Positive comments, suggestions heard at Community Plan hearing
by ELIZABETH TAUFA Reporter

A completed draft of the village's Community Plan was met with positive feedback and suggestions when presented to the public at an open forum on Dec. 4.

Public comment was invited after the presentation at Williamsville South High School by village consultants Lawrence Bice of Behan Planning Associates and Steve Feranti of SRF Associates.

The two outlined the general plans for the improvements to Main Street to make it more pedestrian-friendly, the conceptual Mill Village in the Spring Street area of the village, ideas for general land use and parking, and residential and commercial patterns throughout the village and how they relate to its green space and parks.

The public was then given the opportunity to respond.

"I think an easy solution to the Main Street traffic problem is to simply put a light at every intersection that stays green until a pedestrian wants to cross," said Charlie Ciotta, who owns Village Barber Stylist on Main Street. "People take their lives in their hands trying to cross Main Street." He said the solution would be relatively inexpensive.

Ciotta also made suggestions for the use of co-generation power from the Williamsville Water Mill to drive down utility costs for the village.

Business owner Crista Stoklosa made a suggestion on behalf of the village's younger generation: bring the transit line that stops at the University at Buffalo South Campus out to Transit Road.

"It would decrease the parking issue and would encourage people to walk more," she said. "It would also create a lot of jobs, and the money would go back into the village."

She said bringing the subway system out to the village would also reduce the need for so many cars on Main Street and be healthier for the environment.

Several residents raised concerns related to parking and the proposed medians on Main Street.

"The median is a good idea for one season," said Jeff Voelkl. "But after that, there needs to be money and a plan for maintaining them."

"A lot of the plan is conceptual," said Bice in response. "When it gets done, long-term maintenance will have to be dealt with."

A question - referred to Mayor Mary Lowther - was raised regarding a timeline for the plan to be adopted and put into action.

"Once the plan is finished, it will be presented to the Village Board, who may modify it and will decide in what form to adopt it," Lowther said. "There will then be another public hearing in Village Hall, and we will accept it or reject it."

If the plan is accepted, Lowther noted, the village's zoning will have to be modified to accommodate it. That should take about a year.

Concerns were also raised about the amount of construction on Main Street and how it would affect businesses.

"It's not considered significant construction," said Feranti, noting that the whole of the proposed changes could feasibly be completed in one construction season. "It would be kept to a minimum, but we see the plan evolving over time, so more substantial improvements may be addressed in the future."

The Community Plan Committee, which has worked on the document for more than two years, will meet in January to discuss and incorporate the public's comments into the plan and will then pass it along to the Village Board.

The Dec. 4 meeting was the third opportunity the public has had for comment.

The public is invited to make any further comments in letters addressed to Village Hall, 5565 Main St., Williamsville, NY 14221, or via the village's Web site, www. village. williamsville. ny. us.

e-mail: etaufa@beenews.com