ROTTERDAM Zone shift for Iovinella land irks Becker Drive residents BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Robert Iovinella has plans to construct something commercial between Becker Drive and Duanesburg Road, but town officials aren’t sure exactly what it is. In his request to rezone 3.4 acres from agriculture to general business, the developer was purposely vague, citing confidentiality agreements with businesses. He also promised to donate an acre to Rotterdam as a conservation easement, even though he owes thousands of dollars in back taxes on the property and had already promised it to the town as a condition of approval for the stalled McLane Food Service warehouse project. Still, members of the Town Board decided to trust Iovinella, approving a zone change and amendment to the comprehensive plan during their meeting last week. Lone Republican Gerard Parisi was the only board member to vote against the change, objecting to the town giving the developer a “carte blanche” approval without conditions and near a residential neighborhood. “In this instance when you have a zone change near residences, you need to have a specific project,” he said. “To give him an open-ended zone change this close to a residential area without a specific project is wrong.” Iovinella owes $2,339 in 2009 county and town taxes on one acre of the land included in the zone changes. On the same property, he owes $1,865 in school taxes to the Schalmont district, which were not paid by the deadline Monday. The approval also came after criticism from a number of residents living near the proposed zone change, many of whom had strongly objected to Iovinella’s plan to build McLane’s 168,000-squarefoot distribution center. Among their complaints, they argued the zone change was not in accordance with the town’s comprehensive plan and would destroy an existing buffer of woods separating Becker Drive from the busy area near the Interstate 890 interchange. Becker Drive resident Lori Bergami questioned why Iovinella wanted to build another commercial project in the first place. She said some of Iovinella’s other commercial developments in the town — such as the Hollywood Plaza on Campbell Road — are lacking tenants and starting to look shabby. “Make him accountable for the buildings that have already been approved,” she said. QUESTION OF LAW Attorney Jeff Baker said the town board failed to follow the state Environmental Quality Review Act in making the zone change and blatantly disregarded the comprehensive plan. The lawyer representing “several property owners in the area” also questioned why the town would consider a zone change before seeing any sort of project proposal. “There was no discussion of the merits of the application by the board members and they never addressed the issue of consistency with the comprehensive plan,” he said, suggesting a lawsuit against the town. James Durante, helping Iovinella develop the project, said the project planned for the land would include space for his office now located in Hollywood Plaza and said the other tenants would be “soft businesses” that wouldn’t offend the nearby residents. “It’s a prime area,” he said. “They built the [I-890] exit there.” Iovinella fired back at his critics angrily. He accused the lawyer of representing Pilot Travel Center’s Quickway, the truck stop located across the street from his land, and the neighbors as being a small but vocal contingent of obstructionist residents. “To lower residential taxes, you have commercial development,” said the irate Iovinella. “There are seven or eight people that keep selling you junk science with every project I propose.” And he had support from several ranking Democrats attending the meeting. Former town board member Diane Marco spoke in favor of the project, citing Iovinella as someone who “always sticks to his word.” “Why is it so bad to have a shovel-ready project?” She asked. Iovinella’s company, BTL Properties LLC, gave $750 to Revitalize Rotterdam last year. Revitalize Rotterdam was the committee that funded the sweep by a split Democrat-Conservative ticket during November’s election. Deputy Supervisor Robert Godlewski said he understood the concerns of the residents, but said Iovinella’s property was among a few caught in a “vacuum” caused by the recently approved comprehensive plan update and several new land classifications that haven’t been adopted yet. “He should not be penalized because of this vacuum,” he said.
Iovinella’s company, BTL Properties LLC, gave $750 to Revitalize Rotterdam last year. Revitalize Rotterdam was the committee that funded the sweep by a split Democrat-Conservative ticket during November’s election.
Iovinella’s property was among a few caught in a “vacuum” caused by the recently approved comprehensive plan update and several new land classifications that haven’t been adopted yet. “He should not be penalized because of this vacuum,” he said.
and from the 3/8/2010 Spotlight article: “He went through this process twice. He shouldn’t have to do it, but he is,” said Del Gallo.
Sure sounds like the current administration feels as though they owed BI something!
Here's what I don't get. The residents out there have been vocal and protesting the zone change. Why didn't they ever propose putting that property into a conservation easement. They all paid about $500.00 or more per lot into a parkland kitty. They should have approached the town and BI to see if the town and the residents out there could have purchased the land.
The problem with all these rezoning vs. adjacent properties comes down to control. These folks want some say and protection to their property values. Given the headaches BI has had with this property, he may be agreeable to a fair market value purchase by a homeowner's group and the town. Think Westhill??? Those people had vision to protect their neighborhood. Many of the visionaries are gone, but the people out there still see the value in that. Early environmentalists footing the bill on their own. They didn't look to the government to protect their property.
Instead of all the legal fees, these folks could have purchased this property. I have never heard that suggestion. The comp plan calls for a park in the western part of town. This would have been an sensible location. Maybe the skateboard park could come back out of moth balls. The skateboard park was located in an area with no kids. Just like the neighbors predicted, it was abused and not used. An eyesore with all that fencing. Paolino and crew didn't listen and wasted some more tax $$s. I'm not picking at them, it's just the facts. The neighbors had vision and they were ignored. It wasn't a protest against a skateboard park, it was we knew it wouldn't get used. It needs to be in area with lots of kids in walking distance like the Becker/Eldorado area.
The residents on Maria Court purchased that area that was proposed for soccer fields didn't they? They didn't just stop the proposal.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
The residents of this town never want to look beyond their own property lines.
