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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-01-24 Town of Dryden Planning Board January 24, 2013 Members Present: Joe Lalley (Chair), Dave Weinstein, Craig Anderson, Wendy Martin, Tom Hatfield, Martin Hatch Staff Present: Jane Nicholson, Town Planner and Erin Bieber, Recording Secretary Town Board Liaison: Joe Solomon J. Lalley opened the meeting at 7:05PM Review and approval of minutes from 13 December 2012. M. Hatch moved to accept, D. Weinstein seconded the motion, all approved. Site Plan Review Waiver. Second Knob Gifts and Antiques - Shana Karn and her father, Andy Seyfried Ms. Karn and her father want to open a shop at 129 North Street. The shop was at 128 West Main street where it operated successfully for two years. It has since outgrown the space and the building available through the Cortland Regional Medical Center will be a perfect space. The county has done a 239 review and has determined there are no negative impacts. J. Nicholson recommends waiving a site plan review for several reasons including the fact that there are no planned changes to the property, signage, etc. T. Hatfield offered the following resolution: Whereas, The Second Knob Gifts and Antiques has applied for a waiver of a site plan review, and Whereas, the county of Tompkins has reviewed section 239 and found no fault, Therefore, be it resolved that the Town of Dryden Planning Board hereby waives the site plan review requirement for the Second Knob. M. Hatch seconded the motion. J. Lalley recommended finishing section “c” in the Short Environmental Assessment form. The Motion was unanimously passed. Store is anticipating at 10 am tomorrow. Site Plan Review Green Scene Lawn and Garden Plan presented by Lars Richard Bayo wishes to construct a grounds management shop at 2085 Dryden Road. They plan on using the entrance (right of way) to Heritage Furniture as their access from Route 13 so there will not be any changes to the curb structure. The building will not include any retail, it will be a home base for landscaping. They are relocating from near Buttermilk Falls. Full site plan review is recommended by J. Nicholson and D. Kwasnowski. The site (Heritage Furniture) is currently being subdivided into two therefore Green Scene will own its own land/parcel. Lars indicated what each section of the diagram is representing. Some blocks represent bins behind the building for storage and a couple small hoop sheds for salt and sand. Some area is designated for employee parking and some for gravel parking/driveway. D. Weinstein asked about the number and size of vehicles that will be coming and going. They do grounds management so they will have trucks coming and going but most of the traffic will be regular business hours. Plowing, salting and sanding in the winter will require non-business hours’ traffic. D. Weinstein asked about the sight lines on Route 13 and the increased danger of getting out of the driveway. Even though there is an existing driveway, he is concerned with the increase in traffic. J. Nicholson indicated Green Scene will be required to address each of the points as listed in the zoning law. T. Hatfield suggested that #8 (bicycle access) in the Zoning Law can removed as it is incompatible in terms of the project goal. (truck traffic and bicycles don’t mesh well) J. Lalley agreed and stated he backed Hatfield’s idea to remove them J. Nicholson stated that would be the Planning Board’s option. D. Weinstein asked about controlling salt leakage in relation to the pond. T. Hatfield pointed out that despite the fact that the pond is uphill from the building, the salt still needs to be contained. Lars explained that they will line the bottom of the salt storage containment system. D. Weinstein offered the following resolution: Whereas Green Scene Lawn and Garden has proposed to relocated to 2085 Dryden Road, and Whereas the Town of Dryden Planning Board has reviewed the sketch plan, Therefore, be it resolved, the Planning Board recommends a full Site Plan Review for this action. T. Hatfield seconded the motion; all members voted in favor Conservation Board Liaison: Craig Anderson is stepping down. D. Weinstein volunteered for the position. T. Hatfield moved to appoint D. Weinstein, M. Hatch seconded, all in favor. Town of Dryden Planning Board 2012: Supervisor Sumner asked the board to note their accomplishments and list some goals for the next year. J. Lalley listed: 1. The Planning Board has completed the Varna Hamlet plan. 2. They completed updates to the Comprehensive plan. 3. They suggested Amendments to the zoning requirements. J. Lalley asked that Planning Board look at the Comprehensive Plan and decide what, if any, changes need to be made. D. Weinstein suggested (original idea presented a while ago by C. Anderson) that the Planning Board look at the applications that have gone to the Zoning Board of Appeals and revisit the zoning guidelines. C. Anderson felt it would be a good idea to look at the Zoning Law in relation to the ZBA cases. Are the requirements burdensome or acceptable? T. Hatfield suggested a