LYSANDER -- The Lysander Town Planning Board voted unanimously Monday night to halt plans for a YMCA in the town.
The board was considering a Environmental Quality Review. They had to decide whether building the community facility would negatively impact the Lysander/Radisson area.
In the end, the board felt it did, and now it's back to the drawing board for YMCA officials.
The YMCA plans have long been a hot button issue in Lysander. Those who support it say it would bring over 300 full and part time jobs into the area, and have a positive impact on the community.
"The sooner they can build the center, the sooner it can take care of the community and help people of all ages," says YMCA supporter Bob Burns.
But others in the area have major concerns. The proposed spot for the center is on the corner of Route 31 and Drake's Landing. Drake's Landing residents say they like their peaceful community, and the extra traffic the center is expected to bring could cause problems.
"The bigger thing of it is the traffic. There are lot of people that live on the street that have young children, and they are obviously concerned," says Drake's Landing resident Sriraj Patel. "A lot of the volume, a lot of the people that live on these streets are wanting to be a little secluded and be in their own little environments."
Lysander officials say the vote came down to two things. The first was the amount of traffic congestion. The second problem was the site. Officials say the proposed land is categorized as residential, and building a community center on the spot would not be up to code.
YMCA officials say they will take Tuesday to figure out what their next move will be. They can either draft a new plan, or drop the matter entirely.
