SEQR Report Lansing Commons (Auburn Road Parcel “C") Town of Lansing, NY July 27, 2017 Prepared for: Rochester’s Cornerstone Group 460 White Spruce Blvd. Rochester NY 14623 P.N. 20172418.0001 Passero Associates | 242 West Main Street, Suite 100 | Rochester, NY 14614 | 585.325.1000 | www.passero.com SEQR Report Lansing Commons - Auburn Road Parcel “C” – Town of Lansing, NY CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 1 3.0 LAND USE AND ZONING ........................................................................................................... 3 4.0 CULTURAL RESOURCES............................................................................................................... 4 5.0 WETLANDS ........................................................................................................................................ 4 6.0 SOILS .................................................................................................................................................... 5 7.0 UTILITIES ........................................................................................................................................... 5 8.0 TRAFFIC & ACCESS....................................................................................................................... 10 9.0 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PRACTICES/STORMWATER MANAGEMENT .......... 11 10.0 LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING ............................................................................................ 12 11.0 APPROVALS AND SEQR ............................................................................................................. 12 APPENDICES APPENDIX A. Concept Plan APPENDIX B. Wetland Report APPENDIX C. Soils information (Web Soil Survey) APPENDIX D. Utility Record Mapping APPENDIX E. Package Treatment Plant Schematics And Sample NYSDEC Permit Forms APPENDIX F. Water Distribution Calculations ii July 2017 SEQR Report Lansing Commons - Auburn Road Parcel “C” – Town of Lansing, NY 1.0 INTRODUCTION The proposed two-phase project will be situated on a ±22.4-acre parcel located on the north side of Auburn Road, NYS Rte. 34/34B, in the Town of Lansing, Tompkins County, New York. The project is bounded by undeveloped land to the north, east and west and Auburn Road and the Town Hall property to the south. The subject property is currently owned by the Town and is part of a larger subdivision of Town property, called “Town Center”, that includes a Request for Proposal process to develop the lands. Phase I will consist of nine apartment buildings totaling 72 units and one ±3100 SF community center on ±13.5 acres. The second phase will be immediately west of the Phase I and will consist of seven apartment buildings totaling 56 units, and will also include its own community building. The project will include the construction of approximately 600 LF of Town dedicated road and right of way from Rte. 34/34B to the project site which will also serve as a path for dedicated utilities to serve the site. 2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The proposed project will construct 128 total units (72 in phase I and 56 in Phase II) on 22.4 acres in the center of the Town of Lansing. A summary of critical environmental impacts as a result of the project include: • There are no sewers in the vicinity of the project. The project will install a wastewater package treatment plant in lieu of a very challenging sewer extension. Preliminary discussions with NYSDEC indicate that a package plant can be constructed on site, and can discharge to the onsite intermittent stream and wetlands. • The project will seek Planning Board Site Plan approval for Phase I, along with a SEQR determination. • The full buildout of the site requires a Town Planned Development Review process. Phase I by itself does not). The PDA process and Phase II will be pursued at a later date. • The project requires a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, requiring review and approval by the Town Engineer. The stormwater management design will incorporate several NYDSEC green infrastructure practices, in addition to the traditional quantity control measures. The project will follow all NYSDEC stormwater design requirements for permanent and temporary stormwater management and erosion control measures. 