middle point in the Comprehensive Plan. The Plan needs some stability. Instead of adding or changing it yearly, the changes in the comprehensive plan could be held and applied every ten years or so. He suggested that we hold the issues and every set number of years the Planning Board should review and rewrite the Comprehensive Plan. M. Hatch wants a discussion on how to stimulate response to the Comprehensive Plan in ways that will help development. The Planning Board has reviewed several good plans lately but M. Hatch wondered if that was all the Planning Board wanted to do. Isn’t there a way for the Planning Board to encourage the development that we prefer? Are there recommendations that we can present to the Town Board? T. Hatfield asked if what M. Hatch wanted was an evaluation of the recommendations for development? And then look at how we can stimulate the development that the Planning Board and Planning department desire for the area. He recalled the Economic Development Committee from many years ago and wondered if the Planning Board would want to be part of that. W. Martin is a fan of Cortland County and the business that they have pulled in. How are they pulling in businesses? T. Hatfield indicated that Cortland County has been the leader – not the Town of Cortlandville. The Industrial Business Association has been very supportive of Cortlandville. Tompkins County doesn’t support Dryden the same way. Town of Dryden Planning Board goals for 2013: 1. To review applications as presented 2. To review and analyze the actions and decisions of the Planning Board in the past several years. 3. Review sections of the Comprehensive Plan that staff has identified as not being in step with the new zoning rules and recommend changes. The corner of Freese road and Route 366 is up for sale. The Planning Department wonders what the Planning Board thinks of the Town buying the property. D. Weinstein thinks it will be a great idea. The property is about 5 acres. T. Hatfield is opposed to buying it. He feels the Town should keep it on the tax roles. He suggested the Town prepare a package of development rights so that a developer can buy the package and build. It could save them the step of having to come to the Planning Board. T. Hatfield pointed out that the area could be contaminated and if the town bought it they then become liable. It could be a huge expense for the tax payers. D. Weinstein argued that the town should buy it. Then the Planning Board can orchestrate the kind of development that goes in there. J. Nicholson mentioned this would be a great place for a round-about. It will address transportation considerations for the county and getting busses in the area. The Planning Department is trying to get Varna on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) through New York State. J. Lalley pointed out that we could use Eminent Domain to gain the land the Town needs to build the round-about which would improve the safety at the intersection. J. Nicholson explained that the Town is attempting to avoid using eminent domain. J. Lalley also questioned whether the Town could use the land on the other side of Rt. 366, currently occupied by a garage in bad shape. D. Weinstein stated that the owners (Otis Philips and Nick Bellisario) have a potential buyer who wishes to clear cut the woods that are remaining. M. Hatch questioned where the woods were and how much space they occupy. It was established that the woods were a strip along the bottom edge of the property along the water. D. Weinstein is worried about the zoning of the area. Currently, it is mixed use which could allow blocks of apartments that the people in Varna and the Planning Board did not want. He would like to see more commercial options. J. Nicholson disagreed with Weinstein’s understanding of the zoning and what was desirable. Apartment buildings with shops at the bottom would be fine. Commercial and retail in that area are desirable but housing is not a bad idea. T. Hatfield pointed out that the apartment buildings would be a good idea. It will increase the tax role and the people of Varna will be happy with it because it will lower their taxes. M. Hatch doesn’t think that getting the property for the purpose of a roundabout is good. He is concerned that buying the land for a turn-about will undermine the ability of other development. The Planning Department is looking to see who might be interested in supporting them if they proposed to purchase the property. The Town Board would make the final decision. M. Hatch wants more information before he is willing to make any kind of decision. What options are available? A non-binding, interested only vote = Three are against it, Two might be interested based on the presentation of more information, One is definitely interested. A traffic analysis has been done but the Planning Board has already looked at the traffic circle option and J. Lalley feels a traffic light will be better. T. Hatfield moved to adjourn at 8:23, W. Martin seconded the motion. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Erin A. Bieber Recording Secretary Deputy Town Clerk