Clay Town Board Approves New Northern Credit Union Drive-Thru, Addresses Traffic Safety
The Town Board approved a special permit for a new Northern Credit Union location on Route 31 and moved to lower speed limits on Mud Mill Road. Residents voiced strong opposition to a potential road connection for the Hinerwadels site development during a public hearing.
●Approved Special Permit for Northern Credit Union drive-thru at 3584 State Route 31 (4-0 vote)
●Adopted Local Law No. 1 to reduce speed limit on Mud Mill Road from 55 MPH to 45 MPH (4-0 vote)
●Adjourned public hearing on Local Law No. 2 regarding gas station permits to Dec. 1, 2025
●Accepted 2024 Judicial Audit and approved intermunicipal sign agreement with Lysander (4-0 votes)
●Appointed Brian Bender as Stormwater and Floodplain Administrator
●Heard public opposition regarding Hinerwadels zone change and potential Wally Road connection
CLAY — The Town Board moved forward with plans for a new banking facility and took steps to address traffic safety concerns on local roads during its regular meeting on Nov. 17.
Leading the agenda was the approval of a special permit for Northern Credit Union, which seeks to build a new branch with drive-in services at 3584 State Route 31 in Baldwinsville.
The project, located on a 1.3-acre parcel in the RC-1 Regional Commercial District, received a favorable recommendation from the Planning Board in October. Councilor Eugene Young introduced the resolution, which was seconded by Councilor Deborah Magaro-Dolan.
Following the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR), the board determined the project would not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. The board voted 4 to 0 to approve the special permit, with Councilor David Capria, Young, Magaro-Dolan, and Deputy Supervisor Joseph Bick in favor. Supervisor Damian Ulatowski and Councilors Ryan Pleskach and Edward Wisnowski were absent.
In a move aimed at improving residential safety, the board unanimously adopted Local Law No. 1 of 2025. The law amends the town code to reduce the speed limit on the west end of Mud Mill Road from 55 MPH to 45 MPH. The new speed zone will extend from Caughdenoy Road to the Town of Cicero line, and the measure authorizes the installation of necessary signage.
The board also addressed administrative matters, accepting the 2024 Judicial Audit and approving a new three-year intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Lysander for sign creation services, running from Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2028.
Additionally, Brian Bender, Commissioner of Planning and Development, was appointed as the town’s new Stormwater and Floodplain Administrator, a role previously held on a temporary basis by Town Engineer Ron DeTota.
**Residents Oppose Road Connection**
The most contentious portion of the evening involved a public hearing for the Hinerwadels site, a proposed zone change for 29.1 acres located at 5300 W. Taft Road. The applicant seeks to rezone the land from R-10 One-Family Residential and LuC-2 Limited Use District to R-7.5 One-Family Residential and O-2 Office District to facilitate construction of residential and commercial lots.
While the Planning Board issued a 7-0 favorable recommendation, residents from nearby Wally Road attended the meeting to express concern over the potential for a new road connection that would link the development to their street.
Ben Harrell of CHA, representing the applicant, distributed a legal description and noted that a traffic study is currently in progress. The study will assess 13 intersections, including the intersections of West Taft Road and Buckley Road, Route 11, and Wally Road.
Deputy Supervisor Bick clarified that no decision on the zone change would be made until the board has reviewed the completed traffic study.
Residents voiced opposition to connecting the new development to Wally Road, citing fears of increased traffic volume, speeding, and delays. One resident questioned the board about the existence of a document that would permanently designate Wally Road as a dead-end, while another implored the board to "listen to the people."
Councilor Young noted that the current application strictly concerns the zone change. Any decision regarding a connection to Wally Road would likely come at a later stage or from a different board, unless specifically stipulated in the approval.
The board also held a public hearing regarding Local Law No. 2, which would require a special permit for gasoline service stations within shopping centers. The law aims to clarify zoning language after a recent discrepancy in interpretation between the Town Board and the Planning Board. As no public comments were offered, the hearing was adjourned to the Dec. 1 meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
This article was drafted by AI (claude-sonnet-4-20250514) from the official meeting transcript and reviewed by a human editor.
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Related Town Board Meetings
Clay Town Board Adopts $9.2M Special Districts Budget, Lowers Speed Limit on Mud Mill Road
●Deputy Supervisor Salary Increase: Approved raising the monthly salary from $1,981 to $3,621.06 for six months, citing increased workload. (Vote: 6-0; Councilor Bick abstained)
●Rite Aid Tax Settlement: Authorized a $19,316.84 refund to Rite Aid Corp. for overpaid 2024 taxes due to an assessment error on Henry Clay Boulevard. (Vote: 7-0)
●Rich Family Subdivision: Denied a zone change application for Oasis Lane "without prejudice" after the applicant failed to appear and multiple meeting adjournments. (Vote: 7-0)
●New Court Clerk Position: Established a full-time Court Clerk position in the Justice Department to comply with NYS Civil Service regulations. (Vote: 7-0)
●Northern Credit Union Public Hearing: Closed a public hearing for a proposed credit union with a drive-thru on West Taft Road; the Planning Board has issued a favorable recommendation.
Taft Road Development Draws Crowd as Clay Board Unveils Flat Tax Levy Budget
●2026 Tentative Budget Approved: The board approved a roughly $23 million budget. Comptroller Paula Caron stated the plan stays below the state tax cap and results in no town tax increase for residents.
●Hinerwadels Zone Change Adjourned: A public hearing regarding the rezoning of 29.1 acres on West Taft Road for residential and commercial use was adjourned to November 17 to allow for a traffic study.
●SPCA Contract Renewed: The board authorized agreements with the CNY SPCA for dog control and animal cruelty services effective January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028.
●IT Services Renewed: The board renewed a contract with NetManageIT for technology services for one year, starting November 1, 2025.
●Speed Limit Review Adjourned: A proposal to lower the speed limit on the west end of Mud Mill Road from 55 mph to 45 mph was adjourned to November 5.
●Special Districts Hearings Set: Public hearings for the 2026 Special Districts and Fire Protection budgets were scheduled for November 5.
Final Steps for Micron, Farewells as Clay Town Board Wraps Up 2025
●Annual Salaries Set: Board approved 2026 salaries ranging from $21,218 for councilors to $137,500 for the Commissioner of Planning & Development (Vote: 7-0).
●Meeting Schedule Adjusted: Regular meetings moved to the first and third Mondays at 7:30 PM; three meetings (Feb 16, July 6, Aug 3) were cancelled (Vote: 7-0).
●Legal Services Retained: Germain & Germain retained as Town Attorney and Zoning Board counsel; Bond, Schoeneck & King retained for Planning Board at $36,000 (Vote: 7-0).
●Engineering Services: C & S Engineers retained for town services and zoning map updates (Vote: 7-0).
●Deputy Supervisor Named: Councilor Joseph Bick appointed as Deputy Supervisor (Vote: 7-0).
●Planning Board Appointments: Michelle Borton reappointed as Chair; Harold Henty appointed to a seven-year term expiring in 2032 (Vote: 7-0).
●Zoning Map Adopted: Board accepted the revised Official Zoning Map dated Dec. 12, 2025 (Vote: 7-0).
●Board of Ethics: Town Clerk Jill Hageman-Clark appointed Chairperson for a five-year term (Vote: 7-0).
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