Typeset from the official record — motions and recorded votes are detected automatically. The official copy governs.
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1 STATE OF NEW YORK:
TOWN OF CLAY:
COUNTY OF ONONDAGA:
TOWN BOARD/PLANNING BOARD:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In the Matter of a Special Joint Meeting of the Town Board and Town Planning Board, Town of Clay, in a Public Hearing to consider:
1.
The Application of
& AJEMIAN PROPERTIES, LLC for a ZONE CHANGE from REC-1 Recreational District to I-1 Industrial District to develop a warehouse distribution facility on land located at 7211 and 7219 Morgan Road, Tax Map No. 114.-01-02.3; and
& AJEMIAN PROPERTIES, LLC for a ZONE CHANGE from REC-1 Recreational District to I-1 Industrial District to develop a warehouse distribution facility on land located at 7211 and 7219 Morgan Road, Tax Map No. 114.-01-02.3.
And to formally refer the zone change request to the Town of Clay Planning Board for a recommendation pursuant to Section 230-24(c)(3)(d) of the Town Code; 3.
A referral for a recommendation to the Town Board regarding the Application of
& AJEMIAN PROPERTIES, LLC for a ZONE CHANGE from REC-1 Recreational District to I-1 Industrial District to develop a warehouse distribution facility on land located at 7211 and 7219 Morgan Road, Tax Map No. 114.-01-02.3.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A Joint Meeting/Public Hearing in the above-matter conducted by the Clay Town Board and Clay Town Planning Board, held in the Auditorium of Liverpool High School,
Monday, September 30, 2019, at 6:00 p.m.
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2 Town Board members present:
DAMIAN ULATOWSKI, Town Supervisor, and Meeting Chair JOSEPH A. BICK, Deputy Supervisor/Councilor And Councilors:
David Hess, Ryan Pleskach, Eugene Young, Brian Hall, Kevin Meaker Town Clerk: Jill Hageman-Clark Board Attorney:
Robert Germain, Esq.
Germain & Germain And present:
Mark Territo, Commissioner of Planning & Development Town Planning Board members present:
RUSS MITCHELL, Planning Board Chairman Karen Guinup, Deputy Chairman And Board members:
James Palumbo, Harold Henty, Allen Kovac, Michelle Borton, Scott Soyster And Board Secretary: Gloria Wetmore Planning Board Attorney: SCOTT CHATFIELD, ESQ.
GEORGE LAIGAIE, Principal (Trammel Crow Co.)
West Conshohocken, PA 19428 (Langan Engineering)
Parsippany, NJ 07054 (SRF Associates)
Senior Managing Traffic Engineer
Rochester, NY 14623 (Harris Beach, PLLC) ROBERT MURRAY, ESQ.
FRANK PAVIA, ESQ.
Reported By:
Patrick J. Reagan, CSR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Public Hearing - 9/30/19 - 3 (The following occurred at 6:07 p.m.) TOWN SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Good evening, everyone. I am going to be starting the meeting. It is six o'clock. I appreciate all of you in attendance this evening. And I want to thank you for coming.
Before we get going, I would like to do a couple of housekeeping things because this facility may be new or unusual for you who have been first-timers. The emergency exits, of course, are up through the back of the building and directly the same way you came into the building. If you need a restroom, if you go out the back doors of the auditorium here, turn to the left, the first door.
(Off the Record discussion.) Thirdly, if you would please silence your cellphones?
(Off the Record discussion.) Again, I want to thank you for being here tonight. As you all know, the Town of Clay has been asked to consider the change of zone for property commonly known as the Liverpool Golf Course from Recreation to Industrial zoning to accommodate a large scale warehouse project. This large parcel of land and project, we understand, is supposed to be subject to public comment, and it's important that we hear it. We want both the Town Board and 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Public Hearing - 9/30/19 - 4 the Planning Board to hear your input so we have combined meetings in this hearing tonight.
I will begin by introducing the Board members.
My name is Damian Ulatowski. I am the Supervisor for the Town of Clay.
To my immediate left is Joe. I guess I will introduce them, is Joe Bick, Deputy Supervisor. David Hess, councilor. Robert Germain, counsel.
In the row behind is Kevin Meaker, councilman.
Gene Young, councilman. Brian Hall, councilman. And Ryan Pleskach.
On the other end, we have the folks from our Planning Board. Russ, would you like to introduce your team, please?
PLANNING BOARD CHAIRMAN MITCHELL: I am Russ Mitchell. I am Chairman of the Planning Board, Town of Clay. Up here, we have: Karen Guinup. Michelle Borton. Harold Henty. Scott. Yes, Jim Palumbo, and Al Kovac. Our secretary is here. Scott Chatfield is our attorney.
Thank you. I would now like to call the meeting to order. If you would all rise. (Pledge of Allegiance.)
Before we get started, there is a couple of tasks I would like to accomplish. The first order of business is for us to select a chairperson 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Procedure - 5 to conduct the joint hearing between the boards. I will take a resolution. Councilor Bick?
I would like to move the adoption of a resolution appointing Town Supervisor Damian Ulatowski to act as chairperson for the purpose of conducting this meeting and public hearing.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Do we have a second?
COUNCILMAN HESS: Second.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: We have a motion and second. All those in favor?
(Unanimous voice vote.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Opposed?
(No voice heard.)
Motion is carried. Does the Planning Board concur?
PLANNING BOARD CHAIR: Yes, we do.
Thank you. Next, we need to accomplish some ground rules.
COUNCILMAN HESS: Mr. Supervisor?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Yes, Councilor Hess?
I would like to move the adoption of the resolution to enact the following rules with regard to the public hearing to be held this evening. No. 1, Proposed speakers must speak from the podium, identify themselves, and state their home address 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Procedure - Hess - 6 prior to speaking. I will repeat that.
All proposed speakers must speak from the podium, identify themselves and state their home address prior to speaking.
2, Speakers must address the Board and not the
Applicants. If the Board seeks an answer or clarification, a Board member or the Chairperson will request clarification, comment, or answers from the Applicant. No. 3, Speakers will limit their time to two
speak.
Speakers should please refrain from repeating issues or topics that have already been addressed. Note: Please understand that you should not expect an answer to all your questions this evening. Anybody that wishes to provide written comments or questions after this meeting will be able to do so by contacting the Town Board with written submissions up to the date of the Town Board's decision. Comments can be emailed to the: townclerk@townofclay.org, or mailed to Town of Clay, 4401 State Route 31, Clay, New York, 13041. Attention: Town Clerk.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Motion to second? All those in favor.
(Unanimous vote for.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Background - Ulatowski - 7 SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Opposed?
(No response.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Motion is carried.
Proceedings. What we are doing here. There are some general comments. The owners of real property have the right to petition government for a zone change to allow other uses of the property. Here the Ajemian family have been trying to sell the Liverpool Golf Course for a few years. That is their right. The golf course is currently zoned for recreational purposes. So almost any proposal for development would require a zone change.
The Town Board's job is to consider and decide whether the use of the land as an industrial project for a large warehouse is appropriate.
The Town Planning Board's job is here to make a non-binding recommendation to the Town Board as to whether or not the proposed use is appropriate.
These are not site plan hearings or proceedings. If the Town were to grant a zone change, the Applicant would still need to submit to rigorous site plan process, during which many site-specific factors such as parking, the location of buildings and improvements, traffic flow, drainage, fencing, screening, potential noise, and so on would all be strictly evaluated.
There is no doubt that many residents' concerns 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Background - Ulatowski - 8 will involve specific details. Please understand that the proposed site plan the developer will discuss in a few
in fact, if the Town Board were to grant a zone change. The game plan for tonight is as follows: When we open the public hearing, I will first ask the developer to provide description of the project. The Town and Planning Boards will feel free to ask questions during that presentation.
After the project description, we will entertain public comment, according to the rules. We ask that speakers address questions and comments to the boards. If we believe a point needs further clarification or answer, we will ask the Applicant to address an issue and provide an answer.
Now moving forward, first, we have a public hearing to consider the application of TC Syracuse Development Associates, LLC, and Robert H. Ajemian, Richard Ajemian, Roberta Schmitt & Ajemian Properties, LLC, for a zone change from REC-1 Recreational District to I-1 Industrial District, to develop a warehouse distribution facility on land located at 7211 and 7219 Morgan Road, Tax Map No. 114.01-02.3.
Also, a public hearing to consider the application of TC Syracuse Development Associates, LLC, and 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Background - Ulatowski - 9 Ronald H. Ajemian, Richard Ajemian, Robert Schmitt & Ajemian Properties, LLC, for a zone change from REC-1, Recreational District to I-1 Industrial District, to develop a warehouse distribution facility on land located at 7211 and 7219 Morgan Road, tax map No. 114.-01-02.3. This resolution also formally refers the zone change request to the Town of Clay Planning Board, the recommendation pursuant to Section 230-24(c)(3)(d) of the Town Code.
At this time, I am going to turn the microphone over to the developer to make his presentation. And I am going to ask the Town Board if they would please step down into the audience and occupy the first couple of rows of seats along with the Planning Board so that we too can see it.
Excuse me for you a minute, please?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Yes?
I would like to call the Planning Board to order officially to consider the following proposal:
recommendation to the Town Board regarding the application of TC Syracuse Development Associates, LLC, and Robert H. Ajemian, Richard Ajemian, Roberta Schmitt & Ajemian
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Background - Mitchell - 10 Properties, LLC, for a zone change from REC-1, Recreational District to I-1 Industrial District, to develop a warehouse distribution facility on land located at 7211 and 7219 Morgan Road, Tax Map No. 114.01-02.3.
Thank you. All right. And now we will do a little dance here and the boards can convene down on the floor while the developer makes their presentation.
(Pause for boards stepping down.) MR. GEORGE LAIGAIE: Good evening. My name is George Laigaie. Yes, I will try to do a project introduction, and call on Bob Murray from Harris Beach who will provide the economic community benefits information. And then we will call Richard Burrow from Langan Engineering who will provide a general engineering overview of the project.
I am George Laigaie. I work with Trammell Crow Company, a national development company, at 17 offices across the United States. I have been with Trammell Crow Company for 32 years and specialize in warehouse distribution facilities, the logistics, big box and commerce users.
Trammell Crow Company will be the developer and landlord for this warehouse distribution facility proposed to be located on the site of the Liverpool Golf Course in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Laigaie - 11 the Town of Clay, New York, which is located directly adjacent to an existing industrial I-1 zone.
The facility is a speculative development, and we expect to sign a tenant prior to the start of construction scheduled for early spring of 2020. We are in our due diligence period on the site. And that includes land development permits and approvals, and rezoning requirements, all of which are required for closing at early spring 2020, to maintain the overall project schedule, to enable the facility to be operational by third quarter of 2021.
We currently are responding to Town, County, and State specifications and considerations related to the due diligence for the site including important sound and traffic requirements to identify and design the required improvements to meet all regulatory requirements. We will continue to work with the State, the County and Town officials, and local businesses and residents to make this proposed project a reality. I will now turn this over to Bob Murray for his economic thoughts.
Thank you, George. Good evening. My name is Bob Murray. I am an attorney with Harris Beach. And we are representing the project developer, with the various approvals required for the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Murray - 12 project. And I want to thank the Town Supervisor and the Planning Board Chairman and members of the respective boards for giving us this joint hearing tonight. To begin with, I want the folks to keep in mind this is a distribution warehouse in the logistics sector type project. And I think it's significant because this is an identified sector within Onondaga County that has been identified as a sector that fosters the growth of the Onondaga County community and it's pivotable to the economic health of the region, and that's for various regional economic development planning documents. So importantly, this project builds on the region's existing logistics and distribution assets, which is what attracted the developer to this area.
The project is proposing to create a thousand new jobs within two years of opening. A significant number of jobs, jobs that would begin at approximately $30,000, and wages with a comprehensive benefits package.
The project is accessible via public transportation routes.
And annually, the wages will result in approximately $30 million of new annual payroll being injected into Onondaga County.
And as significantly, the project site as a golf course is currently paying only about $53,000 a year in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Murray - 13 annual real property taxes. This project, after it's completed, has applied for with the Onondaga County I.D.A. a 15-year payment-in-lieu-of-tax (PILOT) agreement which will produce about $29 million in new real property tax revenue over a 15-year PILOT, compared with about $800 thousand in real property taxes that would be otherwise collected if the development would not take place. So between the net new income and the net increase in real property taxes, this is a revenue creating project for Onondaga County.
I would like to now introduce Richard Burrow who is the project engineer from Langan. Thank you. MR. RICHARD BURROW: Thank you, Bob. Good evening, everyone. I am Richard Burrow with Langan Engineering. I am here to talk about the site with respect to the change of zone that's being considered this evening. So, the site here is outlined in yellow, approximately 110 acres. Morgan Road runs on the east side of the site. The Liverpool Bypass is the south boundary of the site. You can see the Thruway at the bottom of the page. North in this page is up.
Using the same orientation, you can see the site again. The site is green with a pinkish hatch on top of it. What's important to note by this site is this shows the adjacent zoning and the neighboring I-1 Industrial 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Burrow - 14 District. I-1 Industrial District is a significant adjacent area to this site in the Town of Clay along the Morgan Road corridor.
You can see that the Industrial District goes beyond the corridor to the east at the moment. And we are proposing to extend it to the west. The proposed rezoning is consistent with the adjacent industrial neighborhood contained within the I-1 Industrial District.
So turning this image of the site 90 degrees, north is now to the right, Morgan Road along the bottom of the page, Liverpool Bypass to your left. You can see the site is a golf course largely located in the Town of Clay. A small portion of the site is in the Town of Salina. We are not proposing any development activity in the Town of Salina.
The site has the Sawmill Creek running through it. The Sawmill Creek drains to Onondaga lake. That will continue as we develop the site.
So let me now talk about some specifics of the proposed distribution facility.
The facility is a 823,000 square foot footprint. It's five stories tall, and approximately 3.78 million square feet total when you consider the five floors of the building.
There is 62 loading doors proposed on the west 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Burrow - 15 and south sides of the building. And there is about 1,800 car parking spaces fronting along Morgan Road, as you can see on the image on there. There is approximately two hundred trailer parking spaces; approximately one hundred of these spaces are located next to the building on the south and west side, and the other hundred spaces are proposed to be located on the west side of Sawmill Creek near a remote trailer parking lot.
