Perinton housing plan put on hold

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A decision on a major mix of senior rental housing in the Perinton hamlet of Egypt may not be coming until the end of December at the earliest, as a host of issues are sorted through and addressed before a land rezoning request is acted on.

Pride Mark Homes wants to build 28 bungalows, four single-story nursing homes that would be operated by St. John’s Nursing Home, 50 town house units in 11 buildings, and 88 apartment units in four three-story buildings on the east side of town.

The Creekstone project is targeted to empty-nesters and seniors, and would be similar to the developer’s Cottage Grove project in North Chili, which was completed in 2010, said James P. Barbato, president of Pride Mark Homes.

Prices at the proposed development range from a low end of $800 a month in the apartments to up to $1,800 for a bungalow.

Based on the strong demand for homes at its existing development, as well as the preliminary market research completed as part of this project, Barbato said Creekstone is indeed viable and he is already fielding inquiries about adding names to a waiting list.

“I have a very strong demand for it,” Barbato said.

The Perinton Town Board is considering a request to rezone nearly 40 acres of L-shaped residential land on Mason Road, north of Route 31, to planned development district zoning.

The project is a significant one and one that requires research into a number of issues, including traffic, before a decision is made, said Perinton Supervisor Jim Smith.

The zoning does provide for a degree of transparency on the part of the developer, as well as gives the Town Board some control over a final plan, if approved.

In the past, the board may act on a zoning change based on conceptual plans, which may or may not change when the town’s Planning Board and developer fill in site-specific details.

That leads to a “disconnect” from the public’s perspective, Smith said.

Under this zoning, the Town Board would get a plan with all the details, which also would allow for residents to have input throughout the approval process, he said.

“There wouldn’t be as much gray area,” Smith said.

Dozens of residents expressed concerns at a recent public hearing that ranged from the increase in traffic to street lights to emergency services to the possibility of drainage.

Traffic already is a problem in the area, said neighbor Barry Schenker, who is among those circulating petitions. Adding more traffic — he said nearly 700 parking spaces are proposed — is “ridiculous.”

“We’re not trying to stop the development,” Schenker said. “We just want a reasonable development.”

Barbato said he has talked with residents at length about their concerns, both at hearings and at neighborhood gatherings, in an attempt to be a good neighbor. He is proposing, for instance, that homes would be built near existing homes in the neighborhood.

The developer had hoped to begin construction in late 2013 and have the entire project completed in three to five years.

That, of course, will depend on how lengthy the approval process ends up being. Barbato said he is confident the project will be worth it for the town and for residents.

“I think it will fill a real need for diversity of housing that doesn’t exist in Perinton,” Barbato said.