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A public hearing on abandoning Union Park, a short street off Titus Avenue in what could become the heart of the I-Square project is still on the agenda for tonight's Irondequoit Town Board meeting, at 7 p.m. in the Broderick room at Town Hall, 1280 Titus Ave.
After last night's Irondequoit Planning Board meeting on I-Square, however, the developer, Irondequoit native Michael Nolan, who just wants to spend millions of his own money to create a community-friendly town center, is frustrated and pledging that the project is "on hold."
"It's on hold until the town gets on board," Nolan said outside Town Hall after last night's meeting. "They (the planning board) need to get over themselves ... I had not heard any of these issues raised before and I've been at several previous meetings."
Planning Board Chairman Peter Wehner said the project "has too many holes at this point for us to move forward ..,. things are not complete; there's not enough for us to do anything."
Wehner added that he would "love to do something to help you (the project) move forward," but asked for completion of the state environmental quality review for the project, a traffic study, platt and subdivision maps, a more detailed site plan for the project's first building, and "cut sheets" for the potential lighting.
He said the developer also needs to resolve cross-access easements with the House of Guitars and other buildings in the area that Nolan doesn't currently own.
"It (the project) is 90 percent of the way there ... but it needs the same documentation as any other project before us," Wehner said. "We can't let it go without the proper review and documentation."
Wehner added, "And I know I;m the most unpopular man in Irondequoit right now."
By early Tuesday morning, the I-Square Facebook page said, "The Planning Board's decision not to approve our site plan at the meeting tonight (Jan. 23) clearly shows the town's continued inflexible ways and weak leadership ... We were planning on building this Town Center based on the town's own master plan and we have asked for nothing of the town — no money, no reduction in our current taxes, and we've paid for every permit and application fee. The only thing the town needs to do for us and the residents of Irondequoit is get out of the way and let us build I-Square. If they cannot do that, we cannot build I-Square"
A public hearing on abandoning Union Park, a short street off Titus Avenue in what could become the heart of the I-Square project is still on the agenda for tonight's Irondequoit Town Board meeting, at 7 p.m. in the Broderick room at Town Hall, 1280 Titus Ave.
After last night's Irondequoit Planning Board meeting on I-Square, however, the developer, Irondequoit native Michael Nolan, who just wants to spend millions of his own money to create a community-friendly town center, is frustrated and pledging that the project is "on hold."
"It's on hold until the town gets on board," Nolan said outside Town Hall after last night's meeting. "They (the planning board) need to get over themselves ... I had not heard any of these issues raised before and I've been at several previous meetings."
Planning Board Chairman Peter Wehner said the project "has too many holes at this point for us to move forward ..,. things are not complete; there's not enough for us to do anything."
Wehner added that he would "love to do something to help you (the project) move forward," but asked for completion of the state environmental quality review for the project, a traffic study, platt and subdivision maps, a more detailed site plan for the project's first building, and "cut sheets" for the potential lighting.
He said the developer also needs to resolve cross-access easements with the House of Guitars and other buildings in the area that Nolan doesn't currently own.
"It (the project) is 90 percent of the way there ... but it needs the same documentation as any other project before us," Wehner said. "We can't let it go without the proper review and documentation."
Wehner added, "And I know I;m the most unpopular man in Irondequoit right now."
By early Tuesday morning, the I-Square Facebook page said, "The Planning Board's decision not to approve our site plan at the meeting tonight (Jan. 23) clearly shows the town's continued inflexible ways and weak leadership ... We were planning on building this Town Center based on the town's own master plan and we have asked for nothing of the town — no money, no reduction in our current taxes, and we've paid for every permit and application fee. The only thing the town needs to do for us and the residents of Irondequoit is get out of the way and let us build I-Square. If they cannot do that, we cannot build I-Square"
Moire than 100 angry, frustrated residents and I-Square supporters had already posted comments on the I-Square Facebook page.
Only seven people spoke on the I-Square project at the Planning Board meeting, however.
Business owner Michael Yaniga, who owns the soon-to-open Indulge ice cream shop at 655 Titus Ave., told the board he's concerned about parking in the area and about access to current parking in front of his business.
Attorney Frank Sidoti, representing the House of Guitars, 645 Titus Ave., said he has a "serious issue" with the extension of Cooper Road through the project, since there currently isn't a plan for an access road to his client's east-facing entrance.
"The town can't arbitrarily take a public road and close it ... we just want access, on a public road, to our parking lot from the new extension," Sidoti told the board.
Sidoti did say his client supports the I-Square project.
Diane Zaccarine of the citizens group Helping Irondequoit Plan for Progress said, "We believe the implementation (of I-Square) will far exceed our expectations," and added that the group is confident all issues, like parking and access, will be worked out.
"Irondequoit has a great opportunity here (at I-Square) to build something different ... a model for the entire region," said Mike Governale of St. Paul Boulevard in Irondequoit.
The Planning Board did decide to take up the matter again at its workshop meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 13, and asked that the meeting also be televised, as are its regular business meetings.
