WAWARSING – For many who have faithfully followed reports of Wal-Mart's possible arrival to the community since the story first broke two years ago, this coming Tuesday, November 25, will allow them to participate in the process that may eventually lead to the retailer's creation of a Supercenter at the site of the Napanoch Valley Mall on Route 209 in the Town of Wawarsing.

As a regular part of the development process, each building project that goes before the town's planning board for review and approval must submit to a public hearing, where members of the community can speak their mind regarding the project, voicing concerns or asking questions of the developers and planning board, and allowing residents a chance to participate in the process that shapes the look and feel of their town.

So what kinds of issues might be discussed at the public hearing next week? Already, the retailer has submitted plans which go a bit beyond simply constructing a brand new building; the plans so far involve a lot-line revision — which will be a redrawing of the property boundaries between the mall property and the Napanoch Firehouse — as well as the construction of a new out-building, which will be the future site of the Napanoch Post Office, Napanoch Wines and Liquors, and the No. 1 Chinese Restaurant. These three businesses currently have leases within the Napanoch Valley Mall and would be displaced after the retailer bought and demolished the old building.

According to Wawarsing Planning Board Chairman Marty Lonstein, one of the topics about the proposed store that he's heard regards the look that the store will have.

"The biggest thing I hear is they want an Adirondack building," he says, referring to a particular style of Wal-Mart which is prevalent in the Adirondack region of the United States. The current sketch-plan submitted by Wal-Mart features a brown-tan façade, presumably to match the natural and earthy color-scheme of the surrounding area. Lonstein, however, notes that he isn't familiar with this particular style. "I don't even know where people found it."

According to Lonstein, the process so far has gone smoothly, largely thanks to the fact that the property being considered for development already has a mall there, and as such, the infrastructure — including drainage and electric — is already in place for the retailer to utilize.

As the project progresses, the town's engineers and planners offer consultations and studies to ensure that the developer's plans meet with the town's regulations, work which is paid for by Wal-Mart's escrow account. "That's where their expenses come from," says Lonstein. "Anything this size has to…you can't have taxpayers pay for all this; it's not fair."

The developer will also have to submit to a SEQRA review, or State Environmental Quality Review Act, a state law which offers environmental guidelines regarding how the development will impact or interact with the surrounding environment. Since the regulations have undoubtedly changed since the Napanoch Valley Mall was first built many years ago, it's very possible that the drainage infrastructure will require modification or alteration to conform to current regulations.

The fact that the current mall has potentially hazardous drainage was brought up at the last Wawarsing Town Board Meeting on November 6 by Napanoch resident Frank Brown, who reported that the drainage set-up is clogged, and is often in danger of flooding his and the surrounding properties. His concerns were noted by the town board, and he was told they would be forwarded to the planning board. He was also advised to bring his concerns to the planning board directly.

The public hearing will be held during the next planning board meeting, which is on Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m. in the second floor courtroom of Town Hall, Canal Street in Ellenville.

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