UPDATE: The Orchard Park Town Board unanimously approved the first phase of a zoning plan to create mixed-use development around the new Buffalo Bills stadium during a packed meeting Wednesday night. You can read more here.
ORIGINAL: Construction continues to get the new Bills stadium ready by the 2026 season, but when will anything else be built around it?
"We gotta get development going now, we need it now," said Mark Ebeling, one of the owners of Danny's South at Big Tree and Abbott.
We're closer to knowing that answer with the Town of Orchard Park hosting a discussion about adding a Stadium Mixed Use (SMU) zone 1,000 feet around the stadium.
WATCH: 'We need it now': Development around new Bills Stadium takes next step in Orchard Park
The plan is to add more sidewalks to Abbott Road and allow buildings up to two and a half stories high.
"We really want to take some pieces from Green Bay and Foxborough," said Joe Liberti, Supervisor-elect. "Attracting shops, boutique shops and the big thing was a hotel, one or two hotels in Orchard Park, that's what we're really vying for here."
After that, they'll work on a GMU outside of that 1,000-foot area where buildings can be four stories high.
The cut-off for the SMU area is Southwestern Boulevard and right before Big Tree Road, where Danny's South is.
"We're all right here, we're all part of it, and I don't know why we cut it off at that point," said Ebeling.
He has development plans and wants to be part of this.
"The sidewalks, the lighting, a lot of stuff's gotta be done, I'm sure it will be, hopefully it will be," said Ebeling. "I still want to be part of the big picture. As you can see in our window room, the stadium's right in our backyard, we don't want to be left out of the zoning, we want to be in the zoning."
Liberti says everyone's voice will be heard when it comes to zoning and development, and says those who want to get involved should reach out to the town clerk.
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