HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-05-20 TOWN OF GROTON PLANNING BOARD
Public Hearing & Meeting Minutes/Transcript - Thursday, 20 May 1999
Members, Groton Planning Board (*Absent) Others Present
*George Totman, Chairman Joan Fitch , Recording Secretary
Monica Carey M/ M Steve Howard, Applicants
Cecil Twigg DeForest & Irene Hall , Residents
George Van Slyke Kelly Burdick, Ithaca Jornal Reporter
*Verl Rankin
Sheldon Clark
Van Travis, Acting Chairman
The meeting was called to order at 7:32 p.m. by Acting Chair Van Travis.
V. Travis: Good evening. I'm Van Travis. I'm the Vice Chairman of the Board . George Totman
will not be here this evening and asked me if 1 would chair the meeting. We have a quorum present at
the meeting, and we have the applicant present.
PUBLIC HEARING
Stephen Howard, Applicant - 606 Cortland Road - Site Plan Review - TM #20- 1-29. 1
V. Travis: The Public Hearing on the application of Stephen Howard for a pizza restaurant was
called for 7 :30, and according to my watch, as well as the clock on the wall, that time has arrived so we
will get right down to the business at hand . Let me say that with regard to the Hearing, the purpose of
the Hearing is to hear peoples' comments and concerns as they relate to the proposal that has been
submitted . The authority of this Planning Board essentially is limited to that which relates to the site
or, in other words, the land upon which the proposed project is located. We do not have jurisdiction
within the building, that sort of thing; most of that falls under the jurisdiction of the Planning
Department. Last month , the Planning Board met with the Howards, both Mr. & Mrs. Howard , and
discussed the project with them . The project is permissible within the zoning district within which it
is located, and it is a permitted use . Following last month's meeting, the application was submitted to
the Tompkins County Planning Board , and they have responded. And just so that everyone here
knows what the response was, I will read their response into the record. It says " This letter
acknowledges your referral of the proposal identified above (which is Site Plan Review - Howard -
Pizza Barn Eating Establishment on the Cortland Road , Tax Parcel No . 20- 1 -29 . 1) and comment by the
Tompkins County Planning Department pursuant to Section 239- 1 of the 1VYS General Municipal
Law. The proposal as submitted will have no significant deleterious impact on intercommunity ,
County, or State interests. Therefore, no recommendation is indicated by the Tompkins County
Planning Department, and you are free to act without prejudice. The Department has the following
comments regarding the proposed project which are unrelated to our review under General Municipal
Law 239- 1 and m. In keeping with the residential character of the neighborhood, we advise
eliminating some of the proposed floodlighting shown on the Site Plan. The lighting could be a
potential nuisance to neighboring homes during the evening hours. The ingress/egress should be
clearly marked to eliminate confusion for patrons of the restaurant. Staff noted during a site visit
that it would be necessary to bring in a large quantity of fill to make room for the proposed parking
and driveway, " and we discussed that last month and that is recorded in the Minutes. "The Town may
want to investigate the type of surface fill and potential drainage impacts associated with the lot
before project approval. Please inform us of your decision so that we can make it a part of the record. "
Those are comments on their part. They are not binding upon this body, and so they are really
suggestions.
J. Pitch: What is the date on that letter?
V. Travis: The letter is dated May the 4th 1999. Before I call for comments, is there anything
that any of the Planning Board members have to say or, seeing as this is my first experience , anything
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Town of Groton Planning Board Public Hearing & Meeting Minutes/Transcript 20 May 1999
advisory in regard to our proceeding? If not, I will call for comments from those assembled. Is there
anyone who wishes to comment on this project? Yes.
D. Hall: I'm DeForest Hall and live at 721 Salt Road which is a ways away from this new
establishment-to-be or not-to-be. My thought was the safety coming in and out of that establishment .
Possibly the parking area is it going to be big enough for the people attending there? And I guess you 've
already stated to me ahead of time that anything that's done inside the building or has got to be taken
care of is his problem or the Health Department's problem. Other than that, I'm for free enterprise .
Guess that's about it.
