HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-08-24 TOWN OF GROTON
PLANNING BOARD
PUBLIC HEARING # 1 , MONDAY , AUGUST 24 , 1992
GEORGE TOTMAN , CHAIRMAN -OF THE BOARD , opened the nearing
at 7 : 15 P . M . in the Courtroom of the Town Hall .
BOARD PUBLIC PRESENT
* George Totman On attached sheet
*Monica Carey
* George VanSlyke
Sheldon Clark
Cecil Twigg
* Verl Rankin
( * present )
TO'PMAPJ0 'For those of you not familiar with the Planning process ,
I assume you are here to learn something about what the
Planning Board does , and what the reason behind attending
these meetings are for . Thursday night we are having a
speaker from the Dept . of Agriculture here to talk about
farms or agricultural land and how it affects our community
and the planning process towards that . Also how it will.
change the Comprehensive Plan in Groton , which will ul. -
timately change the Zoning Ordinance . That is why we did
the public surveys . We decided to add some public
informational Meetings . The girls from the County Planning
Department have come tonight for the purpose ; of getting
feedback from the people in the Town of Groton . W ' have
here tonight two gentlemen : Fred Paris from NYSEG and
Mike Stamm from the County Area of Development . As soon
as these two gentlemen are through talking , we will have
some time for questions and answers . By the way , I
am George Totman , Chairman of the Planning Board .
Monica Carey and George VanSlyke are also members who
are here tonight . Also here is the Town Board ' s leader ,
Teresa Robinson , Town Supervisor .
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F . Parise My name is Fred Paris , I am the representative from
New York State Electric and Gas in Bingliambon . I am one
of the five people in the Developmental Department - whom
covers Upstate New York , Westchester and Plattsburg .
We do mostly attractions to the service area although
with closings and layoffs and things like that of that
nature , it is hard . Firstly , I want to try to concentrat
on manufacturing upon the Industrial Development . Two
things : # 1 Our manufacturing base is shrinking , not only
on a national level but also on the State level. . Since
1980 , the U . S . has witnessed a 9 . 6% decline in manufacturing ,
In the same time period , the state of New York has lost
a staggering 27 . 3 % . In terms of numbers , the U . S . has
a loss of 1 . 9 million production jobs . New York State
accounts for 295 , 000 of those jobs . Just in 1991 alone ,
New York State ' s total employment was 319000 or 43 %
of total jobs lost . The total there was 738 , 000 jobs .
That leaves our manufacturing base shrinking . Secondly ,
as the manufacturing high is shrinking , the competition
is increasing . In my view , the primary goal of any
community , other than retaining what they have in today ' s <
climate and what ou .-kn. ow about cutting back ; it doesn ' t
make much sense to ttY, to be out there getting XYZ in
the front door while losing ABC out the bacl� . The first
thing we ought to do is if we retain what we haveM_ : >it is
I
mperative to remember and note that partially 85% of al
theIndustrial Development will come from companies that
are close by . Those companies will gain . What should
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PARIS : the community do ? In my view , I would start concentrating
more on whether some of the larger issues will make and
obviously will be more familiar with Tompkins County and
Groton in general . My feeling is that , there are three
areas that we have to focus on . Plumber one is strategic
planning . In other words , taking some time to decide w
where you are , where you want to go and how you are going
to get there . First and most important is efficiency .
Meaning a very simple one page statement of what types
Of businesses you would like to see in this community , how
you might go about getting them here and how to get them
to stay . Essentially a statement of what the leadership
or people in this community , in general , feel that they
ought to be :doing and where you want to be in years from
now . Secondly , evaluating what strengths and weaknesses
are in terms of accomplishing that goal . Do you feel an
Industrial Development can have a place in this community ?
What are the strengths or weaknesses ' that you have ?
Lastly , comparing those strengths and weaknesses or
correctable weaknesses . with what companies or businesses
look for . . 4What is the right mix or match ? What do you
have that the business industry usually looks for ? What
businesses should you be enticing to come to , your community ?
