Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) – It was a packed house at the Orchard Park Municipal Building on Wednesday, as the Town Board hosted a scheduled public hearing with residents regarding the proposed zoning map and ordinance amendments to establish a new Gateway Mixed-Use (GMU) Zone, while also updating use controls for the Stadium Mixed-Use (SMU) Zone around the new Highmark Stadium.
The proposed amendments would allow a mix of commercial, residential, service, dining, cultural and sports-related uses, while also establishing updated setback, lot coverage and building height requirements intended to support a more walkable development pattern.
Of the some 30-plus speakers to address the Orchard Park Town Board on Wednesday, a majority of them spoke out against the proposed zoning in the areas around the new stadium…