Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Orchard Park Town Board soon will begin to review the possibility of new zoning rules for the area surrounding the new Bills stadium.
Timing is important as groundbreaking for the new facility is expected in the spring of this year, with opening of the stadium in 2026.
Councilman Conor Flynn tells WBEN this is all at the proposal stage. "I have presented a proposal for this, and other council members have presented their proposals as well. We all have differing degrees of what we would like to see allowed there, but I think that as a full board, we'll we'll definitely be able to come together to settle on something," says Flynn. He says his proposal is twofold. He calls for a stadium zone with a stadium overlay district included. "What I'm trying to push forward here is a recognition that our current zoning code, as it's set up, is not conducive to the type of development that we might like to see around the stadium," notes Flynn, including restrictions on the height hotels can be.
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Flynn says the current zoning code does not really recognize the area around the stadium is different in character than other portions of the town of Orchard Park. He adds it deserves its own zoning code around the stadium. He clarifies the town does not pick and choose what businesses go where in the town. "What zoning does is it says this is ... these are the types of businesses, these are the types of buildings that we'd like to see in this area. And then it's up to the to the business community to decide ... is this a place that we want to make an investment in," explains Flynn.
Flynn adds he has not been contacted by any developers about the area around the new stadium. "This is a first step to start the conversation in terms of how it could affect the town's economy," says Flynn. He admits the town needs to do better about pushing business investment within the town. "Almost all of our tax burden is put on the shoulders of Orchard Park residents. We need to be better about creating a mixture of residential and business within the town of Orchard Park to place that tax burden down so that we can keep maintaining the same level of service and and same same same a return on investment for this," says Flynn.
Flynn says zoning rule changes are not scheduled for Wednesday's work session.