Redevelopment plan for 580 **** Road reaffirms lapsed variances; board grants setback and parking variances

Dominic Sheraldi, speaking for the owner of the property at 580 **** Road in Cheektowaga, asked the Zoning Board to reaffirm lapsed variances and to approve an amended site plan tied to a canopy and pump reconfiguration.

Sheraldi said the project was previously approved but that the earlier variances lapsed and the only substantive change since that approval is the pump configuration, reducing pump islands from a double-sided arrangement to a linear configuration. He told the board the property is constrained by “a 35 foot easement we didn't know was there,” which he said prevents moving the building forward without creating unsafe traffic flows around the pump canopy. He argued pushing the building forward would force parking closer to pump positions and risk vehicles backing into each other when trailers are present.

Town planner Dan Young (speaking in the meeting) confirmed the applicant had received a planning-board recommendation and that the town board must still approve the overall site plan; this step was described as reaffirming the variances established previously. The application, as read into the record, seeks zero-foot side and rear-yard setbacks where the code requires 10 feet, the establishment of 19 parking spaces for the consumer-retail portion where 20 are required, and a landscaped area of about 1.86 percent where a minimum of 15 percent is required.

Board members pressed the applicant on alternatives and on easement boundaries; Sheraldi and his representatives said moving the building would reduce circulation space and create safety issues for vehicles fueling and exiting. A motion to grant the variances as requested carried by unanimous voice vote.

The applicant will continue through required planning- and town-board approvals before construction can proceed.