DOCSLIB.ORG

Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement Oneonta Rail Yard Re-Development

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement Oneonta Rail Yard Re-Development FINAL GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Oneonta Rail Yard Re-development City of Oneonta Otsego County, New York SEQRA TYPE 1 ACTION LEAD AGENCY: City of Oneonta Common Council City Hall Common Council Chambers 258 Main Street Oneonta, NY 13820 CONTACT: Nancy Powell, City Clerk/Records Access Officer [email protected] June, 2019 Contents Introduction and Purpose .............................................................................................................................. 1 Goal of the Project ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Response To Comments ............................................................................................................................... 3 Site Access and Transportation ................................................................................................................. 3 Water ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Sewer ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 Power ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Stormwater Management/Floodplain ...................................................................................................... 10 Wetlands ................................................................................................................................................. 12 Former Site Use Impact .......................................................................................................................... 15 Habitat ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 Process/Procedure ................................................................................................................................... 17 Attachments Attachment A: Public Comment Log Attachment B: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Report, 2006, USEPA Brownfields Program Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement Oneonta Rail Yard Re-Development Introduction and Purpose The City of Oneonta Common Council, as Lead Agency, has conducted an environmental review for the Redevelopment of the Oneonta Railyards in the City of Oneonta, Otsego County, New York, as proposed by the County of Otsego Industrial Development Agency (COIDA). Though there is no actual proposed re- development project at this time, the rail yard site is by far the largest infill development area within the City of Oneonta, and this commercial/industrial zoned land is highly underutilized. Through the creation of a Master Plan for the site, the County of Otsego Industrial Development Agency (COIDA) can better attract and anticipate development within the site. A coordinated review for Lead Agency status was initiated by the Common Council on September 28, 2017, and on January 16, 2018, the Common Council, having received no objections from involved agencies, declared itself Lead Agency for this project, made a Determination of Significance, and issued a Positive Declaration with its Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS). The Scoping process to define the DGEIS included two public meetings. The Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) was prepared in accordance with Article 8 of the New York Environmental Conservation Law, the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA or SEQR) and the implementing regulations incorporated in 6 NYCRR Part 617. The DGEIS has been prepared to document the environmental review of the potential redevelopment of the rail yards and to seek comments and input from the public and involved and/or interested agencies. The Common Council of the City of Oneonta passed a resolution on January 15, 2019, accepting the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS), beginning the public comment period, and establishing the public hearing date for the Oneonta Rail Yards Redevelopment project. The public comment period was initially to run through February 22,2019; however, the comment period was extended to March 18, 2019. A Public meeting was held February 5, 2019, and a Public comment hearing held on March 5, 2019. The Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement was available on the City of Oneonta’s (Lead Agency) and County of Otsego IDA’s (Applicant) websites, as well as on CD at the public library. During the comment period, the public and involved and/or interested agencies provided comments regarding the DGEIS. At the conclusion of a comment period, the Lead Agency prepares a Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) which incorporates the DGEIS together with responses to comments. The final step in the process is the issuance of a findings statement by the lead agency. The 1 Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement Oneonta Rail Yard Re-Development findings statement will document environmental analysis in summary form and set forth specific conditions or criteria for future development. This document is the FGEIS, and as such includes the DGEIS, responses to all substantive comments, a log