The plan has changed.
Regan Development Corporation, the developer for the proposed Dunkirk Meadows Workforce Housing Development, has notified the town of Dunkirk that it is withdrawing that proposal and replacing it.
The new project proposal, Dunkirk Meadows Mixed-Use Development, makes some significant changes in an effort to gain approval of town officials.
Article Photos
OBSERVER Photos by Gib Snyder
Pictured are new site plans for the proposed Dunkirk Meadows Mixed-Use Development, including a name change from the Dunkirk Meadows Workforce Housing Development. The project would now be located on two totally separate parcels, one still at the corner of Route 60 and Chadwick Drive and the other at the southwest corner of Williams Street and Route 60.
Instead of four buildings located south of Chadwick Drive and containing some 64 units, the mixed-use development would have two buildings of housing on each of two separate sites along with commercial development on both facing Route 60.
The original site on Chadwick Drive would remain with the property at the southwest corner of Williams Street and Route 60 utilized to hold two housing buildings along with commercial development.
Town Attorney Jeff Passafaro discussed issues involved with the changes at the town board meeting Tuesday.
Passafaro told the board the revised site plan was prepared by Tolman Engineering and came with an environmental assessment form and addendum.
"The mixed-use plan is intended to replace and supersede the initial residential site plan dated Feb. 8, 2012, which is hereby withdrawn," Passafaro explained.
"The developer would like to keep things moving. You have heard from (Code Officer Ryan Mourer) that his review is not complete, nor is he in a position tonight to be able to tell you in writing that the application is complete and conforms with your local rules and regulations.
"Not withstanding that, I believe it is sufficiently, substantially, complete enough for you to pass a resolution declaring once again like you did back in late winter, early spring, declaring the town board as the lead agent for SEQR and requesting the clerk to notify all of the agencies, ... that were notified previously. That will start the 30-day comment period running for whether or not the town board is the appropriate lead agency.
"You've gone through this exercise once before but because it is a new application, you need to go through the exercise again."
Councilman Henry Waldorff said he saw no reason to change at this point and moved the motion to have the town be the lead agency for the SEQR. Councilman Robert Penharlow seconded and the motion passed 4-0, as Councilman Juan Pagan was unable to attend the meeting.
Passafaro had more advice.
"When the code officer has completed his review and in his opinion it is now complete, he will notify the town clerk and the supervisor and at that point, pursuant to your local zoning law, we will then have a referral to the Planning Board, as required," he stated. "As you recall, last month the board already authorized the supervisor to execute the professional consultant fee agreement with the developer ... to pay for consulting fees in the way of engineering and environmental review. ... The developer has executed the contract and now the supervisor has also."
Purol asked when the Planning Board could get its copy of the plan.
Passafaro said Mourer has to review and deem the plan complete before the Planning Board can begin its review and suggested Mourer contact the Planning Board chairman to start a briefing process. Mourer said he would do that.
The new project, if approved, could provide some $3 million in taxable commercial development, according to town officials. In addition, a PILOT program is still being looked at for the housing units.
The housing development was announced in December when the Empire State Regional Development Council approved $3.5 million for the then $13 million project. The development was touted as serving households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income, meaning a family of four could have an income of $33,660 and qualify in Chautauqua County, according to figures from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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