N. Tonowanda, NY. Hearing Comes to Blows

North Tonawanda city clerk calls police when Wal-Mart hearing gets rowdy [Buffalo News (NY)]

Both opponents and supporters of a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter pushed their messages during a public hearing on the project’s environmental impact in City Hall Monday evening.

The fiery debate prompted City Clerk Thomas M. Jaccarino to call for assistance from city police 20 minutes into the session as verbal disputes erupted simultaneously in the front and back of the room.

The two uniformed officers maintained their presence among the more than 90 people who packed Council Chambers, but did not remove anyone from the room.

The Planning Commission held the public hearing to take comment on a proposal to build a 185,000-square-foot store near Niagara Falls Boulevard and Erie Avenue on the sites of the former Melody Fair and Bluebird Bus garage.

Commission members will have final say in the approval of a site plan and a proposed subdivision of 38 acres of land into five parcels. The supercenter would make up the largest parcel at 26 acres.

With every seat filled and some people jammed in doorways for the 60-minute hearing, many critics raised concerns over effects on traffic in the area if the project is approved.

Supporters, many of whom wore green “Wal-Mart Yes” stickers, expressed general support for having a Wal-Mart located in their city.

Hyland Avenue resident Susan Kuligowski called any traffic problems “growing pains,” and told those concerned to “get over it.”

“This town is stagnant,” Kuligowski said. “I’ve been here for five years, and it’s not getting any better.”

Frank Budwey, owner of Budwey’s Supermarket on Division Street, asked commission members about who would pay for some of the changes to mitigate traffic effects, like changes proposed for a traffic signal.

Budwey also criticized statistics put forth by a firm hired by Wal-Mart, FRA Engineering of Rochester, in the draft environmental impact statement.

“This traffic report just tells me this project should be killed,” he said.

Tammy Godyn of Ohio Street, who said she got the green stickers supporting Wal- Mart from a nearby Wal-Mart store, also said more than 2,000 city residents support the project by belonging to Lumber City Liaisons for Wal-Mart.

Godyn attributed the public criticism of the proposed Wal- Mart to “a few loud people.”

Written comments on the draft environmental impact statement may be sent to the city clerk’s office in City Hall, 216 Payne Ave., North Tonawanda, NY 14120. They will be accepted through Sept. 21. Copies of the impact statement are available in the city clerk’s office, North Tonawanda Public Library, and online at www.northtonawanda.org.