Memorandum                                        

TO:            Farmington Town Board

FROM:      Ron Brand, Director of Planning & Development  -  Ronald L. Brand

                  Dan Delpriore, Town Code Enforcement Officer -  Daniel Delpriore

                  August Gordner, Deputy Town Code Enforcement Officer   -  August Gordner

DATE:       July 23, 2024

RE:            Report for Town Board Meeting on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

The following report is for this week’s Town Board Meeting, and it is for the period July 9, 2024, through July 22, 2024.

Town Board Resolution (2)

1. Resolution authorizing waiving the permit fee for the Farmington Volunteer Fire Association’s annual fireworks display at their carnival.
2. Resolution authorizing the hiring of a Zoning Inspector, effective August 6, 2024, at a rate of $22.00 per hour.

     Town Projects Update

1. FEDERAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM (TAP) GRANT AWARD.  Work continues boxing out the alignment and installing stone base for new sections of public sidewalks: along the east side of Mertensia Road, north of Meyer’s RV Campers property; along the west side of Mertensia, north of the Car Wash; along the north side of State Route 96, between Glen Carlyn Drive and Fairdale Glen; along County Road 41 west of Beaver Creek; along the south side of State Route 96, west of Fred Drive, extending to the Farmington/Victor Town Line; and along the north side of State Route 96, between Maddies Power Sports and Elizabeth Way.  The pouring of concrete sidewalks along the south side of County Road 41, between 6121 – 6149 County Road 41 was completed last week.  The next pour of sidewalks along County Road 41 will be from 6151 County Road 41 west to the Auburn Trail crossing.

The site contractor continues working on a third section in this area, involving a stone dust pedestrian/bicycle trail connection between the sidewalks along County Road 41 and the Auburn Trail.  Pile driving is also underway for the pedestrian bridge abutments along Beaver Creek. 

Finally, the contractor is preparing design plans, for the Town’s engineers (Fisher Associates) review and approval, for a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge crossing of Beaver Creek that is to be located west of Savalla Boulevard along the south side of County Road 41.

2. Brickyard Road Water Tank & Transmission.  Installation of a new 16-inch water transmission line between Yerkes Road and the Canandaigua/Farmington Town Line Road is now complete and is scheduled to be put in service this week.  The Water Tank site, located at the existing tank site on Brickyard Road, has finished constructing the slab on grade which is the based that supports the tank pedestal and tank.  In the coming weeks the contractor will begin putting together pedestal and tank components allowing for the next concrete pours. This project is scheduled for substantial completion in the fall of 2025.      

3. Monarch Manor Incentive Zoning Project, Section 2.

There are occupied portions of seven (7) two-dwelling unit buildings in Section 2.  Additional landscape work continues within Sections 1 and 2.  A new basement is being dug this week for another two-unit structure located along Monarch Drive.  Eventually within Section 2 there will be twenty-four (24) buildings having a total of forty-eight (48) single-family dwelling units. 

4. Auburn Meadows Subdivision, Section 8S.

All lots have been issued Certificates of Occupancy within this final section of the Auburn Meadows Subdivision Project located along both sides of Ackerman Way, between the Marion Way and Jasper Drive intersections.  The next step involves closing out of this project.    

5. Auburn Meadows Subdivision, Sections 7N and 8N.  All single-family dwelling lots within Sections 7N and 8N have been developed.  Once all stormwater related improvements for these two sections have been accepted, the next step involves closing out this project.

6. Redfield Grove Incentive Zoning, Section 3, Commercial Project.

The second project seeking site plan approval within Section 3, involves Lot #1, an existing lot with a one-story single-family dwelling located at 5998 State Route 96, which is east of Commercial Drive (The site is just west of Toritos Cantina restaurant).  The Planning Board, at their June 19, 2024, meeting granted preliminary site plan approval with conditions and received the updated map which was signed by Planning Board Chairman, Ed Hemminger, on 6/25/24. The Planning Board will entertain an application for final site plan approval at a future meeting.              