I will go into some of the site features. The site has four driveways on Morgan Road and one driveway on Liverpool Bypass. The main truck entrance will be the northern most driveway on Morgan Road. That will be shared by trucks and cars accessing the facility.
There are then three driveways on Morgan Road to the south. Two of those will have new traffic signals proposed. Obviously, the existing site driveways on the opposite side of the road. Then the southernmost driveway is right-in, right-out, for cars only.
There is also an access to Liverpool Bypass that is intended to be primarily for cars. However, it will be used for emergency access. And it will also be used for exit-only for trucks during peak season.
How the site works is, the cars come and go, as people come and go to work their shifts. But the truck movements to and from the site are in a controlled manner. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Burrow - 16 The truck ports are secure, and the trailer parking is secure. You can see the guard shack located to the northwest of the buildings. All trucks coming into the site will queue up to the guard shack. Check in. Be directed to either trailer parking spot or a position against the building. Drop their trailer. Likely pick up another trailer. And then leave.
You can see we have a significant amount of queueing space before the guard shack. That is a great feature of this site design, allowing the operator to contain their building use and their tractor-trailers queueing on the site.
As I mentioned, all five of these driveways will be used for the cars. You know, this is a facility that has a significant number of employees. In my opinion, having these five driveways from the site onto a local road network will allow for efficient traffic flow coming to and leaving the site.
I talked about the fencing that makes the truck ports secure. But there will also be some sound fencing proposed around the site, so that the site does create some noise. The Town of Clay has a noise ordinance. The noise ordinance is really an unfortunate ordinance but we want to operate the facility in harmony with the existing neighborhood. And therefore, we keep the enforcement 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Burrow - 17 ordinance into account during our design.
The images I added to the site plan, I'll go in the same order, kind of clockwise, directs from the northern-most driveway, we are proposing a berm and a sound fence on the north side of that driveway to provide buffering to the properties, our neighbors immediately to the north.
There are two smaller parcels on Morgan Road that are not part of the project. Around these smaller parcels we are providing a sound fence to provide visual and acoustic buffering from the noise of the cars in the parking lot.
Along the southern boundary, we have Liverpool Bypass. Obviously, that has a lot of traffic on it today. But we are also providing sound buffering along our southern property line in a combination of berms and a sound fence. So we have berms where we have space for berms. And we have a sound fence directly along the back truck corridor along our southern boundary. And then along our western edge, where we abut our commercial neighbors, we are also proposing a berm which will help buffer the sound.
As I mentioned, the site discharges to Sawmill Creek that runs through the middle of the golf course today. Sawmill Creek is a Class B creek, as designated by 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Burrow - 18 New York State DEC. And it drains to Onondaga Lake, which is an enhanced phosphorus removal watershed. We are proposing six stone water management basins on the site. These basins will control run-off quantity and run-off quality. The run-off quality will be enhanced to meet the requirements of the enhanced phosphorus removal watershed. The site will have new site lighting. It will be an energy efficient dark sky friendly L.E.D. lighting, with cut-off shields to reduce light spillage from the site. The building-mounted lights will be mounted approximately 25 feet high on the building face. And there will be pole-mounted lights of a height of approximately 40 feet. These are heights that are consistent with this type of facility. We will meet the Town's lighting ordinance, and including their requirement of 0.13 candle maximum at the property line.
There is a significant utility infrastructure already in place surrounding the site which makes it a good site for this development, in my opinion.
Water services will be provided for by the Town of Clay Water Department. There is a 12-inch main at Morgan Road that we will connect to.
The site building will have a state of the art fire suppression system. And we are working on the design of that. That may require one or two fire water tanks. If 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Burrow - 19 it does, those are to be located to the northeast corner of the site -- northwest corner of the site as you can see on the figure in front of you.
The sewer at Morgan Road is a 12-inch gravity sewer. Again, in working with the local utility, the Town, and they have confirmed there's sufficient capacity in that height for our proposed discharge. That drains to the Wetzel Road waste water treatment plant, which has been recently upgraded. So there is ample capacity at that facility for sanitary discharge.
We are also working with National Grid on a electric and gas service to the facility.
With that, I would like to hand over to Amy Dake. Amy is a traffic engineer who is going to talk about the traffic associated with the proposed development. MS. AMY DAKE: Thank you, Richard. Good evening. My name is Amy Dake, a senior traffic engineer with SRF Associates. We performed a comprehensive traffic impact study for this project, dated August 2019, this year. The study included 21 intersections that are existing, including five proposed site driveways, as Richard already described to you.
The study covered the morning and evening peak hours. The data collection covered a tiny period in the morning from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. And in the evening from 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Dake - 20 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. And the purpose for that is to cover both the commuter peak time periods as well as the site peak time periods because they do not overlap. The site peaks, actually between 6:30 and 7:30 in the morning, and 5:30 to 6:30 in the evening. Those time periods, when the site peak occurs, are approximately 20 to 30 percent lower traffic volumes on the roadways than during the commuter peak times.
The following intersections are proposed to have improvements: The intersection of Oswego and Tulip Street. Morgan Road and Buckley Road. And this map kind of shows where those improvements are. Morgan Road, Liverpool Bypass intersection. And Tulip Street and Commerce Boulevard.
In addition, the project is proposing to widen Morgan Road from Commerce Boulevard all the way to driveway No. 1, which is at the northerly end of the site. It's also important to mention that all of these improvements that are proposed would be paid for -- constructed and paid for by the Applicant.
As Richard already mentioned, two of the driveways would have traffic signals. We are still working with Onondaga County DOT. And as the site plan progresses, those locations will be firmly identified. We have already mentioned that it's likely that they would be lined up 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Presentation - Dake - 21 opposite driveways on the other side of Morgan Road. Richard also described the truck route. The trucks will be coming to and from the Thruway at Exit 38, which means they would be using Route 57, the Liverpool Bypass and Morgan Road to access driveway No. 1 at the northerly end of the site.
Richard also described the internal operations. And it's important to note that there is sufficient staffing on-site to accommodate all of the truck traffic that's proposed. And this will eliminate any offsite queueing for trucks.
And the conclusion of the traffic study, with the recommended improvements in place, we don't anticipate any significant adverse traffic impacts. Thank you. MR. BURROW: Thank you, Amy. So I would like to end. Thank you all for the opportunity to present on the rezoning this evening.
And the team is here to answer questions from the Board, and from the Town. Thank you.
I would ask that the Town Board and Planning Board reconvene.
(Pause for Town Board and Planning Board members resuming their stage seats.)
Thank you, at this time, the Board will ask questions of the Applicant to help us
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Ulatowski - 22 further understand and/or clarify things that perhaps weren't brought to light during the course of the presentation.
I am going to start with a question for the traffic folks, within the presenters, as to the number of trucks that would enter and exit the property at your peak time once the project is fully developed?
MS. DAKE: So we are anticipating ten trucks entering in the morning, and exiting in the morning. And then in the evening, it's eight trucks entering, and eight trucks exiting. It is a 24/7 operation. So, the truck traffic is a little bit higher during the peak period, during the times between like 8:00 a.m. to noon is when they try to concentrate the majority of their truck traffic. But it's spread out throughout the day.
Do you have any idea as to what the numbers are between 8:00 and noon?
MS. DAKE: They vary between ten and 20 to 25 trucks per hour.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Per hour?
MS. DAKE: Yes.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Per hour. Any other questions from the Board members?
COUNCILOR BICK: Mr. Supervisor?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Mr. Bick, thank you.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Bick - 23
Mr. Supervisor, I wonder if we could get another microphone. Perhaps we could have the Planning Board's until they have an opportunity to ask questions? And then we will have one at the podium. And then one for us to ask questions. Or perhaps the Applicant can answer at the microphone we have set it up for the public to speak.
(Pause to reconfigure microphones.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Okay, Councilor?
Really, for anybody, for the team who is here, I am going to ask the most obvious question that all of my constituents have asked me is: Who is going to occupy the site when you're done with it? That's my question. Go ahead.
MR. LAIGAIE: Could I come up and answer? Thank you. Currently, it's a speculative distribution building. Currently, it's a speculative building. Our expectation is that we will have the tenant in line before we start construction in the spring of -- UNIDENTIFIED VOICE: Can't hear it.
MR. LAIGAIE: Currently, it's expected to build, and the thought is that we would land a tenant prior to the start of construction. Which we would be, on our schedule, say it would be spring of 2020.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Bick - 24
All right. That was pretty much the answer I thought I was going to get.
Let me get into a couple of other questions. As far as the traffic study, all the north/south traffic from the site, I think you mentioned in the traffic study, is going to go to the Bypass, to Route 57 onto the Thruway. All the traffic. Is all of the north/south tractor-trailer traffic going to go -- is all your traffic going into the Thruway?
MS. DAKE: The only traffic that we anticipate using the Thruway right now is the truck traffic. All of the truck traffic will use the Thruway.
As far as commuters, in the Syracuse area, it's very hard to use the Thruway as a commuting group.
I think one of the main concerns with people that I talked to is the truck traffic. And you know, nobody wants trucks going through the Village of Liverpool to get to 81.
MS. DAKE: Absolutely not. We don't anticipate that at all.
The trucking you will have in and out of this, will that be -- will be, the company that occupies the site, will they own the trucking that goes in and out? Or will that be individuals who are making their own decisions on what roads they drive on?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Bick - 25
MS. DAKE: We anticipate a mix of trucks using the site. It would be some from the facility operator, and some from other carriers. It will be tractor trailers.
But you anticipate that whoever occupies the site will be able to police where trucks go when they leave the site?
MS. DAKE: Absolutely.
Okay. Mr. Supervisor, I don't have anymore questions.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Yes.
Mr. Supervisor, I just have a couple questions. Are you going to request any variances for this?
MR. FRANK PAVIA: Yes, sir. Good evening. My name is Frank Pavia, with Harris Beach. I represent the developers as well. As was explained by Richard, there was quite of bit of sound reduction fencing and berming that we are placing on certain portions of the property line. And those fencing, not the berms, do require an area variance as they are defined by the Town Code as accessory structures.
We also are going to be asking now for a front yard landscape setback variance in order to move the landscaping a little closer to the road so that we can provide better internal configuration of the roadway and
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Hess - 26 parking. Again, to merely design, to better, to have the site better handle the truck queueing on-site. Because the goal here is to have all queueing of trucks occurring on-site, not off-site. In order to accommodate that, make that internal road work on the site work best, we are going to need to move the landscaping up in the front yard setback. So we will be asking for that as well. That's the only variances we will be asking for the project.
Thank you. Another question would have to do with your traffic flow. Have you considered, or thrown it right out, of bringing the trucks in directly off the Bypass, instead of bringing them up to Morgan and then north on Morgan in -- MS. DAKE: That was more looked at. It was more of a site plan. That's why it's not considered feasible at this time. You know, we are trying to keep all the truck traffic on-site, as Frank just described. So from by bringing it in that far north entrance, it gives us plenty of room on site to queue before we get to the guard shack.
MR. FRANK PAVIA: Just to add to Amy's comments: Again, with this goal of making that internal road work on the site work best, so that the truck queueing only occurs on-site, it was studied, a truck exit ingress and egress on Liverpool Bypass. It actually came out that that would work to the opposite of our goal. That in fact by doing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Hess - 27 that, you would actually result in trucks potentially queueing on Liverpool Bypass, which our client has absolutely no desire to do at all. That's one of their main goals and intentions is to avoid that particular
incident.
Wonderful. Thank you. One follow-up to that. Do you -- Morgan, and Sheridan Drive, because I think that intersection which is I believe it's going to be in the Town of Salina, maybe Liverpool, I believe Salina, that's already in a close failing rate. Failing rate. How do you perceive that to get better or worse?
MS. DAKE: I mean, we are adding traffic.
COUNCILOR HESS: Right.
MS. DAKE: I can't really stand here and honestly say it's going to get better.
COUNCILOR HESS: Yes.
MS. DAKE: We are doing everything we can to make it operate as efficiently as possible. The improvements at Tulip and Commerce will help that a little bit, by channelizing that right turn. And we are going to be prohibiting left turns exiting Commerce at that location. Given the traffic volumes there, there is just unfortunately not a lot of improvement that we can make, however. You know, the traffic signal cycling at Morgan
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Hess - 28 Road and Liverpool Bypass will help with gaps for that traffic to get out.
Okay, thank you. Also another one is, have you reached out to the fire department of Moyers Corners to make sure they have a ladder truck high enough for this building?
MR. PAVIA: I believe we have reached out to the fire department. I can't confirm that that has happened. But I know we are ongoing having discussions with the fire department because, as Mr. Laigaie mentioned earlier, our client intends to implement a state-of-the-art fire prevention system in this facility. It's in its own interests to do so because of the value of the assets they are going to be placing on this property.
So I know along with those efforts with the state to get that state-of-the-art fire prevention system approved, there have been discussions with the local fire department. I believe they have discussed the issue of the ladders. And I believe those discussions are ongoing. And we are hoping to have those all confirmed.
And again, as the Supervisor mentioned, this is really a public hearing for the rezoning department. There is going to be another public hearing if you do grant the rezoning for site plan. So a lot of what, we hope by that time, a lot of that will be flushed out and confirmed. And 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Hess - 29 if there needs to be revisions made for the site plan to accommodate, you still have the opportunity to do so.
Very well. I am all set, Mr. Supervisor.
What was that? Councilor Pleskach?
Good evening. Thank you. My question revolves around, you mentioned 24/7 operations. It would seem to be an awful lot of parking spots. Can you speak to how the workers, a thousand workers, after two years, if they do shift work, you know, about how many workers per shift? Can you just speak to that break-out at all?
MR. BURROW: So the parking lot is sized so that you could have two shifts overlapping. So you mentioned a thousand people. There is 1,800 car parking spaces. Some people will use public transit or car pool. So that allows for two shifts, of a thousand people to overlap. Or one shift finishes, one shift ends. The parking has to go on. SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Any other questions?
Councilor Hall?
I have two main questions. The first one being, you said that the site is on public transportation. Would that be by bus? Do you know how many buses run by there?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Hall - 30
MR. BURROW: There is an existing bus stop on Morgan Road, and that will be part of our development.
So it will be open to all members of our community, not just with ones by car, hopefully?
MR. BURROW: No, the bus stop is on the route today. And our design will continue to allow the bus stop to operate.
