well.
The town’s Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/Town-of-Van-Buren-426357290737202/.
As for planning board meetings, Sykes said applicants wishing to address the board will wait in their cars and Code Enforcement Officer Casey Palmer will escort them to and from the building.
The town board will hold a series of public hearings via Zoom at 7 p.m. June 2 related to the formation of sanitary sewer, drainage and lighting districts for the Treybrook Subdivision. The hearings will be streamed at https://US02web.zoom.us/j/83745643663. Audio participants can call 1-929-205-6099 and enter meeting ID 83745643663.
View the details of the proposed special districts at townofvanburen.com/minutes-agendas/ within the May 5 minutes. Residents may submit comments about the proposal by emailing [email protected], faxing 315-635-8247 or mailing written comments to Town of Van Buren Town Board c/o Lynn McCormick, Town Clerk, 7575 Van Buren Road, Baldwinsville, NY 13027. All comments must be received by noon Tuesday, June 2. Comments will be entered into the record and distributed to the town board for consideration.
