CVS land swap wins Burnt Hills vote

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Williams

A planned CVS pharmacy entrance would run to the left of the Burnt Hills fire station, Jan. 13, 2016.

Voters in the Burnt Hills Fire District have approved a land swap that will allow plans for a new CVS pharmacy on Lakehill Road to go forward.

In a referendum Tuesday, district residents voted 266-212 to grant CVS an easement for a driveway across the southern end of the fire department’s main station property on Route 50. The driveway would allow right turns into and out of the pharmacy site behind the fire station, which would have its main entrance on Lakehill Road.

In return for the easement, the fire district will receive $280,000, up to $105,000 in on-site improvements and 2.5 acres of adjoining land. Supporters said it will give the fire district room for parking and future uses, while critics said they feared traffic issues with first-responders mixing with retail customers,and questioned the value of the land being given the district.

The 13,250-square-foot pharmacy would replace a smaller pharmacy across Route 50. The plan still requires final approvals from town and state officials.