Second question, more based on if the zone were to be changed. This is a large footprint building. Do you have any idea you would have for the roof? Any ideas for solar, anything up there at this point? Roof gardens? Something along those lines? MR. LAIGAIE: The current plan does not show solar on the roof at this point. Should a client -- use solar, we certainly would have modifications.
I hope that is something you would consider. This is a big footprint. We are moving a lot of green space. Maybe something tp look forward to kind offset, if that's possible.
MR. LAIGAIE: It's yes, thank you.
COUNCILOR HALL: It was a comment.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Mr. Young?
Are you the one answering the questions about the trucks?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Young - 31
MR. PAVIA: Our traffic consulting is answering the questions. Let me put the microphone here.
Are you saying that the only delivery vehicles of any type going in and out of this building are going to be tractor trailer trucks?
MS. DAKE: Yes.
So in other words, this distribution center is going to be distributing by tractor trailer to other distribution centers somewhere, is that correct?
MS. DAKE: Yes.
Are there going to be any little delivery trucks, FedEx trucks?
MS. DAKE: No, that's -- no.
Talking strictly tractor trailers?
MS. DAKE: Yes.
COUNCILOR YOUNG: Okay. That's all.
My first question will be for Mr. Territo, actually. Prior to the zone -- I apologize. My first question will be for Mr. Territo. Prior to this zone being Recreation, what was the zoning prior to that?
I looked up the history today. So that the golf course got a zone change in 1958. So prior to that, it was called open land. So it was
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Meaker - 32 similar to R-8 100 today. Ever since 1958, the zoning has allowed for a golf course.
Thank you, Mr. Territo. COMMISSIONER TERRITO: You're welcome.
My next question will be for the transportation, and I would ask that, did I hear you right when you said all road construction will be paid for by the developer?
MS. DAKE: That is correct.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. I have a follow-up question regarding traffic. One of the things that we told the residents, we, as the Town of Clay, would have our own traffic study done. That has been done. We have a representative locally in the audience. And I would just like to call on Gordon Stansbury.
Would you comment on, you know, what you found in the document that you created by the traffic study you reviewed?
MR. GORDON STANSBURY: Certainly. Just for everyone's information, my name is Gordon Stansbury, the chief consulting -- I am a local traffic engineer. I am a licensed professional engineer and a certified professional traffic operations engineer.
I did review the traffic study. Overall, methodology-wise, I agree with the method of the study. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Stansbury - 33 The application, the software program, everything was reasonable and up-to-date.
I had a couple questions regarding the overall study findings. First off, on the time periods, as Ms. Dake mentioned, the peak hours for the development are off of the peak hours of the adjacent street. I wanted to make sure that they answered the question tonight about the volumes being about 30 percent lower.
My question is what assurance does the Town have that the shift times will not occur during the peak rush hour to make sure we don't have an overlap and not accounting for that higher potential impact?
I also was wondering about weekend traffic. I assume this facility will be in operation Saturdays and Sundays. And wanted to know what the trip generation and potential impact on weekends are? As they were not looked at.
The trip generation estimate was based on-site specific data which is reasonable for a use of this size. The typical IT trip generation doesn't necessarily apply. I again was wondering what trip generation on the weekends? Also, the data provided in the study specifically noted that it was off peak trip generation estimates. I would like to know more information regarding the potential peak season for trip generation? Is it substantially 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Stansbury - 34 higher, and what is the duration of that time period if it is higher?
Regarding the traffic distribution that was assumed in the traffic study, I would like a little bit more explanation on how the distribution was developed. Specifically, did they use zip code, population data, or demographics to develop that distribution? Wanting to make sure it's an accurate representation with a site development of this size with the potential traffic generation of five to 10 percent shift in distribution could significantly change the potential impacts and mitigation that's identified.
A couple minor technical comments on the capacity analysis that I don't believe would significantly impact the results.
I did want to also know about access to the Thruway. We know that you said that the truck traffic will be using the Thruway. I am wondering if there is any opportunity to provide incentives for employee use of the Thruway to help reduce the impact of local roadway network? I think there is a potential there that should be explored. That's about the gist of the review, at this point. I had a couple comments regarding the driveways but it looks like they are already starting to address those through their work with the County.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Ulatowski - 35
Thank you. When I read this study, one of the things I was looking for too was what the potential impacts were for commuter traffic to use the Thruway, what incentives might be provided to keep them off the city streets? That's really where I was going with. I think you also picked that up.
MS. DAKE: Yes. I would be happy to go through Gordon's comments and kind of answer to the best of my ability at this point. We will be providing answers in writing to all of these comments.
As you mentioned, we have already talked about the difference between the peak weekday traffic and the commuter times. And that's really important to note. As far as an assurance to the Town, as far as the shift times, I am not sure what the assurance to the Town would be.
MR. PAVIA: I have never heard of such a thing, to be honest with you. It's something we could discuss with our client. I really don't know if there is any legal mechanism by which you can restrict shift times of a private enterprise. But it's something that we would look into. And we certainly will try to incentivize or come up with packages that incentivize better commuter patterns coming in and out of the site, and also utilizing the Thruway as an option for non-truck commuter traffic that
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Ulatowski - 36 would be generated by the development.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you.
MS. DAKE: As far as Saturday peaks go, we did look at Saturday as well. It was not included in the traffic study. As we mentioned, this is a 24/7 operation, so the shift times would be the same on Saturday: Roughly 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. for shift change-overs. Which means that we are nowhere near the Saturday peak times. Saturday peaks typically occur between 11:00 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon.
In looking at the actual difference in the traffic volumes between the weekday morning peak, weekday evening peak, and the Saturday morning/evening peaks, they are approximately 30 to 80 percent lower on Saturday than they are during the weekday peak. Which means that all of our analysis takes into account the highest peak time periods when we will be generating traffic. And the proposed improvements would take all of that into consideration.
As far as the arrival and departure distributions, we looked at census data for the entire Syracuse area, Onondaga County area. And we also looked at what we call kind of a "cordon" line, so we take a kind of a radius around the site. We look at all the traffic that's going in and out of the site and where it's coming 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Board Questions - Ulatowski - 37 from and going to, and that's what our distribution patterns were based on.
In talking with Onondaga County DOT, we understand that there may be an opportunity for more traffic to actually coming from the northwest. So, we may have over-estimated the traffic that's coming from the south. But that's basically more of a conservative analysis providing improvements for those areas where the traffic's a little bit heavier.
As far as the Thruway goes, we know that the Thruway is going to be going to cash-less tolling in a year or two. And that may help as well with improving commuter patterns using the Thruway. I think that was it. SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Any other questions from Board members? Okay. To the Planning Board.
PLANNING BOARD CHAIRMAN MITCHELL: If you can hear me?
I will give you the mic.
It's a little green ball instead of a little orange ball. Now we are okay right now.
I am looking forward to hearing the comments and the questions from the public and I think we need to get into that. Thank you.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Public Questions/Comments - 38
Thank you. We will now move into the audience participation part of it where you will be able to give us your questions/comments on the project.
We are limiting it to two minutes out of respect for everyone here in the audience tonight who might want to speak.
Also, if we could keep ourselves from interrupting anyone who is asking a question because we do have a stenographer here with us today. It makes it easier if one person is talking, he can catch everything that's being said.
They are also, you know, providing a video available so a full and complete record of this hearing will be available.
Lastly, remember, we will do everything in our power to answer as many questions as possible. But we are creating a record. We are gathering information to help the Town Board make a decision one way or the other. So don't expect complete answers today. But once the record is complete, and I understand from the stenographer it takes about three days, we will then turn that over to the developer to answer questions. All of that being done before any decision is made.
Okay. So with that said, I have a number of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Public Questions/Comments - 39 folks here that want to ask either a question, or make a comment, and in no particular order. Because these were handed to me at various times throughout the evening. So I don't have them from the moment someone walked in, up until the last person walked in.
So, first up, from the Village of Liverpool, we have a Thomas Ogden, it looks like, is that correct? Again, if you come up to the microphone. Thank you. Okay. I am going to follow behind Mr. Ogden, we are going to have Spencer Baum. Spencer Baum. No? Not here?
Okay. Let me just get one more behind you.
Let's see. Sheree Banks. Sheree Banks here? No? All right. Go ahead.
MR. TOM OGDEN: I am Tom Ogden. I am a resident of Liverpool. 115 Hiawatha Trail in the village. Long-term resident. Long-term participant in many organizations locally.
The impact to the school system taxes is extremely interesting to me, and also, in my opinion, very positive. $800 thousand in taxes over the PILOT time period versus $28 million is a substantial impact and means a lot to our students and our teachers, and our residents. Having paid my school taxes of $6,500 this morning, I am fully aware of the potential positive impact in reduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Ogden - 40 of taxes.
We also look for better services for our students with the impact of reduced taxes. And reduced taxes across for all taxpayers locally. A thousand jobs means better standard of living for over a thousand people locally. If you're not working, you certainly have the opportunity to get a job. If you are working, you certainly may have the opportunity to improve your working status with a little bit better paying job. Not substantially, but a little bit better paying job.
There is more revenue that is going to be distributed to our local businesses. We certainly expect that with a thousand more people locally, and the impact of other truckers and people that are supporting the organizations, locally, that we will have increased revenue across all our businesses, locally, both for the service industries and their support industries.
I would expect also that we are going to see an increased opportunity for our property values to go up as there is increased demand for property.
TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
MR. OGDEN: It goes in hand in hand with our property values locally, would also increase.
I would expect that we are going to have increased occupancy in our apartments. If you're not a
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Ogden - 41 local, there are a substantial amount of apartments just north of the facility. The occupancy rate is not full. And those local owners, I am sure, will benefit from that, which also increases our ability to have increased tax revenue locally.
Two minutes is up, Mr. Supervisor.
MR. OGDEN: Times up? Thank you.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
Spencer Baum? Sheree Banks? (No response.)
How about Rob Simpson? After that, Cheryl Young.
MR. ROB SIMPSON: Good evening. Thank you all so much for having us all out to hear a little more about this. Rob Simpson, I represent CenterState CEO. The region's --
Bob, could you go a little closer to the microphone?
MR. SIMPSON: Of course. Sorry. I will duck a little bit.
I am sure you can raise it up.
MR. SIMPSON: That's okay. So I just wanted to thank you. I am Rob Simpson. I am the president of
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Simpson - 42 CenterState CEO, the region's business and economic development organization. This is no surprise. For many years we have been working very hard to try to attract warehousing distribution logistics operations to this region. A facility like this is directly in keeping with the regional strategic plan of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative proposal of a couple years ago. And I have to go back at least two decades to find a single economic development investment that is anywhere close to the scale to the one that's being proposed here by Trammell Crow. So we really want to commend Onondaga County, the Town of Clay for your willingness to create a business environment that's receptive to these types of investments. There is no doubt, I am sure there will be many questions. There will be many issues, some of which will need to be mitigated. But this is a remarkable opportunity for upwards of a thousand jobs for residents in our community, and a period where we are beginning to see some robust economic growth. We know there are still many more people in our communities that are looking to gain access to employment.
So we want to thank you. We certainly want to support this project in the strongest possible terms. Thank you very much.
(Applause .) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - C. Young - 43
After Cheryl Young, Vito Pascarella. MS. CHERYL YOUNG: Hellow, my name is Cheryl Young. I am a resident of Liverpool, New York. I just wanted to say I think this is good. I think this is good for many reasons. Specifically, because it's going to bring a thousand jobs.
I would just like to know: How young do they hire? Because there are so many jobs, so many young ones, that it's hard to find a job. They don't hire until they are 18. Is this going to be the same for our young ones for this distribution center? That's what I want to know. But I am for it. I don't really care about the traffic because of the benefits that it brings to our town. That's all I wanted to say.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you.
(Applause.)
Vito Pascarella. And after Vito is Ronald Verwig.
MR. VITO PASCARELLA: Hi. My name is Vito Pascarella. I am a local business owner. I have grown up in the central New York area. And ever since I was old enough to care, the only thing I can remember hearing about this area is jobs were leaving, people are leaving, upstate New York is dying.
We need to bring more activity back into this
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Pascarella - 44 area. Our tax base keeps on shrinking. I'd just like to make a comment, that it's a great thing for the central New York area. And since the move of Chrysler and all of these factories out of the area, I think the more the merrier. Bring it on. And I am completely for this whole project. (Applause.)
After Ronald, how about Mark Falso?
MR. RON VERWIG: Thank you. Ronald Verwig, 2929 Peppermint Lane, Liverpool, New York.
Okay. From $28 million a PILOT was payment in lieu of taxes. But was any of this money to go to pay off any bonds, to pay for it? Do you have an answer on that one?
I could not understand what you asked me?
MR. VERWIG: Of course not. From the $28 million from the PILOT, is any of that money to pay off any bonds?
The money that comes to the Town?
MR. VERWIG: Where does the $28 million go to?
Any money that comes from the PILOT project would be distributed between the school, the County, and the Town. I don't know what -- so any portion of that money would be used to reduce tax revenues within the Town. I can't say where, specifically, that
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Verwig - 45 money would go, other than it would go to the coffers of the Town, the proportionate share of those taxes. Ultimately, to reduce the tax burden on the residents of the Town of Clay.
MR. VERWIG: Okay. That's my question. Well, I am against the project. The taxes that we are losing is about $65 million. $28 million is not much compared to that $65 million.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: I am sorry?
MR. VERWIG: We are going to lose $65 million in taxes, correct?
We are going to lose $65 million?
MR. VERWIG: That's what they estimated from taxes.
TIMEKEEPEER: 30 seconds.
I am not following your --
MR. VERWIG: The newspaper said about $65 million this facility could generate in taxes. We only get $28 million in the deal.
Thank you very much for your comments.
MR. VERWIG: You're welcome.
(Applause.) MR. MARK FALSO: Hi. My name is Mark Falso. I
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Falso - 46 live on Glendale [ph] Avenue in Liverpool, the Town of Salina.
First of all, I am deaf. Let me say a couple comments. While it's great to have the warehouse, but there are other buildings that -- why can't they have it over there?
And second of all, because of the future of 81, if they got to take it out, 81 downtown, the 481, it would be a lot more traffic that side. I believe the warehouse should be over in the Town of DeWitt area. And besides that, the FedEx, UPS, the Post Office, they are over on that side. That's all I wanted to say.
