New apartments proposed on Lake Avenue in Town of Hamburg

David Burke, a local contractor, wants to boost apartment complex options in the Blasdell and Hamburg areas. That’s why he has proposed a complex on Lake Avenue, east of South Park. The plan was one of the new projects brought before the Hamburg Town Planning Board last Wednesday (May 2).

Burke’s biggest obstacle is traffic on that busy roadway. The plan calls for a 16 apartment unit complex utilizing one driveway to enter and exit the property. Hamburg Traffic Safety Coordinator Jerry Giglio recommended that driveways line-up with the plaza across the street.

“The more traffic we can control, the better,” Giglio said.

That section of Lake Avenue is already quite busy with Jubilee Market, the post office and additional retail stores like Rite Aid and the Dollar Store. The proposed complex could mean at least 32 additional cars will be added to that traffic on Lake. The traffic safety board will discuss the apartment complex project and traffic options at its next meeting on May 10. Planning Board Chair Peter Reszka told The Sun that the project is not new. In fact, members got a chance to see preliminary plans when the duplexes were approved along nearby Oakwood Manor.

“These apartments were sketched in on the (Oakwood) plan so we could take them into consideration, but they were not a part of the approval. The property is properly zoned,” Reszka said.

The traffic safety board will give its recommendations, and the project will return to the planning board for further review.

The board also reviewed plans to split the former Roz’s Grill into two properties. The new owners are Carol Greis and Joe Sliwinski. They requested preliminary plat approval to split the properties at 5810 and 5822 Camp Road. Greis told The Sun they are very enthusiastic about their new business.

“It will be called Moonshiner’s Pub and Grub, and if all goes well we want to open at the end of June,” Greis said.

After the parcel split is approved, Greis and Sliwinski will have to sit down with the town engineering department to discuss any additional requirements. Reszka and the planning board scheduled a public hearing to discuss Moonshiner’s on May 16. “Any re-use of an existing, vacant structure is a win/win for the town and the business.”

Environmental concerns at the proposed Willow Woods subdivision on the south side of Taylor Road were also discussed at Wednesday’s planning board meeeting. The project developers have consulted with the Erie County Health Department, the Water Authority, and the Army Corps of Engineers regarding possible contamination in and around where a subdivision is planned.

An environmental consultant also presented his findings to the planning board, saying his study found one constituent in the southwest portion of the property, but found “nothing of concern.” The planning board has recommended that the soils be taken to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for review. If necessary, the property owner might be forced to hire an outside agency to review and report on the soil samples. The project was tabled until an upcoming meeting.

The planning board also discussed and approved changes to how their meetings are run. The changes are being made in an effort to move projects along in a faster process and avoid any unnecessary delays. Beginning in July, each meeting would consist of a half-hour work session at 6:30 p.m. followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m. At the work session, applicants will now have a chance to present new projects in 15 minute increments, as opposed to the old format where the town planning department staff explained the new projects at the work session, and the applicant appeared at the regular meeting.

If there are no new projects to consider, there will not be a work session prior to the start of the regular meeting.

There will not be any other major changes to the regular meetings.