of written and oral comments and the 2006 Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Report for the Rail Yards, prepared under the USEPA Brownfields Assessment Program. Eighty-five (85) individuals or entities submitted written comments and/or spoke at public meetings. In preparing this FGEIS and responses to the comments, the lead agency has elected to provide general responses to the comments based on subject area. The relevant subject areas are identified below: 1) site access and transportation 2) water supply 3) sewer 4) power 5) stormwater management/floodplain 6) wetlands 7) former site use impact 8) habitat 9) Process/Procedure Goal of the Project The goal of the project is to prepare a redevelopment master plan and economic development strategy for approximately 50 acres of an 80–acre site owned by the County of Otsego Industrial Development Agency (COIDA) at the Oneonta railyard. The rail yard site is by far the largest infill development area within the City of Oneonta, and this commercial/industrial zoned land is highly underutilized. At this time there is no actual proposal for redevelopment of the rail yard. The completion of the GEIS facilitates marketing the rail yards to prospective developers by documenting the environmental setting and reviewing potential impacts of a future redevelopment of the site. The GEIS is a due diligence document which identifies the environmental setting, identifies the potential limitations on future development (e.g., wetlands, traffic, energy, stormwater management, endangered species and community character and services) and identifies potential mitigation strategies. By creating 2 Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement Oneonta Rail Yard Re-Development this tool, COIDA can market the property for the development with full disclosure and transparency. A potential developer can then review the GEIS and make a reasoned judgment whether a site-specific project is feasible and practical at this location. Any future site-specific project will be subject to full environmental and land use review including, but not limited to, site plan, stormwater permit, Army Corps wetland permit, state wetland permit, state and local transportation permits, archaeological evaluation (if necessary) and project-specific SEQRA review. After giving consideration to the extent that the environmental impacts of a potential site-specific project are identified and evaluated in this FGEIS, a future Lead Agency will make a determination of significance whether to require a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and/or a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The goal of the owner of the property (COIDA) is to foster redevelopment of the railyard by new businesses/institutions that will create new jobs and add to the local tax base. The master plan evaluated in the DGEIS focused on potential industrial commercial uses, including food processing, brewing/manufacturing, packaging, warehouse/storage, temperature–controlled distribution, import and export. Those uses were identified based on a perceived need and suitability for such uses at this location (access to both highway and rail) and proximity to existing agricultural resources. The actual future redevelopment of the property may be for an entirely different use or uses provided such plan achieves the objectives of creating new jobs, adding to the local tax base and obtains all necessary state, local and federal approvals. The intensity of the evaluated redevelopment (full build out) was selected, in part, to identify constraints on the site including the potential infrastructure needs and environmental limitations that could arise once a site site-specific project is proposed. In this FGEIS, the lead agency is not making any determinations and/or judgments regarding suitable and/or approvable redevelopment plans. Any future redevelopment plan will have to be evaluated by all the involved agencies based on its own merit. Response To Comments Site Access and Transportation Current land uses in and near the rail yard include a mix of industrial, manufacturing,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Town of Oneonta
    FINAL Town of Oneonta All-Hazards Mitigation Plan Approved January 31, 2008 Prepared by: Town of Oneonta Hazard Mitigation Committee And The Otsego County Planning Department 197 Main St. Cooperstown, NY 13326 This hazards mitigation plan encompasses the Town of Oneonta, New York. This plan was Developed through coordination with the Otsego County Planning Department and was funded, in part, by a Pre-Disaster Mitigation program grant from the New York State Emergency Management Office and Federal Emergency Management Agency. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Section 1 – Executive Summary 1-1 Background 1-1 Planning Process 1-1 Risk Assessment 1-1 Mitigation Strategy 1-2 Action Plan 1-3 Plan Maintenance 1-6 Section 2 - Background 2-1 Section 3 - Planning Process 3-1 Section 4 - Risk Assessment introduction 4-1 Town Historic data 4-2 HAZNY results 4-4 Hazard Definitions 4-5 Moderately High Hazards 4-8 Moderately Low Hazards 4-13 Low Hazards 4-22 Critical Building Value, Replacement and Content Cost 4-24 Critical Facilities Inventory 4-25 Damages assessment 4-27 Page Section 5 - Mitigation Goals and Actions introduction 5-1 Actions Specific to New and Existing Buildings 5-2 Prioritized method of goals and actions 5-6 Goals and Action Plan 5-9 Section 6 - Plan Maintenance 6-1 thru 6-8 Appendix A - List of Acronyms A Appendix B All-Hazard Mitigation Plan Adoption B-1 – Appointment of Members to Planning Committee B-1 B-2 – Plan Adoption B-2 B-3 – Resolution of amended plan 2006 B-3 Appendix C – Notices C C-1 – Public Notice C-1 C-2 – List of notified
