| March 6, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
Filed in: Events, Uncategorized
| July 10, 2010 |
Save the Date!!
Saturday, July 10th
VanPatten Golf Course
Details to follow
Please e-mail maltagop@gmail.com for more information or to register your team.
Filed in: Events, Uncategorized
By TARA THOMAS
As Malta continues to reach significant milestones, we as a community know economic development has been one of our town’s defining issues over the past few years — and one that has ignited passionate disagreement on both sides.
This is an important debate, and one we as a community must have. Town investments are similar to taking out a loan on future prosperity. A good investment can set the foundation for generations of economic strength; a poor decision could haunt us for decades.
At the heart of the discussion is the question of our downtown — how we can become a sustainable, thriving business community while preserving our rich heritage and small-town traditions. Finding the right solution has required community input and the ability to put the well-being of Malta ahead of outside special interests and political squabbles.
Much of the debate over the past year has rested upon GlobalFoundries, the $4.2 billion chip factory that broke ground last fall. I was part of the team that helped approve the project, and I can assure you it was a decision not taken lightly. We had extensive discussion on the pros and cons of bringing such a large-scale project to Malta, ensuring job creation for future generations. The thousands of local jobs that have since been created by the project seem to validate our decision.
Nevertheless, we must remember that GlobalFoundries is the exception to the rule, not the rule itself. How we proceed with Malta’s downtown planning will have just as much — if not more —of an impact on Malta’s future as Global Foundries or other types of large-scale projects. Our Town Comprehensive Master Plan, while far from perfect, establishes a framework for future development initiatives.
Through workshops conducted recently, professionals who assisted the town in our downtown planning made it very clear that improvements are necessary to meet the goals of what the original Master Plan was to achieve. Recommendations from professionals have included reducing the 1.8-mile downtown boundary to a 1/2- to 1/4-mile boundary, enhancing walkability and connectivity initiatives, reviewing the current scale and implementing Traditional Neighborhood Design standards. Also under discussion was a careful review of our generic environmental impact statement, as the planned multi-family residential development threshold has already exceeded projections with only a small amount of development currently approved in the downtown area.
The important thing to remember is that we can never become complacent, ever. We must constantly review our plans, impact statements and standards to make sure each project will not only have a positive impact on our town, but will be deficit-neutral.
I know some of this can sound very technical, and the truth is, sometimes it can be. But, that’s why it’s so important that we have this discussion in an open and honest manner, and that residents have the opportunity to have their opinion heard. I would be very happy to meet with any resident to discuss this issue further, so please, do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you kindly for your input.
Tara Thomas is a member of Malta’s Town Board.
Filed in: News, Uncategorized
Company applauds Malta board vote, but decision on chip fab still pending
By TIM O’BRIEN, Staff writer
First published in print: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
MALTA — The Town Board approved plans Monday for the proposed Advanced Micro Devices Inc. computer chip factory, but the final decision on whether to build is still to come from the company.
The $3.2 billion manufacturing plant, known as Fab 4X, is slated for the Luther Forest Technology Park. The company, which is to receive $1.2 billion in state incentives, has until July to make a final decision.
Hector Ruiz, executive chairman of the company, will be in town Wednesday but is not expected to make any announcement then, said Steve Groseclose, director of global environmental, health and safety for AMD.
“What this does is give us the foundation to move forward, a rock solid foundation,” he said.
The Town Board voted 5-0 to change the planned development district rules established in 2004 and to accept a statement of findings for the project. Both moves basically clear the way for the project’s developer to proceed with its building plans.
Town Councilman Peter Klotz said the planned development district was designed in 2004 with a generic chip manufacturer in mind. It made sense to alter the plan to reflect AMD’s needs, he said.
“The intention was clear; to welcome appropriate projects,” he said.
The existing law allows for Luther Forest to house up to four chip fabs, each a maximum of 800,000 square feet. AMD plans to build up to three fabs, each a maximum of 980,000 square feet.
Carol Henry, chairwoman of the Luther Forest Community Response Board, said at a public hearing before the vote that several questions remained about traffic during construction, trucks delivering material during the night, and the use of Hermes Road during construction.
Carol Marotta, a member of the Stillwater Planning Board, said she wants construction traffic kept off local residential roads.
“We already have enough logging trucks, delivery trucks,” she said. “That’s very important for the quality of life of both our towns.”