7. Hathaway’s Corners Incentive Zoning Project.  All one-hundred fifty-one (151) townhouse dwelling units located within Phase 1A of the Hathaway’s Corners Project are now complete and occupied.  

Within Phase 2B, located within the southeastern portion of the Hathaway’s Corners Incentive Zoning Project site, will be a total of eleven (11) apartment buildings having a total of 88 apartment units.  All these buildings are now under construction and Certificates of Occupancy (CofO) issued for the first four (4) buildings.  Additional CofOs will be issued once blacktopping is complete for the driveways and parking lots for the remaining seven (7) buildings, which is expected to occur within the next month.

Within Phase 1B of the project and along the south side of County Road 41, there are five (5) remaining lots for sale.  Within another portion of Phase 1B, is a new model home/sales office located along the north side of Eddy Gate Way which is now open.  Along Eddy Gate there are seven (7) occupied dwellings, two (2) dwelling units ready for occupancy and ten (10) dwellings under construction.  There are a total of forty-two (42) single-family lots located in this Phase of the Project. 

A new phase of the Hathaway’s Corners Project, Phase 2A, will have a total of thirty (30) single-family dwellings constructed along the remaining portion of Osburn Lane and a total of twelve (12) single-family dwellings constructed along Cooper Place.  The first house in this section along Osburn Lane is currently under construction and additional dwelling lots have been sold within this phase. This final residential phase [2A] of this incentive zoning project will have a total of forty-two (42) single-family dwellings. 

Site work also continues within the first portion of Phase 1C, The Villas at Hathaway’s Corners.  This phase will involve a total of sixty-one (61) single-family dwellings located on Villa-style lots fronting along Caleb Court [a private roadway].  Five (5) single-family dwellings have been constructed.  In addition, a model sales office/home is open to the public and fifty-five (55) lots remain available. This portion of the project will operate under a home-owners association where all site amenities (e.g., lawn mowing, landscaping, snow plowing, etc.) are provided for those living within the Villas at Hathaway’s Corners. 

8. RG&E Substation 127 Expansion Project. The expansion project is located along the east side of [961] Hook Road and south of Inter-State Route I-90 [New York State Thruway]. This project includes the addition of impervious area (adding a 186 ft. by 100 ft. expansion to the existing 127 substation yard) and expansion of an existing bioretention facility to provide water quality treatment for this new area.  Finally, closeout action has commenced for this substation project, including the filing of a two-year Performance Bond with the Town Clerk’s Office and the final release of funds from the Letter of Credit for this project.

9. RG&E Substation 168 Expansion Project.  Substation 168 is located along the south side of State Street, adjacent to the Village of Manchester.  Interior work in the control house continues.  Exterior site work, inside the 115kV yard on the east side of the station continues, including installation of steel structures, cable trenches, etc., and weekly SWPPP inspections are on-going and have been provided to the Town.

10. 1816 Quaker Meetinghouse Museum Project.  The Planning Board, at its’ July 17, 2024, meeting granted a Special Use Permit with conditions and Preliminary Site Plan Approval with conditions for the 1816 Quaker Meetinghouse Museum Project.  Once Final Site Plan Approval has been granted it will allow for the rehabilitation of the 1816 Quaker Meetinghouse building, the construction of an attached building to the Museum with bathrooms, offices and display areas, and the opening of this facility that is now listed on the Federal and State Registers of Historic Sites. The BOD has worked many years in obtaining federal and state grants to allow this part of our country’s history to be made available to the public.

11. LeFrois Project, (GLN) State Route 96.  The Town awaits receipt of requested information, including a draft easement document providing access across portions of the property, to move forward with approving the first partial release of funds from the established letter of credit for this project.  The Applicant continues marketing the project, known as “Ontario Gateway Business Park.”

12. Auburn Junction Plaza Project (Phase 3A) and Amended Concept Plan.  The         URMC Thompson Health Care facility is now open within the Phase 3A portion of the          project.  No permit has been issued for the interior work within the remaining 10,000      square foot space of the total 19,900 square foot plaza building.  

Phase 3B (a future phase of the Auburn Junction Plaza Project) will involve the design and construction of two (2) standalone commercial type buildings with additional on-site parking to be located on the two outparcels located in front of the Phase 3A building.

