TOWN OF MANLIUS – The long-awaited residential development off N. Burdick Street got an initial presentation before the Manlius Planning Board on Monday night.
Charles Breuer, representing Twin Ponds Housing, LLC, presented a plan for 276 housing units in a mixture of one-, two- and a limited number of three-bedroom units. The initial proposal includes five four-story apartment buildings and eight townhome style buildings.
“We’re looking at two different types of multi-family housing – a garden style apartment and a townhome style,” Breuer told the planners.
The total site is approximately 55 acres, but because the ponds and areas with severe slopes can’t be considered when determining density, the project exceeds the allowed density for an R-5 zone.
“We’re working under this new world of Onondaga County – with Micron coming in,” Breuer said. “Some of those people who are going to work at those complexes … this would be a good place to live.”
“I like the idea. And I don’t mind the four-story at that particular location,” said Chairman Joe Lupia. “It’s a great area to develop … but I am concerned that you’ve got too many [units] in there.”
Planning board attorney Jamie Sutphen indicated there may be ways to get around the density issue, either by working with the town board on a planned unit development or working with the zoning board of appeals on a variance, but those decisions can’t be made by the planning board.
“This board is hamstrung,” she said. “This board has to live by the rules.”
This initial session was billed as an opportunity for the developer to take the board’s temperature on the concept. All parties expressed that the fine details of the plan have yet to be determined.