Town approves new site for Lia Honda

Town Board members have given conditional site plan approval for Lia Honda to construct a 36,000-square-foot showroom and service building at 727747 East Chester St.

The resolution passed during a meeting last week, with officials writing that there are still some minor technical revisions needed to a storm water pollution prevention plan before the construction can start.

“The plan is designed control the storm water run off and prevent it from polluting the adjacent properties,” Supervisor James Quigley said. “There’s various techniques they apply to restrict the flow of storm water.”

Under a site plan approved by the town Planning Board earlier this month the facility will be built on the former Mac Fitness site, which is immediately across the road from the current Lia Honda dealership.

The project includes an expansion of inventory, which includes a temporary rental agreement with the town for use of space at the town transfer station to park up to 300 Lia Honda vehicles until the new building is completed. Under the agreement Lia Honda will pay $2,000 for at least six months.

Quigley said he is encouraged that Lia Honda owners have chosen to remain in the town as part of expanded operations.

“It’s an adaptive reuse of an existing property,” he said. “It’s going to help the community by giving us a bigger Honda dealership. Given the fact that their maintenance facility is still on Broadway in the city of Kingston and their sales facility is on East Chester Street, it will put everything under one roof going forward.”

Quigley was also pleased Lia Honda is seeking to retain ownership of the current location but he was not sure what plans there are for the site.