FLEMING - Plans to build townhouses near Owasco Lake will get a public hearing next month and one town councilman is encouraging residents to speak up.
The proposed Mallards Crossing would convert the 34-lot West Lake Road Mobile Home Park into a six-building, 23-unit townhouse community. While developers Thomas and Christine Izzo hope to improve the housing stock along the stretch of Route 38 across from Poplar Cove, Town Councilman Gary Searing sees a troubling trend.
“We don't want overdevelopment on one small area of the lake,” said Searing, a West Lake Road resident.
In addition to protecting the watershed from excess runoff, he is worried about changing the character of lakeside neighborhoods.
“High density housing developments near the lake could create negative water quality conditions that we are working hard to eliminate,” Searing wrote in a letter to the editor appearing in today's The Citizen.
Christine Izzo pointed out the development actually reduces building density on the property considering a half-dozen structures are far fewer than 20 or so mobile homes on the property now.
“We're following all the DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) requirements and all the state regulations,” she said. “Obviously, we're very concerned with the lake. Obviously, we have a stake in it.”
The couple, both environmental science teachers, live on Owasco Lake and also own 15 acres of property neighboring the mobile home park where they've proposed a single-family home subdivision called Lakewood Landing. That proposal is currently on the town Planning Board's docket.
Mallards Crossing would be located in a Planned Development District, which requires a public hearing and final approval from the town board. The original plan to build townhouses on the lakefront was denied by the board, so the focus switched to across the road at the mobile park, Izzo said.
The public hearing on the project will precede the regular Town Council meeting May 14.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
If you go
What: Public hearing on proposed Mallards Crossing
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday May 14
Where: Fleming Town Hall, 2433 Dublin Road
“We don't want overdevelopment on one small area of the lake,” said Searing, a West Lake Road resident.
In addition to protecting the watershed from excess runoff, he is worried about changing the character of lakeside neighborhoods.
“High density housing developments near the lake could create negative water quality conditions that we are working hard to eliminate,” Searing wrote in a letter to the editor appearing in today's The Citizen.
Christine Izzo pointed out the development actually reduces building density on the property considering a half-dozen structures are far fewer than 20 or so mobile homes on the property now.
“We're following all the DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) requirements and all the state regulations,” she said. “Obviously, we're very concerned with the lake. Obviously, we have a stake in it.”
The couple, both environmental science teachers, live on Owasco Lake and also own 15 acres of property neighboring the mobile home park where they've proposed a single-family home subdivision called Lakewood Landing. That proposal is currently on the town Planning Board's docket.
Mallards Crossing would be located in a Planned Development District, which requires a public hearing and final approval from the town board. The original plan to build townhouses on the lakefront was denied by the board, so the focus switched to across the road at the mobile park, Izzo said.
The public hearing on the project will precede the regular Town Council meeting May 14.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
If you go
What: Public hearing on proposed Mallards Crossing
When: 7:30 p.m. Monday May 14
Where: Fleming Town Hall, 2433 Dublin Road
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Bill Balyszak wrote on Apr 26, 2007 2:10 PM: