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WEST SENECA COURT ROOM DRAFT TOWN BOARD 1250 Union Road Minutes #2026-09 Meeting # 2026-09 West Seneca, NY 14224 May 11, 2026 Brianne Zhang of VisoneCo Site Development, LLC, the project applicant, provided the following information: - Requesting a Special Use Permit for adaptive re-use of the former Bellwood School at 2806 Seneca Street - Transform the vacant 1928 building into a contributing asset for the town by creating 18 high-quality multifamily residences - The Zoning Board of Appeals granted the necessary variances for density and parking on March 25, 2026, determining the project to be fundamentally compatible with the neighborhood - How the proposal meets the town's criteria for a Special Use Permit: - Character - this is an existing building; the proposal would save the 4-story Colonial Revival-style building without changing its historic profile, height, or footprint; the only structural addition is an elevator tower that has been added for accessibility; by preserving the shell of the building, the proposal maintains the visual fabric of Seneca Street and removes the risks associated with ghost buildings - Health, Safety, and Welfare: the location site is a long-term vacancy that presents safety and deterioration risks - Traffic: the current count on Seneca Street exceeds 16,000 cars per day and the addition of 18 studio and1-bedroom units would not have a substantial impact on traffic; per Erie County comments, the owners will encourage the use of the NFTA Park and Ride which is directly across the street - Aligns with the town's Comprehensive Plan: a critical need for housing variety to support the town's changing demographics; the units will range from 507-sf to 1,500-sf which are 14% larger than the minimum requirements Ms. Zhang stated they are not asking to adversely change the neighbor, they are asking to save a piece of the neighborhood. Mr. Schieber stated the applicant appeared before the Planning Board and secured a recommendation for the project. The neighbors were notified for both the Planning Board and Town Board meetings. The Planning Board voted unanimously to support the Special Use Permit. Further, the required variances were granted. The Town Board will need to vote on a SEQRA determination and the Special Use Permit for multi-family development. Councilmember Sherman asked for clarification regarding the density variance. Ms. Zhang stated only 5 units were permitted due to the size of the lot. The building is 30,000-sf and having only 5 units would not be economically viable and the variance allows for 18 units. Councilmember Breidenstein asked if the parking capacity might be exceeded and how that would be handled. Ms. Zhang stated they are not concerned about parking shortages based on their previous multifamily housing projects; most units would be occupied by one person. Councilmember Breidenstein suggested a few options the applicant could pursue for the winter months when street parking is unavailable. The following public comments and questions were received: Mary, Bellwood Avenue: - How the project would impact the sewers - Mr. Schieber stated it is coincidental that Erie County is investigating the waterlines for lead at this time and does not believe it is related to the proposal. The 5 Page 9 of 186