Albion resident urges village to extend King Street to Allen Road

Vinny Navarra says land available for housing development behind Tops

ALBION – Vinny Navarra sees vacant land behind the Tops store on Route 31 as an opportunity for a housing development in the village. Navarra owns some of the acreage and the village also owns 7 landlocked acres.

Navarra said if King Street was extended south, from Route 31 to Allen Road, the vacant land could be developed for about 20 houses. He presented the idea during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.

The village would need to pay for putting in a road. Navarra said the tax revenue from the new houses should allow the village to recoup its costs in perhaps five years.

He acknowledged the village tried to get him to back the proposal more than a decade ago, but he declined because he had another project in the works. That venture didn’t go forward, Navarra said.

“The village asked before but I wasn’t ready,” he said. “What I wanted to do then didn’t go through.”

He has been approached by companies to put solar panels on his land, but he thinks a housing development would be the best choice for the community. He would like to see smaller ranch-style houses.

Mayor Angel Javier Jr. said the board would consider the idea, and try to get estimates on extending the street and see whether zoning would need to be changed.

Navarra also raised the issue of low water pressure on Allen Road, where he lives. It has been discussed for several years by village officials.

The pressure is above the minimum of 20 psi, but is only 35 psi, said Adam Rush, chief operator for the village’s water system.

Boosting the pressure on the entire line would be expensive, with a higher water tank or large booster pump needed. Or Rush said individual houses could have pumps that cost about $250 to improve the pressure.