Grand Island: Residents oppose apartment plan

By Karen Carr Keefe

Senior Contributing Writer

A developer’s plan to build apartments at Ransom and Stony Point roads brought opposition from residents during the third of three public hearings at Monday’s lengthy Town Board meeting.

Many speakers stepped up to the microphone to say that, if apartments go up, the quality of life in their neighborhood will go down. Their objections centered on population density and increased traffic, especially because the site is near a gas station, Grand Island High School and Veronica Connor Middle School.

At issue is a rezoning request by Newman Properties Inc. The request calls for rezoning B-3 to a combination of R-1D and R-3 and B-1 for a proposed housing project.

Council members ultimately voted in favor of referring the matter back to the Town Board for further study. Newman Properties did not expect a decision on its request at Monday’s meeting.

The company has been fine-tuning its proposal that is now to include nine single-family homes, as well as nine 10-unit apartment buildings, for a total of 90 two-bedroom apartments.

Earlier plans weren’t well received, so changes are being made, said attorney Sean Hopkins. He and Tim Boyle, of Newman Properties, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the project’s concept plan. It showed that 12.9 acres would be developed, and 50% of the site would remain green space.

Hopkins said Newman Properties has dropped potential commercial and mixed-use buildings from the plan in deference to feedback from nearby residents. Similarly, the apartment count has been dropped from 130 to 90.

Although many speakers at the hearing were adamant in their opposition to apartments, a number of residents praised Newman Properties for being receptive to residents’ wishes for changes to the plan.

A project update was sent to nearby residents on March 6.

Placement of single-family homes, driveways and sidewalks all came up in residents’ recent comments.

“I want to make very clear for the record, we are willing to incorporate all those changes in the interest of being good neighbors,” Hopkins said.

He also said traffic safety measures such as turn lanes and signals will be implemented, and if grant funding is not available, the developer will cover the cost, estimated at $360,000.

Hopkins said that no involved agencies have expressed any concerns regarding potentially significant adverse environmental impacts from the project. He added that the company will ensure proper drainage and stormwater management on the site. He also said market studies show a demand for the kind of upscale multi-family housing that Newman Properties is planning.

The project also received a positive recommendation from the town Planning Board on Feb. 12.

Barbara Ortolano-Schassar and Kurt Schassar live at the corner of Queens Drive and Stony Point Road.

“This is our front yard. We have our deck, our bedroom, our kitchen – all faces this,” she said, referring to the concept site plan.

“Even if there’s a stop light there, it’s ridiculous. The gas station is already horrible to live across from (the Grand Island Market and Sunoco gas station, 1441 Ransom Road).

“I can’t even imagine what the lighting is going to be like.”

Ortolano-Schassar expressed worries about their property value if apartments are built across from their home. She said they knew the project was coming, but knew it was zoned for all single-family homes and patio homes – no apartments.

Cathy Rayhill said the proposed zoning change should not be granted as outlined.

“This totals 108 housing units in a space where 20 to 22 single-family houses might go,” she said. “The comprehensive plan clearly outlines that such dense housing developments should be located along the central business district corridor, not in outlying areas such as this corner or the corner of Whitehaven and Stony Point.”

Frank Burkhart, a Ransom Road resident and licensed architect, said his work gives him insight into the impact of the rezoning request.

“The Town Board needs to do a better job of involving the public,” he said. ‘You guys have a very important decision ahead of you, because this project not only reflects impacts to the neighborhood … but it’s also about the town in general.”