Published: March 12, 2008 12:56 am      

NORTH TONAWANDA: Wal-Mart Plan B probed

The stickers made it easy to tell which North Tonawanda residents at Tuesday night’s public hearing supported Wal-Mart, and which residents did not.

About 100 residents packed the Grant Elementary School auditorium for a public hearing on Wal-Mart’s “Plan B” submission for its proposed North Tonawanda supercenter. Support and opposition on the store seemed split, though those who opposed the store were a bit more vocal.

North Tonawanda Planning Commission Chairman Gary Przewozny put out a disclaimer at the outset of the hearing.

“Basically, we are listening to all comments regarding the revised plan,” Przewozny said. “We’re looking for environmental concerns. Comments about pro and anti-Wal-Mart don’t concern this commission.”

Some of the residents followed the guidelines, others did not.

“Plan B” features two access points to the store, one from Wurlitzer Drive and another from Niagara Falls Boulevard. The plan also calls for the extension of Wurlitzer Drive.

Most of the concerns of residents revolved around traffic issues. James Cahill was worried about the proposed Wurlitzer Drive entrance.

“The amount of traffic that’s going to go through there, (the area is) just not built for it,” Cahill said.

Dave Seeger, an attorney representing North Tonawanda First, a residents’ group opposing Wal-Mart in the city, wondered how Wal-Mart’s traffic study could find that the store would improve traffic in the area.

“How does that happen?” Seeger said. “Answer: You cheat.”

As Seeger was finishing up his public comments, someone from the crowd told him to “shut up.” It wasn’t the last interruption from the crowd.

Tammy Godyn, head of the citizens’ group Lumber City Liaisons for Wal-Mart, defended “Plan B” from a traffic standpoint.

“This ‘Plan B’ proposal makes sense as it will facilitate for ease of traffic going from and to the Martinsville area,” Godyn said.

As Godyn was tying up her comments, a voice from the crowd called out, “Kill her,” which got a large negative response from the audience to this obviously very heated debate.

Pollution was also a concern among numerous residents.

Kathy Marfione said she worked at Melody Fair and often saw the ground in the area bubbling over.

“I’m just concerned (as to) what is under there,” Marfione said.

Susan Kuligowski argued that Wal-Mart wouldn’t be any more of a pollutant than Wurlitzer and Durez were to the city. She ended with a plea to move forward with the project.

“If we don’t go on this city is going to die,” Kuligowski said.

Przewozny felt the hearing went better than the first public hearing on the store, but the comments weren’t varied enough.

“I think it stayed on track but we’re hearing the same comments,” Przewozny said. “Traffic, we’re aware of that.”

Did Przewozny feel the planning commission got anything new out of the hearing?

“No,” he said.

The commission will be accepting written comments for a short period of time before submitting all comments to FRA Engineering, the firm representing Wal-Mart, Przewozny said.

Contact reporter Phil Dzikiyat 693-1000, ext. 114.