1 April 2017 SEQR Report Lansing Commons - Auburn Road Parcel “C” – Town of Lansing, NY • The project will need to extend a dedicated road to the site, to provide access to Auburn Road. The road extension will require NYSDOT permitting and approval of the road design by the Town. • The project will provide private sidewalks within the project limits. These sidewalks will however, have a connection to the proposed sidewalks along the new dedicated Town road out to Auburn Road, continuing on to the Town Hall. The sidewalks will allow residents to walk to and from the bus stop at the Town Hall, among other destinations on Auburn Road. • The Town trail system also traverses the site. The project has taken every measure possible to avoid altering the existing trail. Where required however, the trail will be reconstructed to avoid project features and to ensure the trail remains whole. The project conforms with the latest version of the Town’s Comprehensive plan, by proposing a denser development in the center of Town that will provide multifamily affordable housing meeting a countywide need. The project also utilizes the Comprehensive Plan’s recommendations of preserving natural features, such as wetlands, which are being avoided on this site. 2 April 2017 SEQR Report Lansing Commons - Auburn Road Parcel “C” – Town of Lansing, NY 3.0 LAND USE AND ZONING The project will be built on approximately 22.4 acres that is currently zoned B-1 Commercial. The site is currently vacant and has been used as a farm field in the past. There is no proposed change in zoning. Despite the project use being residential in nature, it will still comply with B-1 zoning regulations. The site is surrounded by Residential RA, R2 and R3 residential zones to the north, and B1, B2 and IR zoned properties to the south and east. The Town’s 2016 Comprehensive plan update, indicates the site that is proposed for development be used for “mixed-use” development, mixed use being defined as denser, to eliminate sprawl, and have a form based code that encourages the Town to work with a developer to provide a product that the Town would like to see in terms of character and façade. This project provides the Town that opportunity. The proposed bulk area requirements and provisions of the project are as follows: Required Proposed Setbacks Front 100’ 100’ Rear 10’ 240’ Side 10’ 24’ Building N/A 2 stories Height Building N/A 49’ Separation Lot Area Phase 1 N/A ±13.5 acres Phase 2 N/A ±8.9 acres Bldg. Lot Coverage N/A 7.9% Phase 1 N/A 9.2% Phase 2 Open Space Phase 1 N/A 82% Phase 2 N/A 65% Density Phase 1 13.5 acres*43560 sf/ac = 588,060 sf/8000 sf/unit= 73 units 72 units Phase 2 8.9 acres*43560 sf/ac = 387,684 sf/8000 sf/unit = 48 units 56 units* Parking Phase 1 (1.5/unit*72 units)+(1/100sf*3100 sf Community Building)=139 148 spaces Phase 2 (1.5/unit*56 units)+(1/100sf*3100 sf Community Building)=115 126 spaces *Project will propose phase 1 only to the Planning Board for site plan approval. Phase 2 is shown as a future development to determined potential SEQR impacts. 3 April 2017 SEQR Report Lansing Commons - Auburn Road Parcel “C” – Town of Lansing, NY 4.0 CULTURAL RESOURCES The NYSSHPO website was consulted to determine if the project fell within an archeo-sensitive area or if there existed any other historic features near or on the site. The project area did fall within an archeo-sensitive area and the Developer has submitted an application of determination to SHPO through the CRIS website. A graphic from the SHPO website is included below. APPROX SITE LOCATION 5.0 WETLANDS The project site contains Federal wetland areas which were delineated by a Terrestrial Environmental Specialists, Inc in June 2017. The wetland flagging was surveyed by Passero Associates and included in the base mapping provided in Appendix A of this report. The project’s concept plan has been designed to avoid all Federal wetlands. A copy of the wetland report is included in Appendix B of this report. A package treatment plant is proposed to treat site generated wastewater, as discussed later in this report. A permit from NYSDEC and the US Army Corps of Engineers will be required to permit the discharge of treated effluent from the plant to the aforementioned wetlands. 4 April 2017 SEQR Report Lansing Commons - Auburn Road Parcel “C” – Town of Lansing, NY 6.0 SOILS Per the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service/Web Soil Survey, the soils within the development area contain the following: Ilion Silty Clay Loam (IcA) Hydrologic Soil Group “C/D” 0-2% Slopes Lyons soils (Ly) Hydrologic Soil Group “C/D” 0-3% Slopes Ovid Silt Loam (OaA) Hydraulic Soil Group “B/D” 0-6% Slopes The developer has contracted a geotechnical firm to perform test pits and soil borings. That firm is currently engaged in mobilization and scheduling the work to be performed. The result will be a report with an analysis of the findings, as well as recommendations for pavement and foundation installations. 7.0 UTILITIES 7.1 Sanitary Sewer The project parcel is located in an area where