(Applause.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you very much.
Tony Maluka -- Malavenda.
MR. TONY MALAVENDA: Hello. Yes. That's Malavenda. But I have heard worse, actually, so that's okay.
I just have a question, I think for you, sir, whoever answered the very first question about who the tenant would be. Yes. So where, are you saying that you're building this immense project out of spec?
MR. LAIGAIE: That's correct.
MR. MALAVENDA: So you don't have a tenant?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Mr. Malavenda, the
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Malavenda - 47 questions are directed to the Board.
MR. MALAVENDA: Okay. I will ask you, then. So if the project is being built on spec, and there is no tenant in place, how did the traffic studies work? How do they know what the shift times are? I am just curious about that?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Well, from my understanding of the presentation, it's based on the footprint of the building, and what a full build-out of that type of warehouse would generate as far as both employees and truck traffic. So, the traffic study, to the best of my knowledge, was based on if a full build-out were available for a project of that size.
MR. MALAVENDA: No. But I am asking though is not the quantity overall, but the peak times of traffic are critical, right? So shift times are critical. And every company -- not every company works the same way. So without knowing the tenant, I am wondering how accurate the traffic study can be about when those peak times are. The tenant is going to decide when that shift changes, right? TIMEKEEPEER: 30 seconds.
MR. MALAVENDA: That's the question.
Let me do this. I don't want to take the words out of your mouth. You may have a better answer, or to expand upon what I already said. So I
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Malavenda - 48 will turn it over to the developer to back up this, to answer a little bit.
MR. MALAVENDA: Since I don't have any more time, let me just say, I'm not poo-pooing a thousand jobs.
I didn't hear? What was that?
MR. MALAVENDA: I am not poo-pooing a thousand jobs. That's significant. But I still would like an answer.
MR. LAIGAIE: Yes. To answer that question, we have data from our various types of, our various distribution facilities around the country. And we have an idea, based on the northeast area, who is looking. What the expectations would be for the facility. And they used traffic numbers that we see for these facilities that are similar. So it's not a shot-in-the-dark. It's something that has been -- right now, and you know by our traffic engineers, so that we know that we are tracking correctly. There is still a chance that it could be one, two, or three of the tenants that we are talking to. And any of the three would fit within the general guidelines of what we have outlined.
MR. MALAVENDA: Okay. Thank you.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Gary Piontkowski. Is Gary here?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Piontkowski - 49
MR. GARY PIONTKOWSKI: Gary is here.
And following him, it looks like Andy Breuer. Andy Breuer here? Thank you. MR. PIONTKOWSKI: I'd like to roll things down. I'm 63. I forget things. But I will say that as a lifetime resident of Liverpool, Class of '74, and I can't believe that this would even go this further without knowing who the company is that's moving in. (Applause.) I mean, and that goes back to my friend who knows a lot more about this with Amazon. And this is their trick, because they have such a bad track record. And the other places where they have opened these large places, so they want to keep it hush-hush so people like us will be, at the last minute, maybe won't be able to do anything about it.
Now the other thing I have to say is, I believe we have a labor shortage in Onondaga County, between people, baby boomers like me, retiring. You know, they are hiring everywhere. So there is not really a demand for non-skilled warehouse workers here.
I mean, put it somewhere, I am thinking down the Thruway, maybe you know, down where Wayne County, Phelps there, Lyons, where they are very depressed areas. Where their little villages boarded up. We are doing good in Liverpool. We are doing good. Our fire departments, our
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Piontkowski - 50 schools, our DPW's, everything are paved in gold. We do not need, we are not a desperate community to bring down our way of life.
TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
MR. PIONTKOWSKI: And that's it. That's it.
Thank you.
(Applause.) MR. ANDY BREUER: Good evening.
Brian Schultz is behind Andy. Brian Schultz.
MR. ANDY BREUER: Good evening. Andy Breuer. I represent Hueber-Breuer Construction Company. We are a construction manager in the region. We are at 148 Berwyn Avenue on the south side of the City of Syracuse. I am very much for this project. I disagree with the last speaker. (Applause.) I disagree with the last speaker when he says we are doing well in this region. I think we are treading water in this region. I would urge both Town boards to jump on this opportunity. It does not come along often.
When I look at the dollar value projected to construct, $280 million dollars, even if I undersell the labor value at $100 million, that is upwards of 800 construction projects over 18 months at full-time employment. That is a tremendous boom for the construction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Breuer - 51 industry in this region, and we should not miss it. And I would also like to say that I want to thank the community for the civility of this forum, at least thus far tonight. I think it says a lot about our democracy and about our community. I just urge the developer to keep that in mind in the future. As this project advances, this is a strong and caring community. You will do well by us, please.
And lastly, I want to commend the design, the civil design of the site. Because while I initially had the same question about why not enter the site from the Liverpool Bypass, I think it's a good solution to queue the truck traffic on the site on Morgan Road. That's all. Thank you for your consideration.
(Applause.)
Is Brian Schultz here? Is Brian coming down? Okay. Let me then have an Eric Marrero, from Liverpool. Floor is yours.
MR. BRIAN SCHULTZ: Thank you. Good evening.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I actually live in DeWitt, New York. But I am here tonight as the chairman of the CENTRO Board. I have a number of questions regarding transportation.
We are here to throw our support behind this project. We are anxious and eager to work with the
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Schultz - 52 developer and the state builders having been assured that there is enough public transportation to this site, and run at the frequency needed.
We were actually very pleased to be in it at this stage in the game. All too often we are called after a project is built and then asked to provide service to it. We do have seven days a week service on Morgan Road now. And we are looking forward to, you know, developing a service that could effectively benefit this project. So thank you.
(Applause.)
Thank you. Is there an Eric Marrero here? John Volz? John Volz?
MR. JOHN VOLZ: Hi. I live in Bayberry. And I actually work in the trucking industry. I work for a company on Commerce Boulevard.
And I think the traffic plan makes no sense. The trucks should all come in off the Bypass. There should be no trucks going down Morgan Road. There is already too many trucks now, with Dot Foods, Raymour & Flanagan. There is way too much truck traffic as there is now. The roads cannot handle like 20 trucks an hour, I think she said. It really doesn't make sense.
And I mean, like that other guy said, all the employees, if they are only paying $30 thousand a year,
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Volz - 53 they can't afford cars. They are going to be taking buses into town. This is not a good spot for the site. I mean, if you're going to bring the trucks in, they all should come in off the Bypass. None should go down Morgan Road at all. That's just poor traffic planning. I mean, I am not a traffic engineer. But it's common sense. The Thruway runs east-west. There is the closest road -- every truck goes in off the Bypass. I mean, am I wrong? Is that not common sense to have them turn in the closest road from the Thruway? No trucks should go down Morgan Road. (Applause.)
Thank you. Is John Volz here? John Kennedy, John Kennedy? Rick Schleigel, Liverpool? Please?
MR. JOHN KENNEDY: Good evening. My name is John Kennedy. I live at 4227 Montezuma Course. I live close. My wife and I have lived in Clay for 40 years.
The first gentleman who spoke pointed out accurately, I believe, that many companies have left the area. And I believe this opportunity is a great opportunity for the Town of Clay to help allay, I don't expect it to relieve my taxes, but I think it may allay some of the increases that we anticipate every year.
So please, take advantage of this opportunity, and vote in favor of this plan. Thank you.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Sorendo - 54 (Applause.)
Thank you. Tom Carlson? Michela Cain? Darlene Sorendo? Who is at the microphone right now?
MS. DARLENE SORENDO: Darlene Sorendo.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Okay, thank you.
MS. SORENDO: I just wanted to say, I've lived in Liverpool for a very long time.
I live off of 57. And I travel back and forth to work every day, and so does my husband. And we drive by the Bypass. And we drive by the Thruway. It is greatly concerning to hear someone state to us that we are going to have that number, up to 20 to 25 trucks at a time, at some certain hours, to tell us that it's not going to affect our traffic in any way at all. It's very concerning. I also commute. I am all for jobs. But it also concerns me that these jobs, a thousand jobs at $30,000, it's not what most of us would have much of a reason our children for those jobs to get. We are looking to educate our children and raise a higher -- if you're helping our community here. We are making the sacrifice. But I don't see in those ways why it's going to help our community. I just wonder, did the Board go into anyone to look into the development? What happens when you bring a large organization like this, a distribution center, what 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Sorendo - 55 does it do to the quality of life of the people who live here?
You can talk about the money and these other kinds of things coming in. But it's concerning that when they get here, we are stuck with it. Have we really gone that far to look into those things. These are the concerns of the people who live here. We came here because it's a suburb.
TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
MS. SORENDO: This is our area where we wanted to live. We didn't want to be in a large area like that. Those things are very concerning to us.
Thank you. Michela Cain? There we go.
MS. MICHELA CAIN: Everybody said just about everything I have been thinking about. But I really, are we going to focus a lot on shifts? And how many trucks come in? Where do you go shopping? How does that stuff get there?
Every business has to have transportation in some shape or manner. And I think this would be a great opportunity, and it would be foolish for us to refuse it and turn our backs on it. It would bring great revenue to the Town, to the County, to the schools. I don't see any negative to this. I mean, Carrier left. Chrysler left.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Cain - 56 Everybody has left. We have no manufacturing barely in this state, never mind in the Town. We are just hurting ourselves.
I understand you want to live in a smaller town where it's nice and neat and clean. But you have to bring in business to live.
(Applause.)
Walt Stiles? Bob Rose? Paul Graves?
MR. PAUL GRAVES: Hi. I am Paul Graves. I live on Opiscus [ph] Drive in the Town of Clay.
I think this is a really good idea. I have a small business with my daughter. You have to understand that a business, if there is a problem with trucks getting in and off on the Thruway, they are going to need to do something to do about it. They are not just going to let their business die.
And as far as the streets being paved with gold, if you look just into the Village of Liverpool, over in Galeville. Last I checked, there are 20 families that are in pre-foreclosure.
We do need the jobs. I think this is a very good thing.
We just need to look at the truck traffic which is actually in the Town of Salina. I'd just like to say I
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Graves - 57 think it's a very good proposal.
(Applause.)
Thank you. Vince Messina?
MR. VINCE MESSINA: Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. I have many more questions and comments than can be covered in two minutes. I would liked to ask if the Planning Board would be willing to accept what I have in writing here after I am done speaking?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: We will take written comments.
MR. MESSINA: Okay. All right. So, the previous speaker said something about the loss of Carrier, the loss of G.E. One of the questions I have is: What happens to this building when it's empty?
Another comment I would like to make is that unemployment in the Onondaga County area is at 3.8 percent, which is basically full employment. The standards that have been posted online about warehouses of this size have indicated that they have not helped business in general in the area. They take low wage workers from other businesses that are already paying a low wage. They are basically just shifting workers from one business to another, which would hurt the businesses that have already been paying taxes for an extended period of time.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Messina - 58 I have concerns about the study itself. There are many questions that I have listed here about the study. Let me just say the environmental impact studies state that in Section C.2: Any Comprehensive plans included in the site? The answer is yes. If yes, Does the Comprehensive Plan include specific recommendations? Answer is No. So how is that comprehensive?
Does the proposed action, Section D.1.H, actually, Does the proposed action include the construction on Town reservoir? The answer is No.
That is followed by D-2, stating that: Storm water run-off will be directed to onsite by our retention basins. Which is it?
I am going is to skip ahead. This proposal states that the parking area will be an impervious surface. The County Save-The-Rain web site suggests impervious surfaces should not be used. That is a Save-The-Rain standard and proposal. And this proposal contradicts that, raising the question of just how committed the County is committed to actually saving the rain.
This should be new development. County water experts have said that this is such a traumatic change -- SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Time is up.
MR. MESSINA: That it should be treated as a new development, not a redevelopment, which has very different
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Messina - 59 standards.
Thank you, Mr. Messina. We will take your comments.
(Handing comment sheet to the Planning Board.)
Andrew Fish? And Brian Anderson? Andrew Fish? And Brian Anderson?
MR. ANDREW FISH: Good evening. I am Andrew Fish. I am senior vice president of CenterState CEO. And I also want to echo the support and comments that were made earlier as it relates to the proposed Trammell Crow warehouse and distribution facility.
It's true, as we have all been talking about, we as a region have made a lot of strides in advancing and moving the needle on issues like unemployment and poverty. But they continue to hold our region back from having true economic activity in ways that can be transformative. And projects like this bring about an opportunity to really provide low barrier of entry of jobs to people throughout our region and give them access to that, and getting them engaged in the economy to a way that can truly be transformative. Having this be a project that is located on a site that has public access, public transit access, that is critical.
And we have talked about this for years through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative plan, ground 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Fish - 60 transportation and logistics strategies, and how it's important to line up the demands for jobs with that. And we have talked about the unemployment being low. But the reality of it is that there are large populations in our community here who are completely out of that labor pool. This gives an opportunity to work with the potential tenant and the jobs that will be created to align those individuals with these job opportunities, and advance them. $30 thousand may not sound like a lot to some people. But to others, that's actually the difference between food on the table and not.
So projects like this can truly be transformative for our region. And I encourage the Town, the Planning Board to think about the impact of a thousand jobs and all of this new revenue as it relates to the entire economy. Thank you.
Thank you. Brian? Then Ron Niedzwiecki.
MR. BRIAN ANDERSON: Good evening. My name is Brian Anderson. Tonight, I am representing National Grid. I have been working in economic development, National Grid, for over twenty years in central New York. And also in the Mohawk Valley and western New York.
This project is one of the most significant projects I have seen in our service territory during this
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Anderson - 61 time of 20 years. The potential direct and indirect impacts of this project in terms of new jobs and new capital investment are extraordinary. As a long-standing active proponent of economic development in this region, National Grid strongly supports this project and the impact it will have on the upstate New York economy. Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
Thank you. Barbara Banks? Mike Banks?
MR. RON NIEDZWIECKI: Good evening. My name is Ron Niedzwiecki. I live on Manitoba [ph] Drive, in Clay. One point I want to make, it appears we're overlooking one very important thing. We are hung up on this $30,000 a year jobs. There is going to be a lot of construction jobs created by this project being approved. And they are not $30,000 a year jobs. I think that needs to be taken into consideration. I am fully behind the project.
(Applause.)
Thank you. And then John
Kowalski.
