Porter eyes lake front retirement community proposal

by Terry Duffy
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, December 3, 2005

At town board sessions, the saying goes that if one wants to find out what’s really going on in the community, attend a planning board meeting.

Such was the case at Thursday’s Town of Porter Planning Board session where members reviewed the particulars of a housing community proposal eyed for an 11-plus-acre tract of land located 4,500 feet east of Fort Niagara State Park.

Known at this juncture as the Old Lake Road Retirement Community, proposed by developer Paul Oulahan of Jedidiah Inc. of Toronto, this project -- discussions of which have been under way with the Town of Porter over past months -- envisions a 124-unit managed property community situated on 540 feet of lake front, that would include a multi-story complex of 92 private residences and community-type facilities on its north shore, backed by 32 condo bungalows at its southern Lake Road entrance. The residences would be geared for seniors as well as empty-nesters.

The contained community would have an entrance north from Lake Road, be fully serviced by all utilities including sewer, and would be attractively designed to blend in with the existing surrounding areas of primarily rural private properties. Its cost is estimated at roughly $14 million, according to Matthew W. Meier, partner of Hamilton Houston Lownie Architects LLC of Buffalo, who discussed the still developing plan with Planning Board members.

Board Impressed

Currently the town, which is moving toward being declared the lead agency for this project, is still tackling the many issues on its considering and ultimately approving a final site plan. The Planning Board reviewed Thursday what is viewed at this point to be the very beginnings of a preliminary siting plan offered by the Jedidiah group. In some respects, board members liked what they saw.

Planning Board member Nancy Orsi, who joins the Porter Town Board next month, called the proposal “very appealing,” pointing out how it could nicely blend in with the existing rural environment adjoining areas.

“I like it. I wouldn’t mind living there,” added Planning Board Chair George Spira.

Planning Board member Tony Collard said he liked how the proposal fits into the goals of the town’s yet-to-be implemented Master Plan with regards to housing planned for “gateway type” locations in the town.

Some Concerns

Still there were reservations to the plan echoed by Planning Board members as well as town Attorney Mike Dowd and engineer Bob Lannon. One involved a request by the Jedidiah group for a change in town zoning to accommodate a height variance sought for the lakefront apartment complex. Another called for modifications to a 65-foot area along the lakeshore to accommodate a boardwalk and concrete barriers, as well as a retention pond basin on its west end.

Of the lakeshore proposal, both Dowd and Lannon told Meier the Jedidiah developers would need to deal with such agencies as the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Army Corps who have jurisdiction over coastal areas due to their plan’s use of the shoreline. Lannon said that 25 feet from the water’s edge would be off limits for any type of change. The group’s plan would involve use of lands roughly 66 feet from the lake’s edge, Meier said.

On the height change request, Meier reported his group was seeking a variance to 65 feet from the town’s current 35-foot height limits to accommodate plans for an envisioned seven story residential/community center complex, which would see five stories above ground and two lower stories built underground for parking. Such a project would call for 25,000 cubic yards of soil to be removed and relocated to other areas, conceivably for shoreline modifications.

Formal Design Needed

Throughout the rather lengthy discussion, town officials reiterated to Meier that the problem at this point was a lack of a formal design plan submitted by the Jedidiah group. Meier said his group was prepared to follow through with a formal plan, but first it was seeking approval on the height variance. None came Thursday.

Dowd, Lannon, as well as Planning Board Chairman George Spira, told Meier that both variances (lakeshore and height) would be subject both to DEC and Army Corps review as well as town approval. Lannon termed the coastal plan “a complicated issue” suggesting to Meier he could be facing months of delays from studies by both agencies for the plan.

Planning Board member Jim McIntyre, who told Meier he liked the design project, also said he’ll “have a battle to pursue” with both agencies on the aforementioned requests.

As to the height variance issue, Dowd and Spiral both expressed concerns the request if approved could set a precedent for other potential developers who might want to pursue similar ventures in the future.

Saying there are “planning regulations which we need to follow,” Dowd said the board was not in a position to take any action. In essence both matters, once formally submitted, would have to be approved as a preliminary site plan with Planning, then as a final site plan with Zoning Board of Appeals. The project would also face further environmental reviews including a detailed SEQR study prior to final approval.

The Planning Board closed its lengthy discussion with instructions for Lannon to prepare a letter to the Jedidiah group’s engineers outlying the particulars still to be worked on with regards to the height and shoreline concerns en route to preparing a formal design plan.

Meier Optimistic

Still Meier came way optimistic following the board’s discussion. “So far we’ve had good cooperation from the town,” he said. “It’s a pretty big project; they’re giving us plenty of help.”

He closed by stating that once his group was granted approval on the height variance final design plans would soon follow. “If the height variance is permitted, we could begin construction next year,” he said.

The Planning Board intends to further review the matter at an informal session later this month with an aim of taking further action at its January meeting.