13. Loomis Road Industrial Park Project. The Town Board, at its November 14^th meeting, approved a letter of credit for construction of Jetman Drive, the installation of site utilities [road, water, sewer, and stormwater] and site improvements upon Lot #4 of this project.  Once a letter of credit has been filed with the Town Clerk’s Office, a pre-construction meeting will be scheduled, and site work will be authorized to commence.  The developer intends to start these site improvements in the spring. There is a total of eleven (11) lots to be developed within the industrial park site.

14. CountryMax Building Project. The building is almost entirely enclosed, and the interior work is underway on this 68,000 square foot office/warehouse building.  Blacktopping of the site’s access (drives, loading docks and parking areas) is scheduled to commence early next month.  The on-site walkways, landscaping along with the site lighting bases and wiring for the on-site driveways and parking area lights have been installed. A new sidewalk has been constructed across a portion of this project’s frontage along the south side of Collett Road.  This sidewalk connects to the extension of the sidewalk along the north side of Collett Road from the FedEx site to a new crosswalk on Collett Road near the driveway to Ultra Fab.  This sidewalk has not been dedicated to the Town and is not open to the public for their use at this time.

15. Farmington Market Center Project. The Town continues to await receipt of the preliminary overall site development drawings for the project.  Once preliminary subdivision plat maps and site plan drawings with engineering details for the Planning Board’s review and their approvals have been completed, then the Town Clerk will direct the amendment to the Town’s Official Zoning Map for the involved sites.  Following the Official Zoning Map amendment, final site plan submissions will then be accepted by the Planning Board for their review and approval allowing for building permits to be issued and site improvements to occur.  The first three (3) projects seeking final site plan approvals include a new freestanding Canandaigua National Bank Farmington Branch Office with drive-up tellers, a Tops Fueling Station, and a Mavis Tire Center.   

16. Electric Car Corner Project.  Site construction is complete for this project that involves the sales, leasing, repair, and maintenance of electric vehicles (including hybrid vehicles); and the operation of up to eight (8) level 3 electric vehicle charging stations for the public’s use.  

17. Farmbrook Site Plan Applications, Sections 7A & 7B.  Earthwork and the installation of utilities (water lines, storm sewers, sanitary sewer lines, etc.) continues within this project which ultimately will involve the development of seventy (70) single-family dwellings to be constructed upon lots located within Sections 7A and 7B of the Farmbrook Planned Subdivision Project. 

18. Western New York Commercial Warehouse Project.  A Certificate of Occupancy has been issued on the West building for this project, which is located along the south side of Loomis Road, between State Route 332 and Plastermill Road.  The project provides two (2) ten thousand (10,000) square foot single-story warehouse/flex space buildings containing a total of 18 separate units and related site improvements.  The owner reports that 16 of the 18 units are already leased.

19. A Safe Place Storage, Phase 2.  The topsoil screening and sales operation is now complete. The two (2) cold storage buildings just completed were issued Certificates of Compliance (CofCs). The owner is working on final grading and seeding of the area that was being used for the topsoil screening and sales operation. 

Finally, a part of this project involved construction of Commercial Drive south to the property line and the construction of a sidewalk along the west side of Commercial Drive to the south property line.  These two components are complete and have been accepted by the Town Board.  Still remaining is the installation of three (3) streetlights. Due to unforeseen issues with the streetlight manufacturer, the streetlight heads have been delayed.  New streetlight head have now been approved for installation in the near future.

20. Paddock Landing Project (formerly known as the Power Incentive Zoning Project).  Preliminary Overall Subdivision Plats and Overall Preliminary Site Plans have been approved by the Planning Board.  The Town awaits receiving the revised drawings for signatures and the filing with the Town Clerk’s Office.  Once filed, the Town’s Official Zoning Map will be amended to delineate the new IZ Incentive Zoning District boundaries.  Following this action, the applicant intends to submit final subdivision plat and final site plan drawings for Planning Board approvals of the various sections.  Once approvals have been granted by the Planning Board, the final subdivision plat drawings will be filed with the Ontario County Clerk’s Office, a Letter of Credit for site improvements within Phase One will be filed with the Town Clerk’s Office and a Pre-Construction Meeting scheduled with State and Town Officials prior to issuing a Notice to Proceed with site development.

