Plans for a 52-acre retail complex on Paul Road got a quick introduction - and were promptly halted - at a special meeting of the Planning Board on Monday.

After reviewing a request from Georgia-based developer North American Properties to rezone 36 acres of land owned by Fallone Enterprises and 16 acres of land owned by local church The Father's House to general business use, the board voted unanimously to send the mater to the town's Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update Committee before making any decision.

At press time, that review had yet to be scheduled.

The town's existing land use plan, which serves as a blueprint for growth, calls for a mix of residential and light commercial uses in that area, noted Planning Board Chairman Jim Martin.

High-intensity commercial projects such as the ones called for in North American's plans "seems to be in complete disagreement with our comprehensive land use plan, " he said.

Board members also expressed reservations over the impact such a large-scale project would have on traffic and flooding.

While the Town Board has ultimate authority in rezoning requests, it is customary for the Planning Board to review them first and issue a recommendation.

Jeff Pape, North American's director of predevelopment, said this is just the start of his firm's efforts.

"We'll continue to work with the town and the community to try to come up with a plan everyone thinks (is a) benefit, " Pape said.

North American Properties specializes in developing shopping centers with big-box tenants like Target and Kohls Department Stores. Preliminary plans in Chili call for 350,000 square feet of retail space with enough room for two big box style outlets and several smaller shops and restaurants. No specific tenants have been named.

Along with hard questions from the Planning Board, the North American Properties project faces opposition from many neighbors. Teaming up with several friends, Westway Street resident Robert Mulcahy put together a petition of 300 names requesting the rezoning proposal be scrapped.

Traffic is bad enough in their neighborhood. Adding a shopping center would make it exponentially worse, Mulcahy said.

A long list of residents also spoke against the proposal at Monday's Planning Board session.

Even if the Planning Board eventually approves the rezoning, construction would still be a long way off. The Town Board would still have to sign off on the project after which it would go back to the Planning Board for site plan approval.

Fast facts:

WHAT: North American Properties wants to build a 52-acre retail complex

WHERE: Land owned by The Father's House on Paul Road, Chili

WHAT'S NEXT: Chili's Master Plan Update Committee will review the proposal to see if it fits with the plan.