Archive: Around Town

Concerned neighbors came to Monday's Planning Board meeting Monday for two public hearings concerning developments near their homes.  The Lansing Commons project proposes to build a combination of single family homes, townhouses, and apartments south of the corner of Woodsedge Drive and Cayuga Vista Drive.  The more ambitious Cayuga Farms Town Homes seeks to build 138 townhouses on the west side of Triphammer Road between Michaeleen's Florist and Asbury Road.  (Click maps below for larger view.)

Lansing Commons will be built in three phases.  The first will largely involve single family homes, the second will add townhouses, and the third will add apartments and possibly commercial buildings to the mix.  It will have its own package plant to handle sewage.

pb0209_lansingcommonsplan800.jpgResident Hugh Bahar asked whether the project conforms with Lansing's comprehensive plan.  Attorney Lorraine Moynihan Schmitt noted that the Planning Board directed the developer provide information as to how the PDA (Planned Development Area development plan) would conform with the comprehensive plan.

"It was one of our primary considerations," said Planning Board member Larry Sharpsteen.  "We wanted the opportunity to have some businesses, which are allowed in that area, combined with some density in housing which would allow people to concentrate where we were originally going to have some infrastructure."

That means sewer.  When the Lansing sewer project fell through developer Ronald Secord consulted with the DEC (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation) on the possibility of building his own, small sewage treatment plant on the site.  Residents were concerned that taxpayers would be forced to maintain the plant after it is built.  But Planning Board members explained that the plant would be paid for by people living within the benefit district.  In other words residents of the development would be charged annually in the same way water district customers are charged for water.  No one outside the development will ever pay for it.

Roger Vanderpoel, who lives near the site said he is concerned about additional traffic.  He noted that commuters use Cayuga Vista Drive and Woodsedge Drive as a shortcut to try to avoid the East Shore Drive / Ridge Road traffic light and to outrun trucks.  Vanderpoel said that residents have asked for stop signs to slow traffic along the route in the past, but with no response from the Town.  He said the additional traffic from residents of the development would likely exacerbate an already dangerous situation.  "When you talk about high density, it's a lot of cars," he said.


"Traffic is an issue that we are ready to address," replied Planning Board member Tom Ellis.  "We will address it as the project moves forward as far as density and traffic.  It's definitely on the radar."

Planning Board member Nancy Longto noted that the Planning Board had received a traffic study that will help the board determine how traffic should be dealt with.  The next night Deputy Supervisor Connie Wilcox asked at the Town Board meeting about erecting stop signs.  Highway Superintendent Jack French said that a stop sign will go on the corner of the two roads once the first phase of the development is built.

When asked about the cost of the units developer Secord said that it will be market driven.  But some saw subsidies for 'affordable housing,' as an opportunity.  "Affordable housing at the state level is about $210,000," said Warren Real Estate's Chris Vann.  "In some folks' mind it's a little higher than they might expect.  There are folks that are willing to work with new technologies and housing costs to make a nice community and make it look good, but make it so someone can come here and work, and be a part of our community."

The next step for Lansing Commons is for the Planning Board to recommend acceptance of the PDA to the Town Board.  Planning Board members said they need more time to consider the proposal at their meeting next month before doing that.

pb0209_cayugafarmsplan800.jpgThe second public hearing considered an environmental review of the Cayuga Farms project, though residents were more concerned about what it would do to the rural flavor of their neighborhood.  This project proposes to build 138 townhouses in four separate phases on what is now farm land on the west side of Triphammer Road.  The project depends on sewer, and engineer Tim Buhl said that the developers do not yet have agreements  to hook into the Village of Lansing's sewer or for the Cayuga Heights Waste Treatment Plant to treat effluent from the project.

Resident Ed Ebersole said he is concerned about potential drainage problems that would effect his land, and how 138 families would impact traffic.  "To me it's ridiculous," he said.  "I can barely get out of my driveway now to go to work.  I can imagine what will happen -- they'll be backed up right to the mall."

Elizabeth Hegarty said that she learned the sale of the property closed in December.  "If that's the case is this hearing tonight a mere rubber stamp?" she asked.  "Is this a done deal?"

Vann, the real estate agent who sold the land, said he thought it is probably not a 'done deal.'  "That's why you have good citizens here giving of their time to see that things don't just get rubber stamped."



Hegarty also expressed concern about how the development will effect existing views, the environment, including air and noise pollution, and the length of time it will take to build the whole project.  "I've lived in a sewer district where, frankly, I wasn't able to walk on my street for a couple of years because the roads were torn up where the sewers were being built," she said.  "I don't know if people know how long, how dirty, and what a mess the roads are going to be for a long period of time."

Dan Pace, who owns a driving range near the project said he was concerned that people who buy homes in the development will complain about the bright lights he has installed for his business.  "I don't want complaints coming back to me after you build this," he said. 


"It's like the airport syndrome," noted Tim Buhl, the engineer and agent for the project.  "People build a house next to the airport and then complain about the noise.  We understand."

Pat Prior asked what the time line is for the project.  "We're trying to get at least preliminary approval of the concept, the densities, and the layout we have," Buhl said.  "We have densities that are consistent with what is allowed in the zone, and we think it's a good project.  We're hoping that in the next six months we'll get preliminary approval and get the sewer issue cleaned up, and begin construction some time this summer or early in the fall.  We anticipate it to be about a twelve year buildout."

Longto suggested that the planning board ask for a traffic study, and said that while the fire department has weighed in on the impact the new community would have, they have not heard from the school district, the recreation department or police regarding the impact a community of that volume and density would bring.

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