West Water Street Industrial Site, Painted Post

What impacts of increased truck traffic do residents think are important? What are their preferred limitations?

• Delivery vehicles (UPS, Amazon, etc.) were generally considered acceptable within residential character
• Weight restrictions on trucks may mitigate resident concerns
• Passenger/employee vehicles going to the site at 9PM is too late for some, though quantity seems to matter; cleaning crews v. beginning of a shift
• Timing conflicts with school bus pick up and drop off along the street
• A typical 2-shift operation’s hours are 7A – 11P; 7A was “not that bad” while 11P was deemed late
• Alternative entryway(s) may mitigate traffic and related noise concerns
• Generally, passenger traffic is more acceptable than truck traffic
• Former amusement park and RV shows, and the accompanying traffic, were acceptable and supported by residents

What are resident concerns with hours of operation? What hours are acceptable to residents?

• Primary concern seems to be late night, with only daytime hours preferred
• 9A – 5P / 8A – 4P
• Prefer hours people are “away”
• Some residents interpreted heavily restricted hours as people not wanting commercial development

What are concerns/thoughts about visual changes?

• Light pollution
  • “DarkSky Approved” lighting, a third-party certification for lighting products, seeks to reduce light trespass and pollution, and minimize glare. This approval is becoming more and more common in new construction projects.
• The way the building would look
  • Avoid “giant, metal box”; put thought into the aesthetic
• 3-story building(s) would generally be acceptable
• Historic Painted Post façade
• A general consensus that multiple buildings would be preferred over a single large-footprint building
• Windows may improve visual appeal
• Green space
  • Trees and bushes for birds
  • Incorporate large clusters of currently untouched trees to keep that space; refurbish it via landscaping
  • Use landscaping to hide “ugly”, sometimes necessary fixtures
  • Avoid huge, wide open parking lots; break up the space with greenery and allow stormwater runoff to effectively drain
• Sometimes, a property that brings money into the community becomes “less ugly”

What are concerns with future contaminants, such as on-site storage or use?

• Air, water, and soil contamination from potential construction and future use of the site
• Toxic fumes and general “bad smells” would both be impactful and undesirable to residents
• High water table and resulting disturbance from laying foundations during potential development
• Uncovered trucks transporting material and blowing into the adjacent areas
• Leaching of toxic chemicals

This topic discussion was highly focused on current contamination rather than potential future conditions. For the purpose of completing the DGEIS, only points regarding future contamination concerns were notated here. Please check the FAQ tab for information surrounding existing contaminant concerns.

What are concerns about municipal utility and resource use?

• Existing grid power capabilities; currently power outages affect all residents
• Fire department’s ability to facilitate and respond to something at this facility
• Neighboring park (Hodgeman) may be impacted; unsupervised children at play
• Snow removal – who would be responsible? Where will the snow go?
• Happy reasons for people to visit the Village soften concerns
• Multiple buildings seem to be preferred, despite typically requiring more resources and a longer construction time; though this may depend on what is in them

What is restricted on the site per the Deed Restrictions?

All residential uses of the site are prohibited; the property shall not make or serve food, provide childcare or healthcare, or utilize the site’s underlying groundwater, among other restrictions.

A full list of restricted uses can be found in the gallery below.

Will the site be able to be developed with the Village’s existing infrastructure and resources?

Yes, any development on the site shall account for existing Village capacity and must ensure Village emergency services can access the site and provide assistance in the case of an emergency.

Does the site have mitigation measures for existing contaminants?

Yes. A Site Management Plan (SMP) for this site is in place – a state requirement of the remedial program which outlines how to manage operations in accordance with all applicable statutes and regulations. This is a common practice for industrial sites and is expected by potential incoming developers.

Any construction and/or development on the site must abide by the rules and regulations of the Village, State, and Federal governments. EPA and DEC have strict regulations to ensure maximum protections from potential environmental hazards. Additionally, to complete a DGEIS, the extents of various environmental impacts are being considered throughout the duration of this project period.

Is the site safe to develop as is?

Yes. NYSDEC has classified the West Water Street Industrial Site a “Class 4”. This designation means the site has been properly closed and does not presently, nor is reasonably foreseeable to, constitute a significant threat to public health or the environment. Continued site management is required, consisting of operation, maintenance, and/or monitoring. Further, the deed restrictions confine uses to those that were considered to likely generate the least impact.