Below is a suggested email that you can "Sign and Send" to the Guilderland Town Planner, Ken Kovalchik, to make a comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) regarding the impact on the Albany Pine Bush and the environment in general from the proposed development by Pyramid (Crossgates) on Rapp Road, the Mall Road and Western Avenue.
There are 2 options to "Sign and Send" and with either option you can make any edits you want before sending your email.
We also suggest that if you are a resident of Guilderland, you indicate that under your name when you sign the email.
- Option 1: Simply use the "Click to open email for sending" button below.
- This will open your email software and pre-populate the email for you with everything filled out so you can just "Sign and Send" by adding your name to the bottom of the email. If you are a resident of Guilderland, please indicate that under your name when you sign the email.
- Option 2: Use the Copy Buttons to copy each part of the email to your email software.
- If option 1 does not work for you for some reason, you can click the copy buttons that are next to each part of the email below and then paste them into your email manually. This option will better preserve formatting with most email client software, but requires a few more steps. Again, if you are a resident of Guilderland, please indicate that under your name when you sign the email.
Please Support Our Efforts
Impact on the Environment Comment for DEIS Rapp Road Residential/Western Avenue Mixed Use Redevelopment Projects
Attention: Kenneth Kovalchik, Town Planner, Kovalchikk@togny.org
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed development by Pyramid (Crossgates) on Rapp Road, the Mall Road and Western Avenue to build up to 360 Apartments with up to 3 five-story apartment buildings, up to 50,000 sq ft of office space and up to 278,900 sq ft commercial expansive retail including including a Costco with a 700 car parking lot and a 18 pump gas station should be rejected because the following are not adequately addressed:
- The Pine Bush borders the Crossgates expansion. The Albany Pine Bush is considered the best example of an inland pine barrens ecosystem in the world. The Pine Bush contains 78 wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the federal and state-endangered Karner blue butterfly) and state-threatened frosted elfin butterfly, and the largest inland sand dune system in eastern North America. The site has been designated a National Natural Landmark, a National Heritage Area Site, a NYS Bird Conservation Area and a National Audubon Society Important Bird Area. Appendices F and G in the DEIS are inadequate to evaluate the impact of the proposed development on the plant and animal species in the Pine Bush.
- The Pine Bush habitat is threatened by the expansion of this commercial venture, whether it is adjacent to the construction or a few hundred feet away. These species are important not only to the Pine Bush, but to the local ecosystem as well. The cumulative impact of this development plus other proposals on the Pine Bush is not adequately addressed.
- The world is experiencing the sixth major extinction. The mitigation measures offered in the DEIS are inadequate to address the destruction of 46 acres of land. The proposed development decreases the size of the Pine Bush and the mitigation measures offer no possibility for expanding the habitat.
- The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is woefully incomplete because it does not adequately address the effect this massive development would have on the ecosystem of the Pine Bush, or the effect on plant and animal species.
Thank you,