On July 11, the Guilderland town board was presented with, and adopted, a proposed scope document on the proposed $100 million development project the Glass Works Village.
The scoping session, said Town Supervisor Kenneth Runion, is the beginning stage of a State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR), a state required act that urges government agencies to consider environmental impacts equally with social and economic factors during the decision-making process.
The next step in the SEQR process after the presentation of the scope document is the preparation of Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).
(The scoping session) allows the community to have some recommendations as to what they would like covered by the DEIS,` said Runion.
While the public was quiet about what they would like to see from the developers, members of the town council and Runion weighed in on some concerns they would like to see addressed by the developers, Platform Realty Group.
`How will the scope of this project affect community life?` asked councilman David Bosworth, who then added he would like to see `how this project will contribute to the formation of a town center in respect to community life across the town.`
The project, spread over 57-acres, will include 345 residential units and 195,000 square feet of commercial space. It will be located on Winding Brook Drive between Guilderland Public Library and the YMCA.
The project, labeled `New Urbanism,` will place an emphasis on walking, rather than driving, from place to place, and Runion said he would like to see more specifics on how The Glass Works Village hopes to accomplish this, especially in light of traffic concerns in the area.
`I want discussion on how that integration is going to be made,` said Runion.
Architect Dominick Ranieri, a project partner, said, `This whole project was designed to meet those kind of standards.`
Besides alleviating traffic concerns, less traffic volume has another positive effect.
`The more walkable the community is and the more integrated it is with the community around it,` said Runion, `the more environmentally friendly it is.`
Runion said one of the goals of the project is to get away from suburban sprawl.`
At the meeting, Runion brought up a second concern dealing with where the positive financial impacts of the project will occur and what impact they’ll have on the larger community.
`I’d like to see something that shows a positive financial impact,` said Runion. `Show people their tax burden won’t be increased.`
Runion said that the project would only generate positive financial benefits if tax revenues from the commercial and residential influx are greater than those services that will need to be provided including schools, police and utility services.
`Are we going to be generating more taxes than the services receive?` asked Runion. `Where do we meet the balance?`
Runion said the next step would be a public comment period until Sept. 15, until which time the town will be accepting public input. The adopted scope document will be available for review at Guilderland Public Library, Altamont Free Library and the town clerk’s office.“