Johnson City, NY. Board to Decide on WMT

Wal-Mart’s impact focus of hearing [Press & Sun-Bulletin (NY)]

The Johnson City Planning Board expects to make a decision later this month that could pave the way for a Wal-Mart Supercenter at a brownfield site.

About 75 people attended a meeting Monday night at the village courthouse for a public hearing concerning subdividing the site at 90 Lester Ave. into two parcels.

Developer Marc Newman would like to divide the site into a 12.38-acre lot for the proposed Wal-Mart, and a 1.287-acre lot for retail/restaurant space. The planning board also discussed the project’s environmental impact.

Planning board Chairman Gerald Putman told the crowd he expects the planning board to rule on the project’s environmental impact at the planning board’s next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25. The board is still waiting for the state Department of Transportation to finish reviewing the planner’s proposed changes to the traffic signal timing.

At the meeting on Sept. 25, the board is also expected to make a decision about the subdivision. Furthermore, Johnson City trustees and mayor could then make a decision during their meeting at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 about a special permit that is needed for a retail store, such as Wal-Mart, to operate in an industrial zone.

Traffic and storm water were the dominant concerns for those who spoke during the meeting about the proposed 24-hour, 132,000-square-foot Wal-Mart.

Heather Wilcox of Lake Avenue, Binghamton, said she was concerned about “the traffic impact in this predominately residential neighborhood.”

Wilcox also said her neighborhood already floods when water levels rise and she’s concerned Wal-Mart will only exacerbate the problem.

Robert Switala, project engineer with Bergmann Associates, said Wal-Mart will use an underground system that will collect storm water and release the storm water slowly into Choconut Creek. The new system will reduce the amount of storm water Choconut now receives during heavy storms by half, Switala said.

Johnson City Public Works Director Bob Bennett reviewed the storm-water plans and substantiated the planner’s claims.

“There is actually going to be less going into Choconut Creek post construction,” he said.

Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Tuesday, September 11, 2007

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