MR. MIKE BANKS: Of course. My name is Mike Banks, 5 Laurel Pearl Path, Liverpool, New York. Proud resident of Town of Clay for about 50 years, plus or minus.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Banks - 62 Raised a couple kids here. They still live in the Town of Clay. We are expecting our twelfth grandchild, shortly. So as far as the labor goes, this is a great opportunity for them. I feel this is an awesome opportunity for central New York, and the Town of Clay in itself. And hopefully this project, if approved, will be a conduit for new businesses to come into central New York. We have all seen the headlines as have been quoted this evening in the negative. One thing that hasn't been talked about a lot is the fact that we are losing a lot of jobs. Population is going down -- not just in central New York, but in New York State. And hopefully, a project like this will keep people in central New York. Now, I am not sure where he is but I don't know where that guy lives with the golden streets? Because I will tell you what, there was a previous comment about a lot of people in this Town who are facing foreclosure, and could be out of their homes. So, things aren't all that great in 3.8 percent unemployment. It may be a low number but it still could be lower.
I got a couple questions. There is talk about the developer expanding the roadways on Morgan Road, Tulip Street?
TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
MR. BANKS: I will be fast. I understand with
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Banks - 63 most commercial development, or any development, a developer pays for the initial expense of paving the roads. Might there be a way of getting a bit of a fund for the upkeep of those roads down?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: I can't answer that question but I will put it in the record and see if we could get an answer.
MR. BANKS: Okay. Another thing, a lot of people are commenting about the taxes, quote/unquote, loss of taxes. But if I understand this program correctly, over the next 15 years, we are still going to be generating $28 million in taxes?
Time is up, Mr. Supervisor.
I believe the 28 was just the PILOT for 15 years, that is correct.
MS. BANK: Right. For the first 15 years. And after that it will be full?
Thereafter, it will be full assessment. I am sure that number will be --
MR. BANK: -- much higher.
-- much larger. Thank you. (Applause.)
Is John Kowalski? And then Joe Ostuni, if I am pronouncing that correctly? MR. JOHN KOWALSKI: Yes. Good evening. My name
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Kowalski - 64 is John Kowalski. I live on Pawnee [ph] Drive in Liverpool.
Like many people, I have concerns and am slightly excited about the Amazon -- or sorry -- the distribution center. The developer won't say "Amazon" but all of us actually read between the lines. Everyone in the world's second largest corporation -- (Speaker told to slow down by reporter.) MR. KOWALSKI: We also need to talk about what those jobs will look like. If you were to take out your smart phones right now and search three words, Amazon distribution employees. Article after article describe how awful the working conditions are.
On the first page of Time Magazine: I worked at Amazon for full -- they treat workers like robots. New York Post. (Unintelligible. Reading statement too fast.) Amazon worker conditions, urinating in trash cans ashamed to work injured.
News segments about the horrible working conditions have been put out by CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox. In March 2019, Fox news played audio clips from multiple 911 calls where Amazon supervisors called to report attempted and carried out successful suicides by employees on the job.
Every article described employees walking 15 to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Kowalski - 65 20 miles a day, being fearful of using the restroom and for fear of falling behind schedule. Which would mean termination. And employees (Unintelligible). After reading article upon article, it's clear that these are not careers. They are temporary jobs, until these employees become so exhausted that they either quit, fall behind, get fired or get injured.
The Clay Town Supervisor has described a distribution center as an excellent opportunity. Employees of Amazon distribution centers describe it as hell. While 1,000 is a high number, I wouldn't wish for many of my neighbors subject to those conditions. These are not the jobs central New Yorkers deserve. They are not the jobs local politicians should be proud of bringing to the area.
(Applause.)
Okay. Ostuni. Next is, Hernandez.
MR. JOSEPH OSTUNI: Good evening. I am Joe Ostuni, Chairman of the Village of Liverpool Planning Board. I would like to thank the Chairman of the Clay Planning Board and the Supervisor of Clay Board for having us here tonight. I appreciate the opportunity to speak. I am professing that the Town of Clay please consider the impact of the increased traffic generated by a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Ostuni - 66 large industrial use on Morgan Road would have on the quality of life for the residents of the Village of Liverpool.
The Village of Liverpool is a one-square mile walkable community where residents enjoy getting to the grocery store, restaurants, and parks on foot. Pedestrian traffic through the village is challenged daily by tens of thousands of cars a day. The traffic volume has grown steadily over the last 20 years. Much of that traffic goes to and from the Town of Clay. Any potential further increase must be carefully considered in mitigating it as much as possible.
There is a great concern about any proposed widening of Tulip Street, Oswego Street, Second Street, and Vine Street within the village. Transportation related to changes of this nature would have a significant negative impact for village residents.
Planning transportation changes that direct traffic flow to Liverpool Bypass, Commerce Boulevard, and Taft Road to arteries that do not traverse the village would be a better option. Thank you.
(Applause.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Hernandez?
MS. NODESIA HERNANDEZ: Hello. My name is Nodesia Hernandez. I would have one simple question. I
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Hernandez - 67 have been a long resident of the Town of Clay since 1989. The fellow, a couple of fellows back, asked a question but I didn't think it was answered. So I did understand that you said that you initially pay for the roads. But after five years of 25 and 20 trucks an hour on these roads, who will pay for the upkeep of the roads? Will it be the County or will it be the Applicant?
It depends on the road. I believe Morgan Road is a County road.
MS. HERNANDEZ: Yes.
So that would be a County responsibility. If it were a Town road, it would be our
responsibility.
MS. HERNANDEZ: So we would end up having to pay for the maintenance after?
That maintenance is always there, regardless of whether or not there is --
MS. HERNANDEZ: But it's not always there, with 20 to 25 trucks, extra trucks on the road an hour.
I thank you very much. I don't want to debate the issue with you. But I do acknowledge that those roads are maintained by the municipality that has the responsibility.
MR. WALT STILES: My name is Walt Stiles. You called a minute ago. My wife said I was sleeping. I
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Stiles - 68 wasn't sleeping, honest. I take my glasses off and squint, I can see my house north of this project.
This is a great idea. We can't let this pass.
40-some years, I have lived in that little area up there. We have lost all the big manufacturing jobs from all the big plants that did all the pollution that we are cleaning up now.
Now we have a chance to have a big plant, lots of jobs. Taxes that are going to help our schools. Taxes that will actually pay to repair those streets that the last lady was complaining about. And now we have a chance to have a big project, a lot of jobs. Maybe they are not the perfect job. But there aren't many perfect jobs out there.
This big plant is not going to create pollution like we are used to with factories. It's going to be a pretty darn clean operation. 20 to 25 trucks an hour. We can handle that. This is a big deal. Don't let this pass us by. Thank you.
(Applause.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Excuse me.
MR. CRAIG THAYER: Good evening. I am Craig Thayer. I am at the Iron Gate section of Liverpool. I've lived here for 30 years. It's a beautiful place. Mild winters, not only sunny skies. Originally, I was from Long
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Thayer - 69 Island. And after passing through the Bronx and other areas where they are basically concrete jungles, one of the reasons I stayed up here is because I like the small town atmosphere.
Things are a little slower. We don't have an hour commute to our jobs even though I work by myself out of my house. It's just a better quality of life, in my opinion.
I am not opposed to attracting new industry because I certainly, I'm not the throw-the-bar-stools at other taxes. But I am wondering if this is perhaps not the best place to put it. Because you have not only the congestion at rush hour, but I know in the last, probably the last 15 years, the traffic in the downtown Liverpool area has increased immensely. And I think I'm not alone in that observation. Thank you.
(Applause.)
Next we have Paul Walker? James Rowley?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Is Paul here?
(No response.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Mr. Rowley?
MR. JIM ROWLEY: Good evening, Mr. Supervisor, and members of the Board and Planning Board. My name is Jim Rowley. I am the Second District County Legislator in
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Rowley - 70 which this development is proposed.
And I am proud to speak in favor of the proposed zone change in the project here tonight. This project will be generational, transformational, and in my opinion inspirational.
Generational, in that it will affect generations to come. $280 million of investment, bringing one thousand jobs, will produce economic spinoff that will provide a sorely needed boost to our standard of living in our community.
Transformational in that this project will be a catalyst for lower property taxes with potential to shore up existing businesses in our community. The projected $28 million in taxes to be generated under the proposed PILOT agreement will be much more than the existing taxes generated by the golf course.
And if local government and the school district adhere to the tax cap law, tax rates will be positively impacted.
Also, as you know, the Great Northern Mall is struggling. While I'm not an expert in real estate development, I happen to believe that this project will enhance the prospects for some meaningful redevelopment of that facility.
Finally, this project will be inspirational 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Rowley - 71 because it's come to us without state involvement. The PILOT benefits being asked from the developer are off the rack, nothing atypical of what any major developer would ask for. There is no cash investment of taxpayer dollars. And as I alluded to previously, the tax payments under the PILOT will be more than what the golf course currently yields.
This significant economic proposal is a perfect example of what the local government is capable of doing themselves without the need for state assistance. The location of this project is excellent. There is plenty of land for the proposed development. You can adequately meet the infrastructure needs, and turn to sewage treatment, water and power.
And Mr. Supervisor, and members of both boards, I want you to know that I am 110 percent behind this project. And hopefully, you will come to the same conclusion that I have that this is an excellent opportunity for our Town. And we need to seize the day. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Shane Edwards, followed by Linda Woodrow? How about Brian Miller? Any of those three? There we go.
What was the first one? SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Casey Jordan. James Yerdon?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Jordan - 72 MR. CASEY JORDAN: Good evening. Thanks for having this meeting. I am Casey Jordan. I live at 8133 Rizzle [ph] Drive, Clay. I am also the County Legislator for the 14th District, which is essentially the east end of the Town of Clay.
I have to admit when I first heard news of this project I was upset. Not because it's not a great project. Because it is. But because for 13 years I have been trying to get somebody to come into the White Pine Industrial Park. And I was just upset, selfishly, that it was not going into my district.
I grew up in Bayberry. I grew up where my friends, parents worked at Farrell Road, GE at Farrell Road. My grandfather worked at GE on Henry Clay Boulevard. Those jobs are gone within this area. People that went to those jobs took all the side streets that we are talking will be utilized with this project.
No site is perfect. But obviously, in looking at the site location, it really works much better than White Pine would. You have multiple high volume roads surrounding this site. It's literally, I don't know, three hundred yards from the Thruway exit. Truly, you cannot locate a distribution center, I think, in a better location than the proposed location.
There is talk about $30,000 a year jobs. Not all 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Jordan - 73 the jobs are $30,000 a year. But I can tell you, being a legislator, we are going through our budget right now, you know, medicaid, social service rolls are down. But they are not zero. And the kind of jobs that we are lacking in this community are jobs for individuals that don't have engineering degrees or even college degrees. They are looking for jobs that are entry level jobs to kind of be the springboard for further advancement and greater income later on in life.
It's a phenomenal project. We are looking for a larger employer to come into this district for 13 years, I have been a legislator. Finally, we have a company coming here offering a thousand jobs. A large employer. Perhaps expanding employer.
I urge the Board and the Planning Board to support this project. It would be phenomenal for this community. Thank you.
(Applause.)
We have James Yurden, and Vita DeMarchi. What company was that?
MR. JIM YURDEN: Hi, I am Jim Yurden. I am originally from the Bronx. But I've lived in Clay for fifty years.
I am willing to take the inconvenience of driving behind trucks occasionally, or even regularly. I think
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Yurden - 74 that we desperately do need more jobs for people who are not very skilled or who are not professionals. It would be nicer if we could get a thousand, 1,500 more engineers here. But, you know, I think unless we have a major war, we are not likely to have that.
I would be in favor of this despite some inconvenience, and occasional extra traffic lights, perhaps. Thank you.
(Applause.)
Thank you. Next is Vita DeMarchi. And then Kelley O'Neill.
MS. VITA DEMARCHI: It's Vita DeMarchi. But I like the way you said it.
Okay. Then I christen you
DeMarchi.
MS. DEMARCHI: First, I wanted to wish both of the boards the best in evaluating this project, moving forward. I am here as a business woman and with interest in the overall logistics.
A couple of questions. Could you confirm where the eight to 25 tractor-trailers an hour will be originating from and returning to once they hit the Thruway? Will they be taking on-and-off cargo at the CSX rail yard in DeWitt and Manlius?
And what would be the volume of both
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - DeMarchi - 75 international and domestic cargo associated with those loads?
And then in the presentation, it was mentioned there would be stacking on-site. Could you clarify what that means? Typically, that refers to international cargo. So I am just curious about that.
And also will any of the trucks be returning to the Thruway empty, with empty containers? Thank you.
Let me turn this over to the developer. I think those are good questions and we should have answers. Who would like to speak on this?
MR. BURROW: I will answer the easiest question. On-site stacking. If I said, onsite queueing is probably clarifying. The intent was not any references to international trade. There is sufficient queueing, when, before the guard shack, onsite, and not on local roads. TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
MR. BURROW: I think that was my thing.
We are going to let the
Applicant answer. MS. DEMARCHI: The real question is, once they hit this Thruway exit, and on-ramp, are they originating from the CSX rail yard in DeWitt and Manlius? Are they going back and forth on the Thruway between this exit and the DeWitt and Manlius rail yard?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - DeMarchi - 76
MR. LAIGAIE: I can't answer that, standing here. But I can certainly do the homework and answer it as part of our written response.
Okay. Once again, any question that's not answered, we will have to do our research of everything that was asked, we will try to get as thorough and complete an answer as possible. We have someone at the microphone.
MS. KELLEY O'NEILL: Yes. Kelley O'Neill. I am from Sheridan Road. Which is, well, about a football field away from this project.
Trying not to be too negative but the traffic study seemed to ignore that we are about to have a hundred apartments just to our south, on Morgan/Tulip. And I didn't notice they did any kind of traffic addition from that.
Also, they said that the noise will be increased. Now everybody says we already have trucks. We do. But we have this huge green space that absorbs sound. We have to live in our neighborhood. The apartments on the other side have to live there. They pay rent. We pay rent, taxes, just like everybody else. We just want to make sure our quality of life isn't going down the tubes.
As far as whoever said the turn-in on the Bypass would be better, they don't pay attention to where the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - O'Neill - 77 turn-in is going to be. It's going to be too close to the intersection of Morgan and the Bypass. You will have traffic jams sitting there sitting and waiting to get in and out.