I don't understand what the problem is. The project is on the western parcel. The land across from the residents is donated to the town and nothing will be constructed on it. The problem I have is this majority granted a zoning change without knowing what is to be constructed. What kind of representation is that. Are we to assume now that any developer can request a zoning change and not have to disclose the intended project? It gets better with every week these people are in office!
Why the worry, this is what the people voted for! Just like socialized medicine!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Why the worry, this is what the people voted for! Just like socialized medicine!
AGAIN..I REPEAT................
Get off your soap box....you are apparently singing to the wrong choir! I didn't vote for the current administration and apparently neither did thousands of other residents. So the way I see it.....the residents who actually DID support the losing candidates can just go to hell...huh? Remember, the residents that the losing candidates went door to door to while campaigning? Remember, the residents who contributed monetarily? Remember, the residents who went out and voted? How soon they forget, huh?
I didn't vote for obama and clearly neither did millions of other people. But at least the losing candidates, at the national level, are 'solid' on representing those people who did vote for them and contributed and supported them. At least they are still supporting an ideology that some people still hold near and dear. And for that, there will probably be a rep sweep in the congress.
BUT NOT HERE IN NYS!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
You have to learn to accept the will of the people and take responsibility for the fact that your vote has a result. Respect what the people have said. They voted in the Democrat-Conliberaltives.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
That's what the No New Tax, Tea Party idiots don't understand, GB. They don't realize that there is a world beyond their cause. They brush off what happens as a result of their actions as collateral damage for the greater good.
If they don't like what is happening, they could have prevented it by not dividing the Republican Party. At least then, they could have had someone to appeal to/hold accountable!
I am fine with the loss of the republican candidates. Obviously some people on the GOP side were not being loud enough in their views to win over the votes of the conservatives (who started paying attention about 4 milliseconds ago) and I am fine with accepting the new "path" that the voters have chosen. I am only one vote. If people want socialism jammed down their throats and cronyism like we have, then keep doing what you are doing and stop blaming other people for your decisions to vote out the GOP candidates. We will see how it translates in the upcoming races. Personally, I think we will see more three way races going on because that is what people have been calling for. But again, i am just one citizen with one vote. I am outnumbered by 300 million or more in the USA. when illegal immigrants get to vote soon, then we can see how that translates to ever getting the socialists out of office. I doubt we will-ever.
McCain was a zero. The GOP congress were zeros. Better a zero than a Nero. Sad but true. Life is not perfect. I don't get to fly in a Lear jet. I have to chose from the unsatisfactory choices of flying coach or taking a bus. whawhawha...cry me a river, I can't have everything perfect. So I won't travel.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
That's what the No New Tax, Tea Party idiots don't understand, GB. They don't realize that there is a world beyond their cause. They brush off what happens as a result of their actions as collateral damage for the greater good.
If they don't like what is happening, they could have prevented it by not dividing the Republican Party. At least then, they could have had someone to appeal to/hold accountable!
But don't waste your breath...
That's the problem with the rep party....they blame everyone but themselves. They have conveniently forgotten how they split their OWN party FIRST when they publicly announced that they were running one of their own against another. And the reason.....one wasn't easy to work with! DUH....that's politics folks. It happens everyday! I'd have to guess there is much more too it than this!
Have they conveniently forgotten that they endorsed MB, an environmentalist to the county leg. position? They clearly shot themselves in the foot with that choice.
Have they conveniently forgotten that they 'supported' and actually 'campaigned on' forming a taxing district for REMS, who can't sustain itself?
Ya, keep blaming the NNTP and anyone or anything else they can. They should be looking in their own mirror first.
And ya wonder why people are screaming for a third party candidate? Both parties have no one, no group, no political party or no 'anything' to blame but themselves! Everyone appears to be sick and tired of the entire political process.
The local reps should be ashamed of themselves for not being in the forefront and speaking and supporting those that supported them! I personally, have never voted for a liberal socialist dem and never will. But the options are becoming more and more scarce. IMHO
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The Rotterdam Republican Party campaigns on "Save the REMS” by creating a TAXING DISTRICT. Ten years ago, when the Republicans have the majority on the County Legislator - they create the bureaucracy called the METROPLEX AUTHORITY. In 2009, new blood interview for the Rep endorsement, ALL DENIED. MV was chosen over BL, and JS runs for a seat held by a sitting Republican JM. If anybody went to the LOWV debate, it would make you question "why did they choose MV over BL"? Maybe MV could articulate their message better. Ex party chair Gerard gets appointed to TB seat, then within 2 months, he expresses his desire to primary George Amedore. Two years into his 4 year tem, Angelo switches party affiliation from Rep to Dem.
Anybody watching this cannibalism from the outside would be insane to join the slaughter.
The current Republican leadership has made no attempt to mend the rift that THEY CREATED and continue down the road of mutual assured destruction.
Well said Cicero. And yet they wonder why people are seeking third party candidates! The liberal socialist dems are killin' us while the reps are killin' themselves. If the reps don't pull it together soon with viable candidates and a strong party.....it will be decades before they will become electable. IMHO
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I think it's stupid to think that BL, a virtual unknown outside of the hamlet, who couldn't win"his" party primary for committeemen let alone the legislature is worth a debate on who was a better candidate...........you just don't get get JM. You are bitter, shamed and shattered that you got dumped by your own party, friends and the voters. You got beat by a KID. HaHaHa
Logged
Ex party chair Gerard gets appointed to TB seat, then within 2 months, he expresses his desire to primary George Amedore. Two years into his 4 year tem, Angelo switches party affiliation from Rep to Dem.
