by Doug La Rocque
The Brunswick Planning Board learned more about plans to construct a two-story medical office and ambulatory surgery center on McChesney Avenue, near the Market 32 Plaza, at their Thursday, June 16 meeting. Representatives from Paulson Development indicated Upstate Gastroenterology and Ortho New York are two of the planned occupants. Items involved in the preliminary discussion include the height of a tower on the building, which would require a zoning variance, and a possible connecting walkway to Market 32.
Encroachment
The firm constructing the new Aldi/Planet Fitness complex on Hoosick Road (NYS Route 7) has drawn the ire of National Grid for crossing the property line when completing some required sloping work at the rear of the site. An attorney for National Grid was at the meeting to update the Planners about the negotiations with the energy provider and David Leon (developer) as to making National Grid’s property whole again. The encroachment was discovered when some run off from the site was spotted spilling onto National Grid’s property.
Still Some Traffic Concerns
Board member Linda Stancliffe is still concerned about the traffic flow at the site, particularly as it applies to the addition of a drive through Aroma Joe’s coffee shop, which would actually have a walk up window as well. MJ engineering (Mr. Leon’s project manager) provided traffic counts as they apply to the new construction, but according to Ms. Stancliffe, did not take into consideration the traffic already present at the existing Planet Fitness. The other Board members agreed with her, and asked that MJ Engineering return to the next meeting with updated figures. Engineer Wayne Bonesteel is still looking for some soil erosion control information as well.
Reviewing Zoning Changes
The proposed revisions to the Town of Brunswick Zoning Law were introduced to the Planning Board at their June 2 meeting with the members starting their review in earnest at this meeting. The Planners’ review was requested by the Town Board as part of their approval process. Attorney Andy Gilchrist explained the changes eliminate overlays from one district into another, and return a density calculation formula eliminated when the last zoning update was approved in 2017. Part of this calculation involves the amount of usable land on a site, not just the entire acreage. It also eliminates the hamlet designations (such as the Eagle Mills area) in favor of a local business district.