V. Travis: Okay.
D. Hall: And, other than having another pizza shop in town .
V. Travis: Are there any other comments? Mr. Howard , do you have anything that you would
like to comment on? And you're not required to -- you're not required to speak at the Hearing.
S. Howard: Yes, I just -- when the County came, I talked to them and we discussed — I knew what
they were recommending because they told me. And we went over it and basically they told me as far
as the lighting was, if you don't bother the neighbors, that's what they're worried about. And it won't .
When they left they were really happy, at least I thought they were .
V. Travis: Obviously, we'll deliberate as a Board . But when I read that about the lighting, the
lighting is also an important safety factor. If a lot is not well lit, then there's the opportunity to fall .
And that's my interpretation, and I feel much that way myself. I think the main concern is a
floodlight that shines into someone's window or illuminates a neighbor's yard; that's a reasonable
concern, but they talk about reducing the amount of lighting. I'm not certain that's what the concern
really is.
S. Howard: That's what they told me it was .
V. Travis: Yes.
M. Carey: Well, I think they were probably going by the draft here that you had made, too, and it
shows like three floodlights. And you may only go with two when the time comes, too. You know. It's
all going to be hard to tell until you get the business going.
G. Van Slyke: I don't really see any problem with the lighting. The only neighbor is above him ,
right?
S. Howard: Right,
G. Van Slyke: And there's got to be a line of trees there.
S. Howard: There is.
M. Carey: There is.
G. Van Slyke: So there shouldn't be any --
S. Howard: Well, they were worried about the people across the street.
M. Carey: There's a couple of mobile homes.
V. Travis: Well, the easy way to handle that is to place the lights out and shoot them back
towards the --
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Town of Groton Planning Board Public Hearing & Meeting Minutes/Transcript 20 May 1999
S. Howard: Well, actually, they'll put them on the upper side and they'll come down, following
222 and not out.
V. Travis: DeForest, you've got a comment?'
D. Hall: Yes, on the lighting. I know where people have . . . floodlights on peoples' houses or
door yards or whatnot. So if you're coming, some of them are shining right in your face, blinding you .
So this is something that will want to be taken into consideration.
V. Travis: Is there any other testimony to come before the Public Hearing? With the Hearing
done, I will call for a motion to close the Public Hearing,
M. Carey: I'll make the motion .
V. Travis: Monica. Is there a second?
Ce TwlW I'll second that.
V. Travis: All in favor please signify by saying aye. (All Board Members present responded
"aye . ") The motion here is carried . We now can move into deliberation on the project itself.
DELIBERATION
V. Travis: We reviewed it last month . We have done the SEQRA application on it, and therefore ,
I think what I will do is call for a motion and a second to approve the application, or deny it. And then
we will discuss the conditions for the permit, and then we'll vote on it and then we'll wrap it up. Is
there a motion for either approval of denial of this application for Site Plan Review?
C. Twigg: I will make the motion that we approve the Site Plan Review,
M. Carey: I'll second it.
V. Travis: Okay. Now we're going to discuss what the conditions of -- well , actually, that needs
to be in the motion doesn't it?
J. Fitch* It should be. You should have done the discussion first and then made your motion
to include any conditions.
V. Travis: Okay. Note that. We haven't voted. In terms of conditions with respect to this
property, you proposed 20 onsite parking spaces. I think, given the nature of the road, we want to
specify on the Special Permit that no onstreet parking is permitted . If they need to expand parking ,
right, there is room out back. The lighting thing I think we've discussed that and would like to say that
lighting will be so designed as to not illuminate neighboring properties. Is that agreeable?
S. Howard: That's fine .
G. Van Slyke: I guess I have a question on the hours. Now you're going to -- it's just pizza, so what
kind of hours were you planning your operation for? Would it be --
S. Howard: Are you going to restrict me, or are you just asking?
G. Van Slyke: I'm asking.
S. Howard: Okay. We'll probably be open during the summer for lunch and dinner. So that
means 11 in the morning to 8 or 9 at night. During the winter, depending on how much business and
how things go, probably 4 to 8 or 9.
