The Rotterdam Planning Commission is hoping a couple of new developments will revitalize the dormant West Campbell Road area.
Commission members heard a presentation from ABD Engineers for a proposed Dunkin’ Donuts off West Campbell Road at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
The proposed 1,840 square-foot Dunkin’ Donuts would sit on .85 acres of land where Flying W Caps Inc. used to be. The property has some contamination from an improperly maintained heating oil tank, which the developer Paul Camelo said he would clean up once the planning stage is finished.
The proposed development on West Campbell Road near the Rotterdam Square Mall would be next to the Long Pond Village apartment complex, which is scheduled to break ground soon. The complex will feature 192 apartment units in eight buildings.
Planning commission members were mostly receptive to the idea of the proposed Dunkin’ Donuts, which would have 16 parking spots and a drive-through. Camelo also owns two other Dunkin’ Donuts, one at Five Corners in Rotterdam and one on Broadway in Schenectady.
This is a nice project and it is near the gateway to our town. If it looks good I think it could be nice, planning commission member David Savini said.
Commission members did have concerns, especially because the development is on the aquifer where there is no town water or sewer systems.
Project engineer Luigi Palleschi of ABD Engineers said a temporary septic system would be installed until the site could hook into a sewer line planned for Long Pond Village apartments. Palleschi said many of the homes in neighborhoods surrounding the area have septic systems.
`Just because we allowed that then and it was a bad idea doesn’t mean we should continue with the bad idea,` commission member Daniel Brudos said.
Currently, city water will be pumped to the apartment complex and the developers for the complex have agreed to pay for upgrades to the Rotterdam Square Mall’s sanitary pump station that will go to the doughnut shop, which commission members said Camelo would also have to contribute to.
Commission members are also asking Camelo to install sidewalks around the property that connect with sidewalks at the apartment complex. Savini also suggested creating a pedestrian walkway from the apartment complex so residents could walk over to get coffee and doughnuts.
The planning commission was also scheduled to hear plans from developer Frank Popolizio for the construction of a 3,000 square-foot retail building and an 8,700 square-foot restaurant and banquet facility on a 3-acre parcel of land that used to be the Main Florist site. The business closed in 1999 and the building had deteriorated so much that it had become a serious issue with residents.
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