    [Show full text]
  • SRCA2017 Fullprogram.Pdf
    2017 Student Research & Creative Activity Day April 12, 2017 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM Hunt College Union Sponsored by: College at Oneonta Foundation, Inc. Grants Development Office Office of Alumni Engagement Division of Academic Affairs 2016/17 College Senate Committee on Research Thomas Beal (History) Tracy Betsinger (Anthropology) Melissa Godek (Earth & Atmospheric Sciences) Mette Harder (History) Florian Reyda, Chair (Biology) Kathy Meeker, ex officio (Grants Development Office) srca.oneonta.edu PROGRAM 10:00 AM–4:30 PM in the Hunt Union Ballroom Viewing of student posters, computer displays and other exhibits spotlighting student research and creative activity projects from across the disciplines (see abstracts) 12:00 NOON–1:00 PM in The Waterfront, Hunt Union Luncheon and Keynote Address (registered guests only) Dr. John “Jack” Bonamo ‘72 "Oh, The Places You Can Go" Dr. Bonamo received his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta, his M.D. from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and his M.S. in Health Care Management from the Harvard School of Public Health. After practicing Obstetrics & Gynecology for 19 years, he served as President and Chief Medical Officer of Saint Barnabas Medical Center (SBMC), Barnabas Health System's flagship hospital. SBMC is home to the second largest kidney transplant program in the nation, and has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that leads the nation in survival rate for very low birth-weight infants. In 2015, Dr. Bonamo assumed the role of Executive VP & Chief Medical Officer for the Robert Wood Johnson-Barnabas Health System, increasing his role to include all twelve system hospitals.
    [Show full text]
  • Otsego County 'New York Geographical __D Historical
    O T S EG O C O U N TY ' NEW YO RK G e o gr a ph i c a l __d H i s t o r i c a l F R O M T H E E A R L I E S T S E T T L E M E N T T O T H E P R E S E N T TIM E . W ITH C O U N TY A N D TO W N S H IP M A P S F R O M . OR IG IN A L D R A W IN G S By W ‘ a B E D IN F . B A C ON , p . N ONEONTA, . Y. T ON ONTA H ER AL D P lis h r H E E , ub e s . 1 2 90 . P R EF A C E Th ere is a growing demand for the means of local geo a a n d u graphic l historical st dy in schools, and this little manual is intended to meet this dem and for the schools of Otsego County . It was originally prepared in manuscript for classes in the Oneonta State Normal school and now, with the approval and encou ragement of the school commissioners and teachers of ff . the county, is o ered in its present form In its preparation I have had the pleasu re of visiting every n towshipin the county , thus gaining information at first hand and from the most relia ble sources .
    [Show full text]
  • Cover with Draft- Oneonta Comp Plan
    OPPORTUNITY ONEONTA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN City of Oneonta, New York 2019 Update DRAFT Acknowledgements Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee: . Bob Brzozowski, Greater Oneonta Historical Society . Seth Clark, Peter Clark Student Rentals . Julie Dostal, LEAF Council . Mark Davies, Hartwick College . Joan Fox, Realtor . Rachel Lutz Jessup, Destination Oneonta . Al Rubin, A&D Transport Services, Inc. Russ Southard, 6th Ward Council Member . Alex Thomas, SUNY Oneonta City Staff: . Gary Herzig, Mayor . Meg Hungerford, Finance Director . Judy Pangman, Community Development Director Prepared with the assistance Elan Planning, Design and Landscape Architecture, PLLC This report has been formatted for two-sided printing. 1 Introduction Section Contents: 1. Introduction 2. What is a Comprehensive Plan? 3. How the Comprehensive Plan was Developed 1. Introduction Oneonta, also known as the City of the Hills, is located along the Susquehanna River in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains in Central New York. The City, which is home to approximately 14,000 people, features a walkable, historic Main Street, a beautiful park system, and a diverse array of arts and cultural amenities. Oneonta has a rich history linked to the Delaware and Hudson Railroad. In 1906, the world’s largest locomotive roundhouse was built near downtown. This helped to establish the City as a railroad center and spurred economic development by attracting new industries to the area. The City’s economic success continued until the latter half of the twentieth century when the use of steam power gave way to diesel and the City’s Roundhouse was rendered obsolete. Demolition of the Roundhouse began in the 1950s and was completed in 1993.
