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Proposed Warehouse Leaves Local Residents Upset Proposed Warehouse Leaves Baldwinsville Residents Upset

By Sierra Ryder

Darasha Singleton: Conflict over a warehouse…Our Sierra Ryder is live in studio to break down what sparked a chaotic town hall meeting in Lysander.
Sierra?
Sierra Ryder: United Auto Supply has proposed a new warehouse that will be built on Hencle boulevard and Route 48. However this proposition has heavy backlash from the community resulting in a petition, a gofund me page and a shouting match at the most recent town hall. An abrupt end to a contentious town hall in Lysander last week. All concerning united auto supply’s warehouse plans. The proposed site is just off of the highway here in Lysander an many residents are concerned that the million square foot plan will bring a lot of disturbances to the area.
Rob Helfrich: The main issue is the size and the monstrosity of the facility.
Ryder: Rob Helfrich is most concerned about losing the green space that surrounds his community just a half mile down the street.
Helfrich: People don’t want to see what Lysander is as far as a community as an environment and an aera with a huge detriment to the area as far as its surroundings.
Ryder: According to Helfrich, before this facility was proposed, there were lot coverage laws limiting development to just 30-percent helping preserve open space….but on February fourth of this year …the rule was changed allowing developers to use up to 50-percent of the land…closing in on green spaces.
Helfrich: Any other project that is built will not impact the environment any worse than a million square foot warehouse lit 365 days a year.
Ryder: But not all locals have a negative outlook.
Cindy Clarke: It can bring in jobs to the area…you have to have growth to survive.
Ryder: Clarke believes that there isn’t much residents can do to stop the warehouse and that they should look for the positives.
Clarke: But life is about change it truly is and you have to have change you have to have progress.
Ryder: We did reach out to united auto supply directly surrounding the warehouse but have not heard back….in the meantime residents are able to voice their concerns at the next Lysander town hall in early July.

LYSANDER, N.Y. (NCC News) – The most recent Lysander Town Board meeting ended in a shouting match over United Auto Supply’s plans to bring in a warehouse along Hencle Boulevard and Route 48.

The company has proposed a 350,000-square-foot warehouse on industrial-zoned land that would employ up to 135 people.  However, the main concern for residents is the potential expansion to a 1 million square foot site that would be 40-feet tall.

Rob Helfrich, a local resident, is concerned with the project moving forward and its potential disruption to traffic and the community’s green spaces.

“The big issue is the size and the monstrosity of this facility it will be larger than the great northern mall,” said Helfrich.  “It will be 40 feet high. It’s not in an industrial area.”

There are hundreds of homes within a square mile of the facility that Helfrich says could be impacted by way of traffic and noise.  Helfrich also said the residents are not afraid of new additions coming to town, but is more so concerned with the damage that a project this large can bring.

“Nobody is scared of change, its simply the huge size of this enormous million square foot warehouse,” said Helfrich.

There is currently a GoFundMe and a petition set up for residents opposing the structure. However, not all residents are on the opposing side.  Cindy Clarke, a local resident of the area, has other opinions when it comes to the situation.

“If we’re smart about it, we can work together with the businesses to help offset the taxes, get some tax revenue, and even with the pilot program, which all down the road, that it’ll go to full taxation,” said Clarke.

Clarke is optimistic about the potential jobs the warehouse could bring in and believes residents should embrace the changes to the community.

“There’s a lot of things I didn’t want. It’s just the fear of the unknown. It’s gonna rock your world, but life is about change,” said Clarke.

The Lysander Town Board will reconvene in early July and residents will be able voice their opinions regarding the warehouse.

 

Warehouse
Location of the incoming warehouse
© 2021 Sierra Ryder

 

 

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