SKANEATELES | The Skaneateles Town Board hopes to soon seek bids for the landscaping portion of its Western Gateway Improvement Project that saw renovations done to U.S. Route 20 on the western end of town.
After the project finally broke ground in August 2012 after years of delay, the landscaping portion was cut out of the original plan because of a lack of funding. The town hopes to complete that portion with a combination of donations and either grant funding or town money.
At Thursday’s meeting, Larry Hasard, the New York State Department of Transportation resident engineer for western Onondaga County, was on hand to answer questions and provide guidance about the landscaping portion.
Hasard said he understood the town wished to move forward with that portion but wanted to make changes to the original landscaping plans and would help figure out what the town wants to do and how it can do it with “the least amount of bureaucracy.”
Supervisor Mary Sennett said she felt the Western Gateway landscaping is supposed to complement the landscaping already in place throughout the village, but the current plan seems out of context and separate from what’s already been done.
“This is essentially an extension of the sidewalk area that runs through the center of Skaneateles,” she said. “It’s not in keeping with the streetscapes in the rest of the community.”
As an engineer, Hasard said he was not involved with the development of the landscaping plan but believes it represents a plan that is acceptable in terms of safety and visibility for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
Still, Sennett said she feels the current plan does not fit in with the existing appearance of the village along Genesee Street.
“I think that’s my no. 1 concern – to preserve the look and feel of what we’re used to in the community,” she said.
Hasard said the town can “basically do anything you’d like” in terms of altering the original plan, as long as the new ideas are consistent with the location and plant types set out originally.
All the town needs to do, he said, is to confirm that it will do the work and then update its insurance and contractor for the project.
The town can delete plants – such as shrubbery and grasses that were not popular originally – without a problem. But Hasard said changing species of plants would take some work, since the DOT would need to approve the new plan.
“That’s really what our only interest is – just making sure those efforts are consistent with the use of the highway,” he said, reiterating the importance of safety and visibility as part of the landscaping.
He said a DOT landscape architect could provide better guidance on choosing acceptable species, and the board hopes to have one at a future meeting.
Councilor Nancy Murray said the town will seek donations for the landscaping – particular to purchase trees and possibly memorial plaques and benches – but could not seek donations until it used up its original grant funding.
Hasard noted, though, that the Western Gateway project exceeded its budget, so the original grant funds were depleted. The infrastructure for planting, however, was put in place during the construction, he said.
Councilor Connie Brace asked if the town could obtain a new grant for the landscaping, while Murray said she received two pledges and at least 10 phone calls from people interested in donating.
Murrray suggested the town stick with the original plan of 16 trees but delete the grasses from the plan.
“We’ll make a board decision on that when the time comes,” she said.
MEETING NOTES
- The board voted unanimously to authorize closing the town Transfer Station on June 10 for an employee training day.
- The board approved requests from the Skaneateles YMCA and Community Center to use Austin Park, Searing Fitness to use Clift Park, and Grace Chapel to use Clift Park.
- The board approved rules for the farmer’s market, which include the Saturday market starting at 9 a.m. and both Thursday and Saturday markets running from May through October.
- The board voted unanimously to establish a Planning and Zoning Subcommittee that will include two members of the Planning Board, two members of the Zoning Board of Appeals and two members of the Town Board.
- The board voted unanimously to transfer $11,000 from the Water Consolidated Repair Reserve Fund for an upcoming project.
- Sennett reported the town court received a Justice Court Assistance Program grant to make updates to the court office.
- Councilor Claire Howard said she attended a recent Comprehensive Plan Review Committee meeting, where the committee finished reviewing the text of the document. The hope is to submit the plan to the town and village review committee by April.
Speak Your Mind