]Why can't we have it all...why not go after Walgreens and a Super Walmart, and maybe a Target and a Kroger or Wegmans? Find suitable areas for these developments that won't influence traffic and housing and let's grow the town with some quality businesses. They don't even have to be big box...how about some quality boutique shops; specialty shops; etc. I believe the residents would appreciate them and patronize them.
How do you propose we "go after them"? Offer them tax incentives to come into town? PILOTs? What other developer is even LOOKING at Rotterdam? (hint, none - even Pilot/Flying J couldn't make the I-88 corridor hotel viable). That's too "metrplexy" for me - that was their mission, they're going down faster than a sinking ship - and nobody wants them anymore except for the "connected"
When another major developer considers coming into town, without tax incentives or ONE PENNY of taxpayer money being involved, then I can be behind it, until then I can't see any way to "get them" to come into one of the highest taxed municpalities in NYS, and the country. There's no reason for them to, there's more reason and benefits to going elsewhere.
As I've said, the way this is headed, I believe Rotterdam lost a good opportunity for developing that corner for the next many years.
The people who spoke against it were from Lawndale but my point was that technically the neighborhood is not completely residential ---- due to the FACT that large portions of Guilderland Avenue - from the city line to the Westshore RR (justa block from Gifford Church Road) - is ACTUALLY ZONED Business and Light Industrial. Many - probably most - of these properties are actually used for a "non-conforming use" - in this case Residential - but are actually zoned Business or Light Industrial.
Permit me to add three more points --
#1 - to counter those who are upset with the exterior appearance of some of the projects in town -- I would have fought hard for CVS to design the exterior in a manner similar to the Rite Aid at the intersection of Route 43 and Route 150 in North Greenbush or similar retail structures that I have seen built in other communities (even in other states) . That building blends right into the "village" appearance of that location.
#2 - I think that CVS was held to a higher standard than other projects (ex. the Rite Aid at 4 corners) and I absolutely believe that ALL projects or proposals under consideration should be held to the same standards and scrutiny. There can NOT be one standard for some and another standard for others.
#3 - instead of saying that if CVS leaves town , we will try to lure Walgreen's -- our town should be "rolling up its sleeves" and working with CVS, Walgreens and others to invest and build IN Rotterdam. [ Same with Wal-Mart -- instead of driving them OUT of town to Glenville, we should have come up with a plan to get the Super Wal-Mart IN Rotterdam ... somewhere that was appropriate and acceptable to the developers and to the residents of the town] Ultimately, our public officials should be PROBLEM SOLVERS and there are ways to find solutions that would benefit business persons, developers and the residents of the town.
Noted that once AGAIN, you did not produce EVIDENCE of your statements, produce it, come one, show us official records, links to official (not tabloid) websites --- tell us about the people on Lawndale, LIST THEIR NAMES, list the names of ANY (of the FEW) PEOPLEin the town that wanted this (be sure to tell us what their connections are) that said they WANTED big heavy trucks and lots of traffic while their children are playing. Yeah, zoned commercial but SMALL, LITTLE mom and pop businesses, attracting a couple cars at a time is a far cry from a "mega" store (mega as in comparison to the other businesses there which "border" HOMES and back yards and places where children play.
Listen, just to get them to build in your back yard, no one will worry about children waiting for a bus or playing outside because you will NEVER have children to worry about. And you'd just love to have all the traffic and delivery trucks. Have them build next door to you and enjoy the noise, the traffic, etc.
All this stuff you cheer. Look at what's happening to the city of Schenectady -- all that bad news going on now which is DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED to the increasing taxes on the homeowners to exempt the rich from paying, and look at all the miserable bad news, all those things that I wrote about are PROVEN!!!!!!!
So keep shaking those pom poms, you be doing that forever and the more you do, the worse it gets.
Things are getting so very very BAD in the city, that you won't even comment on all that bad news, you have become to embarassed to acknowledge that you are wrong.
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Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
#1 - to counter those who are upset with the exterior appearance of some of the projects in town -- I would have fought hard for CVS to design the exterior in a manner similar to the Rite Aid at the intersection of Route 43 and Route 150 in North Greenbush or similar retail structures that I have seen built in other communities (even in other states) . That building blends right into the "village" appearance of that location. You are on record as having stated that the appearance of the one on corner of Altamont is very pleasing and you support that look for the proposed one on 4 corners. Does this mean you have changed your mind and agree it should be more attractive than the one on corner of Altamont?
#2 - I think that CVS was held to a higher standard than other projects (ex. the Rite Aid at 4 corners) and I absolutely believe that ALL projects or proposals under consideration should be held to the same standards and scrutiny. There can NOT be one standard for some and another standard for others.That is a point I can agree with you on 100%. I was not privy to any of the negotiatins for the Rite-aid so can't comment specifically on that process.
