Sweden residents and town council members got a first look February 28 at what a proposed townhouse development on Fourth Section Road might look like.
Stonehaven Commercial of Fairport is proposing a 148 unit town home community on 24 acres of land just east of the Brockport Free Methodist Church, and public hearing was held February 28 prior to the regular town board meeting regarding re-zoning of the vacant land from R1-3S Single Family Residence to MR-1 Multiple Residence. The development would be known as Townhomes at Stonebriar Glen.
Bob Cantwell of BME Associates made a presentation regarding the proposed development and re-zoning. He said the land is adjacent to a B-1 Zone which means the proposed MR-1 zoning works well for the site. “It’s a reasonable transition of intensity of land use,” Cantwell said. He noted such a development, which would appeal to empty-nesters and young professionals, fits with the town’s comprehensive plan, which calls for, “diversity of housing in the Town of Sweden. We feel this offers that diversity,” Cantwell said.
But several residents who live along that portion of Fourth Section Road said they worry about the zoning change and additional traffic the development might bring.
Andrew Stoker, who lives on Hartshorn Drive off Fourth Section Road (Route 31), said he can wait up to seven minutes to pull onto Fourth Section Road. “There are concerns of safety,” he said. “Turns cause accidents and there is also concern over the changes at the Route 531 terminus.”
Sweden Supervisor Robert Carges noted work is expected to begin soon on the Route 531 Terminus Improvement project which will result in westbound traffic flowing straight onto Route 31 past Route 36 in Ogden.
Stoker said additional concerns include a large deer population in the area and the rate of speed of motorists, which he says increases significantly once drivers get past Wegman’s heading west.
Cantwell said traffic is not expected to increase significantly if the project is built. Currently, 14,000 vehicles pass through the stretch of Fourth Section Road each day, he said. During the peak of the morning drive, the development is expected to increase traffic by 69 vehicles.
Residents responded that the area is already constrained by heavy traffic and the addition of any more vehicles should be avoided. “It’s a very dangerous road with serious accidents,” resident Bret Schmidt said.
Others noted that the nearby busy intersection of Fourth Section Road and Lake Road (Route 19) which they said “has been in failure” for decades. Adding housing in the area with, “this kind of density is a huge risk,” one speaker said.
Supervisor Rob Carges closed the public hearing after one hour of questions and discussion. The Town Board did not take any action on the zoning change during their regular meeting.
In other business, Jackie Davis of the Greater Brockport Development Corporation, spoke to council members regarding upcoming special events in early July.
She said as part of the state’s celebration of the bicentennial of the start of construction of the Erie Canal, the Albany Symphony Orchestra will play a concert on the canal in Brockport on Friday, July 7.
“There will be a festival atmosphere all day long,” she said of July 7, and explained that because the concert falls so close to the community’s Fourth of July celebrations, it has been decided to stretch that festival atmosphere over the entire week – from the fireworks at the Sweden/Clarkson Community Center on July 3 to the Friday concert on the 7th.
Davis said the Morgan-Manning House in the Village of Brockport has activities on July 4 and there is the possibility of the performance of a play on July 5. July 6 marks the first Summer Serenades concert of the season in the village.
“We are proposing the Town of Sweden formally participate in what we are calling Canal 200 Week,” Davis said. She requested the Town of Sweden provide $150 in funding for marketing expenses. Council members voted unanimously to do so.
