HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Training Session 4-23-2012 draft minutes.pdfZBA Training Session 4-23-2012 draft minutes
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Minutes for the
Village of Cayuga Heights
Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting
April 23, 2012
DRAFT MINUTES
Present: ZBA Members J. Young, K. Sigel, R. Parker, A. Watkins, and A. Shull
Trustees Mayor Supron, D. Riesman, and B. Szekely
Planning Board Member F. Cowett
Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross, Police Chief Steinmetz, Attorney R. Marcus, and VCH Deputy
Clerk A. Podufalski
Members of the public: M. Mindlin
1. Meeting called to order
Meeting called to order by Chair J. Young at 11:10 am.
Chair J. Young started the meeting by reading the following statement:
The purpose of today's ZBA meeting is training - we won't be hearing any appeals or responding to questions
from the public, as this is an appellate body, and isn't involved in debating or deciding policy questions. Any
questions or comments that might come out of today's meeting should be directed to the Board of Trustees at
their next meeting.
Our board is faced with a large number of appeals related to fences, and in many cases, deer fences, which
need to be decided over the next few months. Some involve solid fences and some partially open fences, both on
front, side and rear lot lines. In our deliberations, we weigh the benefit to the applicant from each proposal
against any detriment to the health, safety and welfare of the neighborhood and community, and we consider
the facts of each case individually. Typically we face both factual and legal questions in these appeals, and can
only reach the best decision possible when every member of the board shares a common understanding of both
the facts and legal principals involved. Hence our desire to have this training session before dealing with the
large number of pending and anticipated appeals.
Today we will start by asking Dr. Paul Curtis, an Associate Professor and
Extension Wildlife Specialist at Cornell University, to give us an overview of how deer and fences interact in
a community such as ours, with a particular emphasis on the issues related to front yard deer fence setbacks
and how these might impact pedestrian and traffic safety. We're also going to focus on possible ways to
mitigate these impacts while still allowing set-backs to be reduced.
This is not a public forum on deer. This is not a public forum on fences. This isn't a public forum on
anything - it's a training session for the ZBA itself which happens to be open to the public. We'd like to keep
the session short and well focused, and once we've heard from Dr. Curtis and the ZBA members present have
all had a chance to ask him any questions they may have, we'll be closing the meeting to the public and
continuing with a short attorney-client session involving our attorney, Randy Marcus.
The private portion of our meeting will be spent primarily discussing questions about ZBA law and
procedures that our members may have, some of which may also involve fencing issues. This will be a private
ZBA Training Session 4-23-2012 draft minutes
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session, however, as we may be discussing specific cases that have come before us, and hypothetical appeals that
may in the future be brought to our board, and these topics fall within an area where I feel that confidentiality
and discretion is important.
That all being said, let me open the public portion of our meeting by asking Dr. Paul Curtis to help us
understand the way deer behavior can be influenced by deer fencing in an environment such as ours.
Attorney R. Marcus confirmed this training session will count towards the Board member’s training
requirement.
2. Discussion with Dr. Paul Curtis
Dr. Paul Curtis discussed with the Board and the public how deer fencing in the Village could
affect deer behavior as well as safety issues that could be caused by non-compliant fencing.
3. Motion to enter into private attorney/client session at 12:06 pm with no motions to be made
after the private session.
Motion: A. Shull
Second: R. Parker
PRIVATE ATTORNEY/CLIENT SESSION
RESOLVE, the Board exited into a private attorney/client session to discuss ZBA law and
procedures.
Aye votes –R. Parker, A. Shull, A. Watkins and J. Young.
Opposed- K. Sigel
4. Adjourned
Meeting adjourned at 1:07pm