I hope that they are very appreciative that we get 110 inches of snow a year. And that water is going to go somewhere. They need to make sure it doesn't go into that creek. Because we just paid a lot of money to clean that big old lake.
Other than that, if they can mitigate all the negatives, and make it so that it's a good neighbor, then I am fine.
If they are not going to be good neighbors, even if they built anything within one hundred yards, two hundred yards from residences, because that's a big project to put that close to residences. We are just a little neighborhood but we still count.
Let me. Next is Teresa Crooke. And Kevin Hallock. Teresa Crooke and Kevin Hallock?
MR. KEVIN HALLOCK: Hello. My name is Kevin Hallock. I am a Bayberry Community Association, resident. I just wanted to say today to thank you very much, the both boards for coming here. And thank you for giving us the opportunity to listen and try to understand the magnitude.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Hallock - 78 There is a lot written in the paper that sometimes has not given us a full assessment.
So continue your due diligence. I appreciate your help, and look forward to hearing some more future answers. Thank you.
Thank you. Next we have Sue Hammond? And Russell Norwell.
MS. SUE HAMMOND: Hi. Yes. Sue Hammond. I live at -- I have a couple of things that bother me, frankly. Perhaps I haven't kept up with this as much as I should have. But apparently, you have already done an environmental impact statement, is that correct? No? No environmental impact? Have you done an environmental assessment form yet?
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: The SEQR form? Mr.
Germain?
MR. ROBERT GERMAIN: We probably should have been more clear about this. The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency is the lead agency for SEQR. They have been having -- they have been having meetings right along. There is an EAF. There is a supplemental EAF that has been filed. Those are all public documents. You're entitled to look at them online. Those have been done.
The final decision on that hasn't been made yet.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Hammond - 79 The hearings are continuing. And you're encouraged to be involved in that. But that's not what we are here for tonight.
MS. HAMMOND: No, but, seriously, this is a real issue. So in other words, has the Town Board and the Planning Board basically designated the Onondaga County Industrial Agency as the lead agency?
Yes, they are the lead agency on this one.
MS. HAMMOND: Okay. So you have given up -- you have given up your right to be a lead agency for environmental assessment purposes, is that correct?
They are the lead agency, yes, the County is.
MS. HAMMOND: So okay, so the Town nor the Planning Boards are going to make a declaration on the environmental assessment form or the environmental impact statement, is that correct?
Once the research is done, we will review the comment -- review the documents at that time.
TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
MS. HAMMOND: Then the other thing, listen, the other thing is, I am sorry but, is this the only time we are going to have our two minutes? Are you going to have
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Hammond - 80 any other hearings before you decide this, seriously? Are you going to?
We will take whatever it needs to ferret this project out, yes.
MS. HAMMOND: Well, I am telling you, you're going to have more meetings, I mean. The questions that I see there are going to take more than two minutes to ask the questions. Let alone to make any comments. TIMEKEEPER: Out of time.
What is your question?
Mr. Supervisor? I have Scott Chatfield, yes.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Yes. Mr. Chatfield?
If the zone change is granted, then the next process would be a public hearing in front of the Planning Board on the site plan. I think the Town councilor explained it earlier. And as we learn, there may also be a variance or two that needs to occur. That would also require a public hearing.
MS. HAMMOND: But no more environmental impact?
MR. CHATFIELD: As the Supervisor pointed out, the environmental impact determination is being made by a different agency under what's called a "coordinated review." MS. HAMMOND: Okay. And so, does the Town
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Hammond - 81
Planning Board, have you had any input into this
environmental impact statement?
At this point, we have not. But let me say this, if you put your question in writing, we will get you a comprehensive answer.
MS. HAMMOND: But not another public hearing?
We will do whatever we need to do to make sure the questions are answered.
MS. HAMMOND: Okay. I am saying, any Town Board, if you can tell us. We kind of know who wants this. And what bothers me, what bothers me is that your failure to tell us who, because it makes a huge difference. It makes a huge it difference. You know, all this planning you have done all this talking you have done, the fact that this is one gentleman said it's the most asked question. And the fact that you have not answered it, and do not think it very important to answer it, but I am sorry, it tells me a lot about my Town Board. You know?
Two minutes is up, Mr. Supervisor. SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you.
MS. HAMMOND: There is a lot more, so please.
Ma'am, as I said, ma'am, as I said, you're more than welcome to submit your questions in writing. And we will make sure they are part of the record, and answered.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Hammond - 82 MS. HAMMOND: I won't get them answered.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: And answered.
MS. HAMMOND: In a public meeting?
They will be answered. Who is next? Russell Norwalk. I am sorry?
MS. THERESA CROOKE: You kind of skipped over me. You kind of skipped me. I am Teresa Crooke. You called me earlier.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Okay, go ahead.
MS. THERESA CROOKE: More observations now, than questions, because a lot of questions have already been asked. But I just want to know what the vision is for the Village of Liverpool and all the people that live in Liverpool?
We talk about cleaning up our lake. We talk about bringing a beach, bringing more recreation to the village. You have a Lights-on-the-Lake that runs for a few months in the winter and the village can't handle the traffic for that now.
And then you have the Village Board talking about this is a great thing. But you're pushing -- he wants to push the traffic out to other streets around outside of the village. You're pushing the problem out. But you're still not addressing the elephant in the room which is, there is going to be more traffic, not just trucks, but cars. There 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Crooke - 83 is a Parkway that trucks can't even drive under. And you're going to tell me that you're not going to have more trucks trying to drive under the overpass on the Parkway? I just think that there is a lot of things that are being glossed over. And there needs to be more clarity with this project. It's not going to, it's not going to be good if everything starts to fly, once you change the variance on the property, and then there is no going back. TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you.
(Applause.)
Curt Burden? Curt Burdan, rather? And Todd Corioran? Either one of those gentleman here? No?
Denise Baker? Linda Hall?
MS. LINDA HALL: I am Linda Hall. A resident of Liverpool for about 40 years, and a retired woman but also -- SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Could you hold the microphone a little closer?
MS. HALL: I am not going to touch this microphone but I will get closer. So, I don't so much have questions as I have some issues that I think ought to be considered as you move forward on this project. I haven't heard yet once a mention that there is a school 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Crooke - 84 across the street kitty-corner from the proposed site. BOCES has classes from about 8:00 in the morning until about nine o'clock at night. There are people walking, as well as catching buses and driving. And that traffic needs to be considered.
There was a mention of a what, bus? So don't get me wrong, I am excited. A thousand jobs sounds great. But don't forget bus service is limited. It is not 24/7 in Onondaga County. Buses have to be back to the garage by midnight. So if you have a 24-hour a day operation, there will be bus service after about eleven o'clock, 11:30 at night, until the following morning.
On a side note, I hope you keep the trees that you don't have to take down. I drive by that place every day, and I like the trees and the grass. (Applause.) So, I am a business owner. I put people in employment. Entry level jobs are what's mostly needed in Onondaga County right now, for marginalized workers. A lot of people that get hired, at the warehouse, I am often told, are people with experience and they want people with driver's licenses, even though you may not need to drive to work. They still want you to have that. So keep that in mind.
And lastly, along with the others who are concerned about who, I remember a few years ago we were up 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Crooke - 85 in arms because we thought there was going to be a Wal-Mart, a big box store, in our village. We didn't like what people said they did to the property.
We love our Liverpool. We like to keep it beautiful. Thank you. Don't forget to vote.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Is this Linda?
MS. DENISE BAKER: No, this is Denise Baker.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Very good.
MS. BAKER: I lived in Liverpool, went to Liverpool High School.
I just find it very curious to me that on the one hand, we don't know who is coming. However, we have a client and there is additional information out there that's not really being transparent or given to us, so that you're transparent, so that we can really understand what's going on.
The other piece of that is that I really don't understand how we can agree or disagree on this project when, again, we don't know what's at cost here. Who is coming? How are they going to get here? How they are going to impact us?
We are giving generalizations to how we are going to make things work. We need to be a little bit more specific so that you can make a concrete decision. The other piece of that is that we have a lot of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Baker - 86 increased traffic that is going through the village that we cannot handle. Someone mentioned the bridge. Even if those trucks are not going -- even if those trucks are going on 90, then are we still going to have other people trying to go on the Parkway?
And we don't have anything that's going to assure us that it's going to improve our community.
We are making a lot of assumptions. We are assuming, assuming, assuming. And yet giving them assurances. Where are our assurances? We need some assurances before we move forward.
(Applause.)
Thank you. Let me take a second for a minute regarding the proposed tenant. And I don't know myself. But, I will say this. I have been on the Board for a number of years. And zone changes don't have to necessarily tell us who the tenant or the end user is going to be. They are looking for a zone change for a certain designation. All right?
MS. BAKER: Yes.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: That can exist. For example, if someone wants a big box, we are reviewing that for a big box. They don't have to tell us who that is, as long as it meets the plan.
Excuse me, sir.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Baker - 87 VOICE: Excuse me?
Excuse me. I have the floor, sir. Thank you.
MS. BAKER: I understand that.
For many reasons, a tenant doesn't always have to be exposed. They want to make their own splash if, in fact, the project comes to fruition. So there is a number of reasons why that doesn't happen. I don't think it's not a matter of transparency at all. No one is trying to hide anything. We are considering a zone change based on what's requested.
MS. BAKER: I can definitely appreciate that.
But my issue is, is that I don't think we as a public really like to get wet. And that's happened previously. That's happened not too long ago with our mall over here, where we granted permission to come in and do as you will. And I know, previously, I know we typically do not do business a particular way. I am saying we need to kind of, we need to change our thinking on how this is going to be done, and kind of give some assurances. Because they may not have to disclose, but maybe we don't move forward unless they do. Because the type of business really matters, and how it impacts our community matters.
I thank you very much for your comments.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Baker - 88
MS. BAKER: Thank you.
(Applause.)
Excuse me. Someone called Graden is here?
MR. CHUCK LINCOLN: I didn't realize you have to sign in. I am Chuck Lincoln.
Chuck, just you're going to have to sit down. There are a number of people that are ahead of you.
MR. LINCOLN: Okay. Thank you. I will be back.
Peter Alexander? Bonnie Nash? Is Peter Alexander here?
All right. Then Bonnie Nash. And then Steven
Capuano.
MS. BONNIE NASH: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Town Board. Town Planning Board. My name is Bonnie Nash. My husband is Jim Nash. And I have resided in Clay for 34 years.
We observed over the years how careful the Clay Town Board and the Planning Board have always done research on commercial businesses before they are approved or moved into Clay. And we thank you for that.
I have read the articles on this development center in the Post-Standard and listened to Town of Clay tonight. My thoughts are this. If this new development
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - B. Nash - 89 center will bring one thousand or more jobs into Clay, which would put food on the table for a thousand families, let us not be selfish about increased transportation in the Morgan Road area. Let us support this great project. Thank you.
(Applause.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Chuck Lincoln, you're back up on the podium here. After that, we have Candace Kranitz.
MR. CHUCK LINCOLN: Yes, thank you. My name is Chuck Lincoln. I live in Fairway East.
I have two traffic-related questions for Amy and Gordon. One is regarding the Thruway with Exit 38. If there has been any discussion with the Thruway to expand and open up that particular toll booth, with the increased truck traffic?
And the other one is with regards to 81. If the Community Grid goes through, how are truck traffic from the south going to be coming in? Because if they come up 481, they are going to be getting off at 31, coming down 31, and coming down Morgan Road, down from 31. So I don't know if that has been considered. But it really should be. Thank
you.
Thank you. Now who did we have coming up to the microphone now?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - B. Nash - 90
MS. CANDACE KRANITZ: Candace Kranitz.
We have Chris Wyker after that. After Chris Wyker -- could be Chris Weichert. And then Jim Nichols. Please go ahead.
MS. CANDACE KRANITZ: Candace Kranitz. I thank you for giving us the opportunity to comment on this project. I do hope that it is not a done deal. I grew up in Queens and Long Island. I came to this area, and was so happy about the lack of bumper-to-bumper traffic all the time.
The quality of life in Clay and in this area is wonderful. Nobody has also commented about the green space that we are losing. That's important to me. That's important to our community. I wonder why we are not looking at other places.
You keep talking about, you know, low income people, people who need to put food on the table. Why not in Syracuse? That's an area that really needs this kind of a business. They have a lot of people who look for jobs, who need jobs. Why not there? I mean, Clay is in good shape. I am a teacher, retired teacher here.
I don't understand the projected numbers. You know, a thousand jobs? How do they know that? Where are those numbers coming from? Some of the studies they have done as far as traffic, they have looked at things but 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - B. Nash - 91 where do the numbers come from? This is not manufacturing. People are talking about you know Chrysler left, this one left. This is not a manufacturing job. This is a warehouse. This is a storage area where there is going to be a lot of possible pollution.
I live right on Foster Road right along the Seneca River. The wastewater management building is right down Wetzel Road. It releases all the pollution, supposedly treated, into the Seneca River. You say that the wastewater is going to be directed into Wetzel Road, into the Wetzel Road. What's going to happen in there? It's going to be three million or four million square feet. What's going to happen with that pollution, that water? It goes into the Wetzel Road, and then into the Seneca River? I mean, I thought we had a better idea about what we wanted for our communities. Jobs are important. But why not in Syracuse? I mean, there are students, you know. They wanted it on South Bay Road. People said no. It's not the right area. So they found a better place. TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
MS. KRANITZ: I think you need to look for a better place. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Is there a Chris Wyker? Jim Nichols?
MR. JIM NICHOLS: Yes. My name is Jim Nichols.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Nichols - 92 I own a business that abuts this project. In many ways, this will definitely help my business as a thousand more people come directly, you know, near my establishment. But at the same time, it probably diminishes the quality of the stay at my establishment as well. One issue that I have, just from a general standpoint, I am all what's best for this area and the Town of Clay. I like the people to have less taxes, better schools, and all that. But to demolish a golf course that has been there since 1958, that makes Liverpool Liverpool, even if it benefits me, from a business standpoint, is a little concerning to me, when there are other areas and open space.
