Wal-Mart states its case at public hearing

Will a supersized Wal-Mart in the Town of Sweden be a benefit or a detriment to the surrounding area? While there is no clear cut answer to that question, more than 300 concerned residents gathered on February 9 to voice their opinions - some for and some against - the proposed construction of a 203,000 square foot Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Wal-Mart and Town of Sweden planning board officials were on hand for the public hearing in the Brockport High School. It was a time for comments by residents and presentations by Wal-Mart officials on the proposed construction of a 203,000 square foot supercenter.

The draft environmental impact study (DEIS) was broken down into smaller chunks and visuals shown on an overhead screen as Wal-Mart officials stated their case for the project. Neal Madden, attorney for Wal-Mart, pointed out that the construction is in keeping with the Town of Sweden's recently completed Comprehensive Plan that "envisions and supports the continued commercial use of the proposed project site, consistent with the current commercial zoning of property."

It was pointed out that with Wal-Mart's acquisition of additional acreage, the proposed facility meets all of the requirements of the existing commercial zoning and is not anticipated to require any variances. "The above factors indicate that the project will be consistent with, and will not significantly impact, the community character in the project vicinity," Madden said. "The proposed project is a permitted use under the current B-1 Commercial-Retailing zoning of the property."

Wal-Mart is not anticipating requesting any site variances for the construction of its supercenter. The proposed store would be approximately one mile east of the intersections of Route 31 and 19 in Brockport. It would involve extensive road improvements and upgrades and would encompass a 21.3-acre lot. The store would feature 36 general merchandise departments, a grocery department, one-hour photo processing lab, pharmacy and a tire and lube area. The tire and lube area would host an eight bay garage area that would be used mainly for installation of items purchased in the store or for oil changes.

Some of the issues addressed in the DEIS were traffic flow and impact on neighboring properties including noise, light, air quality and buffering plans. For the completion of the required DEIS, it was concluded that the existing roadway could accommodate the proposed increased traffic flow. Improvements to the roadway would be undertaken by Wal-Mart as part of the proposed construction including installation of a westbound left turn lane, installation of an eastbound right turn lane, extension of the east and westbound right turn lanes and installation of a traffic signal at the proposed driveway location on Route 31.

The DEIS study concluded that there would be no significant noise, lighting or visual impacts on the neighboring properties because they will all be effectively mitigated through installation of an 8-10 foot fence, special lenses on the lights to prevent light spillage and the avoidance of glare on adjacent properties, and installation of landscaping will mitigate the visual impacts to the community.

Wal-Mart offered three alternatives for the situation of the store on the lot. Town planning board officials will have the final say on which way the store should be laid out on the site.

Walter Uhrman questioned portions of the document that indicated the project will "result in a significant net positive fiscal impact to local governments and service providers that will more than offset the costs associated with additional service demands resulting from the new facility." Uhrman said the document is fraudulent. "It's bogus and it won't stand up," he said. "We need you, the board, to be our advocates in this matter."

Jennifer Skoog-Harvey said she was disappointed in the document and the way it addressed traffic safety and school district revenues. The DEIS indicates that the school district will receive $127,000 in additional revenues, on average, over a 10-year period. "Having 400-500 cars traveling Route 31 at peak time is a safety concern that wasn't adequately addressed," she said.

Concerns were raised by Ray Duncan, a member of the Walkable Community Committee. The committee's goal is to direct attention to the physical environment as it pertains to walking and biking. "It is imperative to have sidewalks available and I don't see that as part of the plan."
Community character was addressed by Kathleen Goetz, Sweden's historian. "We need to preserve the essential character of the town," she said. "Do we need to obliterate that which is historic and essential?"

There were many in the audience sporting "Yes to Wal-Mart" badges. One of those was Drew Blum, who has a vested interest in Wal-Mart's construction as he is one of the owners of the land Wal-Mart proposed to build on. Blum pointed out that Wal-Mart is not asking for variances and that because the construction is consistent with the master plan there is no reason they cannot proceed legally with the construction.

John Egan said the quality of life in the town will increase with additional access to 24-hour shopping and increased competition.

A shopper tired of leaving Brockport for bargains, Heather Gavin said she shouldn't have to drive a half an hour to get competitive prices. "Wal-Mart can do good for our community and will add to the tax base," she pointed out. "Besides, having a Wal-Mart in town is not a new concept."

Residents have until February 19 to submit written comments for consideration in the final compilation of the DEIS.