Discussions continue on Creek Road development proposal

3F members discuss new state legislation

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

Lewiston Town Board news continues from Town Hall, with the 2025 petitioning process now underway toward the November elections.

Supervisor Steve Broderick reviewed interest items of note in a brief conversation this week. Among them: The status of the 5/4 Development Corp. Presidents Park Apartment Complex on Washington Drive. Broderick said Planning Board members met March 20 and continue to review applications submitted earlier by architect Joe Giusiana, president of 5-4 Development Corp. If approved, the project could see the expansion of the Woods at Blairville apartment complex on Creek Road from its current 168 units to 210 apartments.

According to the Planning Board’s December minutes, Giusiana stated, “The town has actually granted bonus density to us, which allows us to add another 23 units to our site. Bringing it to total number of units on the site to 210 units; still the same seven buildings, same layout, if you will, of the infrastructure roadway and so on. We have increased the parking to be compliant with the number of units on that site. … We’re probably going to be developing about 11 acres in total of the project of the 23-acres site.”

Broderick said, “They’re reviewing some SEQR documentation that had been pulled earlier. Until Planning Board gets done with it, they (5-4 Development) have to go through Planning before it comes back to the Town Board. It will be on our agenda (eventually); that’s not something that’s going to pop up unannounced.”

Big game hunting

News that continues to spur the interest of neighbors along Creek Road and extending over to Swann Road – home of the 800-member Fish, Feather and Fur Conservation Society (3F Club) – is legislation approved last year by the state Assembly and Senate for “authorizing big game hunting by rifle in the county of Niagara.”

According to S.8382-B, the measure amends Sect. 11-0907 of state environmental conservation law to “allow rifle hunting of big game in Niagara County except within the City of Niagara Falls, the City of Lockport and the City of North Tonawanda from the first Saturday after Nov. 15 through the first Sunday, Dec. 7.”

It continues, “This legislation, which is at the request of the Niagara County Legislature, would allow for the hunting of big game (for the above periods) using a rifle. Currently, many other counties throughout the state have this allowance, and Niagara County wishes to be in the same playing field for their local sportsmen.”

At present, the 3F membership is considering whether to permit such activity, as approved by the legislation, for its Swann Road property. A small gathering of members reviewed the matter Tuesday, but no decisions have been made yet. A general membership vote is expected in April.