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G. Van Slyke: Okay. All right.
M. Carey: Friday and Saturday nights you don't think you'll be open any later?
S. Howard: Maybe 10 on weekends . Again, if there's no traffic or no business, we're not going to
be open. You understand?
G. Van Slyke: Okay,
S. Howard: I 'm trying to give you my thought.
G. Van Slyke: Correct,
S. Howard: But I mean if all of a sudden everybody starts eating pizza for breakfast, I'll be open
at 7 in the morning.
G. Van Slyke: He can serve them cold pizza.
V. Travis: Well, if they come over a high school basketball game or a football game and they
want to go to 11 o'clock at night, okay.
G. Van Slyke: What I was trying to do was get a ballpark figure on what hours you'd be working.
S. Howard: Right now, if things go the way I think it's going to, it would be 4 to 9, roughly.
G. Van Slyke: Yes, but we don't want to limit you .
M. Carey: We don't want to limit you on your hours, Steve.
G. Van Slyke: Okay. So all I was looking for was -- see we want to give you the opportunity to, you
know, if we set the limits of the times that you're going to be open, okay , we want a minimum limit and
a maximum. If you felt — you know, so what if somebody -- what if you had a heavy-duty business --
you may go to midnight. You know. See, we wouldn't want to be --
S. Howard: Did you ever go through Groton at midnight? It's pretty quiet.
G. Van Slyke: Yes, I guess you're right. But, you know, so if we were going to put restrictions on we
would like to know a minimum hour and - -
S. Howard: Okay. The minimum would be 9 o'clock at night.
G. Van Slyke: The minimum . What time would you open? If you're going to open for lunch, it
would be 11 a.m. to --
S. Howard: The maximum?
G. Van Slyke: Yes,
S. Howard: Midnight ,
G. Van Slyke: Okay,
V. Travis: Are you feeling a need , George, to restrict the hours on this?
G. Van Slyke: No, I just want to give them some leeway to make some money in. You know, it's like,
you know.
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S. Howard: It's kind of a go by how it goes. Probably if there's not much business in the
wintertime, we'll only be open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
G. Van Slyke: Well, see, we wouldn't want to limit that either on you .
V. Travis: Well, I don't have any problem with its being 24 hours a day if there's no noise and
nothing that disturbs the neighbor.
Ce Twigg: I don't see no reason to put a time limit on it. He doesn't know. It's new to him and
he doesn't know what his time limits are going to be . He may like midnight or 1 o'clock. Some of these
pizza shops are open until 1 or 2 o'clock on Friday night.
V. Travis: I guess I would throw this out and you can respond. We had the discussion the last
time that there's no alcohol and there's no entertainment. I guess I would just as soon see that on the
Special Permit so that if you changed your mind with regard to that, you would come back and see us
and we could then talk about that and what the requirements of that are, rather than restricting the
hours. I mean if they want to stay open 24 hours a day and sit in there and play cards even though
there's no customers there, that's kind of, as I view it, that's your own business.
Ce TVI g: Even the beverages. I'm not sure we should restrict him on that. Because if he wants
to get a beer license -- you know pizza and beer -- it's not going to be a beer parlor. If somebody wants a
beer with their pizza, I don't think we should restrict him and have him go through a lot of trouble to
get a liquor license because it's not going to be a rowdy, slop shoot situation . It's just for people -- if
they were in there and wanted a beer with their pizza, I mean we shouldn't restrict him from doing that
I don't believe .
M. Carey: Well, the Alcohol Board will regulate that.
Co Twigg: Yes, the Alcohol Board does that, but I don't think there'd be concern enough with us
that we should restrict him on that.
V. Travis, I agree.
Ce Twigg: I mean if he thinks there's a dollar in selling a bottle of beer with the meal, I think
we hadn't ought to stand in his way. It's not going to be a nuisance in the neighborhood whether he
sells beer or whether he doesn't. He can't sell it to minors. I can't see that it's going to make any
difference out there whether he sells beer or whether he doesn't. I can't visualize where there'd be a
problem. People aren't going to go in there and tank up on alcohol.