AMD representatives said Hermes Road won’t be used during construction of the plant, but will be needed as access roads are built.
“For some limited amount of initial construction activities, some local roads would need to be used,” said John Munsey of C.T. Male Associates, an area engineering and architectural design firm working with AMD. “The roads would be constructed first and then the plant.”
Town Supervisor Paul Sausville said the company is not forbidden from nighttime deliveries but “certainly we would encourage nighttime deliveries that are not noisy.”
Munsey said such deliveries will not occur regularly.
Other council members said they see the plant as a chance to keep residents from moving elsewhere for high-paying jobs.
“This is a tremendous day for Malta, the people who live here and our children who won’t have to move away from here to get jobs,” said Councilwoman Sue Nolen.
Her colleague Tara Thomas agreed.
“I have seen many of my childhood friends move away,” she said. “I want better opportunities for our children and our residents.”
Henry of the Luther Forest Community Response Board said she was not surprised by the decision to approve the findings.
“We’ll continue to work with the board and AMD to make sure what’s written into all the documents is enforced and followed,” she said.
Tim O’Brien can be reached at 454-5092 or by e-mail at tobrien@timesunion.com.
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=715140&category=REGION#ixzz0fXT5hVJ0
Filed in: News, Uncategorized
Alyssa Jung 01/26/10
Malta Supervisor Paul Sausville will again propose zoning changes to the downtown development plan, something he’s received mixed support for in the past.
Sausville sent out an e-mail, Monday Dec. 28, detailing various changes he wants the Town Board to consider that would cut back on the currently planned development. If approved, the plan would go through a rezoning process that could result in the loss of millions of dollars for investors and postpone or halt construction, according to developers.
Some developers, board members and residents are saying the proposed changes are unnecessary, not smart and made without appropriate knowledge of the situation.
“Sausville wants to increase setbacks, decrease building heights, decrease the size of the downtown district – all which will promote sprawl. That’s not what you do to promote smart growth,” said Bob Miller Jr., a developer with an interest in downtown Malta.
Miller was one of the founders of a coalition of developers, residents and former local government officials called “No More Sprawlta.” The group is outraged by Sausville’s zoning proposals.
Miller said that in 2005 the downtown plan was correctly zoned, and several third parties were consulted to ensure it included principles of anti-sprawl and smart growth. He said he questions why Sausville is not consulting third parties this time around.
“They engaged professionals because they correctly understood they didn’t have the knowledge to develop a plan. The town needed a broad base in order to develop a vision, it couldn’t just be one person, it must be the community at large. Now that forward thinking is reversed,” said Miller.
Miller said the current plan is endorsed and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, the Urban Land Institute and American Institute of Architects. The plan to build up downtown was created to meet the growth that is expected to spin out of the construction of a GlobalFoundries plant.
“This [GlobalFoundries] is a big project coming forward in the town. Let’s figure out how we want to grow and figure out how we want to do it because the town will grow and we have to be ready,” said Miller.
Currently planned for downtown are various apartments, lofts, townhouses and brownstones that would help accommodate the labor and residents that the GlobalFoundries plant will attract.
Councilman Peter Klotz said he is against Sausville’s proposal and is confused as to why the downtown development plan is being made an issue.
“I don’t think it’s a necessary plan of changes. There was a plan and zoning put into place over a number of years by lots of different people and experts that we’ve hired,” said Klotz. “I’m willing to listen to what Sausville has to say, but I’m not convinced we need what he’s proposing.”
Former councilwoman Sue Daley-Nolen stepped down from the Town Board last year after serving for 16 years. She said that Sausville didn’t have the votes to approve those changes when he first proposed them, and it’s foolish to try again.
“It took a lot of thought and people involved and money to set up this plan. To think that he’d be able to just change everything is not good planning for the people in Malta,” said Daley-Nolen, who ran against Sausville in November for position of supervisor.
Controversy is surrounding a statement by Sausville that he circulated a survey to residents about the downtown development. He said nine out of 10 residents responded they would prefer a “hamlet-like town,” but some are calling into question just how many residents were polled.
Daley-Nolen said if Sausville did put out a survey as part of his campaign, she’d like to see the questions and know who paid for it.
“He made mention that everyone said they didn’t want this development, but when I ran against him, they all told me they did. So I don’t know what houses he went to,” Daley-Nolen said.
