LAKEWOOD – A Honda Dealership project currently underway in Lakewood took another step forward at Wednesday’s Village Board meeting as members approved a special use permit and a site plan review.

However, project developers will need to return to the board with a new site review for the dealership’s sign after board members and residents voiced their desire to see Lakewood on the sign – not Jamestown.

The proposed site plan presented by Tim Arlington, engineer for Apex Consulting, details the construction of a 22,500-square-foot Honda Dealership building located at 207 E. Fairmount Ave. Arlington said the site plan includes vehicle display areas in the front, side and back of the building, customer parking in the front and a large retention pond as part of their stormwater management system.

Arlington said they’re looking to push the building back 60 feet, a change from the initial plan, to include two lines of displays in the front of the dealership. Arlington said Honda’s review of the site plan recommended two rows of vehicles for new car sales in the front.

“We’re essentially taking one row of parking for new car sales out of the rear and moving it out front,” Arlington said. “That means we’re moving the building back approximately 60 feet. Honda said they wanted the opportunity for more new cars to be presented out front.”

Talks ensued between the board and Arlington over the potential impact of moving the building back. Arlington told the board there’s very little difference between the original site plan that went through the Village Planning Board and the proposed change to push the building back.

During the discussion, several residents chimed in and expressed their desire to see Lakewood on the dealership sign instead of Jamestown. Resident Bill Chandler said they’re proud of their village as the building will be located in Lakewood.

“Why do we not have Lakewood Honda on that building?” he said.

Bud McFadden, used car manager at Luv Toyota, said it was the area designation that had already been determined by the time they were involved. In June 2015, Honda Motor Corp. announced that William McFadden, owner of Luv Toyota, would be awarded the Honda sale and service agreement in the Jamestown market.

“We didn’t question it. If (Honda is) amendable to put Lakewood on there, we can certainly ask that,” he said. “It’s not something we did. It’s something that was already determined.”

Trustee Ellen Barnes said Jamestown may be the large city next to Lakewood, but the village has a lot of commerce.

Arlington said they’re looking to break ground on the building in the fall in hopes to be finished by next June. William McFadden is the owner of the dealership and began his retail automotive career in 1967 as a salesman. He purchased his first dealership in Jamestown at the age of 24.

In other news, the board agreed that the village doesn’t have sufficient information to determine if a 180-foot cellphone tower by Up State Tower Co. is necessary at its proposed location behind the Lakewood Village Fire Department. Trustee David Di Salvo said the latest application sent by the Maryland-based company also lacks sufficient information to determine whether it’s at a minimum height necessary.

“In order for us to complete the full environmental impact statement that is required, and protects the village, we don’t have the information to go forward,” he said.

Lakewood Mayor Cara Birrittieri said she’s still in contact with their attorney who’s handling the case for the village as it pertains to a lawsuit filed against them by Up State Tower. In talks with the attorney, Birrittieri said they aren’t sure if the case will be heard in federal court or state Supreme Court.

Up State Tower, a company that manages and facilitates the construction of cellphone towers, hit a roadblock after a village law set parameters for companies applying for building permits for cell tower construction in the village. Up State alleges that the local law is in violation of general municipal law and is invalid.