Secondly is Infrastructure . If the community is not read
to go as far as Economic Development is concerned , the
chances of growth are slim to none . Lastly , maybe most
important , is having Industrial Parks , Bldgsaj Incubators ;
those kinds of facilities that are there for 1,) usinesses
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PARIS : for relocating . Most companies are looking for Indus -
trial Parks or buildings that are there , ready to go
and move into . They can ' t wait for companies to build
a building or vacate a structure to move into . Lastly
is organization . If you think in terms of Tompkins
County or Groton in general , my view would be that that
would involve States \ ° and Towns working closer o . together
with the Tompkins County Area of Development who , in
terms , keeps in touch with us : The New York State
Economic Development . I think you need a contact person .
That individual has to know what your issues are as to
your strengths , weaknesses , and what your history repeat
are .
M . STAMM : Hello , I am Mike Stamm . I am President of the Tompkins
County Area of Development which is this County ' s
Economic Development Agent . Most new job creations is
going to come from businesses expanding or from entre -
preneurs that already exist in the community , or from
people starting new businesses . We target the Industria
Manufacturing Base . From what we read and our experience ,
we believe that most manufacturing in America is , in the
t
future , going to be in Am:all business size companies that
are producing a technology related product or service ,
usually the latest management or technology to use or
sell that product or service . Most companies are relo =J
cating , out of high cost , from urban areas to more rural
areas that have new characterisitics under Research and
Developments Such as Universities , ; ' Recr-eational Centers
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STAMMr With the trends in Tompkins County , we see that the
large traditional manufacturers are atagnant or down -
sizing , and this has started to happen before the .:
recession . In spite of the recession. , the companies
that we have helped in the last couple of years are stil
doing well and they are meeting their job creation pro -
jections . Those are good signs . In future developments
trends , we see continuation of growth in small. or
medium size technology related companies . We also see
that there-is , a need of some re - development in the vacant
industkial space . The City of Ithaca has lost companies
to the more rural areas in the last couple of years .
We hope to work with the City to re - develop that vacant
space . Some of the future developmental needs are that
we need multi - tenant space with some of these growing
companies . We need to improve our airports since we
are isolated and it is unlikely that any connections
are going to be made via roadway ( interstate ) . The
airport is our most important transportation . We need
training programs for newly existing employees . That
is a National trend and it is certainly true here . We
need more office parks for light manufacturing . Probabl
the most important need is high risk loan fund companies
Flow does a community attract business ? We think working
with the existing entrepreneurs is the real key and
helping existing businesses grow ; We have seen it work
in Tompkins County . We also think you need to have site
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STAMM0 prepared . They need property that has sewer and water
infrastructure and roads or buildings that are renovated
and ready for a company to move in . There also has to
be a willingness by a community to organize and to figure
out what they want and to have a point period who can
represent the community , somebody who is interested in
the area . The rural work force . is really a big
strength in Groton . It is a quality which could be
an attraction to the community . Qualities that could
discourage development in Groton could be the perception
that Groton is isolated and the lack of prepared sites .
I think focusing on whatever businesses that are here
need the community ' s help to grow and the community
should also try to determine who the key entrepreneur
is or may be in the area . I guess now is the time for
questions if you have any .
TOTMAPd0 I explained to you at the beginning , the Planning Board
purpose was to get some input from the community . With
us tonight is Joan Jur )(owich and Jeannie Barrett from
the Tompkins County Planning Department . From this
point on , any questions that we have or suggestions will
be answered by them . The Planning Board is here to
listen to the people tell us how it should be , not for
us to tell the people how it should be . If there are
any questions , direct them to either the two young
ladies , the Planning Board , or to the two speakers :
Mike Stamm and Fred Paris . Your questions can be
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TOTMAPd : pertaining as to what thoughts you had about what you
people would like to see happen in Groton , what isn ' t
happening , as it relAtes to business , zoning , planning ,
or whatever .
