Planning Board Minutes

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

 

Vice Chairman Mendola read the Fire Prevention Code instructing the public where to exit in case of a fire or other emergency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A request from Quasar Energy Group for site plan approval for property located on North America Drive for construction of a biomass based energy facility which includes land clearing, grading, construction of utilities, drives, parking and retention pond.

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

Kristin Savard, owner and president of Advanced Design Group, stated she was retained by Quasar Energy Group to assist them with site plan approval. The basic site plan is in conformance with the M-1 zoning and includes a 1600 sf building and a number of other buildings, a parking area, driveway, and public water and sewer. The parcel is less than five acres and they will be disturbing just over one acre, so there is a stormwater detention system and a SPDES compliant stormwater design. They have been working with the Building Department and the request for a fire hydrant is being addressed. Ms. Savard also understood that SEQR has been taken care of. 

 

Mr. Greenan questioned if the Planning Board is lead agency.

 

Code Enforcement Officer John Gullo responded that the Planning Board is lead agency since no Town Board approval is required except for a height variance for the holding tank.

          Alan Johnson, Vice President of Project Management for Quasar Energy Group presented a rendering of the proposed facility, stating they are a waste to energy management company where waste organic materials are taken into a managed process that releases methane gas which is converted to electricity. Over the course of a year the facility will take in 50,000 tons of organic materials that would otherwise go into a landfill or wastewater treatment plant. Mr. Johnson explained the process and stated that enough electricity will be made to supply over 600 homes in the area. The company supports New York’s initiative for landfill footprint reduction and is one more step in the idea of recycling. The plant will operate like a normal business, typically 7 AM – 4:30 PM, five days a week. 

 

 

Mr. Johnson responded that the methane could not explode due to the atmospheric pressure in the membrane of the tank. Methane has to have more than 5 percent and less than 15 percent air to be combustible. It is almost impossible to make it burn, but if so, it would be a low impact type of fire.

 

 

Mr. Johnson stated the mechanical equipment runs slowly and the only sound will be that of an electric motor. The inside of the container is louder, but the outside is less than 68 db at 10’ away. Nothing will be heard from the street.

 

 

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

Mr. Johnson responded there will be six to eight trucks per day transporting in and out of the property. Liquids will be in a tanker and solids will be in a semi type truck with a tarp cover over top.

 

 

Mr. Johnson stated there were seven other plants in existence and the one in Ohio has residential houses 400’ from the plant.

 

 

Mr. Johnson responded that water, carbon dioxide and energy are the by-products. The water is miniscule and the carbon dioxide will be controlled.

 

 

 

Mr. Greenan disagreed with an abandonment clause, noting it will be useless if the company goes bankrupt.

 

 

Mr. Johnson stated there is lots of monitoring and the tanks are controlled by equipment in the building as well as offsite computers on a 24/7 basis. The generator also has an automatic shutdown mode. Employees are trained for emergency situations.

 

 

Mr. Johnson responded that he had not been in contact with the fire company but had talked to Mr. Gullo about placement of a fire hydrant on the other side of the road and will be meeting again on this issue.

 

 

 

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

 

Mr. Gullo stated that comments were received from the DEC concerning permits and the Division of Sewer Management concerning keeping everything on site.

 

Mr. Johnson stated there will only be one bathroom and sink and it will not be connected to the sewer; it will be managed internally through the digester.

 

 

Mr. Johnson responded that President Obama’s stimulus program provided an opportunity for a tax credit on renewable energy projects. This project qualifies and will receiving funding, but one of the conditions is that they must make electricity. Mr. Johnson stated that making electricity is the worst thing they could do from a revenue standpoint. A much better use of the energy opportunity is to make vehicle fuel, but they can’t do that for five years due to the stimulus program.  After the five years they will begin developing a market for vehicle fuel and then will not make electricity.

 

 

Ms. Savard requested a recess so she could calculate the numbers.

 

 

 

A request from Jonathan Schmid for site plan approval for property located at 1777 Union Road for construction of six (6) new steel framed self storage units on existing (former) dealership lot.

 

Attorney Ralph Lorigo represented Jonathan Schmid and stated his proposal for the former Gillogly property at 1777 Union Road. The parcel is 7.95 acres zoned C-2(S) and M-1(S). Mr. Schmid intends to put climate controlled self storage inside the existing building and offices in the 8000 sf upper level. The 10,000 sf front portion of the existing building, upper level, and two other buildings are in the first phase of the project and the other buildings will be phased in. Mr. Lorigo presented inside storage

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

plans and noted the covered area on the left of the building where vehicles will drive in to load and unload. There is one tenant in the building who will remain and no changes will be made to the exterior of the building front. There will be a concrete fence along the rear of the property and the rest of the parcel will have a six foot fence with decorative gates.  There will be outside storage of vehicles in the southeast portion of the property and security cameras around the entire perimeter. Mr. Lorigo commented that Mr. Schmid intends to make a $400,000 investment in this project and this will be a substantial improvement to the property.

 

Mr. Mendola questioned the standard width and length of the storage buildings.

 

Mr. Lorigo responded that the size varies depending on the depth of the inside storage.

 

Code Enforcement Officer John Gullo noted he had received documentation indicating that the lighting will not spill off the property and will be contained on site.

 

Johanna Guenther questioned if this project will improve the town.

 

Mr. Mendola responded that the property is currently an eyesore and the vacant building will be repaired and improvements made.

 

Mr. Greenan noted that the project will add substantial additional tax revenue to the town while not adding children to the school system.

 

Motion by Greenan, seconded by Rathmann to close the public hearing.

 

Ayes: All                                   Noes: None                               Motion Carried

 

Motion by Greenan, seconded by Rathmann, to approve the site plan for property located at 1777 Union Road for construction of six (6) new steel framed self storage units.

 

Ayes: All                                   Noes: None                               Motion Carried

 

 

Motion by Greenan, seconded by Rathmann, to reopen the public hearing.

 

Ayes: All                                   Noes: None                               Motion Carried

 

Mr. Gullo reviewed the SEQR form submitted by Ms. Savard and noted that proper adjustments were made.

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

Motion by Greenan, seconded by Sherman, to issue a negative declaration with regard to SEQR for the Quasar Energy Group project located on North America Drive for construction of a biomass based energy facility which includes land clearing, grading, construction of utilities, drives, parking and retention pond.

 

On the question, Mr. Rathmann questioned the numbers as adjusted by Ms. Savard on the SEQR form.

 

Ms. Savard stated that after completion the meadow & brushland is 2.29 acres, forested is 0.5 acres, water surface area 0.6 acres, and 1.4 acres for roads, buildings and other paved surfaces.

 

Ayes: All                                   Noes: None                               Motion Carried

 

          Motion by Ciancio, seconded by Nigro, to approve the site plan for the Quasar Energy Group project located on North America Drive for construction of a biomass based energy facility which includes land clearing, grading, construction of utilities, drives, parking and retention pond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1250 Union Road                                       Minutes #2012-07

West Seneca, NY 14224                                      August 9, 2012

 

 

          Motion by Ciancio, seconded by Nigro, to amend the motion and approve the site plan for the Quasar Energy Group project located on North America Drive for construction of a biomass based energy facility which includes land clearing, grading, construction of utilities, drives, parking and retention pond, and further, direct Town Attorney Shawn Martin to develop an abandonment clause for the facility.