#3 - instead of saying that if CVS leaves town , we will try to lure Walgreen's -- our town should be "rolling up its sleeves" and working with CVS, Walgreens and others to invest and build IN Rotterdam. [ Same with Wal-Mart -- instead of driving them OUT of town to Glenville, we should have come up with a plan to get the Super Wal-Mart IN Rotterdam ... somewhere that was appropriate and acceptable to the developers and to the residents of the town] Ultimately, our public officials should be PROBLEM SOLVERS and there are ways to find solutions that would benefit business persons, developers and the residents of the town.Why can't we have it all...why not go after Walgreens and a Super Walmart, and maybe a Target and a Kroger or Wegmans? Find suitable areas for these developments that won't influence traffic and housing and let's grow the town with some quality businesses. They don't even have to be big box...how about some quality boutique shops; specialty shops; etc. I believe the residents would appreciate them and patronize them.
I agree with most of what you have said here except -- I didn't say that the CVS on Chrisler and Altamont was "very pleasing" ... I said it was "better than" the Rite-Aid at 4 Corners.
As for projects influencing traffic -- developers will not choose a site that is NOT on a major traffic corridor .. and as I have already said -- the four corners area" is NOT a residential neighborhood ... it is in fact zoned with a mixture of Residential and Business ---------- and the Business zoning and Light Industrial zoning is actually much more than most people realize and runs side by side with the Residential from the city line out almost to Giffords Church Road on 158 and from 4 corners to Altamont along Route 7.
Eventually -- one day -- probably 10 or more years from now when the town has finally woken up to reality -- other developers will come along and get the zone changes Routes 7 and Routes 158 will be well developed commercial corridors.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
All dem board, can't get sh*t accomplished How is that contract with REMS????
Sure they did.......they set up MG and got him out!!!! They got JP back. (Perhaps they could really make it a family reunion and find a spot at the girls club for jimmy c) It's all just a power grab in rotterdam......and the dems are great at it!
As long as the family owns the business...........
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
So what do you think about your boys on the town board voting it down or failing to show up for the meeting? You seem as if you are looking for a republican to blame? Is it lost on you that YOUR PEOPLE DIDN'T LISTEN TO YOU?
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
I agree with most of what you have said here except -- I didn't say that the CVS on Chrisler and Altamont was "very pleasing" ... I said it was "better than" the Rite-Aid at 4 Corners.
As for projects influencing traffic -- developers will not choose a site that is NOT on a major traffic corridor .. and as I have already said -- the four corners area" is NOT a residential neighborhood ... it is in fact zoned with a mixture of Residential and Business ---------- and the Business zoning and Light Industrial zoning is actually much more than most people realize and runs side by side with the Residential from the city line out almost to Giffords Church Road on 158 and from 4 corners to Altamont along Route 7.
Eventually -- one day -- probably 10 or more years from now when the town has finally woken up to reality -- other developers will come along and get the zone changes Routes 7 and Routes 158 will be well developed commercial corridors.
So what do you think about your boys on the town board voting it down or failing to show up for the meeting? You seem as if you are looking for a republican to blame? Is it lost on you that YOUR PEOPLE DIDN'T LISTEN TO YOU?
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
No surprise at all. DV FOREVER, ABSOLUTELY REFUSESto provide any proof, any evidence, of the statements he makes.
Proof POSITIVE that the thing he posts are NOTHING BUT LIES LIES LIES.
And he just will NOT respond to ME, because I provide EVIDENCE and he cannot find ANYTHING to disprove what I say, so he just doesn't respond (to my comments asking for proof)
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Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Now that we have a change in management in the department that handles the cosmetic issues town It would be nice to see the Town enforce our local laws and begin cleaning up the rundown properties and town property. They can start with the corner of Curry and Guilderland - only a block away from Town Hall The land owner who purchased the property had a full understanding of the local laws of the town - they are being advised by one of the best Attorney's in the area the land owner could try some thing different A Drive Thru Pharmacy - No candy, No makeup, No beer, No Seen on TV Junk - just prescription drugs Enter on Curry or Guilderland and Exit on Curry or Guilderland Use a little Hollywood Magic and put a pleasing facade on the whole building(front back and sides) with the drive thru behind the building so the drive thru not seen from the main road =Require the corner to be filled with proper vegatation to break up the severity on the nothingness Replace all dated curbing and sidewalks form Sunrise to Lawndale on Curry and Guilderland Limit the signage such that it fits a more pleasing surrounding The Rotterdam Planning Commission needs to start setting standards that upgrade this town not let it "ROT" just beccause the see the those first three letters in their name. - these are requirements put forth by communities in the nation in states with much lower tax rates, so cost is not an excuse.
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