    [Show full text]
  • Biological Field Station Annual Report 2006-07
    BIOLOGICAL FIELD STATION Cooperstown, New York 45th ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Images of Copepods (above) and Daphnia spp. (top right), and a sample run summary (right) obtained using the FlowCAM, acquired through 2012 NSF FSML Grant #61721 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK COLLEGE AT ONEONTA OCCASIONAL PAPERS PUBLISHED BY THE BIOLOGICAL FIELD STATION No. 1. The diet and feeding habits of the terrestrial stage of the common newt, Notophthalmus viridescens (Raf.). M.C. MacNamara, April 1976 No. 2. The relationship of age, growth and food habits to the relative success of the whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and the cisco (C. artedi) in Otsego Lake, New York. A.J. Newell, April 1976. No. 3. A basic limnology of Otsego Lake (Summary of research 1968-75). W. N. Harman and L. P. Sohacki, June 1976. No. 4. An ecology of the Unionidae of Otsego Lake with special references to the immature stages. G. P. Weir, November 1977. No. 5. A history and description of the Biological Field Station (1966-1977). W. N. Harman, November 1977. No. 6. The distribution and ecology of the aquatic molluscan fauna of the Black River drainage basin in northern New York. D. E Buckley, April 1977. No. 7. The fishes of Otsego Lake. R. C. MacWatters, May 1980. No. 8. The ecology of the aquatic macrophytes of Rat Cove, Otsego Lake, N.Y. F. A Vertucci, W. N. Harman and J. H. Peverly, December 1981. No. 9. Pictorial keys to the aquatic mollusks of the upper Susquehanna. W. N. Harman, April 1982. No. 10. The dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata: Anisoptera and Zygoptera) of Otsego County, New York with illustrated keys to the genera and species.
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement
    Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement Redevelopment Master Plan Oneonta Railyards City of Oneonta Otsego County, New York SEQRA Type 1 Action Lead Agency: City of Oneonta Common Council City Hall Common Council Chambers 258 Main Street Oneonta, NY 13820 Contact: Nancy Powell, City Clerk/Records Access Officer [email protected] December 28, 2018 DRAFT GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for the REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ONEONTA RAILYARDS City of Oneonta, Otsego County, New York SEQRA Type 1 Action Applicant: County of Otsego IDA Richmond Hulse, Jr., Chairman, Board of Directors 189 Main Street, Suite 500, Oneonta, NY 13820 607-267-4010 Consultant Contact: Delaware Engineering, DPC Mary Beth Bianconi, Partner 28 Madison Avenue Extension, Albany, NY 12203 518-452-1290 Public Comment Period: January 16, 2019 – February 22, 2019 Public Hearing: February 5, 2019, Common Council meeting, City Hall Direct Written Comments to: Railyards GEIS, City Hall, 258 Main Street Oneonta, NY 13820 Direct Emailed Comments to: [email protected]; Re: Railyards GEIS Lead Agency: City of Oneonta Common Council Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 258 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820 Prepared by Delaware Engineering, D.P.C. for County of Otsego IDA ii Oneonta Railyards GEIS December 28, 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION 8 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION 8 2.1 PROJECT PURPOSE, NEED AND BENEFIT 9 2.2 LOCATION 11 2.3 PREFERRED REDEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN 13 2.4 OPERATIONS 24 2.5 CONSTRUCTION 25 2.6 PERMITS AND APPROVALS 26
    [Show full text]