Walmart will present its plans for a proposed store that has been at the center of debate for a decade in Saratoga County. The meeting will be closely watched.
The discussion over a Ballston Walmart continues.
The proposed store near the intersection between Routes 50 and 67 will be considered at a planning board meeting Wednesday night.
The meeting is related to parts 2 and 3 of the State Environmental Quality Review Act process. The Town of Ballston Planning Board is serving as the lead agency in Walmart’s SEQRA application.
Included in a number of documents posted to the Town of Ballston website is a letter dated June 5th from Walmart addressed to Planning Board Chair Richard Doyle refuting a number of concerns submitted by project opponents during a packed November hearing.
Walmart defends itself against concerns over traffic, noise, visual impacts, and demand for community services.
Walmart is seeking a Negative Declaration of Significance from the planning board – a go-ahead that would not require further environmental review. The company says a Negative Declaration “is appropriate because Walmart has proven, by competent evidence, that the project avoids all potential environmental impacts.”
Doyle declined to be recorded, but told WAMC Walmart’s response is the first item on the agenda. Walmart did not respond to a request for comment.
Ben Baskin, a member of Smart Growth Ballston, is an opponent of the proposed store. He said the meeting will be an opportunity for the company to present its “dog and pony show”.
“It’s not going to be something where the community gets to talk, and it’s going to be ‘this is why we need a negative declaration by the engineers.’ And that’s what it will be – so we’ll be a visible presence in the audience and a reminder that the community doesn’t want this,” said Baskin.
Doyle said the planning board will consider 18 separate categories of the project and determine if any should require further study by the town’s engineers. Doyle said the planning board would accept written comments on Wednesday night’s presentation until June 17th.
Walmart’s presence has been hotly debated in Ballston for a decade. Lawn signs for and against the store still sit in front of homes.
In March 2005, the Ballston town board imposed a six-month moratorium limiting commercial development, and six months later made changes to the town’s comprehensive plan, among changes related to zoning. A lawsuit was filed from the property owner against the town board. Walmart’s original plan was ultimately withdrawn.
The company submitted plans for its current proposal in 2011. For one thing, the project is 30 percent smaller and Walmart is making street repairs – though critics claim the upgrades don’t go far enough.
Pete Bardunias, president of the Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, said Walmart is taking appropriate steps to ensure a smooth entry into a town that is divided on its entrance.
The chamber previously announced that if built, the store would feature an information kiosk about the town and its amenities.
“It’s going to be an economic benefit as well, and a potential job creator,” said Bardunias. “I have no control over whether they come, but if they do come, I want to make sure that they integrate as well into the community as possible, and so far, to their credit, they’ve been willing to talk about that and create some positive steps to make that happen.”
Opponents, like Baskin, say they continue to push against the plan.
“It’s still too big and in the wrong place,” said Baskin.
