Proposed Apartment Development in Big Flats Draws Concern
BIG FLATS, NY (WENY) -- Tensions ran high at a town of Big Flats town board meeting Wednesday night, where a proposed apartment development was the subject of a public hearing.
It was standing room only at the Big Flats Community Center, where one after one - residents sounded off on the proposed 110 unit apartment complex at 83 Hammond Street. Called Soaring Heights Landing -- plans include two, four-story, 55 unit buildings at the site of the former Agway. The project is in the Town Center-2 Zoning District; a zoning amendment would need to be approved for a Planned Multi-Residential Development (PMRD).
Project leaders spoke to the packed crowd, giving some background on the proposed development. Called "workforce housing", they told attendees the project is intended to provide rental housing to people who make between minimum wage, up to approximately $70,000. These may include recent high school or college graduates just entering the workforce, young adults or senior citizens who cannot afford market rate apartments, or have been priced out of the housing market due to high prices.
Neighbors raised questions and concerns about the potential environmental contamination of the Agway property, along with traffic, safety due to proximity near the railroad, and quality of potential residents.
"On behalf of those attending this evening, we the people do not have a housing crisis here in Big Flats. Nor do we want an affordable housing project to be built in the center of our town," said resident Roger TenEyck.
"You want to tear down Agway and clean it up? Be my guest, I think that's great. Put something that is appropriate there, not a four story complex," said one resident.
"What does this do to our property value? Not just our taxes, but our resell value, our assessment values?" asked another.
"I don't think we have the infrastructure to support that kind of dwelling," said another.
According to Chemung County property tax records, the former Agway property on Hammond Street is owned by John Reed, under the name 83 Hammond LLC. The existing property has a total assessed value of $261,800. Reed said he had previously applied for a Restore NY Grant to clean up the property, but the grant application was denied.
The apartment project would be built by GreenLeaf Builders based out of Rochester, and managed by the SEPP Group out of Binghamton. SEPP manages 12 other residential properties in Broome and Schuyler Counties, including the Watkins Glen School Apartments on North Decatur Street.
Several neighbors posed the question on if the apartments would be rented to low-income individuals, or those who receive Section 8. John Bernardo, Executive Director of SEPP, said Section 8 vouchers would not be denied.
A concern brought up by a number of residents during the public hearing was the project's potential impact on the number of students at Big Flats Elementary School. The Horseheads Central School District is in the process of redistricting, which will increase the number of students attending Big Flats Elementary. Others brought up existing issues with traffic near the school, particularly at student pickup times at the end of the school day.
Horseheads Central School District Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Douglas, spoke during the public hearing. He said the district cannot take a side on the project, but there is important information the town needs to consider about the impact the development could have on the district's student elementary student population.
"If they’re [the apartments] going to be loaded all at once, I need to see projections about what age levels, what grade levels, what the student population is, because I can’t guarantee you you will fit into the school," Dr. Douglas said.
"As far as us [HCSD], what we’re trying to do what we can within the laws, and we can’t say that 110 units, with density, that’s the zoning issue; it’s going to be problematic," he later said.
Not everyone was opposed to the project, however. One resident spoke out about the need for affordable housing for single mothers like her, who have good jobs but need to be able to make ends meet. She expressed sadness at some of the others' pointed comments about affordable housing attracting undesirable neighbors.
"I have never felt so unwelcome in this community, other than with this project – with everyone worrying about what this project is going to bring in. What it is going to bring in is great people that are fortunate to have great jobs, but yes, our income is not as great," she said.
Town officials say it's people like her this project is intended for, and the planning is still in its very early stages.
"It's really geared towards the individuals that for the average median income for this town is about $72,000. So workforce is classified as individuals who make say anywhere from 50-60% of that, to about 120% of that. Its your essential workers, your everyday workers who make anywhere from $30,000 to maybe $70,000 – that's where it's really geared towards, because then the rents are really based off of those income values. And really creating more of an attainable housing stock for those people who are really out there supporting the community," said Robert Switala, the Director of Planning for the town of Big Flats.
The proposal will again be the subject of another public hearing, before the town's Zoning Board of Appeals, regarding requested zoning variances. That is happening at 7PM on September 24th. It's likely the meeting will again be relocated to the Big Flats Community Center, due to expected turnout.
Siwalta says the project needs approval from the town board, the zoning board, and the planning board before anything could move forward.
To review the Soaring Heights Landing Fact Sheet, see the PDF below.