J . PACKARD :
My name is Joan Packard . I live on -745 Cortland Rd . The
plan has not been written yet , right ? I was sort of
wondering why this survey was sent out . What made •,� you
at this point , start doing that ? What war, the sort of
thinking that made you send out a questionnaire ?
TOTMAPd : Our present Planning , and *honing Ordinance was passed in
1972 , as the community and the leaders felt , at that ,
point , that that should be the direction they should be
taking . It is a recommendation from the State , National
wide , whenver you have zoning , planning , or comprehensive
plans , it should be updated at least every five to ten
years . Not . More thar3 ten years . We have gone since
1972 without updating it or taking the oath with the way
Groton is today . Do we still want to try to keep it
the way it was before or do we want to change some of the
zones or allow more here or there or allow less ? We have
been getting more people move into the community and
different things happening , different places such as
businesses are being made or been made that weren ' t
20 years ago . So , we decided we would look at the whole
Town instead of a small spot here and there .
B . VALLELY :
I live in the Village , but I also live in the Town .
I am a little bit concerned with the fact that there is
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B . VALLELY :
noone here from the Village . I am wondering what kind
of discussions or planning has gone on .; with the Village
Planning Board because of developing a plan for the Town
of Groton . . . the Village is included and certainly any
economical development really has to deal with the entir
area . T know the survey was sent out to the people . It .
was a good idea . I was glad to see it . There is quite
a few interesting things in the Town of Groton . One is ,
what makes Groton unique ? Why would it be good -for
business ? I ,, know one of the questions is , how long have
the same people lived in the same house ? 65 % of the
people have lived in the same house . That is a turnover
rate of 8% `a , vear with the national average at 20% . It
is a very favored community . Is there now a special".` ^ �
organized group that represents both the Town and ' the ` •::
Village people ? Is there somebody now that you might
be workin 'W om the Village ?
M . STAMM : I would consider Gary Watris to be one of the key people
that I would communicate with very often with respect
to Economic Developmental issues . Bernie Thompson ,
who is a consultant in. the Village of Groton , would
certainly be a major .
TOTMAN .* As I explained , this is our first meeting ; our first
public informational meeting . t16fore the P1"anni l'mg . "Board=
does . anytliin`g we ' want ., thb People ' s input . We want to
know what the People want first .
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B . VALLELY *
Part of the growth that is or has happened in Groton
was the result of some help that we got from the
Tompkins County Economic Zevelopment Dept . Those kinds
of services or businesses will not , generally , generate
an increase in the tax base . What are your feelings in
terms of the growth in those kinds of things in the
Town of Groton ? Would it have any effect ? Is there an
opportunity there ?
M . STAMM * If you look at growth by sector over the last ten years ,
the service sector has increased dramatically . The
service sector has grown by leaps and bounds in Tompkins
County . We try to get alot of manufacturing jobs . We
spend alot of time doing that .
F . PARIS ** Just to give a time period , from 1980 through 1991 ,
New York State was the second largest in Legal Services
and the largest in Health Services . The need for the
service is fine , but that doesn ' t meet the needs or
requirements of a basic industry . It doesn ' t create the
input dollars . For companies and businesses who are
manufacturers or creators as well , the future is bleak .
J . PACKARDs
I live up on Cortland Road . A number of years ago ,
there was alot of unhappiness in the community about
the possibility of having a restaurant /bar on the corner
of Salt Road and Rte . 222 . I happen to live right acros
the Street from that proposed site . I am very concerned
about what type of industry we - are talking about :, here .
Are we talking about gas stations , bars , what ? I agree
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PACKARD : with the fact that the 4uality of life here in Groton is
unique . It is wonderful . It is rural . I am very
concerned about the integredation .
M . STAMM . That is the whole purpose of this process . It is to
determine what the community wants . If the community
wants something like General Motors to come here ,
realistically , it is not going to happen . As far as
defining industry , we kind of use a 'aule of thumb with
a product or service that is produced or sold outside
the region . If it is sold outside the region , the money
is coming :e.jn .
