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Shorewood water project is ready to proceed

Shorewood water project is ready to proceed

The Town of Dunkirk successfully met its deadline in order to move forward with the Shorewood Waterline Capital Project. With two weeks to spare, Town Attorney Jeff Passafaro presented the Town Board with the necessary right of way certifications and a court order allowing the project to proceed.

The Shorewood waterline project will serve 173 residential properties and 16 commercial properties by upgrading the existing waterlines to address connection problems, water main breaks, and inadequate flow, while ensuring proper fire protection. The Shorewood Water District covers portions of Woodlands Drive, Edgewood Drive, Shorewood Drive East, Shorewood Drive West, Farmlane Road, Linwood Drive, Lakewood Drive, Morewood Drive, and Wilbur Road.

The Town has been attempting to upgrade the waterlines in the Shorewood Water District since March 15, 2022, but even after the Town secured more than $1.3 million in grant funding through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, the project failed to break ground because of issues in securing easements along private roads and residences in the district. The Town relied upon Eminent Domain proceedings to secure the required documents to proceed. The Town needed to enter into a project finance agreement by Sept. 30 in order to remain eligible for the grant funds it was awarded.

Now the Town sets its focus on another Capital Project, pertaining to the East Lake Road Sewer District. The Town Board held a public hearing prior to its regular meeting in September regarding an application seeking grant funding for upgrades to the district.

The Town is applying for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to improve infrastructure in the district that is over 40 years old in some areas. The Town is looking to repair or replace 86 sewer grinders in the district.

The Board has authorized Municipal Solutions to prepare the CDBG application. The Town submitted an application for CDBG funds in 2025, but was unsuccessful.

The Board heard objections from one resident about the potential cost of replacement of the outdated sewer grinders, and one resident asked about an alternative solution, which the Board had already explored but deemed too costly. Following the public hearing, roughly an hour later, the Town Board authorized an increase to district residents in the event that enough grant funding to cover the entire project is not secured.

The Town of Dunkirk is nearly finished with its local law for regulating battery energy storage systems. At its latest meeting, the Town Board approved an extension of the moratorium on battery energy storage systems for another six months. Doing so allows the Town to put its finishing touches on the local law before presenting the final version to the public for input. Once the law is finished, a public hearing will be scheduled.

The Town is in discussions with Solar Liberty regarding a building permit for its solar project, which was recently approved by the court, years after it was initially submitted.

The Town Justice Court handled more than 200 cases in the month of August, including 169 vehicle and traffic law cases, 16 penal law cases, two local law cases, and one civil law case. A total of $20,343 was collected for the Town during the month of August.

The Town Clerk's Office collected $1,070 in clerk fees, $1,775 in zoning fees, and $40 in dog licenses during the month of August for a total of $2,885.

The Town Board will hold a special meeting on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 3 p.m., for the presentation of the preliminary budget for the 2027 fiscal year.