ROYALTON: Recycling center must provide more details to zoning board

By Bill Wolcott<br><a href="mailto:bill.wolcott@lockportjournal.com">E-mail Bill</a>

ROYALTON — The town Zoning Board of Appeals meeting got a little scrappy Monday night at the courtroom at town hall, which was filled nearly to capacity.

After some hearty give-and-take, the board tabled a bid by Niagara Metals LLC, which applied for a special-use permit for a feeder yard. The Niagara Falls business hopes to expand its scrap metal business.

Todd Levin, who established Niagara Metals on Packard Road in 2006, ran into opposition, but also had some support. He is a fourth-generation member of a family of scrap-metal handlers and fended off the term “junkyard.”

The LaFarge property on Rochester Road between Gasport and Middleport has not been used for 12 years. Niagara Metals hopes to build a new office building and construct a concrete pad on the site. Levin vowed not to take junk cars for parts and to keep scrap on the site for only 24 hours or less. He would employ five people at the start and hopes to expand to eight employees in a year.

Residents were skeptical.

“To build on Main Street is ridiculous,” said Al Wroblewski of Royalton Road. “Don’t load (Route) 31 with junkyards. Put those operations out of sight.”

Levin responded: “It’s a recycling center, not a junkyard. It’s not an eyesore. The property has been vacant for 12 years.” He quoted Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster as saying Niagara Metals is “neat, organized and well-run.”

Don Perry of Red Creek asked, “What’s in it for the town?” and noted that the property is at the headwaters of Eighteenmile Creek. Perry feared contamination.

Niagara Metals would lease the property from LaFarge and pay taxes, Levin said.

Robin Lake, who has a junkyard business in Albion, wanted to know where Niagara Metals would get the tons of scrap needed to make a profit. He said that the company would have to get into cars. “It’s going to be a junkyard before it’s done,” Lake said. “That’s my biggest fear.”

Levin said that handling cars is not efficient. Junkyards take old cars and sell the parts, leaving the shell on the lot. Niagara Metals would not take cars in order to sell parts, but only for scrap, and they would be hauled away, he said.

Lawyer Jeff Palumbo, who represented David Dunn Salvage on Rochester Road in Middleport, brought up a handful of concerns. Foremost was there was not enough information provided by Niagara Metals, he said.

“There should be an environmental impact study. It will impact 10 acres, and there are very few details,” he said. “There has to be a traffic study to know exactly what’s anticipated.”

Palumbo also brought up a drainage question and suggested there was no demand for the company in the town.

“All things should be spelled out,” he said. “We think it should be denied.”

Zoning board Chairman Richard Hake likes the idea of putting new business in town, but agreed that more information must be provided for the next meeting Jan. 25. Levin agreed to provide more details.

“We have some homework,” Levin said. “There are some things I have to talk to our environmentalists about. We have to answer the questions and satisfy the board.”

The most heated exchange came when Lake repeatedly asked: “Where are you going to get business? There’s not enough in the area.”

According to Levin, his business is the right mix of larger industrial accounts, demolition contractors and local drive-in trade.

Dominic Cileberto of Gasport defended the proposed project. “They’re thinking more outside the box. They’re more efficient, and competition has to be good.”

Jeff Brown is in favor of the proposal. “This area need business, more jobs,” he said. “I think it’s great that somebody wants to do something.”

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott at 439-9222, ext. 6246.

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