SAWzjDN
Do we really need something here ? Since the Smith Corona
left , everything has been fine . Noise level is quite
a bit lower . It is the place people like . I think we
need to ask the 33 % of the people why they work out of
Town . An enormous amount of availability to work is
in� Ithaca . Tt has" 'the lowest unemployment rate in all
of New York State . If we have this amount of people
leaving Town to work , what type of manufacturing are they
into which takes them out of Groton ? I would like to see
development here too , but to an extent . I don ' t want to
see the beating on the Town of Groton . To me , the
People here from the Town want it to stay the same .
M . STAMMe I think that is a valid statement . I will suggest to you ,
that if you want Groton to stay the way it is , then you
have to work really hard to keep it that way . If you
sit back , nothing is going to change . Pdothing is going
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STAMM : to get better . Something is going to change a little ,
but it might not be for the better .
Re SAMaON s
Ifl you are taking about manufacturing or building ,
we are building new homes .
STAMM : I am not saying you have to bring anything in , but if
you are going to keep just what is here , you are going t
have to work real hard -iit it .
TOTMAN .e One of the things that you ought to think about is that
if you decided to put a factory here , it is going to
change the community by having more activity . I think
sometimes people have the wrong conception of what an
industry does to an area .
VALLELYe One of the reasons Smith Corona didn ' t change the Town
so much when they left , was because the people who worke
there all went over to Cortland . I am fearful that what
happened there is going to have a much bigger impact
this time . It is true , the people do go to other
Counties to work .
R .',;'"'. SAMSON :
Do you think people would like to keep it as it is ?
TOTMAN * The • two young ladies from the County Planning Dept .
took the answers , had them analyzed , and looked at what
people liked or disliked . As I recall , 80% of the
people that worked here at Smith Corona didn ' t live here .
Only 20% did .
J . JURKOWI CFi
To answer your question , the first question on the serve
was the most important and most critical issue with
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JURKOWI Clio
u 'a -
economical '. ;development . 13 out of 150 answers desired
critical or very important . When we asked the question
in terms of what type of industrial development and
whether that should happen , there was pretty much
interest in the location ;�iil.ong major high ys . The sort
of industry this would attract would be light industry
or whole sale trucking .
VALLELY : When was the survey done ? Before Smith Corona ?
JURKOWICH :
Yes . We started talking about some of the things that
Fred and Mike brought tap . The need to develop a mission
statement . What kind of industry do you want ? Why are
people leaving Groton to work ? What is the cost , the
price you are willing to . pay ? Some of the other questio s
we had on the agenda tonight was What about the economic
development at work ? Meaning the jobs , types of jobs ,
the number of jobs , the tax base ? These were all
important issues . What price aren ' t you willing to pay
to get economic development ?
,1
PACKARlls I don ' t want to see another Elmira - -Road on Rte . 222 .
It is just wall to wall stores . It is noisy and the
traffic is terrific . . I happen to live on 222 , so , I
am very concerned about that .
TOTMAPd : There are also people on Peruville Road , Rte . 38 , also
who might feel the way you do .
JURKOWICHs
Is there any part of that road that wouldn ' t be offensive
to you ?
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PACKARD : I don ' t want to live there . I don ' t want it in my back
yard .
R . SAMSON .o
It is going to be hard through out this town , regardless
of which direction , on where you are going to put it .
VALLELY0 I had a question on whether or not there has been any
efforts to identify specific areas in the Town . There
is a limited amount of property in the Village limits ,
there is almost a limited amount in the Town . Out on
Rte . 38 , there is a problem with wetland . There are also
environmental reasons why it wouldn ' t work on any , maybe ,
agricultural land , such as cost wise .
JURKOWICH0
The plan could very well do that . Any other ideas ?
VALLELY .o You have to consider the fact that interest or some kind
of business or businesseso, which might be very good for
neighborhoods .
