For anyone who doesn't know, SEQR stands for "State Environmental Quality Review." It is a state-mandated process for any new development, and it is usually handled by the city's land use boards when new development is proposed. Because the City Council designated itself as lead agency on the rec center project, the environmental review falls to that body, rather than a land-use board.

The legislation classifies projects based on their potential environmental impacts, and has planners assess the real impact.

On Tuesday, at their regular meeting, Mayor Scott Johnson will ask his colleagues on the council to vote on a motion to offer a "negative declaration" on the environmental review for the rec center. In the parlance of the legislation, a negative declaration means the project will not have any significant environmental impact, or impacts have been properly mitigated.

This is one approval that must be granted before the proposed recreation center can go forward. If the negative declaration is issued by a majority vote, the Planning Board will be able to take a vote on the project's site plan.

The Planning Board first heard the application at their meeting last week, and could vote at their next meeting (Thursday) if SEQR goes through. If it clears both boards, there will be seemingly little standing the project's way, aside from likely law suits, and the tight economy.

One intersting subtext to all of this is that the building, as proposed, would violate existing zoning. Johnson seems to feel (and he may very well be right), that city projects are exempt from the zoning regulations. If he is wrong, the project would likely have to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals before moving forward. Stay tuned, this will be an interesting week in the development of the proposed rec center.