Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Bootey Bay Land Owner Planning Subdivision

The following article was printed in The Post-Journal on 2 May 2012:
 
Bootey Bay Land Owner Planning Subdivision


By Dennis Phillips

NORTH HARMONY - Developer John McGraw would now like to build a housing subdivision on the land he owns in the Bootey Bay area of Stow along Route 394.

On Tuesday, Dale Robbins, attorney for McGraw, and Todd Saracki, local housing developer, attended the North Harmony Planning Board meeting to discuss the project on behalf of McGraw, who didn't attend. Robbins said... 

...The resident asked why town officials should work with someone who hasn't paid their taxes. According to the county's Office of Real Property Tax Services website, McGraw owes $87,093 in unpaid taxes...

Bootey Bay Property For Sale

The following article was printed in the Post-Journal on 10 January 2010:


Bootey Bay Property For Sale
Developer Backs Out Of Hotel Plan Due To Economy

By Sharon Turano

NORTH HARMONY -Instead of putting a 10-story hotel on Bootey Bay property he owned, John McGraw is selling the land.

Putting the land up for sale does not necessarily mean there will not be development there, however.

On Thursday, McGraw attributed selling the land due to...

 

Friday, July 25, 2008

A Waste of Time

The following article was printed in The Post-Journal on 23 July 2008:

A Waste Of Time
Hotel Developer Confuses Officials, Residents

By Nicholas L. Dean
STOW - Expecting three options for the Bootey Bay property in Stow, town officials and area residents alike were confused when hotel developer John McGraw had nothing new to tell the North Harmony Planning Board on Tuesday.

Not a regular meeting of the Planning Board, Tuesday's special workshop session had been scheduled at McGraw's request. According to Sally Carlson, town supervisor, she and other town officials were under the impression McGraw was going to have new information to discuss with the Planning Board.

After arriving close to 20 minutes late to the meeting... 



To read the full article, click on this link: 
http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/507196.html

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Planning Board Meeting with Hotel Developer

North Harmony Planning Board Meeting
7:00 PM Tuesday, 22 July 2008

North Harmony/Stow Senior Center

5377 Stow Road, Stow, NY


The developer, John McGraw, of the Bootey Bay Doubletree Resort Hotel Project is scheduled to make a presentation to the Planning Board of his "new" proposal for the project. North Harmony officials say Mr. McGraw's proposal consists of three options for the Bootey Bay site. Though the meeting is considered a "working session", which typically does not allow time for public input, we have been assured that time will be provided for questions and comments from the public.

We encourage all citizens concerned about this project to attend the meeting to see what Mr. McGraw's "new" proposal entails and to let the Planning Board know what you think it.

All are welcome.
See you there.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Public Meeting with County Executive Edwards

6:00pm Friday the 27 June 2008

North Harmony/Stow Senior Center

5377 Stow Road, Stow, NY

The CCRD has arranged for a open meeting with Chautauqua County Executive, Greg Edwards, to discuss the twin 10-story hotel/condo project proposed for the Bootey Bay site in North Harmony. The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome.

We encourage all concerned citizens to attend the meeting to hear Mr. Edwards’ thoughts regarding the project and to let him know what you think of the project. This is a good opportunity for non-North Harmony residents to have their voice heard. The proposed hotel/condo project will have an adverse Aesthetic, Environmental, and Economic impact on the entire lake region, well beyond the town of North Harmony. Though North Harmony officials may want to ignore your concerns, as County Executive, Mr. Edwards represents all of us and is answerable to all of us.

Please attend if you can.

All are welcome.

See you there.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Memorial Day Flyer

This is a flyer distributed over the Memorial Day weekend by friends and supporters of the CCRD:


Attention Chautauqua Residents:

DO YOU WANT TO SEE A 10-STORY
HIGH-RISE HOTEL On The Shores
Of Chautauqua Lake?

Recently a developer from Warren, PA proposed just that when he announced his intention to construct a hotel and condominium resort complex, including two 10-story towers, on the shores of Chautauqua Lake. The complex would be located on Bootey Bay in North Harmony, wedged between Tom’s Point Wildlife Management Area and the cottages and future protected lands of Wells Bay. Though the site is currently zoned for a maximum of 2½ stories the developer insists on building 10 stories, prompting him to request zoning changes to create a new “resort district”. If approved by the Town of North Harmony, this new resort district would allow the construction of 10-story and even higher buildings and would set a dangerous precedent for the whole Chautauqua Lake region.

An expansion of the sewer district from Lakewood to Bootey Bay will be required to service this project. The mandatory hook-up fees will cost each homeowner thousands of dollars with service and maintenance fees costing a thousand dollars or more annually. Prior sewer expansions have not stopped the lake’s continued declining health.

Beyond the disruption the two 10-story towers will have on the lake’s natural beauty, the project will bring with it increased vehicular traffic, run-off pollution, noise pollution, nighttime light pollution, and lake congestion, to name just a few problems all of this funneled on to an already stressed shoreline and lake. We must stop this “Mistake on the Lake”.


PLEASE GET INVOLVED NOW!

Contact the North Harmony Town Board and Planning Board and request the following:

> NO zoning changes without the favorable consensus of all the community’s stakeholders.

> NO zoning changes without a township-wide Comprehensive Plan.

> NO zoning changes without a Strategic Master Plan for the Stow area.

> Maintain 2½-story maximum building height, as per current zoning.

> Require a full Environmental Impact Study that examines:

- The proposed zoning changes.

- The proposed sewer/water system.

- The proposed hotel/condominium development.

> Require a community-wide Economic Impact Study, prepared by an independent third party, to fully explore the long-term costs the project will impose on the community.

> Require the Developer to fully disclose how he intends to finance the project.

> Require of the Developer complete architectural drawings and plans depicting the full scope of the project.

> Adopt the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) in full, NOW!

> NO tax abatements for irresponsible development, such as 10-story towers.


MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

Contact: North Harmony Town Board and Planning Board
c/o Sally Carlson, Town Supervisor

3445 Old Bridge Rd, Stow NY 14785
Phone: (716) 789-3445, Ext. 4
Email: supervisor@townofnorthharmony.com


Attend: Planning Board Meetings - 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the Month

(Contact Town Hall to confirm monthly meeting dates)


Join: Chautauqua Coalition for Responsible Development (CCRD)
Website: www.SaveChautauqua.com
Email: save.chautauqua@gmail.com


LET’S STOP THIS MISTAKE ON THE LAKE NOW!


Tuesday, March 18, 2008


This is the developer's depiction of the first of two towers to sit on the shores of Chautauqua Lake. The remaining trees will reach only to the fifth of TEN STORIES. We urge the Town to REJECT the rezoning request of the developer.

We truly do want more economic prosperity for the area but let's not rush into decisions that will be impossible to undo and the consequences of which are completely unknown.