D . IIALL .o Speaking of noise , listen to the generator at Diversified
Tech during the day , you can hear that clear across the
town .
R . SAMSON :
One problem you are going to have if you bring in anything
over the mention of light industry , is people are
immediately going to say , oh , we got another Smith Corona
in here , or dump , or something like that . They are not
going to think that these things won ' t exist any more
because of Rules and Regulations , but because wf what
happened in the past . They are going to say , we don ' t
want anything heavy . Is that Smith Corona lot going to
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SAMSONee useable again ?
T . ROBI14S011oo
It is going to take at, least five years from now until
the studying and testing is done .
VALLELY : Whether it is fide or six years , the Town and the Vill. ag
needs to make a real pro - active stand on this rather
than sit still. and wait until they dump asphalt and
grass over there . I really think we need to come up
with some sort of plan on what we would like ,thl` e
Do we want light industry ? Do we want a community
center ? Do we want offic' . buildings ? Do we want housin ?
Come up with some idea so that it is profitable . Why
not give them an idea and allow them to work with it ?
Five years sounds like alot of time , but it goes by fast
JURKOWICH :
What might be a good use for that site ?
TOTMANe We include the < Villbge- . In . our survey . We want the
Village people to be a part too , because they pay taxes .
Working together is the best idea .
JURKOWICH :
§ The Village is not excluded . They are at the tail. end
of �;Xpdaiing their plan .
VALLELY : Do you have the input on the Village or does the
Village have the plan ? It seems to me that these
guys have to coordinate these plans .
TOTMAN .* The Village already did their survey a year ago . They
did their study . They revised all their Rules & Regula -
tions in the book . We are starting to do this now .
. We, are trying to go a step further in getting input
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TOTMAPd0 From the people in the Town and Village .
JURKOWICHO
Any other input for the Town ' s future economicl :'develop -
ment ?
S . JOYNER s
I have only lived in Groton for three years . One of the
things that attracted me to it was the nice quiet family
atmosphere . I am expressing concern that that might
disappear . I think something should be included in
the plans to keep it from happening . Some places do
discourage people . I think we need to have something
in there to say that we don ' t want wild development .
JURKOWI CF1
What about some of the things that Mike and Fred said ?
On expanding existing businesses or in retaining these
Jobs or keeping those jobs there ? What about expanding
the businesses here inr ovn�- as opposed to new businesses
coming in ?
STAMM * What about Ithaca Peripherals ? What would you be willing
to give up to keep that in this town ?
P . PALMER :
We would have to give up a little bit of land up on the
hill. .
Does anybody have any ideas on how that would be used ?
T . ROBINSONe
Somebody with alot of money because that land is too
expensive .
PACKARD * Other types of shops , like antique shops , software
companies . We are very close to Ithaca . We have a
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PACKARD : ; f�®nderfud- school and Day Care . We live in a bedroom
community . They should move in here . You can still
get housing at very reasonable prices . We even have
wonderful. community spirit .
F . PARIS : It sounds unusual ; I think that is what makes Groton
special .
R . SAMSON :
I think if you knock on every door in Town , they will
agree with what those of us here at the meeting think .
STAMM : What about the people that are living here who have just
lost their job ? Where are they going to work ? If they
are unemployed , can ' t afford to move , can ' t afford their
mortga. gq payments ? Their house starts to decay because
they can ' t keep up the payments . Then you have to worry
about creating employment displaced by plant closings
or lay offs .
SAMSOPd : That is a situation that we have a problem with and
probably will happen throughout the County .
T
Ca?�PqM That ' 'is whatr" Economic Dblelopment is all. about . Most
everybody wil. l. go towards Ithaca to work .
JURKOWICHO
Do you think Groton should do more to encourage growth
I
n Cortland and Ithaca ?
SAMSON : No .
TOTMAN : You made the statement earlier that you like the = s, ay
. 'r1s
it is . If I understood what Mike was saying , he said
. .. . rv... --5. . t 4 4 . . _ —s^-. ...;sf,.i � .• . P;,''}'3 is _.:. - .c "r.l�t.. .
if you want it to stay:. the sway- it is , it is not, going
to stay that way unless you do something ^to keep it tth tr.;
way .
