BIG FLATS, N.Y. (WENY) -- The proposed Soaring Heights Landing Project, a senior living complex, was up for consideration at the Big Flats Zoning Board on Tuesday night.  The board weighed the density variance the developers had requested for the project.

Initially, the developer proposed workforce housing for the site at 83 Hammond Street.  After some community outcry, the plans were changed to the senior living complex. The site plans include ten two-story buildings with eight apartments each.

On Tuesday, the Zoning Board voted to approve a density variance for this project, after going through a SEQR.  However, the board but some conditions on the approval.  The Zoning Board is putting a cap on the project by not allowing any more than ten buildings with eight apartments each.  Also, none of the apartments can be larger than two bedrooms.  The second condition is there needs to be annual documentation noting the number of leases and the number of occupants in each unit.  With these conditions noted, the project moves forward to the next step of the process.

"The next step is the project goes back in front of the planning board for site plan approval," said Robert Switala, the Director of Planning for Big Flats.  "They needed to get the variance tonight for the density to keep basically the project the same, or change it. They got that granted. Now, they'll go back in front of the planning board and they'll really address the site itself. So things like the environmental that was discussed, things like coordinating with the fire department, those types of things will all be part of the site plan because that's more of the Planning Board purview than the Zoning Board."

The Planning Board usually meets the first Tuesday of the month.  When the agenda is posted, it can be found here.