Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber delivered his State of the Town address Tuesday night.
Barber, a Democrat in his fourth two-year term, gave an optimistic address with an ambitious agenda for the Albany County suburb that includes climate action and protecting open spaces; economic development, historic preservation, and numerous police and public safety enhancements.
"The most important item probably for the town," said Barber, "is the Comprehensive Plan update, we try to do it every 20 years or so, it's where the community gets together and tries to get an understanding of where they want to go, what their goals are, what their recommendations are, you know, what's the consensus going to be? You're building on an existing plan from 2001. And also all the neighborhood studies and plans that were developed under that plan, the last one being the Western Corridor starting in 2016. We also have 20 more years of trying to meet some of the recommendations and goals of those plans. And again, that's part of the review is to see what we can do. And what we can do better."
Barber says a "Public Visioning Workshop" on updating the town's comprehensive plan will be held March 13th. He also gave an update on Guilderland's foray into solar power.
"Back in 2016, we invested in a solar facility in Amsterdam, that has finally, resulting now in credits that we get our National Grid Bill, it amounts to between $50,000 and $100,000, depending upon the time of year by $50,000 to $100,000 in annual savings," Barber said. "Again, it's a first step in the process, we now have also plans to do the same thing at the transfer station, we signed a contract with GE solar in 2020, to put solar on our facility there. It's going to take some time because they have to upgrade the national grid substation there. But again, I think is a good use for an old facility."
Barber says planners are working to identify properties that are now either town parks or open space that may still have their underlying zoning assignment "residential," and list them but rezone them as "open space." He praised the town's "Native Tree Preservation law" and noted Guilderland is one six towns able to give tax exemptions to people who are willing to set aside and preserve environmentally sensitive lands. He added the next step will be to appoint a tree preservation committee.
"That committee is going to be charged with preparing a forestry plan that's going to take a good year or so to work on, to identify, again, best practices for maintaining our native tree population," Barber said.
Some town projects that were put on hold during the pandemic will be renewed. Barber highlighted town Senior Services’ recent $150,000 purchase of a new 22-passenger senior bus, most of which was paid for by the state. He says several ongoing infrastructure improvements, including roundabouts and sidewalks, are advancing pedestrian safety.
“The state really is now encouraging complete streets and really trying to make non-motorized connectivity and pedestrian safety, more of a importance. And again, that's something that we are going to be trying to do the years ahead,” said Barber.
The town is considering implementing a 25 mph speed limit on all of its roadways, and Barber says the plan to build a Costco Warehouse near Crossgates Mall is still viable, its application likely to be heard at a public hearing this spring.
“The Planning Board gave a two-year review of the SEQR process and determined that the environmental impacts were going to be adequately addressed, after consulting with the Albany Pine Bush Commission, which found that the Costco site had no preservation, no protection value, that DEC also concurred with that opinion as did U.S. Fish and Wildlife," Barber said. "So again, I also want to add to that there are some substantial benefits to the town not only the jobs that will be created, the full time jobs are average about $58,000 a year and also that the annual property taxes alone are $160,000 for the school, about $20,000 for the town, and the annual sales tax based upon a prorated share would be about $157,000 for the town.”
Barber praised the town's new EMS station, the first built in 40 years, situated at the entrance to Western Turnpike Golf Course, is set to open this spring.
Barber noted with the implementation of state-mandated police reform, members of the town police force have become well-trained and more diverse, adding female officers and officers of color.
"We don't have claims or actions brought against our police. We haven't had any. And I don't remember the last time there's been any action regarding a police officer," said Barber.
