Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

Southpointe project is 'not dead,' councilman says

Sat, Jan 25th 2020 07:00 am

By Larry Austin

Island Dispatch Editor

Four months after former Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray stated “Southpointe is dead again,” Grand Islanders who oppose the development on the south end of the Island may fear what is dead may never die, but rises again harder and stronger.

Councilman Mike Madigan said during Tuesday’s Town Board meeting that the Southpointe developer has communicated with the town, “And we’re reviewing it, and there will be more information to come. They are requesting some action. But we’re not prepared to do that at this point.”

Madigan elaborated after the meeting, saying Southpointe developers have asked the board to approve matters related to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) as well as sewer expansion and concept plan.

Madigan said, “We’ve got to review and see if EIS is required, a supplemental environmental impact statement. There’s traffic review. There’s a number of things. There’s some documentation they owe us as well. They actually asked us to approve it before a lot of i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed.”

In a September column, then Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray wrote: “After months of back and forth with my office and hearing from us the obstacles they will face getting the current version of their plan approved, the developers have informed me that they will not move forward at this time. Southpointe is dead again, back in its coffin. I pray that future boards will keep it there, with the wooden stake stuck deep in its chest.”

“This won’t be on an agenda anytime soon,” Madigan said, but added that any activity is “to be determined.”

Madigan said the current board wants “to be transparent so you know. There is activity and it’s not dead. It’s never been dead.”

The Town Bard 20 years ago approved a previous Southpointe development plan in the same location bounded by Love and Staley roads, but it lay dormant until a new design emerged that developers representatives say leaves all but 11% of the space green.

Doug Scheid, architect for the project pursued by Long Island developer Harold Schertz, described Southpointe in an August 2019 public forum as a 284-acre project that would create a development for older residents of about 1,000 people.

Hometown News

View All News