Crystal Ridge Estates receives no community support

Fears of changing the landscape and small town feel of Brockport were the comments voiced over and over by citizens concerned by the proposed 311-acre Crystal Ridge Housing project.

"The reason so many people are here and the reason why this project has been investigated so heavily is that it could fundamentally change the nature of the Town of Sweden," resident Robert Westbrook said.

His comments were echoed by residents at the March 5 meeting who were concerned with roads already congested by traffic, those concerned with the project interfering with the proposed extension of Route 531 and with residents questioning who, other than the developer, would derive any benefit from the project moving forward.

The public hearing was to solicit comments from concerned residents, it wasn’t an interactive meeting, Craig McAllister, planning board chairman said.

Resident Ed Hamilton said three years ago when he was looking for a home and for a place to raise his family, Brockport was the place his family chose. "All that extra traffic and all those extra people will change the quality of life here."

Schultz Associates Senior Project Manager Ed Martin said the project team put together to answer the Town of Sweden Planning Board’s concerns have spent the past 18 months addressing them.

The planning process for the Crystal Ridge Estates project was begun back in 1999 by developer Al Spaziano and his staff. The site is bounded on the north by Fourth Section Road, on the south by White Road, east by Lake Road and on the west by Redman Road.

"Your planning board left no leaf unturned in the scoping process we just completed," he said.

The result of the scoping process is a more than four-inch thick document detailing the environmental impact concerns ranging from water run off to archaeology, schools and traffic situations.

Among the concerns the board had with the project was the ability of the sanitary sewer to handle an additional 152 single family homes, 456 apartments, 116 townhouses and 38 senior units, which could house 2,000 people; drainage issues and water supply and pressure.

"The sanitary sewer presently has adequate capacity but we will install a sewage pumping system," Martin said. "And on-site retention and detention ponds will be installed.

Martin said the pumping station on Lake Road is designed to pump 700,000 gallons of water a day and is presently only pumping 31,000 per day. "The capacity is barely being touched."

Traffic issues will be addressed in part, they said, by the installation of a traffic light on Lake Road, across from Shumway Road.

Eduardo Galan, a certified public account, addressed the audience and asked the town boards to investigate the financial viability of the project.

Jolene Bak said Brockport is a diamond in the rough. "This town is my oasis but adding this many people will change the quality of life here."

Written public comments will be accepted by the planning board until March 18.