White Pine SEQR Resolution — White-Pine-SEQRA-Resolution-12-8-20.pdf

SEQRA RESOLUTION
A regular meeting of the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (the “Agency’’) was
convened in public session, remotely by conference call or similar service pursuant to New York
State Executive Order 202.79 on December 8, 2020, at 8:00 a.m., local time.
The meeting was called to order by the (Vice) Chairman of the Agency and, upon roll being
called, the following members of the Agency were:
PRESENT: Patrick Hogan
Janice Herzog
Victor Ianno
Steve Morgan
Susan Stanczyk
Kevin Ryan
ABSENT: Fanny Villarreal
ALSO PRESENT: Robert M. Petrovich, Executive Director
Jeffrey W. Davis, Esq., Agency Counsel
Amanda M. Mirabito, Esq., Agency Counsel
. The following resolution was offered by Susan Stanczyk, seconded by Janice Herzog, to
wit:

RESOLUTION CLASSIFYING A CERTAIN PROJECT AS A TYPE I ACTION,
ISSUING A POSITIVE DECLARATION, AND DECLARING THE INTENT OF THE
ONONDAGA COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO BE LEAD
AGENCY FOR THE PREPARATION OF A SUPPLEMENTAL GENERIC
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PURSUANT TO THE STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACT
WHEREAS, Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (the “Agency”) is
authorized and empowered by the provisions of Chapter 1030 of the 1969 Laws of New York,
constituting Title 1 of Article 18-A of the General Municipal Law, Chapter 24 of the Consolidated
Laws of New York, as amended (the “Enabling Act”), Chapter 435 of the Laws of 1970 of the State
of New York and Chapter 676 of the Laws of 1975 of the State of New York, as amended (said
Chapter and the Enabling Act being hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Act”) to promote,
develop, encourage and assist in the acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, improving,
maintaining, equipping and furnishing of manufacturing, warehousing, research, commercial and
industrial facilities, among others, for the purpose of promoting, attracting and developing
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economically sound commerce and industry to advance the job opportunities, health, general
prosperity and economic welfare of the people of the State of New York, to improve their
prosperity and standard of living, and to prevent unemployment and economic deterioration; and

WHEREAS, to accomplish its stated purposes, the Agency is authorized and empowered
under the Act to acquire, construct, reconstruct and install “projects” (as defined in the Act) or to
cause said projects to be acquired, constructed, reconstructed and installed, and to convey said
projects or to lease said projects with the obligation to purchase; and
WHEREAS, the Agency currently owns White Pine Commerce Park (“Park”) located
northeast of the intersection of NYS Route 31 and Caughdenoy Road in the Town of Clay,
Onondaga County, New York; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to transform the Park into a modern industrial park for advanced
manufacturing and state-of-the-art industrial uses, the Agency previously performed a thorough
environmental review of the Park and its anticipated environmental impacts pursuant to Article 8
of the Environmental Conservation Law of the State of New York, as amended, and the regulations
of the Department of Environmental Conservation of the State of New York promulgated
thereunder (collectively referred to hereinafter as “SEQRA”), which included, but was not limited
to, the following: (1) classifying the Park project as a Type 1 action; (2) acting as Lead Agency
for the purpose of a coordinated environmental review; (3) conducting necessary studies and
holding required hearings in connection with the preparation of a Generic Environmental Impact
Statement (“GEIS”) to address anticipated potential impacts associated with the proposed multi-
use industrial park; (4) preparation of a subsequent Final GEIS (“FGEIS”) that incorporated the
DGEIS by reference and included responses to public comments received; and (5) preparation and
issuance by the Agency of a Findings Statement in October of 2013 that (a) concluded the project
avoided or minimized adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable, (b)
incorporated mitigation measures that were considered practicable, and (c) identified certain
impact thresholds that, if exceeded, may require supplemental determinations of their significance
and/or impact evaluation, and possibly mitigation measures in addition to those identified; and

