NEW YORK STATE URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION d/b/a ...

In addition to the site selection criteria listed above, the site was preferred to be in a
designated development area under Genesee County’s Smart Growth Plan to encourage and
support county-wide, community-based planning efforts that target the conservation of
Genesee County’s agricultural and natural resources.
Five individual sites including the Proposed Development were evaluated in Genesee County
over a period of 15-to-18 months in 2006 and 2007. These sites were located in several towns
across Genesee County, including: one (1) in the Town of Batavia; three (3) in the Town of
Alabama (including the Proposed Alternative); and one (1) in the Town of Elba.
Site selection criteria represent the first level of evaluation for determining the availability of
alternate sites as presented above. The following four sites in Genesee County were evaluated,
but for varying reasons did not match the site selection criteria required to achieve the
Project’s basic and overall purpose.
Offsite Alternative 1 – Alabama Site A-1
Alabama Site A-1 is approximately 2,041 acres in size located on the northeast corner of State
Route 77 and Judge Road (State Route 63). A portion of the site overlaps the Project Site
between Route 77 and Crosby Road. Almost 250 acres of this site is currently owned by
NYSDEC and managed for wildlife at the John White WMA. This site is primarily active
agriculture with the exception of roads, residential development, wetlands and forested areas.
Alabama Site A1 meets the basic size and topography requirements for STAMP. This alternative
is also within the NYPA hydropower zone and in close proximity to a Genesee County Smart
Growth Plan designated development area. However, this alternative was determined to be
impracticable due to a lack of willingness on the part of key property owners to sell their
property to the GCEDC for the project. Other factors that weighed against this alternative were
the added development costs associated with internal roadway networks and power line
extensions as well as potential impacts to strategic farmland.
Offsite Alternative 2 – Alabama Site A-2
Alabama Site A-2 is approximately 1,154 acres in size located on the southeast corner of State
Route 77 and Judge Road (State Route 63). This site is a mix of active agriculture, early
successional old field with newly restored conservation areas including wetlands and
grasslands, roads, residential development, and small blocks of forested areas. This site is
adjacent to Genesee County’s Smart Growth development area. Alabama Site A2 meets the
basic size and topography requirements for STAMP. This alternative is also within the NYPA
hydropower zone and in close proximity to a Genesee County Smart Growth Plan designated
development area. However, this alternative was determined to be less viable than the
Proposed Site due to challenges associated with land acquisition as well as potential impacts to
strategic farmland. Other factors that weighed against this alternative were the added
development costs associated with internal roadway networks and power line extensions.
From a natural resource impact perspective, comparing potential wetland impacts associated
with the Proposed Site, potential natural resource impacts would be more significant including
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