Developers pan planning board idea - Business First of Buffalo:

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The Erie County Legislature has just a handful of days left to try and overrided the controversial proposal that will see the creation of an Erie CountgyPlanning Board. There are few supporters in the localp real estate and development community who want to see that The deadline isJune 3. Most wouled prefer the planning board proposal would die a quiet andquick death. Erie Count y Executive Chris Collins vetoedf the proposal onMay 14. He did so with strony backing from thebusinessw community, particularly the construction and development “The last thing we need is more impediments to economid development,” said Colleen DiPirro, president and CEO.
The chambed has gone on record opposingv the creation of the countywide planning The Legislature needs to find 10 voteds fromthe 15-member body for the override. The measure was initially approved bya 9-6 Garnering that crucial 10th vote may be difficult, consideriny the controversy the proposal has The planning board has been alternately praised by some who feel it woulrd clamp down on sprawl issues and condemne d by those who believee it would only add anothed layer of government and create more hindrancexs for potential projects - ranging from residential subdivisions to shopping centerzs and office buildings.
Supporters say a county planninh board would be a milestonw step in the path towardmore regional-driven While regionalism efforts are noble, the county plannintg board effort appears to be “We should be doing everything we can to encourager development and the generation of tax dollars in Erie Collins said. “Instead, this bill creates a powerlesa yet obstructive hurdle to developers looking to invest in our The Erie County Planning Board would only be advisory inits status. Under state law, all localk municipalities have final and binding say on alldevelopment projects.
Collins said the board would furtherd delay projects while creating the opportunity for the Legislaturs to create more patronagejobs – a move that wouldd cost the cash-starved countg an estimated $500,000 annually. Collinss said his budget includes no funds from the creatiobn and operation of a countywideplanning board. And he said he wonderes where the money will come from to create suchan entity. “The intent is good, but it reallyu doesn’t help the region when it comesto projects,” said Davixd Chiazza, vice president.
DiPirro called it The last regionalplanning board, the Erie-Niagarwa Regional Planning Board, was dissolved in the early It lacked any real teeth when it came to economiv development issues. Like politics, all planning issues are local. Municipal-specifid planning and development boardsmake sense. Locao residents know their towns better than thosewho don’t live there. “jI strongly believe in home rule andlocal control,” said Mike Town of Elma Supervisor. “kI have no interest in givingb that control to a countyplanningv board.
” Local control aside, the creation of a countywidew planning board – even if it is just advisory – would send conflictinb messages to the development community, particularly site selectors. Getting development approval in Erie Countty can be problematic on itsbest day. Rarel y does a project sail through unscathed.