M. Carey: And it's going to be more expensive than downtown .
V. Travis: Then there's a whole set of rules imposed by the ABC Board, including hours of
operation.
Ce Tw1 g: So I think we should stay clear of that, that particular question . Then if he decides
sometime down the road he wants to get a beer license, then he should talk to someone else beside us.
V. Travis. You will need a sign permit, and I think we talked about that.
S. Howard: A what?
V. Travis: Sign permit for your sign, you know -- The Pizza Barn , or whatever it is.
S. Howard: I thought I only needed it if I put it up -- if I put it up on the building, I don't need one
do I?
V. Travis: We don't administer the sign permit law. The only thing is to speak with them out
here, or the Code Enforcement Officer. But if required you will need a sign permit. You will need your
Health Department approvals, and we suggest that now that you know that you're going to have
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Town of Groton Planning Board Public Hearing & Meeting Minutes/Transcript 20 May 1999
approval, that maybe you since we last talked you proceeded with that, but would suggest that you get
them pretty well lined up. So I'm writing Health Department approval before issuance of the permit.
Mr. Pierson? Do have a seat. We'll be with you in just a few minutes.
F. Pierson: Thank you .
V. Travis: And with regard to the entrance, the County Planning Board recommended that the
entrance be clearly marked given its a high-speed highway. I 'm going to use the word entrance. Are
there other things? We've got no onstreet parking permitted, lighting will be designed to not
illuminate neighboring properties; if required , need a sign permit; Health Department approval before
the issuance of the permit, and entrance will be clearly marked . Are there any other things that any of
the Board members have that they would like to discuss with Mr. Howard, or conditions that you
would like to apply to this?
J. Fitch: You previously stated no alcohol and no entertainment, and you didn't deal with the
entertainment issue .
Ce Twiw Juke box. That's your limit.
S. Howard: Okay. Do you have one?
V. Travis: Maybe find an old Wurlitzer someplace .
S. Howard: I'm looking for stuff from Woodstock or the late sixties.
V. Travis: Do we want to make a comment about entertainment, or lack thereof'?
C. Twigg: If he wants to bring a piano player in there some night -- I can't see as it makes any
difference .
S. Clark: Doesn't need to be on there.
Co Twiggy If they have a party in there , lots of times, with the party, they'll bring a singer, a DJ,
or a banjo player, and I think we're getting out of line when we restrict him on this.
S. Howard: So now what do we need to do?
V. Travis: Now we need a motion . We had one before, but it was out of line , but it also has to
have the conditions.
J. Fitch. You can amend the previous motion to include the conditions.
C. Twigg: Well, all right. I amend the motion to include the conditions that we have discussed.
V. Travis: Is there a second to the amendment?
M. Carey: I 'll second the amendment.
V. Travis. Okay. All in favor of the amendment, signify by saying aye. (All Board Members
present indicated "aye . ") Opposed? Carried. All in favor of the motion , signify by saying aye. ( All
Board Members present indicated "aye . ") Opposed? Carried . And so congratulations, Mr. Howard .
Good luck with your project. The information that we gathered tonight will be turned over to the
people in here in the office tomorrow, and you need to contact them with respect to proceeding. Okay?
S. Howard: Okay.
V. Travis: And thank you for your cooperation.
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Town of Groton Planning Board Public Hearing & Meeting Minutes/Transcript 20 May 1999
(Monica Carey was excused from the meeting at 7 : 58 p .m.)
Approval of Minutes - 1S February 1999
G. Van Slyke: I make the motion that we approve the Minutes of the last meeting, Thursday, April
15th, 1999.
C. Twigg: I 'll second those .
V. Travis: Is there any discussion? I only found one thing, Joan, and this is very minor. Where
it says the young fellow has quit his job --
J. Fitch: You have a motion to approve them, and a second . If there is a correction, you should
approve them as corrected, and mention the correction.
V. Travis: The correction is on page 8. In the second comment by Dennis Portzline , it says the
kid's already quite, and it should be quit, just so there's no confusion about that. All in favor, signify
by saying aye. (All Board Members present signified "aye. ") Any opposed? The motion is carried.
