Rezoning Would Multiply a Lawton Road Parcel From 8 Possible Lots to 61

Key Actions & Decisions

• ◆ Town Board opened the public hearing on Case #1251, The Reserve at Clay (RA-100 to R-7.5 rezoning for ~61 lots on 20.18 acres at 8201 Lawton Road), May 18, 2026, then reopened it June 15 after a Planning Board recommendation; no final vote appears in the record.
• ◆ Applicant Cornerstone Homes CNY LLC, represented by Tim Coyer of Ianuzi & Romans, proposes demolishing the existing house at 8201 Lawton Road and building 61 lots around a loop road extending Harriet Fisher Drive, connecting to Lawton Road at the site's northeast corner.
• ◆ Commissioner of Planning and Development Brian Bender told the Town Board the parcel could yield only 8 to 10 lots if it stayed zoned RA-100, versus the 61 proposed under R-7.5.
• ◆ Planning Board recommended the zone change 5-1 on June 10, 2026 (Henty, Guinup, Palumbo, Mitchell and Chairwoman Borton in favor; Graves opposed, saying he would "go with the neighbors" and proposing RA-100 as an alternative) -- after two sessions (May 27 and June 10) in which the Town of Cicero, which shares jurisdiction over Lawton Road, never responded to Clay's outreach for comment.
• ◆ Onondaga County Planning Board found no significant adverse implications but recommended county health department/OCWA sign-off on wastewater extensions, walkable connections to the surrounding area, and stormwater facilities kept on their own lots.
• ◆ Residents at the May 18 Town Board hearing raised drainage, wildlife (including red-tailed hawks and blue herons) and trash concerns; applicant's representative Tim Coyer said state law bars new development from worsening a neighbor's drainage, and the Deputy Supervisor said there are no wetlands on the property.
• ◆ At the May 27 and June 10 Planning Board hearings, residents David Yates (5404 Brisbane Trail) and Nick Gallipeau (3201 Harriet Fisher Drive) objected to the loss of trees and to added traffic on Lawton Road.
• ◆ The minutes describe the applicant's traffic study two different ways four weeks apart: "no significant impact" on May 18, versus "there will be impact with this construction" on June 15; resident Chris Underwood told the Town Board the study dates to November 2024 and does not account for Micron-related traffic growth, and raised concerns about speed and unhelmeted e-bike riders on Lawton Road.