Miller said No More Sprawlta requested the surveys numerous times but were never granted access.
Miller said he and other residents are concerned with the impact Sausville’s zoning proposals would have should they be approved. He said that in addition to stopping development for at least the next year, a lot of money would be lost by people investing in Malta.
“You’ve lost money and pushed development into neighboring communities, and the town of Malta is left with the impacts of AMD being in town but not being able to fully realize the economic benefits of it,” said Miller. “New York state has invested $1.25 billion in the Town of Malta — in the middle of the worst economic downturn in years, why would any town turn back on an investment in the community?”
He said there will be a loss of jobs in construction, service, all jobs that would have been created. There will be higher taxes and costs associated with the studying needed for rezoning downtown.
Developer Bruce Schnitz said rezoning jeopardizes the trust between a town and its residents.
“Based upon current legislation, a lot of developers like myself spent millions of dollars getting approvals based upon the standards and designs and zoning laws the town has in place. If someone were to arbitrarily change those at this late date, for us that’s financial catastrophe,” said Schnitz, also a member of No More Sprawlta.
Councilwoman Tara Thomas said she thinks it’s a good idea to analyze the proposed changes and supports reducing the downtown boundaries. She said a report done by River Street Planning a few years ago recommended several of the changes that Sausville proposed in his e-mail.
“It’s been an ongoing discussion with the new and old town boards on how downtown is going to take shape and how to still have a small-town feel. It doesn’t surprise me that the supervisor wants to revisit the master plan,” said Thomas. “Changes need to be evaluated, and a year and a half ago when he brought the same discussion, I was in support of downsizing the plan.”
Sausville was unavailable to comment by press time as he was out of the office until Friday. In response to an e-mail asking him to clarify his position, he referred to a letter he wrote to the Spotlight several months ago that addressed the ongoing downtown battle.
In it he wrote, “Malta’s downtown projects currently planned by developers call for three-, four- and five-story buildings with one project having 330 apartment/condo units and 70,000 square feet of retail on 10 acres of land … if each of the 30 suburban towns surrounding our urban centers planned a city-like downtown with these population densities, it would take the problem of sprawl to a new level.”
He also said that creating a city-like downtown in Malta would just cause it to resemble the cities that it borders, taking away from the small-town character it’s known for.
Filed in: News, Uncategorized
Sending a letter to someone there? You’ll be able to use town’s name
By CHRISTEN GOWAN, Staff writer
First published in print: Monday, March 16, 2009
MALTA — In the eyes of the U. S. Postal Service, the town of Malta now exists.
For years, approximately 12,500 residents have had to address their post items with Mechanicville, Ballston Lake, Ballston Spa or Round Lake, but starting April 15, residents and business owners can say they live in Malta.
“We were getting calls all the time from residents who didn’t know where they lived,” said Town Supervisor Paul Sausville.
Matt Grayson, manager of Almost Saratoga, said giving directions to the Malta bar has always been tricky.
“People call and they’ll see the address or the ad and they think Ballston Spa,” Grayson said of the watering hole on Route 9 at the corner of Malta Avenue Extension, several miles outside the village of Ballston Spa.
The restaurant manager joked that the bar should just embrace the confusion. “Everyone jokes about renaming the sign Almost Malta.”
Town officials received notice from the Postal Service that they’d allow the change after applying last fall. Residents and business owners should keep their current ZIP codes, just replace whatever town name they used with Malta instead.
For the town supervisor, the adjustment is much more than a simple name change. “It gives us a sense of place,” Sausville said. “Twenty years ago, Malta was just a crossroads. It was hardly a community.”
The need for postal name changes demonstrates how some of the largest communities in Saratoga County aren’t represented on the postal map. Residents in the towns of Halfmoon, Saratoga, Ballston and Milton address their mail with different towns than their actual hometown.
For Sausville, the address change is a sign of more good things to come for his town, including a $4.2 billion computer chip factory, being planned by GlobalFoundries.
“Now with all the businesses that will be locating and people that will be employed, there is a great desire to have a common identity,” the supervisor said. “We all think of Malta as our hometown, and we’re proud of it and glad we can call it Malta, New York.”
Gowan can be reached at 454-5350 or cgowan@timesunion.com.
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=780247#ixzz0fXeI5KSt
Filed in: News
