L’pool Planning Board approves plan for Second Street drive-thru

By Russ Tarby

Contributing Writer

At a special meeting on Sept. 8, the Liverpool Village Planning Board approved the application by ESW Reality LLC to build a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru restaurant at 105-113 Second St. The vote was 4 to 1, with planning board member Michael LaMontagne casting the lone “no” vote.

The motion to approve the project — which has been more than nine months in the making — was made by board member John Eallonardo and seconded by Peter Osborne. Joining them to vote in favor of the application were board members Jim Rosier and Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr.

LaMontagne explained his opposition by pointing to the traffic impact that he said could result.

The board’s approval followed a two-hour public hearing at which 16 speakers offered their opinions about the proposed donut shop. Of those, 10 opposed the plan — primarily citing traffic concerns — and six spoke in favor of it.

“The traffic studies must be reassessed,” said the first speaker, Jan Quitzau of Tulip Street. No thought had been given to the annual December traffic backups caused by Lights on the Lake, he added.

Third Street resident Alison Bentley agreed and asked, “What about when it snows?”

Dunkin Donuts’ Project Architect Bob Abbott said that the line of vehicles at the drive-thru would average just four or five rising to 10 at rush hours. Reports of queues averaging 13 cars at many area Dunkin’ Donuts shops, Abbott said, “are not true.”

But village Trustee Bradley Young disagreed. “They’re misleading us about how many cars will be queued,” Young said. “It’s going to be an issue.”

Another trustee, Christina Fadden Fitch, supported the project which she hopes will discourage the “loss of businesses” and “blight” represented by the two empty buildings now on the site.

If Dunkin’ Donuts builds here and thrives, Fitch said. “That’s the way other businesses will be attracted to the village.”

Representing the developer, Abbott downplayed the traffic concerns.

“There are two lanes of traffic,” Abbott said, “and there’s a parking lane on the right side so we figure there are three lanes of traffic there [so] that if some cars are pulled over to the right, you’re not really going to block the traffic.” There will be 15 parking spaces on site, he added.

ESW Realty, LLC, Dunkin’ Donuts regional parent company owned by Maine-based doughnut entrepreneur Edward S. Wolak, has made a purchase offer on the Second Street properties owned by Seneca Savings Bank.

The franchisee is now expected to complete the real estate transaction and apply for a demolition permit from the village Code Enforcement Office.

Once the restaurant opens, it will do business daily from 5 a.m. to midnight. A construction timetable has yet to be set.