Area residents divided on Walmart superstore
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - Area residents Monday crowded the meeting room of the Bath town board, then spilled into the hallway as town board members took their first formal action in response to a proposed Walmart super store on state Route 54.

About 60 people jammed the meeting room - exceeding the room's legal limit of 50. Another 30 to 50 people were reported to be standing outside the room as public comment on the controversial issue lasted more than an hour.

In the end, opinion on the Walmart project appeared divided between those who warned the giant retailer would be a community scourge and those who said the community needed the retail activity and jobs a super Walmart offered.

Walmart would be "the nail in the coffin for us," warned Beth Miller of Wheeler. "Our downtown would be empty."

Eleanor Drain of Bath predicted the store would create huge traffic snarls on Route 54, where she is a resident. "There's a big safety issue," she warned.

On the other hand, Nellie Hyer of Bath said the area needs a stronger retailing presence. "We need a Walmart to buy clothes," she said. "We need Walmart badly."

And Savona village Mayor Mary O'Connor predicted a Walmart would generate more money for the town. "Walmart puts money back in the community," she said. "I really feel it's going to be a boon for our community."

Town board members declined to respond to residents' remarks, which included appeals from several individuals for a moratorium on large retail developments until the town has a comprehensive plan in place.

Bath resident Patricia Rice Gurecki urged "an immediate moratorium on commercial development projects in the Town of Bath," and warned "tourists don't come here to see cookie-cutter malls and plazas. They come here to get away from those things."

Board members, however, did take the formal step of directing the town Planning Board to work with Fagan Engineers, of Elmira, during a state-mandated environmental impact study.

Fagan's services will be paid by Walmart, town Supervisor Fred Muller noted.

Muller also observed the town's site plan review policy identifies the Planning Board as the automatic lead agency in the environmental review process.

That places the Planning Board in the key position for overall review of the Walmart development. Under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the board will coordinate a wide range of studies regarding the environmental impact of a Walmart development, including traffic patterns and storm water drainage.

Area residents will get additional opportunities to air their opinions regarding the Walmart development, as The SEQR process includes public comment through a series of public hearings and opportunities for written remarks.