On Wednesday, July 23, the public discussed a draft of a law that would turn the Town of New Scotland’s share of the Vista Technology Park development into a mixed economic development district.
Development of the tech park cannot begin until New Scotland changes the zoning regulations on the piece of land, which is currently zoned residential/agricultural.
Some of those who spoke at the a public hearing at the New Scotland Town Hall pushed for the proposed law to have more specific language and guidelines for environmental protection.
The Vista Technology Park, which will feature a variety of buildings and offices, will be located in both New Scotland and Bethlehem, and is being developed by the BBL Development Group.
The purpose of this [mixed economic development] district is to allow for coordinated inter-municipal development of planned office, industry, service and retail business and technology-based business, according to the law’s filing form.
The technology park is expected to cost an estimated $200 million and take up 458 acres. The project will require 1.4 million square feet of office space, and developers say it could lure up to 5,000 employees to the area.
New Scotland Supervisor Tom Dolin said that while New Scotland does currently have a moratorium on commercially developed zones, it would not apply to Vista now or if it were to become a mixed economic development district.
Dan Hershberg, who spoke on behalf of the developers, said the development would not be an intrusion on the residents of New Scotland.
`Only a portion of the town is looking to rezone,` Hershberg said.
He said that sewer and water will come from Bethlehem, and there is no roadway that will intrude on New Scotland.
Bob Prentiss, a former state Assemblyman, Albany County legislator and current local resident, said he supports the law that would permit the development.
`We recognize the need for jobs, and sound economic development. We’re not talking about any big-box retail, whatever retail is there would service the [tenants of the] buildings,` Prentiss said.
Resident Christine Galvin-Rettig said she was troubled by the absence of certain language in the law, specifically dealing with `performance standards,` and a definition for `light industry,` with regards to the environmental impact and function of the development.
Teresa Bakner, who spoke on behalf of the developers, said the proposal itself has built-in environmental standards, and those will limit the environmental impact of the development.
Galvin-Rettig replied that even though Vista plans to have its own environmental standards, municipal law is needed to govern them and keep them in check.
`There is absolutely no standards whatsoever attached to this law,` she said.`[The planning board] has no guidance whatsoever of what is appropriate and what isn’t.`
She said that she is glad there will be a Planning Board review, but the board does not have the `proper tools` to conduct the review because there is no language in the law to measure the plan against.
`The town needs to apply some unified standards,` Galvin-Rettig said.
She said the Planning Board cannot take each individual project and study it from a unique perspective, and that its job is to implement town law.
Dolin said New Scotland is trying to work with Bethlehem, draft a satisfactory version of the law and get the project moving.
`We’re trying to be cooperative with our neighbor,` Dolin said.
`New Scotland is trying to catch up to Bethlehem as far as developing the mixed economic development zone. Personally, I think [Galvin-Rettig] is probably right.`
Dolin said they must look into the issues raised at the meeting regarding zoning and industrial programs.
`We’ve been kind of slow on our end of it,` he said.
Mike Morelli, assistant director of economic development and planning in Bethlehem, said the conceptual master plan had been approved in July 2007 and the Bethlehem Planning Board is now waiting on individual building site proposals from Vista. He said they have been given a preliminary proposal for a 40,000-square-foot office building, but are mostly concerned with the water and sewer reports at this stage.
He said all the environmental reviews for Bethlehem have been completed.
A proposition to include Bethlehem’s definition of `light industry` and Colonie’s definition of performance standards was made at the meeting.
Dolin said Bethlehem’s light industry definition would most likely be included in the proposed law, which is expected to be voted on at the Aug. 13 meeting of the Town Board, although the final draft of the law would most likely not include performance standards.
Colonie’s performance standards include guidelines for noise, odor, vibration and glare.
They also include provisions related to hazardous materials, smoke and ash and material storage, according to the language of the law.
Dolin said the board has not expressed much interest in including Colonie’s performance standards into the new zoning law, although a final decision has not yet been made.
`The purpose of the public hearing is to entertain thoughts and suggestions,` Dolin said.
He and the board will discuss the suggestions before the next meeting, and come up with a revised draft of the law.
Spotlight Reporter Jarrett Carroll contributed to this story.“