Frank & Doris Pierson - West Groton Road - Minor Subdivision - TM # 14- 1 -26
V. Travis: The next item of business is a minor subdivision by Mr. Frank Pierson who has just
joined us. Welcome. And located at 700 West Groton Road . I reviewed the materials this afternoon .
They appear to be in order. He really is taking one lot and actually it creates four lots, three that were
subdivided off, plus the remainder. All of the lots have the minimum amount of road frontage ; all
meet the requirements for the minimum amount of acreage . And in checking through the chart it, in
fact, does qualify as a Minor Subdivision. And so is there any discussion with respect to this project?
It's in a Rural/Agricultural District according to our Zoning Map .
CO Twiggy Where's your house located -- your cabin there?
F. Pierson: In the center piece.
CO Twigg: So then these down here, down in the pines and that lawn F. Pierson: I have one question . On the one that I labeled 250 feet, can I make that smaller or
larger without doing any more changing? Without another hearing and so on .
V. Travis: Well, we haven't decided whether there's going to be a hearing or not yet, but --
F. Pierson: What I'm saying -- 198 feet is over an acre on the first one -- that's over an acre. And
250 feet -- I might not want to sell 250 feet; I might want to sell 270 feet if someone wanted more. So are
these lines got to be definite when you do this?
V. Travis: Yes, because you're going to have to submit it to the County Clerk, is that not right,
and of course have them surveyed off and ready -- so that they can go on to the tax map for taxation
purposes.
C. Twim You'd have to come back in for a boundary change.
F. Pierson: A boundary change.
G. Van Slyke: See, if this gets approval, then you have to come in with a Mylar. You could change
them now.
F. Pierson: But I don't know now. I measured it off and, you know, someone might say well, an
acre is 198 feet; I don't want 250 feet. That's my question . Is that a boundary change?
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S. Clark: Then you could come in for a boundary change.
C. T wim That would be a simple procedure.
G. Van Slyke: In other words, you'd put it back to your property if he only wanted 190. But you'd
still have to come back and ask for a boundary change at that point.
F. Pierson: So in other words, the way I submitted it, if it gets approval, it can stay that way, and
I can sell them that way. But if I want to make it larger or smaller, I've got to come back for a boundary
change .
G. Van Slyke: Come back in for a boundary change.
F. Pierson: Okay. It's just a question I had . I mean I might want to leave it just like it is .
G. Van Slyke: Is Lot 3 the way you want to go too?
F. Pierson: Yes because the best part of that lot is in the back. The front side is — it's not a flag
lot, but the best part of the lot is in the back part.
C. Twigg: Where's the creek in relationship to this easterly boundary?
F. Pierson: About where the 240 feet is. Where the arrow is for 240 feet to here to about here is the
creek.
G. Van Slyke: Okay, there's a creek that runs from --
F. Pierson: Yes. From about here down through there .
G. Van Slyke: Okay, to that corner position right?
F. Pierson: Yes. Just about.
Co Twigg: You go across the creek a little bit then?
G. Van Slyke: Yes. His land's about --
F. Pierson: About 300 feet. Just a second, I might have another sketch .
C. Twigg: Not that it makes a whole lot of difference. I was just wondering --
G. Van Slyke: It appears from what he's saying when he showed me here, it appears that the creek is
primarily on his land so it's not going to affect that lot that he's dividing off.
V. Travis: Hold it up can you so Cecil and I can see --
G. Van Slyke: What he's doing is from here the creek nuts back up this way, about to the middle of
this I guess --
F. Pierson: More to this corner --
G. Van Slyke: To this corner?
F. Pierson: I think so .
G. Van Slyke: Okay. Well, however, it comes up into this area so this line is not going to be affected
by the creek because it looks, from what he's saying, like the creek is right on his own piece .
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Ce TW1W You must own over to John's door yard then.
F. Pierson: I own over to -- if you stop out in the road, what's the brushiest is mine and what's
the pasture is John's. The creek runs diagonally once it goes through the bridge onto yours. On the
north side it goes toward my house, and on the other side it goes really towards diagonal to the east on
your land there. And I think you own just about across from where John meets me .