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TOTMAPda We have sort of a commercial base here that pays a good
share of the taxes . If we sit idle and let things keep
deteriorating , we might not be able to pay the bills .
We have got to encourage some kind of activity . If you
sit back and leave it the way it is , it won ' t stay that
way .
SAMSOPJs It was just a suggestion . What about the Schoolhouse
Garden Apts . The seniors don ' t want to be inside all
day . Why can ' t they make the Smith Corona lot into a
park ? Or housing projects .
D . HALL : I got a concern with the housing developing in the !-. Town
of Groton . Our taxes aren ' t going down . Houses are
springing up here and there . Is this a good thing or
bad thing ?
JURKOWICH :
Generally speaking , the taxes that a;_:. homeowner pays ,
doesn ' t pay for the services of the State that is used .
If you try to keep the community the same , you need to
keep it the same balance , whether it be financially or
otherwise .
HALL : What I am getting at is , when the new houses keep coming
in , they are going to need sewer , water , etc . They are
not helping the tax base .
JURKOWICHs
It is also a fact that if you have more people , the
demand for services is more . It doesn ' t balance out .
PARIS .e That ' s why commercial and industrial should be favored .
It helps balance and offset that tax .
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SAMSOPI : Who can we talk <._ to from another Village or Town who
has already gone through this ?
T . ROBINSONe
George is going to go to a meeting of the Planners .
That is where he can get some more information on this
particular topic .
0
TOTMAP10 There is also another more informative meeting in.
November that I will be attending .
SAMSON : If they can come in and show that they did it with proof
like blueprints or something like ' that , then maybe we
can consider it .
F . PARISs We do get success stories in our seminars and association
meetings .
PACKARD0 I was wondering how much they have considered about
connecting us to the rest of the world ; you know a bus
or whatever .
TOTMAN You have , to.�,=realize , Tompkins County has a bus route
with Tom Tran . Cortland County doesn ' t .
SAMSOPd0 I know something that I have always wondered about .
Why do we have two different Boards ? Town and Village ?
Why can ' t they just join together and save the Town of
Groton some money .
PACKARD : There is so much land het 9 , so much agricultural land .
This is mostly a - airy area . What I was thinking was ,
maybe we could grow specialty crops ; like herbs , straw -
berries , etc . Some of these crops generate alot of money .
STAMM0 Are you talking about a Farmers Market type thing ? Or
are you talking about an alternative .farming option
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STAMM : where the farms produce mixed crops ? 15
PACKARD : It will support some of the farmers .
STAMM * There are government monies avai `dtible for those
alternative farmers .
T . ROBINSON :
I want to know where you get your high risk loans .
STAMM : A variety of sources that we have received , or have
known others who received for the state , they are
low interest loans . There are a few out of the
many names that actually do give loans or grants for
businesses of this nature .
SAMSOPd0 I have a question that I am concerned with . Is the
dump going to come back to Groton ? Do we have anything
to say a out that ?
B . PETERSON :
My name is Betsy Peterson . I live in. the Village .
v
That dump might not be such a bad idea ; it could be
a positive for the Town and Village . If you do get
some success stories , it would help if the Village and
Town got3together on this .
TOTMAN : It is very interesting to hear what other communitiesT
do or have done .
B . PETERSON :
One other suggestion I have is that the Art Dept . from
Cornell University has a group which goes and paints
Senior Citizens homes and murals or whatever . It would
be a good idea to brighten up thel.Town .
J . JURKOWICFI :
Ok . We will close the hearing . hope to see you on
Thursday .
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I , SANDRA DEE DILLONr DO CERTIFY that at the Public
Hearing on Monday , August 24 , 1992 , of the Planning Board , did
take the minutes of said hearing and the above is a true and
exact copy of said hearing , to the best of my ability .
l � �