Oakwood Hills

The Batavia Town Planning Board tonight saw no problem with the Oakwood Hills developer’s plan to subdivide a duplex to expedite a sale of one half of the dwelling at 5169-5171 Loral Oak Way.

Oakwood Hills is the 100-acre housing tract located off of East Main Street Road, adjacent to Seven Springs Road and across from Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

Developer Peter Zeliff applied for a minor lot subdivision in the residential zone after attracting a buyer for one half of the duplex.

“The plan all along was to build duplexes on some of lots and sell people a half a duplex – like a patio home or townhome the way it’s done in other places,” Zeliff said. “I have one of the halves sold, so now we have to split the lot with a zero lot line – the property division will go right through the house, the dividing wall of the duplex. I need to get this done so we can close the sale.”

Zeliff said the buyer is an individual moving into the area to work at HP Hood in the agribusiness park.

Before the unanimous vote to approve Zeliff’s application, Planning Board Member Paul McCullough asked if there were any deed restrictions or “provisions to prevent (the owner of) one side putting up a steel roof versus an asphalt roof or changing the color of the siding.”

Zeliff said that attorneys are drafting a “condominium agreement” that would require owners of both sides to place money into escrow (for potential changes) and to go before the Homeowner Association for review and final approval.

About 30 homes are occupied at Oakwood Hills, of which six are duplexes, said Zeliff, adding that he is looking to similarly subdivide the other five.

He asked planners if he would be able to apply to have the other five subdivided as a group prior to any future half-duplex sales, and Chairperson Kathy Jasinski said she thought that was a reasonable request.

Zeliff said that Ryan Homes built 15 houses last year and, currently, three homes are under construction. He also said that he sold six more lots this year.

The cost of the lots ranges from $30,000 for a 60- by 150- to 200-foot parcel to $70,000 for a lot of almost an acre, Zeliff said. Homes generally start at $190,000.

In another development, Building Inspector Daniel Lang said HP Hood officials indicated they are planning an addition to the plant’s refrigeration warehouse unit, but haven’t submitted an application yet.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center is pleased by the announcement today that Ryan Homes has officially broken ground on its new residential project in Oakwood Hills in Batavia.

Ryan Homes broke ground on the first of 56 new homes which vary in size ranging from 1,483 square feet to 2,190 square feet. Affordably priced and located conveniently to all Genesee County has to offer, these new sites will sell quickly.

The Oakwood Hills project will provide single-tenant living along with homes containing up to five bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and a basement. All of the homes are designed with an open floor plan that places an emphasis on allowing natural light to come into the homes. The homes will be affordably priced from the $190's.

“The growth happening within Batavia is undeniable, so it is extremely satisfying for us to be a part of fostering that growth by building more housing options for both residents and newcomers alike,” said Shawn Benzer, Regional Sales and Marketing manager of Ryan Homes.

The Oakwood Hills development is located within a community experiencing significant business activity. Food and beverage manufacturing companies have invested nearly $500 million into the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, and the next phases of development at the 1,250-acre WNY STAMP campus and Batavia’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative are catalyzing future growth.

“More people will be moving to Batavia and Genesee County as new opportunities and businesses open up, which means we need more housing options,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

“Batavia is filled with so many incredible people and providing both current and future residents with beautiful places to call home is a strong asset in our continued economic growth.”

The new construction by Ryan Homes also supports Genesee County’s Smart Growth development plan and the need identified in county’s 2018 market analysis for new single-family homes. The analysis projects a housing demand for more than 1,100 new single-family homes by 2040 in a mid-range growth scenario for Genesee County.

“As we recently learned from our housing needs assessment, the rise of new businesses and attractions locating in Genesee County over the next 20 years will lead to a rapidly growing demand for new housing options,” said Felipe Oltramari, director of the Genesee County Planning Department.

“Targeted new home construction in Batavia helps meet our housing needs as our county continues to grow, and supports Genesee County’s Smart Growth development plan.”

Ryan Homes encourages interested prospective tenants to join a VIP list at RyanHomes.com to be the first to get information on the community and exclusive access to VIP-only offers like special pricing and incentives for the early birds.

For more information regarding the houses, visit oakwoodhills.co. or click here.