Sweden residents again voice opposition to Wal-Mart plan

Sweden residents again voice opposition to Wal-Mart plan

Larger site plan considered for proposed supercenter

Wal-Mart officials have been trying to get the go ahead to construct a supercenter in the Town of Sweden for three years now. November 20 will mark the three year anniversary of when the company first applied to the town's planning board for a special use application for the construction of a 203,500 square foot store about one mile east of Route 19 on Route 31.

As part of the process, Wal-Mart has hosted public hearings, gathered information from residents, listened to concerns and worked with the New York State Department of Transportation and the State Environmental Quality Review board in an effort to meet their requirements.

A draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) was completed and presented to the town's planning board in December 2003 with the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) accepted by the board on June 20, 2005.

The November 14 public hearing was to apprise residents of updates that had been made to the location of the proposed supercenter and to let the public know the project would encompass 26.3 acres rather than the originally proposed 21.3.

The supercenter construction would involve extensive road improvements and upgrades. The store would feature 36 general merchandise departments, a grocery department, one-hour photo processing lab, pharmacy and a tire and lube area.

The updated site plan calls for the store to be situated facing west and Route 31 would be reconstructed to encompass a dedicated left turn lane.

"One of the significant reasons we're here tonight is because of the increase in acreage," John Bennett from APD Engineers told the close to 50 people who attended the meeting. "With the addition of the acreage we can add green space and address storm water mitigation."

In the new proposed design, there will also be a driveway added to Transit Way from the property; removal of the truck driveway from Route 31 access; and the additions of a bicycle lane, sidewalks from Talamora Trail to the Hess Station on Route 31 and a sidewalk from Route 31 to the storefront.

"DOT is reviewing the final engineering revisions for the highway permit and we've obtained a wetland permit from the Corps of Engineers," Bennett said.

Before opening the floor to questions, Sweden Planning Board Chairman Craig McAllister reminded residents that they were there to address changes to the site plan.

"The issue tonight is not to stop the development," he said. "The plan for this site meets the qualifications as set forth in the current zoning and development for the community. We can't deny the construction of a building, or a business, that is in accord with our current zoning."

"The reality is that this will happen, right?" Richard Fenton asked.

"Yes," McAllister said.

Lynn Cole said, "You are supposed to protect this community. You could have said no to this proposal."

Ralph Sisson addressed the board, the crowd and Wal-Mart officials with his concerns over traffic issues, even though that was not the meeting's topic. "Traffic and ambient noise just haven't been addressed," he said. "The constant running of the HVAC units on the roof of the store hasn't been addressed."

Sisson said the decibel level of the units, which turn on every six minutes and run for three minutes, is 92 decibels. "Seventy decibels is normal street level noise, 85 decibels is lawn mower noise," he explained. "Putting up a berm won't stop the noise."

As for the traffic issues, Sisson said, they are insurmountable. "The total number of cars traveling this stretch of highway has never been counted," he said. "I see those cars run, like mercury, down the road from the proposed site."

He said that traffic lights won't alleviate the problem; they will just jam up the roadways even further.

"The quantity of traffic will defeat mitigation purposes," he said. "It will be a mitigated disaster."

Traffic was raised as an issue by several other speakers as well.

Corey Putnam asked the board to "please see the people whose houses this construction will affect. I realize that impassioned pleas won't work," she said. "But please forget about the parking lot and put people before parking lots."

McAllister said town ordinances state how many parking spaces there need to be for a retail store based on the number of square feet the store encompasses.

"What is the town's authority to limit a 24-hour operation?" Putnam asked. "It's preposterous to think we will have to hear the sound of intercoms all night long. We need protection from Wal-Mart."

John Egan was the only one who spoke favorably about the proposed construction. "This has been going on for three years. I urge the board to approve the project," he said. "Wal-Mart has chosen the right location - they picked an existing commercially zoned property and because of that they minimized urban sprawl. I, for one, look forward to late night, one stop shopping and I'm sure I will see you there," he said to the audience members.

Peggy Hale was concerned with the visual impact the construction would have on the town.

"Wal-Mart missed a golden opportunity to polish its much tarnished image when they designed this big box store," she said. "Wegmans is a model for landscaping, the Pet Smart building shows more imagination than this big box that's being proposed.

The next step, McAllister told the audience, was for the planning board to work with the applicant at upcoming planning board meetings to finalize site plans.