Island Dispatch, 2007-10-05

              Island Dispatch V01.63 No. 29 20 Pages October 5, 2007 $1.00 For Home Del/very of the Island Dispatch Call 773-7676 773-7676 S Niagara Frontier Publications proud publishers of Island Dispatch Lewisfon-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver Niagara-Wheatn'eld Tribune www<wnypapers.com Knights Host Pig Roast ) page. 2 Love Road Car Accident page 3 No Job is Too Small page 7 CROP Walk basks in the sunshine What a difference a year makes, Grand Island Town Supervisor Peter McMahon said Sunday before the CROP Walk at Beaver Island. The fundraising walk-a-thon, and acronym for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty, was held in summery weather Sunday beginning at Beaver Island State. Park, a far cry from a year ago, when the event took place soon after the infamous October Surprise storm. Paul Robinson, retired pastor at Trinity Lutheran and event organizer, said 110 walkers took part in lannello appointed to Greenway Fund Standing Committee Legislator Michele M. lannello, D-Kenmore, announced Thursday that she has been formally designated as the Erie County appointee to the Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee. The appointment took place by resolution at the Sept. 27 session of the Erie County Legislature with overwhelming, bipartisan support lannello had sought to have the 10th Legislative district representative named the county representative on the standing committee. She had received letters of support for her resolution from the Town Board of Tonawanda and the City Council of Tonawanda. The Town Board of Grand Island had also voted 5-0 at a workshop meeting on Sept. 24 to send a letter in support. "I look forward to taking on this role. I am excited and op- timistic that we can improve the quality of life for all of us through this long term source of funding," lannello said in a statement Thursday.The Greenway Plan is a regional concept that involves the parks, trails, environmental resources, cultural heritage, public access, Country Club Cottages proposal slammed at public hearing by Larry Austin Environmental attorney Richard Lippes said that in his 37 years of work, he had seen only one draft environmental impact statement less detailed than the one discussed at a public hearing in Grand Island Town Hall Monday, and that was a previous DEIS submitted by the applicant. Opponents of the development who followed lippes to the microphone were less charitable. The DEIS for Country Club Cottages, a 67-unit patio home cluster development bordered by Fix, Fareway, and Baseline roads, was stomped like a grape by residents in the surrounding neighborhood. Only Michael Metzger of Metzger Civil Engineering, representing the applicant, John Stickl, spoke in favor of the proposal. Metzger said the two-year-old project had undergone "substantial change" from the original iteration and that Stickl had made a "significant improvement* that has mirrirriized adverse impacts and "provided a lot of benefit." The development, aimed at "active adults," evolved into a cluster plan, which preserved 13 acres of the 28.5-acre parcel, Metzger said. He added: •A redesign avoids wetlands • Clustering ensures landowner rights •Neighbors benefit from additional buffering •The town has decreased infrastructure costs and increased long-term savings •Creative design preserves natural areas, with 45 percent more open space. •The project plan will result in more wetland. New habitat created will "outweigh small initial losses," Metzger said. "Clearly the cluster plan turned out to be the best option." •The project "fills a need in the community" for "active adult" housing that requires less maintenance.Gary Wochaldo asked the board to weigh the facts and warned the town against putting a development on what he called poor soil. Lois Shriver called the DEIS flawed, inaccurate and a complete fabrication of fact "Surely Mr. Stickl could find a better location for this project" she said. Anita and Ray DeGlopper, owners of property west of Stickl's property asked what constitutes a change in the character of a neighborhood? Anita DeGlopper said there is no guarantee that only seniors will live in the development."We hope that the town will really listen to the residents," she said. Tom and Artie McAuliffe of Fareway Lane said cluster zoning is back door way for developers to skirt zoning laws, adding that 12-foot distances between homes in the cluster development does not conform to similar homes on Fareway. Elizabeth Stocklosa of Fix Road discussed hydrologic impacts of a development; opponents compared the land to that in Amherst, where homes have suffered from cracked foundations due to sinking soil. Are the members of the board so on mission that they can guarantee there won't be problems in the future? she asked. "Do you really want this to be part of your legacy?" she continued. "If s not nice to fool with Mother Nature."Bill Jenkins asserted his opposition to what he described as an "outrageous proposal." Regarding wildlife habitat, Jenkins said species of animals will, have more difficulty if the development proceeds. "I doubt very much if it will remain a wildlife habitat," he said, noting the deer that can be found there. A rental property owner, he added that he had "first hand experience that there's really not that great a need for any new development."Scott Brady of Fareway said Quality Quest to host forum The Grand Island Quality Quest Coalition will host and moderate a public candidates' forum from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Grand Island Golden Age Cen- ten The forum will allow Grand Island residents to learn the candidates' positions on vital issues of public concern. The audience will be invited to submit written questions to the moderator, who will address those questions to the contending candidates. Peter McMahon and Mary Cooke, candidates for Grand Island town supervisor, have agreed to participate as well as 10th District Erie County Legislature candidates Michelle lannello and Rus Thompson. Richard Crawford and Gary Roesch, candidates for Grand Island Town Board who are running unopposed, will make brief statements.Quality Quest Coalition is a Grand Island residents' organization dedicated to protecting the environment and quality of life of Island residents. Peter McMahon Mary Cooke SEE PARTICIPANT, on page 3 SEE lANNELLO, continued on page 5 SEE FIRE, continued on page 3 Monday Madness LARGE CHEESE PIZZA 5025 ' *» ""'if _• » v 2131 Grand Island Blvd. Linda SHJIJI Kutzbach pߣ^H Associate Broker USfc g 111 628-1719 WSr'AM *»**•* I ; : T?J?E£S<I&C. Eadioll>c(i,n*».«i<le«!» J S North owned & operated |