And I do not begrudge the people that own the golf course to cash in and make money on this valuable piece of property. But, it is somewhat a little disturbing to me that there is little thought on, you know, as we all live in this area, that we don't care about golfers that have been there since 1958. So that's one thing. And then everyone talks about the thousand new jobs. I am a business owner. I put out ads for people to work in my establishment all of the time. And I struggle to find good candidates. So, if there is a thousand new people coming to this area, from out of the area, I am all for it. Okay. But just to grab people that other small 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Nichols - 93 business owners need, it's problematic. And I don't know if people understand that. As a small business owner myself, I struggle to find that.
Lastly, the traffic. I am fine with a little bit of traffic. But even today, one tractor trailer turning on the Liverpool Bypass takes some time. So I would definitely like to see the traffic situation a little more elaborate and actually see what they are going to do to make that a little bit better for us. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you. Edward Ott?
Can you remind people the rules about decorum about people yelling out consistently?
Yes. That's a good point. Please, respect the speakers who are at the microphone. They have earned their place through their patience. And for those of who have already spoken, I would appreciate it if you keep your emotions to yourself. And give the courtesy to those at the microphone. Thank you. MR. EDWARD OTT: So my name is Edward Ott. I am a Syracuse resident. I have been around here for my entire life.
A little bit closer to the mic?
MR. EDWARD OTT: I have been living in Syracuse 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Ott - 94 all my life. I recently moved to the Buckley Road Apartments, right at the top of that picture there. And I actually got the opportunity last season to work at the UPS distribution center over in East Syracuse. And I think the important thing to note is here we are talking about all these jobs that are leaving or have left the area. And all the competitors that are also distribution centers, like UPS, FedEx, and the Postal Service. The important thing about these jobs, these are union jobs. They are paying far more than $30,000 a year. And we need a strong union. Great benefits to turn into careers. Instead, we have temporary work that you can work at for a month and then you get sick and tired. You get broken. You have to leave.
I have serious concerns about the economic effects of the PILOT program. You look at a lot of the programs that happened around the County. The failures, like Destiny U.S.A. I didn't prepare much ahead of time. But my biggest point is that $30,000 a year, for a family of four, which is kind of the people we want living here in Liverpool, is below the federal poverty line. And it's very concerning to me that we are throwing all this out when we could have a strong union job in its place instead. And, I think we all know who the intended tenant is and the reason we are not giving out transparency 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Ott - 95 for the developer on this issue.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Is there anyone in the audience who I have missed?
Please, sir, if your hand is up there in the corner, right there, yes, you. Now we have someone over here as well. Give us your name and address?
MR. JAN QUITZAU: You might have a whole sheet of names that you haven't listed, because I was like the fifth one on the list. My name is Jan Quitzau. J-a-n Q-u-i-t-z-a-u. I am a village resident. And my wife and I live approximately where the "S" is in the "T" on Tulip Street on that map. So we are what we consider to be "ground zero." I am not going to stand up here and disagree with everyone who has stood here and said that this is a good project. Because any time that you introduce a thousand jobs, you introduce economic development, you introduce opportunities for businesses to get more business, and for people to benefit from a project like this. I am all for it.
But, living where I am too close, living where I live on Tulip Street puts me at ground zero. And I want to thank the Town councilor, the Board member who actually mentioned the Village of Liverpool in your questions for the developer. And I want to thank Joe Ostuni from our 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Ott - 96 Planning Board who came up and talked about the things that will really impact the Village of Liverpool.
One of the challenges that we have on Tulip Street is that the traffic study, the woman who presented said that there is going to be a policing action to bring, to make sure that trucks coming from this project are not going to go through the village, but are going to go directly onto the Thruway.
I can tell you right now that we have Raymour & Flanagan, Dot Foods, and a variety of other distribution centers on Morgan Road. And they are sending their trucks through the village. Or they choose to run through the village because of the fact that they are trying to avoid the tolls on the Thruway, so they go through the village. The last time there was a New York State DOT study, traffic study done, was 2014. We had 170 commercial vehicles of three axles or more that were going down Tulip Street, between the Thruway bridge and Oswego Street. This is something that we absolutely are concerned about. This is going to have a detrimental effect on our community. And regardless of what you talk about, traffic is an issue. And by giving up your -- by giving up the lead agency status from the Town of Clay to the County, you have to be able to -- you lose the opportunity to address the three critical issues: Density, traffic, and environment. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Ott - 97
Time is up, Mr. Supervisor. MR. QUITZAU: Thank you.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you.
MR. CHRIS STRINGER: Good evening. My name is Chris Stringer. I actually grew up in Fairway East. And I currently live off of Long Branch Road.
Stringer, just how it sounds.
So, I think we all, we heard a lot of different opinions tonight. And I think we all have one thing in common. We care about our community. We care about what happens. You know, people want jobs. People want reduced taxes. People don't want higher traffic. People do not want negative impact on the environment.
And I think my issue is that I just urge caution, right? We don't want to look back at this ten years from now and regret what we have done here.
We are getting rid of green space. It appears to be, on the first slide, that there was a lot of Industrial-1 zoning, but there is not a lot of Recreational zoning.
It also appears to me, I am in the Town of Salina, I don't have a lot of say in the Town of Clay. But I live closer to this site than most of the people in the Town of Clay.
So, I had a lot of things, questions that are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Stringer - 98 probably too specific for this hearing. But I think overall, I just wanted to make sure that caution is taken. And it appears as though my first reaction, reading some of the articles that have been put out, is that this is happening quite quickly. Very fast. I know you made a statement earlier that the end user is not an important piece to this. But, caution. We got promised a whole lot with the mall, and that didn't really pan out the way it was supposed to. I don't know if a second largest distribution center in the world should be rushed through in two months. Thank you.
(Applause.)
Thank you. What about you, Miss?
MS. CARRIE FRANK. Hi. I hate public speaking, so. My name is Carrie -- like Carrie Fischer. And I am going to be really like my last name: Frank.
So, like many people have said, please note that $30 thousand a year is not a lot. In fact, it is poor. And I want you to consider the workers that are going to come in these jobs. They are going to come out of desperation.
And speaking of desperation, I think Amazon is taking great advantage of central New York's desperation for jobs and income and tax revenues and affecting the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Frank - 99 community. But I think, no doubt, this is going to affect the community poorly. Because you're going to have workers that are not, I going to be blunt, of very high class. And there is a school right next to it. So factor in, I have no doubt, you're going to have a lot more litter, a lot more of this negative commentary. You're going to hear a lot more cursing, I have no doubt. People that are maybe going to go to your businesses locally, they are going to be cursing up a storm, dropping those F-bombs whenever they want to. So, consider that. I mean, if that's it.
But I also want you guys to think of the earth. We get one earth. One. Then you guys want to take away green. And you want to put up a huge building in literally a paradise and build a parking lot.
So, please, I mean, people who are 16 years old, are trying to fight for the environment. My generation would not be up here speaking. And I noticed, no offense, but baby boomers and the older generations rah, rah, all for it. One interview of that generation also said that they would willingly go swim in Onondaga Lake currently. Please consider that.
We get one earth. They didn't consider solar paneling. I think that's all insane. All the litter. The eco-environment, it's all going to get infected. This 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Frank - 100 disturbs me that if you guys are seemingly really near-sighted and not looking at the long effects, the devastating effects that I think are going to happen.
Time is up, Mr. Supervisor. SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you.
MR. AL MARZULLO: Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the Planning Board as well as the Board, and also the developer. My name is Al Marzullo. I grew up here in Liverpool, on 14 McIntosh Street. I am also a graduate of Liverpool High School, Class of '87. I am here today as a business manager and the financial secretary for IBEW Local 43. I represent over 1,200-plus electricians that work in Clay, and in the area. One of the questions that I have to the Board and of course the developer, I haven't heard about these local jobs in the building of this project, if it were to go. Are these jobs, construction jobs, going to be local jobs? That is my question to the group?
MS. MINNIE CROOKE: (Reading a statement too fast) Hi, I'm Minnie Crooke [ph]. I'd just like to preface that my grandfather and my father both worked at GE. I understand the importance of a project like this. I do have concerns about the way we are going about this one. I'd first like to comment on how to site areas of zoning for Recreation. There are plenty of individuals
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - M. Crooke - 101 whose homes fall on this property. Maybe this is your home, it was being torn down, put yourself in their shoes. I also feel as though this is an incredibly important decision regarding the fate of our community to be making without knowing the potential impact. Also, it's 2019. Wake up and and smell the roses. They are dying. The environmental impact is something that I feel as though we are not getting answers about.
The addition of solar panels and a green roof would be positive effort to lessen a blow that I believe should be actively pursued.
Lastly, if I am correct, the traffic study took place during August. How does it take into consideration the buses and students driving to L-A class, and BOCES each morning, at 7:30 time slots that you say are a peak time. This is a future of my home town too. Thank you. MR. MARK SPADAFORE: My name is Mark Spadafore. I live at 824 Second Street, in Liverpool, New York. I am here as the president of the Greater Syracuse Labor Council, AFL-CIO, representing over forty thousand working men and women in Onondaga and Madison County.
I would like to thank both boards for having this opportunity tonight.
Let me just say that we are not against this
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Spadafore - 102 development. This is actually the type of development that we would normally want. It uses the assets of the area well. We are five hours away from Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Cleveland. So I mean, we are centrally -- of course New York City -- so we are a central area. It does use our assets well.
The question is for you, this is really a question of process and power. And so right now, we are going through this process. You're taking in information. You're asking questions, and things likes that. I really appreciate Councilor Bick's and Councilor Hall's questions to the developers, specifically.
And what I would say is that I do have a question, specifically, about who gave up the lead? Who designated the lead agency as OCIDA? Is it the County or is it the Town? Bob, can you tell me on, who gave? Who gave it? Who decided that OCIDA was going to be the lead agency?
ATTORNEY GERMAIN: OCIDA.
MR. SPADAFORE: But who decided that?
ATTORNEY GERMAIN: OCIDA.
MR. SPADAFORE: Because what bothers me a little bit is about process. So you basically took people who are appointed, and not elected. They are going to be making this decision.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Spadafore - 103 And so again, it's about process. Because at the end of the day, you gave up your power. And that's what we really have right now. You have leverage right now to get what you want from the developer.
So as Councilor Hall talks about solar panels and you know about the parking lots and all that type of stuff, or you know or Councilor Bick's comment, now is the time to get it in writing. Because when you talk about a thousand jobs, what guarantees do we have that actually it's going to be a thousand jobs? Do you have clawback? I know this is more for OCIDA than for you. And you have to be very specific towards the zone changes.
So let me just say that we are not against this project. But we would ask you, if you would use your power, ask those questions. Get written guarantees. Because in the labor movement, we wouldn't take anything without signing on the dotted line. Thank you. (Applause.)
Mr. Supervisor, one thing it's important for the audience to understand, pursuant to what the last speaker had to say, it's this Board that decides whether this zone change will happen or not. OCIDA has no power to decide it in any way, shape or form. This Board decides whether this moves forward with the zone change. If this Board doesn't decide on the zone change, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Spadafore - 104 the project can't move forward at all. So OCIDA is the lead agency, as I understand, for the environmental impact, SEQR. But this Board is the Board that decides what happens with this project.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you.
MR. ERIC: My name is Eric. And I want to bring this up about the fact that we have an opportunity to have a green area environment in our ecology.
I'm kind of like on the fence with this. We could go either this way or that way. In relation to the Onondaga Lake, and the greenery that is available that can also be a benefit to that. We have bald eagles that are on Onondaga Lake. If we can transform that area, or that greenery into something else, and find a different occupant that might be able to turn it into something beneficial to the community and to still create jobs, and still worry about the ecology.
I used to work in that area. There is a lot of migratory birds that come through there all the time. They are constantly moving in and out of that area. We should really consider that, and transform it into an area. You could have gardens in there. If there could be a garden cafe in there, and have a eatery there. They could bring their lunch there. We could offer tourism there, that people could do.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Eric - 105 But really the idea that if we were, where are these other migratory birds and animals going to go to? They can't land on top of a building, okay? We have to consider that that might be more beneficial to us and still create jobs there, with some other type of occupant. You could possibly give tours there. It would be nice to go in there and have some lunch. Take a ride through on golf carts. Maybe you could have a nice peaceful day where you could enjoy your day and have a nice breakfast, lunch or dinner. Something, you could have gazebos there. You could have some small water areas in there with some, you know, you have got to think of other things too. You have got to think of bees, you have got to think of butterflies, you have got to think of birds, other things that might need that too. I came up with this: "Nature needs a warehouse too." Thank you.
(Applause.) MR. JIM NASH: My name is Jim Nash. I've lived in the Town of Clay for over 35 years.
And just something for everybody's consideration, my understanding that at one time the General Electric Company which is to the right of Commerce Boulevard, up on the map, they had over 20,000 employees. They had trucks coming in. They had a lot of activity over there. And it seemed to me that the village and the Town and the
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - J. Nash - 106 community really could deal with that kind of traffic. What we are talking about now really is a trifle compared to the traffic and everything that they had. And yet everybody could live with it. So, it's just something I wanted you to consider.
How did GE, how were they able to survive all the years that they were there? They employed over 20,000 people. And we have a problem with this? I know there is going to be a problem. But certainly, it's not as big as the problem that GE created, I believe. Thank you. (Applause.)
Is there anyone else who would like to speak? We have a woman walking down. Then the gentleman in the red jacket.
MS. DAWN SHERWOOD: My name is Dawn Sherwood. I live on Oswego Street right by the Thruway. Once, I mean, if the rezoning goes through from Recreational to Industrial, there is no going back. And I would like to know what kind of an impact it has, as a property owner, on our house value? I mean, do our values go down because now it's Industrial?
Let's say this company, whoever you guys decide to put in there, decides to back out in 15 years? It's still Industrial. And anybody can come in then. What does that do to the quality of life for the people that live in
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Sherwood - 107 this area? Let alone our homes? That's it. Thanks. (Applause.)
MR. RICHARD KYLE: Hi, my name is Richard Kyle. Volunteer force, Liverpool.
My question would be as far as the square feet of the building, and it's going to take quite a fire load on that. Is the Town going to take that into consideration and get with the Moyers Corners, that was what, but it's going to be quite a thing there for it.
And the other thing is, they have never really showed five-story building. Is that going to be like the Rite Aid building over on Henry Clay? All stacks, all the way up to the ceiling? Is it actually going to be five floors of the building? I guess that's it.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Next.
