Glenville zone change paves way for car/truck dealer to expand

PHOTOGRAPHER: Ned Campbell

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Capitaland is one step closer to expanding its car and truck dealership on Route 50.

The Glenville Town Board voted unanimously Wednesday to change the zoning of land adjacent to the dealership from professional/residential to general business following a public hearing at which a few neighbors spoke against the proposal.

Tim Culver, who lives across from the proposed expansion, said the dealership installed new lights in the fall that spill onto his property. He said he can “read the newspaper” after dark.

He said he wanted to make sure the expansion didn’t make matters worse.

“We’re all for economic development, but somebody’s got to babysit them,” he said.

The dealership currently sells Subaru and GMC vehicles out of its 12,000-square-foot-building at 37 Saratoga Road and is now required by the two brands to separate them into two buildings. The dealership has purchased three houses on Route 50, just north of the property, and plans to demolish them to make way for another 12,000-square-foot facility to house its Subaru brand.

Lisa and Craig Relyea expressed concerns about increased traffic and the possibility their property value would decline. They bought their house on nearby Miracle Lane in 2009.

“We didn’t really buy it thinking we could be almost immediately next to a car dealership,” Lisa Relyea said.

The dealership would be required to install a buffer between the expansion and houses to the north, which include The Return development. Craig Relyea requested the buffer be evergreen trees rather than trees that would lose their leaves in the fall.

“Just enough to block the view, and the lights, as well,” he said.

Tom Siatkowski expressed similar concerns. He inherited the house on Route 50 right next to where Capitaland would expand when his father died last year, and his stepmother lives there now.

“I’ll be left with this residential house next to a dealership that I’m not going to be able to do anything with because no one’s going to buy it, because who wants to live next to a dealership,” he said.

Town Supervisor Chris Koetzle said issues such as traffic, lighting and noise would be addressed during the site plan review process. He also said he didn’t want to stop Capitaland from expanding and force it to relocate. The expansion will bring an estimated 30 jobs, according to an engineer representing the dealership.

“If this doesn’t happen … not only will we not have 30 new jobs, we’re going to lose jobs,” Koetzle said.

The Town Board also voted unanimously in favor of two proposed town code changes. One will remove multi-family dwellings as an allowed use in the general business zone, while the other will establish a one-step site plan review process for lighter projects.