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Zoning accommodation planned for Gates Circle development

Mike Desmond/wbfo news

While the planned Green Code is supposed to do away with special zoning districts, City Hall is in the midst of starting a new one. This zoning district would be the site of the former Millard Fillmore Hospital on Gates Circle.

If those involved have their way, legislation setting it up would be on Mayor Brown's desk in about two weeks, after Council passage.

"This is a different situation," said  Councilmember Joel Feroleto.

"This used to be a hospital. It was empty. This is completely different than what was anticipated on that property within the last 50 years. So, the neighbors wanted additional measures put in place for that property."

Even getting to the stage where the Canterbury Woods senior housing is actively under construction meant a trip through a knock down, drag out fight with those neighbors over almost every aspect of the project and those same neighbors say they are concerned overall developer TM Montante will use the site for something besides its announced residential, commercial and retail plans, like a big box store.

Mike Desmond is one of Western New York’s most experienced reporters, having spent nearly a half-century covering the region for newspapers, television stations and public radio. He has been with WBFO and its predecessor, WNED-AM, since 1988. As a reporter for WBFO, he has covered literally thousands of stories involving education, science, business, the environment and many other issues. Mike has been a long-time theater reviewer for a variety of publications and was formerly a part-time reporter for The New York Times.