Archive: News

Triax Management Principal Partner Eric Goetzmann and Bold Associates's James Bold brought an informal presentation on a proposed fueling station they hope will be approved for the ongoing BJ's Wholesale Club being built north of the Shops at Ithaca Mall.  The pair have submitted a special permit application and are concurrently working with Village officials to change the Planned Development Area (PDA) that was passed by the board to allow the construction of BJ's along with senior rental housing units at the northernmost portion of the property along Oakcrest Road.  Goetzmann said electric fueling will make the station unique in Ithaca.

"This will be the first one in Ithaca," he said.

The proposal includes six double-sided gas pumps, a kiosk where an attendent will be stationed, and initially two or three 480 volt charging stations, with the possibility of expanding as demand increases.  Goetzmann showed the board an example of the charging stations, a 480 volt ChargePoint station manufactured by Colomb Technologies.  Charging stations at 480 volts can charge a Nissan LEAFTM from 20% State of Charge (SOC) to 80% SOC, nearly 100 miles of travel, in less than 30 minutes.  By comparison charging the same car at home could take 24 hours.  Bold said users will park at a charging station and shop at BJ's while their car charges. 

If approved the fueling station will replace some of the already approved parking spaces at the north of the new parking lot. Two electric fueling stations will be placed at parking spaces to the northwest of the lot, with a six foot wall and a line of spruce trees separating it from senior rental housing.

Goetzmann and Bold approached the Board of Trustees in August to get a reading on how the proposal would be accepted by Village officials.  Trustees were generally in favor of the idea, and voted to refer the proposal to the Planning Board, procedurally the next step.  That led to Monday's meeting.

Goetzmann said that he hoped to answer any questions Planning Board members would have.  He said that he and Bold anticipated questions board members might ask and hoped to lay any concerns to rest.

There was much discussion of whether or not the law should be changed to allow a public fueling station versus one available to members only.  The consensus was that because the developers are asking for a members only station it should be passed for that use.  There was less consensus on whether the board would allow a public fuel station if they had been asked to approve that, given existing filling stations in the Village and concerns about traffic.  Village Attorney David Dubow also noted that changing the proposal could delay the project.  Goetzmann confirmed that developers are asking for a fueling station for BJ's members only.

Bold noted that Pritchard Automotive is already selling electric cars in Ithaca.  The company is currently featuring the Wheelgo Whip, selling at a price of $22,785.  The whip is an all electric car with nominal 10 horsepower and peak horspower at 40.  It seats two passengers, has front wheel drive, has a hatchback, and a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour.

Goetzmann also showed where trees and a six foot tall fence that will be placed behind the fueling station to mitigate light and sound from the station as it might affect the senior housing.



The special permit cannot be approved until a local law is adopted to add the fueling station use to the PDA.  To make it possible to construct the station during the current construction season the boards are considering the zoning change concurrently with the special permit application.  If the Board of trustees approves the change to the law, the Planning Board will be able to approve the special permit, after which construction on the station may begin.

The local law defines a new use for the project as a fuel station, and further defines it as a 'members only' fuel station.  Goetzmann says BJ's plans to sell fuel only to customers who have purchased a membership.  Typically only members shop at BJ's stores, and that model will apply to gas and electric fueling.

A public hearing is planned for September 27th.  The meeting will be a joint meeting between the Board of Trustees and the Planning Board at which it is possible that both the new law and the special permit will be approved.  Village Attorney David Dubow says the planning board would have to approve the special permit contingent on the law going into effect.  That typically happens, he said, about a week after an approved law is submitted to the State Comptroller's office.

BJ's is scheduled to open next January.

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