Neighbors concerned about Willow Woods in Town of Hamburg

Neighbors in the Taylor Road area are worried about Willow Woods, a proposed 49-lot subdivision development they say does not belong in their backyard.

Residents came out to the Hamburg Planning Board meeting once again on Wednesday (Feb. 15) to voice their concerns. The proposed subdivision has been discussed at meetings for two months. The priorities of those working on the project are the adjoining wetlands and a nearby dump.

Neighbors say they have those, and many more reasons to worry about the Willow Woods project. Becky O’Brien lives on East Eden Road and she wrote a letter that was read aloud at the meeting. In it, she cites several reasons why the planning board should seriously consider the impact this proposed development would have to neighbors. O’Brien said the intersection of East Eden and Taylor roads is already the spot of numerous accidents, and the influx of traffic from this new neighborhood would just add to the safety problem. “It will only be made worse by 49 more households,” O’Brien said.

Bob Mahoney, who lives on nearby Taylor Road, agrees.

“Traffic is getting heavier and heavier. I’m estimating two cars per family from this new subdivision – that makes 100 more cars,” he said.

O’Brien also wrote about the water problem in the area. While she agreed that retention ponds in subdivisions are needed, she said “In my family’s experience, development has caused a backing up of water onto our property regardless of the retention ponds.”

Dave Radwan lives on Taylor Road and came out to the meeting because he is concerned about the retention pond that will literally go in his backyard.

“Am I going to have to put up with contaminated soil, contaminated property? I’m not against anyone making a dollar, I am against it coming at my expense,” Radwan said.

The planning board has requested that the New York Department of Conservation take samples of land or as close as possible to the land where the subdivision would be developed. The last time soil samples were taken was 1994. The board is also requesting a traffic study to find out what the level of service and road incidents are in that area.

Hamburg Town Planning Consultant Drew Reilly said town officials say they have no interest in taking ownership of the land surrounding Willow Woods. The town will look into acquiring a deed restriction and conservation easement to prohibit others from developing on that land. The proposed Willow Woods subdivision project has been tabled until the next planning board meeting on March 7.

The planning board also discussed a site approval request by Crown Court, LLC to build a 9,500 square foot building in front of Wal-Mart on Southwestern Boulevard. This request is not new to the board, but Planning Board Chair Peter Reszka said they were caught off guard by the two parcel building.

“We’ve been looking at this as a single tenant, now all of a sudden there’s two,” said Reszka. The Shoe Department will be on one side of the building, and the other side is currently awaiting a tenant. Reilly said there are facade issues with the drawings presented at the meeting.

“Architecture on the side of the building facing the street is unacceptable,” he said. The project has been tabled until the March 21 meeting.

Dennis Long from Long’s Floor Care appeared before the board to discuss mitigation of his landscaping plan at his Southwestern Boulevard property. One of Long’s new neighbors on Heltz Road, Susan Ferry, expressed concern that the trees could contribute to an erosion problem that residents in that area are currently dealing with. Reszka said that the plan will not sufficiently replace the trees that Long and his crews took down.

“That was a fully wooded lot. This only calls for 14 trees to be planted. We need a plan that calls for more shrubs to screen the parking lot,” Reszka said.

They directed Long to return with a landscaping plan that includes larger trees, more mature bushes, and conifers. He’ll also have to pay a $9,380 performance bond to ensure that the proper landscaping plan will be followed. The board will discuss it again at their March 7 meeting.

Reilly addressed concerns from the board regarding the proposed Lake Erie Commerce Center at Route 5 and Bayview roads. Public hearings will be held at the Hamburg Town Board meeting on Feb. 27 to discuss the project.