VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE – The Fayetteville Planning Board spent its open-to-the-public meeting on Aug. 23 reviewing the draft scoping document for the proposed mixed-use development at 547 E. Genesee Street.
At the start of the meeting, planning board chair Jane Rice explained to those gathered in the village hall that New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) ensures adequate examination of potential environmental impacts resulting from proposed developments, such as the one outlined in the application, in such communities as Fayetteville.
The application submitted by Millstone Development Group LLC on June 28 calls for the construction of a 56,550-square-foot grocery store reputed to be a Hannaford, a 40,000-square-foot senior living facility and a 3,500-square-foot commercial building—all at the East Genesee Street site once occupied by manufacturer O’Brien & Gere.
Rice said during the Aug. 23 review in open session that she would like to see a line added to the draft scoping document’s attached map that exhibits the boundary of the proposed project.
She also said that it should be specified what the document’s use of the term “text amendment” refers to exactly.
Board member Scott Dumas said he thought the executive summary should include a description of the village as a whole to provide proper context for the development being proposed.
Members of the board pointed to the document’s inclusion of sentences along the lines of “it is therefore anticipated that mitigation will not be required…” as unnecessary, with Rice adding that those conclusions defeat the purpose of the entire exercise, since it is up to the board to make the decisions related to environmental impact mitigation.
The board chair also echoed an engineering consultant’s comment in a letter that stated the applicant should take into “serious consideration” the existence of residential properties adjacent to and near 547 E. Genesee St., a site which has been labeled a brownfield.
As the lead decision-making agency, the planning board also coordinated its review effort with the village’s zoning board of appeals and other agencies responsible for issuing permits or other approvals.
Thoughts from residents were sought in writing up until the Aug. 23 special meeting, which did not equate to a public hearing even though it featured a public comment section.
By the end of the day on Aug. 27, which falls 60 calendar days after the submission of the draft, the board members will need to prepare a final scoping document despite their wishes for an extension.
The board asks for additional comments to be sent to deputy clerk Karen Shepardson’s email address, [email protected], as soon as possible before the deadline.
A recording of the Aug. 23 planning board meeting can be found in the “Livestream Links” section of the website fayettevilleny.gov, while a link to the draft scoping document for the 547 E. Genesee St. property can be found in the “Document Links” section.