MS. CAROL FLETCHER: Hi. My name is Carol Fletcher. I am a business owner in the City of Syracuse. I own a staffing firm. We did a similar project at another very large distributor of wine and spirits years ago. It was an unbelievable boost to our economy. It got people back into the employment field. And it really boosted morale. So I applaud this. And I thank you for taking them. Thank you.
(Applause.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Next?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Bale - 108
MR. PAT BALE: My name is H. Pat Bale, B-a-l-e. I am a 67-year resident of Liverpool.
The Ajemian's are acquaintances of mine. And they have been trying to sell various parcels of property for 25-plus years. I was on the Zoning Board when the Flying-J PILOT was turned down. I was on the Planning Board when the Wal-Mart was turned down on the parcel that's in the Town of Salina.
These people have a right, and I applaud your Board, and your Board, for coming together, and trying to move this process to the prospective tenant's timeline, to see if it's something that could be done to be put through with the timeline that they are apparently under to make a decision where they want to go.
The developer has repeatedly said that once the zone change is granted, and all the approvals, the Planning Board approvals, and we know each other, do we know, sir?
MR. CHATFIELD: Yes.
MR. BALE: So, that's when he is going to sign a contract, and divulge who his tenant is. That's my understanding. Under these kind of deals -- and Scott, bear with me -- if this doesn't go through, he is not going to sign the deal. And we have got a zoned piece of property, for Industrial, but it can be Recreational forever, grandfathered in. And it can be applied zone
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Bale - 109 change for Residential like Mr. Pal Smith tried to do through a modified nine-hole community golf course. So there is a lot of possibilities. This wouldn't be an end-all but we might know who it is.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Next is?
MS. BEVERLY BUNKER: Beverly Bunker [ph]. I live at 8561 Long Leaf Trail. I am a local small business owner.
I would just like to tell the boards: Please don't mess this up. I'd really hate to see this kind of opportunity slip through our fingers. This warehouse is going to be big. But I believe that the benefits that it will bring to this community will be massive. And not just for the Town of Clay, but for the surrounding communities. They will able to commute and come to their job. This is a no brainer.
Over the years, I have seen stores close and businesses leave. We need to take that trend and we need an economic win. Every job that's created is going to stimulate the local economy. And it's also likely going to attract more businesses to the area. And that will have a snowball effect.
I think the location makes perfect sense. And I realize that traffic is a concern. But I really think we can find solutions and work around still.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Bunker (ph) - 110 Growth is uncomfortable. But the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. And this opportunity is not going to come again. Let's do this.
(Applause.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thanks. Next?
MR. SPENCER BAUM: Hello. My name is Spencer Baum. I live at 7211 Morgan Road. My house is right on the property. We rent from the Ajemian's.
I would like to talk about the traffic problem. My bus picks me up right at my mailbox, right next to where these proposed new workers will be catching a bus from the Centro station. With all these tractor trailers coming in at the time of when I am going to be getting on the bus, it's going to make it hard for students to get to school on time.
And I'd also like to talk about the environmental issue. Me and my mother walk my dog every night on that golf course. There is a ton of wild life out there that would have nowhere to go. This big huge warehouse coming in here destroys that. So that's all I have to say. (Applause.) MR. CHIP WEICHERT: Hello. My name is Chip Weichert [ph]. I live at 7567 Florida Way, Liverpool, New York.
I just had one thing to ask: Has anybody talked
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Weichert (ph) - 111 to the New York State Thruway Authority about the exit where all the trucks are coming off? I drive a truck for a living and everybody talks about traffic. Look where the Village of Liverpool is. You have got a major Interstate going right through it.
I am 100 percent in favor of this. Don't let this go, folks.
(Applause.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. We are approaching nine o'clock. We are approaching nine o'clock. Is there anyone else who would like to speak? I would like to have maybe two more and then wrap this up. Sir, you had a paper that you waved in the air. Is there anyone else? Okay. Then you, then you, sir. The other. MS. MICHELLE HART: Good evening. My name is Michelle Hart. We live on Curtis [ph] Drive in Liverpool in the Town of Clay.
Just a few observations and comments. I think one of the difficulties in having people really embrace some of this is because of the perceived lack of transparency on the part of your developer. People don't trust that. So when you don't have transparency, what your neighbor is going to be, who your neighbor is going to be, and then have somebody tell us there will be 20 trucks an hour, but it won't have the traffic impact, we are not
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Hart - 112 stupid people. The level of trucks just increases. Mistrust. I am sorry. The level of mistrust increases. You are boards for this community. Do not let them rush you. I am for you. They impose some deadlines. Take the time that you all need to get your questions answered so that you can make informed educated. Read the environmental impacts studies and read the traffic studies. Change the deadlines. If your developer isn't willing to work with you on that, they are not the neighbors we want. And finally, there has been a lot of questions and thank you for saying that there will be answers. Where do we get them? Will there be a website? Do we go online? Another meeting? Where do we get answers to all the questions that have been asked this evening? Thank you.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Thank you. Next?
MR. MARK MARZOCCHI: Good evening. Mark Marzocchi, M-a-r-z-o-c-c-h-i. The Widewaters Group, 3715 Route 31 in the Town of Clay.
To the young lady who said don't mess this up, this is a no brainier. There is nothing more to be said. But let me try.
This is an ideal location for a great project. I want to thank the Applicant and please thank your client, whoever it is, for choosing this community to make such a
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Marzocchi - 113 substantial investment. It's a lot of skin in the game they are putting in here. And that should be recognized. There are some comments regarding greenery. Can you put up the other image? Can you put the image up of the site? Because that, I took a picture of it with my phone. I took a look at it after everyone was complaining about the destruction of green area. I thought that half the site is still green. Look at it. You have got half the golf course shown on this. Is that the way it's going to stay?
MR. LAIGAIE: Right now, yes.
MR. MARZOCCHI: I mean, I don't want to put you in a box or anything but look at all that green area. So there is plenty of room for all the birds and the wildlife. As far as traffic is concerned, let me ask a question for the Town. How many apartments could fit on 110 acres? What's the density in the Town of Clay for apartments? Okay, I bet you it's a lot more, it would generate a lot more traffic than this particular item. Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating for apartments on this. I am advocating for this. But what I am saying is in an alternate zone, let's face it, this golf course is not going to stay a golf course forever. It's not. It's going to change.
TIMEKEEPER: 30 seconds.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Marzocchi - 114
MR. MARZOCCHI: The last thing, it's about traffic also. I thought I heard some comments about 25 or 30 trucks an hour, is that right? Okay. 25 trucks an hour. I am not very good at math but the last time I checked, there is 60 minutes in an hour. So that's one truck every two and-a-half minutes. That's nothing. That's insignificant. What is significant is no trucks. Make this happen.
(Applause.)
Thank you, sir. This is our last one for the evening.
MR. RYAN FRANTZIS: Thank you for having this hearing and for enduring tons of questions. I think three of which have actually to do with zoning. Nonetheless, here we are and this is a really interesting prospect. My name is Ryan Francis, F-r-a-n-t-z-i-s. We have to be difficult in our family.
When I first heard about this project, I thought, okay, this is interesting. Because my first impression was when I graduated from college in 2015, I wanted nothing to do with coming back to Syracuse. I didn't think I could have a job. And I know that this isn't a job that I would have liked to have obtained right out of college. But we are continually losing people in the State of New York. 101,000 people are part of the out-migration 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Frantzis - 115 from New York State every single year. It's atrocious. It's very, I think we are beaten by maybe one state in the country. So a thousand jobs really is no joke. But I want to hit a couple of numbers because I know that time is limited. The property value right now of the golf course is $1.3 million. The property value of the proposed project is $126 million. That's a 97 times increase.
Currently, the golf course is paying, if you breakdown the $800 thousand over 15 years, about $53,000 a year. What we get out of the PILOT period, the tenant is going to be paying about $850,000 a year in taxes. It's a 16 times increase. That's pretty big.
The building itself is going to be a $280 million investment. That's not like seven dollars. It's a real number. It's a big number. Even with the PILOT, the tenant is still going to be paying 3,600 percent more in taxes than the golf course would be over that 15-year period.
But the thing that you know we have heard a lot about numbers. Numbers don't necessarily just equate to quality of life. But I think a number that's really important is, over the next ten years, over $81 million is going to be spent on health care benefits for each of these employees. I don't think that's a number we need to turn 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Frantzis - 116 our noses up. I think this is a great project. I think we are going to get people here. There are needs. That's an important topic right now. And hey, I am only 26 years old. I am of course of this generation. I think it's a great project. I'd really like to see us do it. Thank you.
(Applause.)
I would like to thank all of you for participating in this. You have been a great audience. You have respected the parameters that we put forth. And I want to assure all of you tonight that the boards will not be making the decision this evening on this issue.
So, we invite you, if you have additional comments or questions, to submit them via email to our Clerk. And I believe the address or the email address was provided to you on a sheet when you came in. There is also the Town's physical address, if you wanted to use that to mail something.
Those addresses are for those of who don't have them. They are townclerk@townofclay.org, is the email address.
And the mailing address is: Town of Clay, 4401 State Route 31, Clay, New York, 13041. Attention: Town Clerk.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Closing - 117
Mr. Supervisor, I ask if you get these questions answered, if you get them answered in writing, it could be posted on the Town's website and refer people to get answers to their questions.
SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: That's an excellent suggestion. If those people who are looking for that, we will post those answers on the website.
I think we heard a great cross-section both for and against, if you will. I think it was great spirited dialogue between all of us. A good listening period. Good listening session. And I am at this time, I am going to close this hearing. Is there a motion?
Mr. Supervisor, moving resolution to closing the public hearing.
COUNCILOR BICK: Second.
We have a motion and a second. All those in favor?
(Unanimous yes vote.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Opposed.
(No opposition.) SUPERVISOR ULATOWSKI: Motion is carried.
PLANNING BOARD CHAIRMAN MITCHELL: Let me say one thing for you folks. I want to thank everybody who came here tonight, even the people who ran out of here just after they asked a question.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Closing - Mitchell - 118 Let me tell you the procedure that's going to happen, just so you understand this. The Town Board is going to ask the Planning Board for a referral. What we do on that is each one of our members are polled to say whether they are for it or against it. And why. And then we will give our referral to the Town Board, based on that, with all those comments to them.
But after that, if they approve the zone change, it comes back to the Planning Board. And that's when we start getting into the nitty-gritty on things, okay? I haven't seen too many site plans that are put in front of us that haven't changed before we approve them. So I just want to let you know that there is a procedure. It's happened that way. You probably ought to watch the Town website to make sure that you know the dates and stuff like that. It is publicized in the paper. But, I don't think people get the paper anymore. But anyhow, thank you all for coming. I really appreciate that. With that said, I am going to ask for a motion to close the public hearing part for the Planning Board. Could I have a motion to close the public hearing for the Planning Board? We have a -- BOARD MEMBER GUINUP: Motion.
Motion and second. All in favor, aye?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Closing - Mitchell - 119 (Unanimous yes vote.)
Motion approved. Thank you. (Recessed at 9:01 p.m.) * * *
STATE OF NEW YORK:
COUNTY OF ONONDAGA:
I, PATRICK J. REAGAN, a Certified Shorthand Reporter in and for the State of New York, do hereby certify that the foregoing transcript of the Clay Town Board and Clay Planning Board Public Hearing, County of Onondaga, recorded at the time and place first above-mentioned, is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, skill and ability.
Date: _______ __________________________ Patrick J. Reagan, CSR Marcellus, NY 13108
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Index - 9/30/19 - 120
Syracuse Development Associates, et al.
What Page
3 Background - Ulatowski 7 Background - Mitchell 9 Presentation:
George Laigaie 10 Robert Murray, Esq.
11 Richard Burrow 13 Amy Dake 19 Town Board questions:
Ulatowski
Bick 23 Hess 25 Pleskach 29 Hall 29 Young 30 Meaker 31 Consultant:
Stansbury 34 * * * List of Public Questions/Comments No.
Who From Page 1 Thomas Ogden Liverpool 39 2 Rob Simpson CenterState CEO 41 3 Cheryl Young Liverpool 43 4 Vito Pascarella 43 5 Ronald Verwig Liverpool 44 6 Mark Falso Liverpool 46 7 Tony Malavenda 46 8 Gary Piontkowski Liverpool 49 9 Andy Breuer Heuber-Breuer Const. 50 10 Brian Schultz Centro Board 51 11 John Volz Bayberry 52 12 John Kennedy Liverpool 53 13 Darlene Sorendo Liverpool 54 14 Michela Cain 55 15 Paul Graves Clay 56 16 Vince Messina 57 17 Andrew Fish CenterState CEO VP 59 18 Brian Anderson National Grid 60 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 - Speaker List - (continued) 121 Audience/Speaker List - (continued) No.
Who From Page 19 Ron Niedswiecki Clay 61 20 Mike Banks Liverpool 62 21 John Kowalski Liverpool 64 22 Joseph Ostuni Liverpool 64 23 Nodesia Hernandez Clay 67 24 Walt Stiles Clay 68 25 Craig Thayer Liverpool 68 26 James Rowley Co. Legislator, (2) 69 27 Casey Jordan Co. Legislator, (14)72 28
Jim Yurden Clay 73 29 Ms. Vita DeMarchi 74 30 Kelley O'Neill Sheridan Rd.
76 31 Kevin Hallock Bayberry 77 32 Sue Hammond 78 33 Teresa Crooke 82 34 Linda Hall Liverpool 83 35 Denise Baker Liverpool 85 36 Bonnie Nash Clay 88 37 Chuck Lincoln Liverpool 89 38 Candace Kranitz Foster Rd.
90 39 Jim Nichols business owner 92 40 Edward Ott Syracuse/Clay 93 41 Jan Quitzau Liverpool 95 42 Chris Stringer Long Branch Rd.
97 43 Carrie Frank 98 44 Al Marzullo Liverpool 100 45 Minnie Crooke 100 46 Mark Spadafore Liverpool 101 47 Eric 104 48 Jim Nash Clay 105 49 Dawn Sherwood Oswego St.
106 50 Richard Kyle Liverpool 107 51 Carol Fletcher business owner 107 52 H. Pat Bale Liverpool 108 53 Beverly Bunker (ph) Clay 109 54 Spencer Baum Morgan Rd.
110 55 Chip Weichert (ph) Liverpool 110 56 Michelle Hart Liverpool 111 57 Mark Marzocchi Widewaters Group 112 58 Ryan Frantzis 114
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