To the Editor:
I participated in the Guilderland Zoning Board of Appeals April 19 public hearing on the Costco proposal. Several dozen attended. After Costco made a presentation, the public was invited to speak.

I thought proponents, opponents, and critics of the Costco proposal made strong cases. It is obvious that many want a Costco; some have been waiting for years, and want to see it built now.

Opponents and critics made many important points. I said the Costco would be built in a part of town that is now heavily congested.

Others elaborated, saying the Costco parking lot would have more than 700 parking spaces; thousands of vehicles — including oversized SUVs — would travel to and from Costco daily.

At least one person said delivering all the merchandise to Costco would require many trucks. Do we want more trucks and cars in the Crossgates vicinity, especially in December?

One said that the extra traffic would slow down emergency vehicles. Several said that, if Costco is to be built, put it inside the Crossgates ring road rather than pave over additional acres.

I said there is no need to construct 18 gasoline pumps as part of Costco because there are many gas pumps in the area and installing additional ones would lead to the closure of existing ones. People who spoke subsequently noted that the federal and state government are proposing and incentivizing the purchase of electric vehicles.

Existing gasoline stations thus face an uncertain future. Why add more?

My final point was that the opening of a Costco would lead to the closure of nearby businesses that sell the same products as Costco. Thus while Costco would generate new jobs, it would eliminate others.

Tom Ellis

Albany

Editor’s note: See related story.