Quoted from Michael

By the way, New Scotland passed a 6 month moratorium last night.  Without knowing the finer details, I think they'll need a year, so I'd expect that moratorium to get an extension depending on their political will.

If ever a town needed a moratorium, it's Rotterdam.

It will be interesting to see if they, New Scotland, extend this present 6 month moratorium. If I recall, Rotterdam did pass a moratorium during the walmart fiasco. But when it came up for voting an extension it was voted down. I think!

This is where we should all [people from every part of the town]  attend the town board meetings and let the board know that we want a moratorium on building and an updated comp plan.

Quoted from bumblethru

It will be interesting to see if they, New Scotland, extend this present 6 month moratorium. If I recall, Rotterdam did pass a moratorium during the walmart fiasco. But when it came up for voting an extension it was voted down. I think!

You are correct that Rotterdam had a 6 month moratorium that didn't get extended during "the walmart fiasco."  However, it is important to note that the moratorium was limited to the Rt 7-Burdeck St Corridor, not the entire town.  As a result, the zoning that was developed for that area was more easily challenged by landowners because of that fact.  Whether the town had enough time is debatable but I thought they did more during the 6 months than I thought they'd be able, so the extension may not have been as necessary as some thought.  I think a year lends itself better to getting all aspects fleshed out correctly but its hard to apply a one-size-fits-all to it.

Quoted from Shadow

This is where we should all [people from every part of the town]  attend the town board meetings and let the board know that we want a moratorium on building and an updated comp plan.

I couldn't have said it better.  In very short time, I will be doing just that.  My experience though has been that most prefer to sit home on their couch and then complain later when they're getting screwed by something.  I've found that trying to motivate people and keeping them organized and willing to speak up publicly at meetings is as hard as advancing whatever agenda I'm trying to advance.  So I've had to choose...and I've chosen to speak my mind and hope others might become inspired to stand up and speak similarly.  We won't get there if people don't turn out and demand what they desire.

Since drainage relief this year looks like a no go, I should start having more time to adjust my agenda.  I'm still pursuing action on the activity in the woods but to no avail.  

I invite anyone who attends a meeting and agrees with my statements to jump on my bandwagon and reiterate them.  It won't happen if I'm a lone voice.

It's usually the same people that attend the town board meetings and the rest only attend if something is going on in their backyard that they are opposed to. I've attended board meetings when only a handful of people were in attendance. The last meeting that had a good attendance was when the board was getting the input from the Masullo residents on whether or not they wanted the dry sewer put in. Some of us attend the meetings quite regularly and are getting pretty discouraged with the progress on the drainage issue, updating the comp plan, infrastructure upgrades and new infrastructure being put in where desperately needed like the rte 7 Burdeck St corridor. I for one am sick and tired of hearing nothing but talk and seeing no action on anything of importance.

I attended the Masullo meeting too....It was very informative--- I was informed of the board's inability to put plans into action via Planning Board and an UPDATED comp plan....with viable long lasting generational lasting initiatives and choices......just the same view as those with the "Not in my backyard" views......

For all those Hamburg St wonderers out there, I notice that the Exit 25 Study is on the agenda to be presented much like just occurred with the Exit 26 Study at the last meeting.

I'll be out of town unfortunately so I'll have to hear about it afterwards.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but that makes 3 COMPLETED interchange studies.  I see no reason for further delay from the Town about expeditiously vetting the respective recommendations (which is only what they are in the present form until incorporated and adopted into the Town Comp Plan), holding public hearings on a proposed updated Comp Plan, and adopting it.

I thought that study was done already. Shouldn't it have been done at the time of the proposed round-a-bout? Perhaps I missed something here.

Study study study....makes us look smart but unless we can put it into ACTION it's like saying one is so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good......

It's about time to start pushing for a moratorium again.  When I first suggested this approach a few years ago, the notion was mostly pooh-poohed by anyone with the power to do it.  Of course, the primary argument against it was, and still remains, that it would stifle economic development.

