To the Editor:

 Most of us love having Stewart’s in our small village. And by far, most of us feel that Stewart’s should be able to expand and improve its store. 

If I were Stewart’s, I’d want to expand the outdated and cramped Altamont store. From a community perspective, an improved, profitable Stewart’s store and site would be widely welcomed. Most of this is understood, not in question, and agreed upon by most of the greater Altamont community.

What has divided our opinions in our community is the size and scope of the proposed Stewart’s expansion plan. I’m asking the entire community and our village board to take a moment to consider that the sheer magnitude of the current Stewart’s plan will be a huge and permanent change to the village, that it is far excessive for the proposed space in Altamont, and that we can do better for our village.

 I’m asking that the community and village board take a moment to stand across and down the street, look at the current Stewart’s and imagine that store gone, the stand of trees gone, the neighboring house gone, and that all three areas are replaced by one massive parking lot, with a dramatically expanded store, new traffic patterns going up the street, a tremendous increase in lighting around the store and gas pumps. 

And I ask, with that in mind, why would we ever support this massive expansion plan for that space?  Why wouldn’t we ask that Stewart’s revise and reduce this plan?

Look, they tear down dilapidated buildings and trees and renovate brownfields for “urban renewal” efforts in our cities such as Albany, Schenectady, Troy.  We don’t have urban-renewal issues in that space in Altamont, and we certainly don’t allow companies to tear down a perfectly good house and one of the most beautiful stands of trees in the center of our village in order for that company to put up an excessively large store site.

We don’t break and grant three major variances for one company’s expansion plan, with the village having to live with this massive and permanent change just to accommodate its expansion request. In the end, we have to live with the result, not Stewart’s.

We can do better. Stewart’s can do better. 

Please consider that this would be a massive change and permanent mistake that can’t be undone. The current plan would result in a huge Stewart’s like those you see in big open roadside areas, completely outsized for the center of this small village and tight intersection in Altamont.

Consider that it will be the end of night in Altamont, that the stars that we get to see at night (one of our best benefits of living in Altamont) will be dramatically reduced, and we’ve already seen an impact on our night sky from the State Employees Credit Union (SEFCU) building. 

And so I’m asking the entire community and the village board to consider this, and that it is OK to demand that Stewart’s scale down their expansion plan. 

At the last village board meeting, by far most of the speakers were cordial and respectful on all sides of this issue. However, it was very disappointing to see some in our community aggressively mis-characterizing and insulting those of us against this current expansion plan.

I ask these people to take a moment to listen to what we’re saying, to consider what we’ve said again and again, that most of us are not against a Stewart’s expansion; rather, we are asking Stewart’s for a plan appropriate for this village, a far less disruptive plan, a plan that reduces the size, footprint, and lighting, smack in the center of our small village.

Also regarding the last village board meeting, I want to thank Trustee Dean Whalen for his late-meeting discussion and point that he’s not sure he’s ever seen three major variances be granted, that normally only one major variance is requested, though the Stewart’s plan requires three, and that he’s not sure that this is appropriate and acceptable.

Let’s come together on this to demand an improved Stewart’s plan that is profitable for Stewart’s and livable for Altamont. Let’s ask for a plan which better fits that space and logistics for that space in the Village.

Paul Betancourt

Altamont

Editor’s note: Letter writers Paul and Jennifer Betancourt are married.