Residents will soon have their voices heard for those concerned about the potential shopping center on Maxwell Road, as a first draft traffic study is completed and town officials plan for a community forum.
Town Supervisor Paula Mahan said at the Thursday, July 23, Town Board meeting she received the first draft of a traffic study looking at the Albany Shaker and Maxwell road areas. The study, the most intensive the town has completed, was sparked when a Massachusetts developer proposed a 50.7-acre retail development at 645A Albany Shaker Road.
After consulting with Planning and Economic Development Department Director Joe LaCivita, Mahan said a team of town and county officials, engineers and developers has been made to study the traffic report in depth.
“With all the areas involved, it’s much more complicated than us making a recommendation,” Mahan said at the board’s agenda session Thursday night before the meeting.
Once the Town Board receives suggestions and recommendations based on the study, she said the town would schedule a forum for any residents concerned about the project and want to have their voices heard.
The traffic study looks not only at the Maxwell Road area, but down Albany Shaker and Wolf roads and beneath the Northway’s Exit 4 bridge—all areas where possible development could occur, said Mahan.
The study also takes into account the projects that have already gone through the planning process, or are far along in development, like the Pioneer Bank plaza at the corner of Albany Shaker and Wolf.
Mahan said the team of engineers and officials will make recommendations as to what developments would be best in the area and the impact on residents, since that section of town is so heavily populated.
“The town has never done this much traffic study for one area,” said Town Board member Paul Rosano. This is the first time Colonie has used two town-designated engineers for one traffic study, he said.
“It’s better if we can get a clear look at what the area is and get it step by step” rather than make a less careful suggestion, said Mahan.
According to Mahan, the Old Maxwell Road Shopping Center is different than other large retail developments due to it being so close to residential neighborhoods. All along Maxwell Road, the area the development would back against, are residences.
While the town cannot stop the land’s owner, the Hearst Corporation, from developing the parcel of land, town officials can look at what developments would best suit the area.
Mahan alone said she has been receiving hundreds of letter, emails and phone calls regarding the potential project, not including the comments other board members and town officials have been receiving.
“Some of the main concerns that are coming out are mainly traffic, and another is density,” Mahan said, and that the Town Board shares the same concerns.
Plans for the site detail two large retail buildings, one for a large retailer and another for multiple retailers, as well as three smaller spaces for two restaurants and a smaller business. The retail spaces will require special use permits from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).
The large retail building has been rumored to have interest from Cabela’s, an outdoor specialty store. Another retailer that had been rumored was Costco Wholesale, although reports have revealed Costco is not interested in the site.
The project, according to site plans, needs over 1,600 parking spaces. Wendy Holsberger with Creighton Manning Engineering said about 552 new trips coming and going to the site would be seen during peak evening hours.
So far, the project representatives have appeared once before the ZBA and Planning Board. A second ZBA meeting had been scheduled for Thursday, July 16, but it has been postponed to Thursday, Sept. 3.
