by Jay Lawson
The Town of Webb Planning Board held a public hearing on the proposed Fastrac expansion project on Tuesday, December 1st at the Park Avenue Building in Old Forge.
The hearing featured a presentation by Fastrac Markets representative Jim Allen.
He described revisions that Fastrac had made in response to concerns communicated by nearby property owners.
Litter, noise, and light pollution were among those concerns, as was improper routing of traffic to and from the property.
Residents said vehicles tend to wrongly access the Middle Branch Road, sometimes entering the neighborhood development behind Fastrac.
Allen said Fastrac would do anything it could to direct traffic to the opposite side of the store, site of a proposed new parking lot.
But the gas pumps will continue to draw traffic to the southern side of the property, potentially continuing the problem, he said.
Allen said directional signs could be installed, but short of installing a curb or other physical barrier, the exiting onto Middle Branch could remain a less than fully solved problem.
The reason for not installing such a barrier is that Fastrac’s fuel delivery trucks require entrance from the property’s Middle Branch side, Allen said.
Those trucks are among the most disruptive of the store’s vendors, according to Patrick Perkins, a Middle Branch development resident.
Therefore, routing other vendors to the new, northern-side parking lot (toward Old Forge), would alleviate little, he said.
Perkins emphasized that he is not opposed to the Fastrac facility, but that he hoped for better solutions to the neighborhood’s traffic issues.
Planning Board member Don McKenna asked about customer and traffic increases that Fastrac is projecting for the expansion.
“I’ll be honest with you, we haven’t run the total numbers on all that just yet,” Allen said.
“With typical expansions, we generally see a ten to 15 percent increase in our sales inside the store. With an expanded food offering and better product selection, it is feasible that we would do that,” he said.
Primarily the traffic increases would be during the busy summer months and some peak winter weeks, Allen said.
The proposed north side parking lot, where store deliveries would be made, was also an issue.
Residents wanted an adequate separation between the Fastrac property and neighboring residential properties.
Allen said Fastrac was willing to create a berm or fence, whatever was preferred by Fastrac’s neighbors.
This would serve to block vehicle noise and bright headlights. It would also keep litter from blowing from Fastrac to neighboring properties.
And it would keep Fastrac customers from venturing onto neighboring properties with their pets.
Several residents said a solid fence would serve this purpose better, not a berm.
Allen said Fastrac would work with residents in designing a fence that is easily maintained and aesthetically pleasing.
Other concerns had to do with snow removal and run-off.
Middle Branch resident Paula Weal said she hoped snow would be cleared in a way that would minimize snowmobile riding on the property itself.
Planning Board Chairman Marcia Barker said she hoped melted snow and rain would be managed, so as not to encroach on neighbors with run-off.
A forthcoming storm-water management plan should provide those details, she said.
Steve Hoepfl, a motel owner from across the street, said he experiences occasional problems with noisy Fastrac patrons in the late night hours.
He asked if Fastrac would install a surveillance system, that would allow store workers to better manage the situation.
Allen said the system would be upgraded, though not with sound capturing, and that the issue would be brought to the attention of local clerks and managers.
The neighborhood attendees of the hearing thanked the Planning Board for the opportunity to be heard.
They also thanked Mr. Allen for working to address their concerns.
Several other issues remain unsettled and must be addressed before a conditional use permit will be decided by the Planning Board, according to Marcia Barker.
Details still to be addressed include Fastrac’s plans for storm water management, outdoor lighting, snow removal, and issues concerning the local highway and public works departments, and the New York State Department of Transportation.