21. Open Space Index Update.  The Town of Farmington Environmental Conservation Board (ECB) continues completion of the update to the Town’s Open Space Index (OSI).  The OSI Update document is required by the State’s General Municipal Law, for maintaining the Board’s status.  GIS mapping updates have also been prepared as part of this process.  The draft document is scheduled for presentation to the Town Board, for its’ review and acceptance later this summer.    

22. Parks & Recreation Plan Update – Residents Survey.  The first meeting of the Town’s Parks & Recreation Plan Update Committee was held on Monday, July 1st.  The meeting may be viewed on YouTube and there will be a dedicated place on the Town’s website for reviewing the minutes and the materials discussed.  The second meeting of the Update Committee is scheduled for Monday, August 5^th, starting at 6:30 p.m. here in the Town Hall and will be available via ZOOM, for remote participation that evening.

23. Whitestone Incentive Zoning Project.   The Town Board, at their meeting tonight, will receive the final form for Local Law No. 4 of 2024, for the rezoning with conditions with conditions, for the Whitestone Incentive Rezoning Project.  In accordance with the provisions of the State’s Municipal Home Rule Laws, the Town Board must have a draft local law in final form for seven days, excluding Sunday, before being able to take action upon it.  Therefore, the Town Board is expected to continue the public hearing upon this rezoning action to their next meeting on Tuesday, August 13^th.    During these next two weeks Town staff will prepare a draft resolution for approving the rezoning with conditions.  The rezoning application involves two tax map accounts containing a total of approximately 66 acres of land located along the east side of State Route 332, between the New York State Police Troop E Headquarters on the south and County Road 41 on the north. The project also extends easterly to Quentonshire/Pintail Crossing highways.  Below is the concept plan for the development of these two parcels of land which is under consideration.

24. Creekwood Townhouse Project – Phase Two.  The Town Planning Board, at their July 17^th meeting, granted both final subdivision plat approval and preliminary site plan approval for the development of 40 townhouse dwelling units and the construction and dedication of Pintail Crossing as a public highway.

25. Union Crossing Development LLC Project.  The final site plan drawings have been signed for the construction of the first of two previously approved warehouse buildings and related site improvements on land located along the north side of County Road 41 and the west side of County Road 8.  A new business will be coming, and their needs had resulted in the revised drawings being prepared for the first phase of this site’s development.  The next step is filing a Letter of Credit for site improvements to be dedicated to the Town and then a pre-construction meeting will be scheduled with Town Staff. The applicant would like to start construction on this project this fall.

26. Commercial Drive Solar Projects, East & West.  The Town Planning Board, at their July 17^th meeting continued the four (4) public hearings upon the environmental record for these two solar projects.  Pending are applications for two (2) special use permits and two (2) preliminary site plan approvals for the two (2) separate, but related, solar array projects that are to be located on land south of the American Lumber and Safe Place Storage sites along the south side of Collett Road and the New Energy Works site and the northern end of Commercial Drive on the south.  The two sites will be separated by the construction of Commercial Drive linking the northern section with the southern section of said highway.  The project also includes construction of a new public water line and sidewalks.

Each proposed site will have solar arrays. In addition, the west site will also have on-site battery storage units for distribution of the solar power to the electrical grid to allow local residences and businesses to purchase. The Planning Board previously had received public requests for the realignment of the southern portion of Commercial Drive and had instructed the Applicants and their Engineers to seek approval for a land swap between adjacent property owners and, if successful, prepare revised preliminary site plan drawings that reflect a new alignment. This realignment was presented at the July 17^th meeting, at which the Planning Board instructed the Applicants and their Engineers to prepare a revised set of drawings for these solar projects. The public hearings have been continued to their August 7^th meeting to allow time for the applicant to provide a complete set of revised drawings and prepare any other responses to submitted concerns.