Tonawanda Town meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Tonawanda Town Board adopts data center moratorium, approves land sale

The Tonawanda Town Board on Aug. 3 adopted a moratorium on data centers and approved the sale of 5.33 acres at 40 Pirson Parkway for $280,000, among other actions. All votes were unanimous (5-0).

Town Board actions

The board adopted Local Law 2-2026, enacting a moratorium on data centers, following a public hearing where a large group of residents voiced opposition to a data center being built. It also adopted Local Law 1-2026, amending the town's taxation chapter (Chapter 189).

In a separate action, the board approved the sale of 5.33 acres at 40 Pirson Parkway to Peak Development, LLC for $280,000, subject to permissive referendum. The board also approved a municipal grant agreement with Sheridan Parkside Life Center, Inc. related to tenancy at the Sheridan Parkside Community Center.

Other approved items included:

• $33,201.72 in insurance claim payments
• Personnel changes, including a new Network Manager hire and salary adjustments
• Sale of 9 police vehicles via trade-in to Enterprise Fleet Management
• Addendum #2 with Allgaier Construction for the Belmont Restroom Renovation, decreasing the cost by $3,637

Planning Board agenda

On Aug. 4 and Aug. 5, the Planning Board held meetings to review site plans and special use permits. No decisions were made; minutes have not yet been published. Items on the agenda included:

• John's Towing, 1121 Sheridan Drive – 4,500 sq ft building addition (action)
• Bison Botanics, 1100 Military Road (action)
• Giuseppe Holdings, LLC, 4630 River Road – Phase 1, 40 residential units in 2 buildings (action)
• 1530 Military Road – 9,000 sq ft warehouse (discussion)
• 4885 River Road – Southwest Materials concrete batch plant (discussion)
• 240 Vulcan Street – GM Project Falcon (discussion)

No rezoning requests were on the Aug. 4 agenda.

Bid openings

On Aug. 11, the Town Clerk opened bids for Job 2665.2, the Tonawanda Rail Trail Enhancements project. The bids were referred to the Chairman of the Committee and the Town Engineer for tabulation and recommendation. No decisions were made at this procedural meeting.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the next two weeks.

Tonawanda Town Board adopts data center moratorium, approves land sale

The Tonawanda Town Board on Aug. 3 adopted a moratorium on data centers and approved the sale of 5.33 acres at 40 Pirson Parkway for $280,000, among other actions. All votes were unanimous (5-0).

Town Board actions

• **Data center moratorium:** The board adopted Local Law 2-2026, enacting a moratorium on data centers, following a public hearing where a large group of residents voiced opposition to a data center being built.
• **Taxation amendment:** Local Law 1-2026, amending Chapter 189 'Taxation', was adopted.
• **Land sale:** The board approved the sale of 5.33 acres at 40 Pirson Parkway to Peak Development, LLC for $280,000, subject to permissive referendum.
• **Grant agreement:** A municipal grant agreement with Sheridan Parkside Life Center, Inc. was approved for community center tenancy.
• **Insurance payments:** $33,201.72 in insurance claim payments were approved.
• **Personnel changes:** Approved personnel changes including a new Network Manager hire and salary adjustments.
• **Police vehicle sale:** Approved the sale of 9 police vehicles via trade-in to Enterprise Fleet Management.
• **Construction change:** Approved Addendum #2 with Allgaier Construction for Belmont Restroom Renovation, decreasing cost by $3,637.

Planning Board agenda

The Planning Board held meetings on Aug. 4 and Aug. 5. Minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes are not known. The board was scheduled to take action on three site plans:

• **John's Towing** – 4,500 sq ft building addition at 1121 Sheridan Drive
• **Bison Botanics** – at 1100 Military Road
• **Giuseppe Holdings, LLC** – Phase 1 of a 40-unit residential project at 4630 River Road

Discussions were scheduled for a 9,000 sq ft warehouse at 1530 Military Road, a concrete batch plant at 4885 River Road, and GM Project Falcon at 240 Vulcan Street. No rezoning requests were on the agenda.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the next 14 days.

Tonawanda Town Board agendas target highway trucks, cannabis permit, concrete change order

The Town of Tonawanda has posted agendas for three recent public meetings, but minutes have not yet been published for any of them. That means the items below are what boards were scheduled to consider — not confirmed records of what was decided. Vote tallies and final outcomes are not available in the source documents provided.