Now is the time, however, to overturn that notion.  When first discussed, we had one rotting hulk (Curry Road Plaza).  Now we can add Capital Plaza and the building at 4 Corners.  That makes for quite a deteriorating stretch along our main town corridor.

As far as future impending economic development, it's going to be stifled by the overall economy.  During this lull, we should take advantage of putting our house in order.  We desperately need an adequate, functioning Comprehensive Plan with a beefy code behind it.  Though I keep hearing about how "we're working on it", the years are passing by without accomplishing that goal.

The town is preoccupied with building a sewer extension down Guilderland Ave to facilitate the controversial Helderberg Meadows housing project, a project likely to proceed slowly in the current real estate market, while dragging their feet on a wanted sewer line to revitalize the deteriorating Hamburg Street business district.  I simply don't understand the priorities of this administration.

I expect to see public hearings on an updated Comp Plan before October or it will be necessary to begin making this a larger issue.

Quoted Text

As far as future impending economic development, it's going to be stifled by the overall economy.  During this lull, we should take advantage of putting our house in order.  We desperately need an adequate, functioning Comprehensive Plan with a beefy code behind it.  Though I keep hearing about how "we're working on it", the years are passing by without accomplishing that goal.

here here, Michael.....I agree----now is a great time to take inventory and make an outline,,,before the rough draft, before the Thesis.......

BTW---in case anyone was wondering---'study' comes before the outline......I think we are finished 'studying'.......

[quote=98]
The town is preoccupied with building a sewer extension down Guilderland Ave to facilitate the controversial Helderberg Meadows housing project, a project likely to proceed slowly in the current real estate market, while dragging their feet on a wanted sewer line to revitalize the deteriorating Hamburg Street business district.  I simply don't understand the priorities of this administration.
[quote]Although I agree with your logic, I can see that Heldeburg Meadows will be much easier to implement a sewer line for that area. It will be included in the sale, so to say.

If the residents in the Hamburg Street area had to vote on sewers in their particular district, I would bet the farm that it will be voted down. The residents have spoken many times and have said they would not want to pay that extra money for sewers when their septics will probably out live them.

Quoted from bumblethru

Although I agree with your logic, I can see that Heldeburg Meadows will be much easier to implement a sewer line for that area. It will be included in the sale, so to say.

If the residents in the Hamburg Street area had to vote on sewers in their particular district, I would bet the farm that it will be voted down. The residents have spoken many times and have said they would not want to pay that extra money for sewers when their septics will probably out live them.

Fair enough on the distinction you make regarding the sewer lines.  However, as far as Hamburg St goes, that’s primarily a business corridor, no?  I’m not sure you’d have to worry too much about residents.  (My understanding and maybe I’m wrong, is that the businesses want the line and will pay for it.)  Simply run the line with businesses in mind …sort of like what ultimately happened with the Highbridge line that was put in for TWX when residents balked.  Again, I’m merely trying to reconcile the stated intentions of the town board to promote economic development and their promises to reinvigorate Hamburg St with their actual actions.

I also am in agreement that the priorities seem staggered to say the least. I also believe that you are correct in saying that Hamburg Street is mainly a business corridor that is in need of infrastructure (sewers). But I think most of these businesses, that are small businesses, will be hard pressed to foot a sewer district cost themselves. Coupled with the prospect of higher taxes due to state cuts within the next year, nothing short of a state grant or help from the metroplex will make this happen.

Helderberg Meadows is a battle (or a steal) for one individual......Hamburg Street is a spring board for multiple folks----that is,,,,,if the gumbas stop strong arming and ripping off.......ahhhhh, rotterdam politics as usual.....as for the Walgreens----here we stand again nickel and diming it with stuff like Helderberg Meadows........while we study and study and study and study......

this is why waiting for 'other entities' to wipe our butt always leaves us in the lurch......no sewers, because we had no foresight when GE was going strong....the money all siphoned out of the area via greed,unions,organized integrity challenged folks, family members etc.......

now here we sit holding the bag of crap.......yeah......