WHEREAS, since 2013, the Agency has attempted to market the Park for development
around the country to potential manufacturing and industrial users, but those efforts have been
unsuccessful and the Park remains vacant; and
WHEREAS, through its marketing efforts and communications with desired tenants
around the country, the Agency has determined that the Park is not geographically large enough
and must be expanded significantly to be considered an attractive, viable location for prospective
large- and small-scale manufacturing and industrial developers; and
WHEREAS, to improve the Agency’s ability to market the Park to a larger, more diverse
mix of large- and small-scale industrial, manufacturing, and commercial users, the Agency
proposes to expand the existing Park to approximately 1,253 acres by acquiring approximately 800
additional acres to the north and east of the existing Park footprint, with such additional acreage
comprised of certain parcels contiguous to the current Park, and which are generally located along
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NYS Route 31 and the east and west sides of Burnett Road (the “Project” or “Action’”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to SEQRA, the Agency is required to make a determination whether
the “action” (as said quoted term is defined in SEQRA) to be taken by the Agency may have a
“significant impact on the environment” (as said quoted term is utilized in SEQRA) and the
preliminary agreement of the Agency to undertake the Project constitutes such an action; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to SEQRA (6 N.Y.C.R.R. § 617.9(7)(@), the Agency recognizes the
proposed Project represents a significant change from the Park’s current footprint that presents
changed circumstances from those evaluated by the Agency under its prior SEQRA review in
2013; and
WHEREAS, the Agency has prepared and completed a Full Environmental Assessment
Form (the “FEAF”) to aid in determining whether undertaking the Project requires a supplemental
GEIS; and
WHEREAS, the Agency has not approved the Project; and
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the members of the Onondaga County Industrial
Development Agency as follows:
(1) Based upon an examination of the FEAF prepared for the Project, the criteria
contained in 6 NYCRR §617.7(c), and based further upon the Agency’s knowledge of the area
surrounding the Project, and such further investigation of the Project and its potential significant
environmental impacts as the Agency has deemed appropriate, the Agency makes the following
findings and determinations with respect to the Project pursuant to SEQRA:
(A) The Project consists of the components described above in the seventh
WHEREAS clause of this resolution.
(B) The Project constitutes a “Type I Action” (as said quoted term is defined in
SEQRA).

(C) Based on its review and evaluation of the FEAF for the Project, a copy of
which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, the Agency hereby determines that the
Project represents a significant change from the Park’s current footprint and will
result in changed circumstances from those previously evaluated by the Agency in
the DGEIS/FGEIS, and the Agency hereby determines that the preparation of a
Supplemental GEIS (“SGEIS”) is necessary to adequately identify and evaluate
potential significant adverse impacts associated with the Project that are not
addressed or are inadequately addressed in the existing DGEIS/FGEIS.
(D) The Agency therefore determines that the Project requires that a supplement
to the FGEIS be prepared, and, therefore, a Notice of Intent to prepare a
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supplemental GEIS (i.e., a positive declaration) shall be issued, a copy of which is
attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(E) Asaconsequence of the foregoing, the Agency hereby declares its intent to
act as “Lead Agency” (as said term is defined in SEQRA) with respect to a
coordinated agency review of the Project pursuant to SEQRA, including the
preparation of a SGEIS, as explained in the Notice of Intent attached hereto as
Exhibit B.

(F) The Agency’s counsel shall arrange for publication and distribution of this
determination and notice of intent to be “Lead Agency” and is hereby authorized to
take such actions as are necessary and appropriate to assist the Agency in fulfilling
the requirements under SEQRA for the Project.
(2) A copy of this Resolution, together with the attachments hereto, shall be placed on
file in the office of the Agency where the same shall be available for public inspection during
business hours.
(3) This Resolution shall take effect immediately
The question of the adoption of the foregoing Resolution was duly put to a vote on roll call,
which resulted as follows:

AYE NAY ABSENT
Patrick Hogan x
Janice Herzog x
Victor Ianno xX
Steve Morgan x
Susan Stanezyk x
Kevin Ryan x
Fanny Villarreal x
The Resolution was thereupon declared duly adopted.
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STATE OF NEW YORK )
) $S.:
COUNTY OF ONONDAGA )
I, the undersigned Secretary of the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency, DO
HEREBY CERTIFY that I have compared the annexed extract of the minutes of the meeting of the
Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (the “Agency”) held on December 8, 2020, with
the original thereof on file in my office, and that the same (including all exhibits) is a true and correct
copy of the proceedings of the Agency and of the whole of such original insofar as the same relates
to the subject matters referred to therein.
I FURTHER CERTIFY that (i) all members of the Agency had due notice of such meeting,
(ii) pursuant to Section 104 of the Public Officers Law (Open Meetings Law), such meeting was
open to the general public and public notice of the time and place of such meeting was duly given in
accordance with such Section 104, (iii) the meeting was in all respects duly held, and (iv) there was
a quorum present throughout.
I FURTHER CERTIFY that, as of the date hereof, the attached resolution is in full force and
effect and has not been amended, repealed or rescinded.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Agency
this 8th day of December, 2020.
(eee Baws
Secretary
(SEAL)
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