Town Board — July 8 (SEQR Regular)

The agenda listed several resolutions for board action, with the largest dollar item being a proposed purchase of two tandem-axle highway trucks for $216,549 using state DOT funds (Resolution 2026-492). Other items on the agenda included:

• A special use permit for Northeast Botanicals Distribution LLC to operate a cannabis production facility at 1100 Military Road, with a corresponding negative declaration under Resolution 2026-461.
• A $206,210 change order with Bella Concrete Solutions for concrete replacement in the Water & Sewer Division (Resolution 2026-488).
• A $12,599.99 payment for the Civic Readiness System from Civic Plus (Resolution 2026-486).
• Budget transfers for 2026 as requested by various departments (Resolution 2026-493).

Because minutes are not yet published, it is not confirmed whether these resolutions passed, failed, or were tabled.

Town Board — July 13 (Regular)

The board was scheduled to hold public hearings and vote on two special use permits:

• A cannabis production and processing facility at 1100 Military Road (Bison Botanicals).
• A vehicle service and repair operation at 1121 Sheridan Drive (Grunzweig Family, LLC).

The agenda also included an easement grant on town-owned land adjacent to 2200 Military Road, subject to permissive referendum; a reclassification of the SEQR review for the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Sheridan Park Living Shoreline project; and approval of a $1,899.50 claim payment by USI Insurance and Benefits.

No vote tallies or outcomes are available, as minutes have not been published.

Zoning Board of Appeals — July 15 (Regular)

The Zoning Board of Appeals was scheduled to hear four area variance requests:

• 108 Westchester Blvd — variance to widen a driveway to 18 ft, where the limit is 13 ft 4 in.
• 247 School — variance to widen a driveway to 16 ft, where the limit is 11 ft 8 in.
• 103 Ames Ave — variance to widen a driveway to approximately 27 ft 5 in, where the limit is 20 ft.
• 235 Midland Ave — variance for a 6-ft vinyl fence encroaching on a required vision clearance area and using prohibited PVC.

The agenda indicates the board would vote on each request after hearing testimony, but no outcomes are recorded in the available documents.

What this means for residents

The highway truck purchase and the concrete change order are the largest spending items on the agendas, together totaling more than $422,000 if approved. The two special use permit hearings — one for a cannabis facility, one for a vehicle repair shop — would affect specific properties on Military Road and Sheridan Drive. The zoning variances, if granted, would allow driveway widenings and a fence that do not meet current code limits.

Residents should note that all three meetings are listed as "agenda only" — the town has not yet released minutes confirming what was actually decided.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days, according to the available data. Residents should check the Town of Tonawanda website for any newly posted or rescheduled sessions.

Tonawanda Town Board tables land use license for 4 Chaplin Drive, approves salary increases for EMTs

The Tonawanda Town Board tabled a decision on a land use license for 4 Chaplin Drive at its June 22 regular meeting, moving the vote to its July 13 session. In other action, the board approved salary increases for a legal stenographer and full-time emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and signed off on a block party on Ashford Avenue for July 31.

Town Board – June 22 regular meeting

The board closed a public hearing on the land use license for 4 Chaplin Drive with a unanimous vote, then tabled the resolution to approve it by a 5-0 vote. The matter will be taken up at the board’s July 13 meeting.

Salary adjustments approved include raising the legal stenographer position from $71,601 to $81,601 annually, and amending the work rules for full-time EMTs (both 5-0). The board also approved a $5,698.50 claim payment for Jacquelyn Phillips and authorized a block party on Ashford Avenue for July 31 (both 5-0). Several personnel actions—new hires, re-hires, status changes, a transfer, and a separation—were passed unanimously. Minutes from the June 8 meeting were adopted.

Planning Board – July 1 regular meeting (agenda only)

The Planning Board reviewed several site plans and special use permits, though no votes were recorded as of this week’s publication. The agenda included action items on a revised phased development of 40 residential units at 4630 River Road (Giuseppe Holdings Phase 1) and a special use permit for Bison Botanics at 1100 Military Road. Board members also discussed a concrete batch plant proposed by Southwest Materials at 4885 River Road, a 4,500-square-foot building addition at John’s Towing (1121 Sheridan Drive), and a 9,000-square-foot warehouse and 791-square-foot building expansion. A preliminary site plan review was held for a proposed Burger King at 1140 Niagara Falls Boulevard. No rezoning requests were on the agenda.

Coming up

Zoning Board of Appeals – July 15 regular meeting

The board will consider four area variance requests. Three involve widening driveways beyond town limits: 108 Westchester Boulevard (to 18 feet, limit 13 feet 4 inches), 247 School (to 16 feet, limit 11 feet 8 inches), and 103 Ames Avenue (to approximately 27 feet 5 inches, limit 20 feet). A fourth request at 235 Midland Avenue seeks a 6-foot vinyl fence that would encroach on a required vision clearance area and uses prohibited PVC material. Hearings will be held before votes are taken.