C. Twigg: That was never surveyed. It looked to me like it didn't make any difference six
inches one way or the other in that swamp who owned it.
V. Travis: There's nothing about this proposal that landlocks any adjoining land or anything
like that, is that correct?
F. Pierson: No .
V. Travis: But this stuff back in here all has access?
F. Pierson: These lots here all go to Cobb Street.
V. Travis: Good .
G. Van Slyke: Question. Is this the first time this has been subdivided, right?
F. Pierson: Yes. I sold the original house off, an acre, two years ago.
Co Twiggy That's allowed .
F. Pierson: See, I own 10. 7 acres and now I'm down to 9.447.
C. Twiggy This next lot is where your former house is in, right?
F. Pierson: Yes. 14- 1 -26 is the original lot and the house is on that.
V. Travis. And that runs all the way to Cobb Street?
F. Pierson: No, there's another one in there . There's my original place and then the one on the
corner.
Ce TWI g: Just that trailer is all there is, isn't there?
F. Pierson: Yes, there's the trailer and the garage . I mean that's all one lot. Used to be two and I
think it's combined. George bought them and combined them both .
Ca TWI : So there's only one lot between his original house and Cobb Street,
V. Travis: I was just assuming that that meant that was one lot that was 567 feet, but that's not
the case.
F. Pierson: There's the one I sold off. That was attached right -- in other words, bring this down
to here and this runs over to the lot that goes on to Cobb Street here.
G. Van Slyke: Okay. I guess my question was, were these two lots part of the original parcel?
F. Pierson: This lot was all part of the original parcel, yes. When I owned 10.447 acres. And I
sold off one acre point something and kept the remaining 9 acres.
G. Van Slyke: Okay. So this whole thing is represented by this 9. 447 acres?
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F. Pierson: Yes.
G. Van Slyke: In other words, this parcel here does not have 9 .447 -- the whole piece does.
F. Pierson: Yes.
G. Van Slyke: That's deceiving to look at this. It looks like this is going to be in that section . Okay.
F. Pierson: That's the way they surveyed it off. I still have over a thousand feet of frontage .
Before I had this one here . Now I'd like to subdivide this.
G. Van Slyke: So that's under a different tax map than this?
F. Pierson: Yes. It's a different owner now. This goes as a portion of -- That's the last way I got
it. A portion of the original lot.
C. Twigg: Yes, that happens quite often, Frank. They bring in a plat like this and when they
sell the lots, someone decides to combine two of them, or they change -- they just come in for a
boundary change. See if somebody came in and wanted to buy both those lots, then you'd take that
middle boundary out.
F. Pierson: Yes,
C. Twigg: So that's not uncommon at all .
F. Pierson: Okay, so it does leave it a little bit flexible .
G. Van Slyke: Okay, I'm looking at your Environmental Assessment Form . It is Agricultural isn ' t
it ?
F. Pierson: That's what it's zoned out there I guess.
G. Van Slyke: I just had a question on the Short Environmental Assessment Form, on the front .
He didn't mark off what the present land use was. It's obviously Agricultural, right?
C. Twigg: That's one thing I was wondering about — how far from the four corners of West
Groton -- didn't we designate that as something different?
F. Pierson: That's why I didn't fill it in because I didn't know what you had it as.
Co TWI g. It doesn't show -- well, it would be right here . What he's talking about is right in this
corner. Didn't we put some restrictions on the four corners of West Groton?
V. Travis: Is it in the Ordinance?
G. Van Slyke: No, the Zoning Map is descriptive -- I don't think we put any restrictions --
Co Twiggy That's why I'm wondering if it's Agricultural. Right in the middle of West Groton it ' s
not Agricultural, I'm sure of that. It's something else .
V. Travis: Well, all the white areas on this map are Agricultural.
Ce Twigg: In the Hamlet of West Groton they've got some restrictions.
V. Travis: Which is where? Right there?
C. 1 IMP. Right there at that four corners .
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V. Travis: Cobb Road and West Groton Road,
Ce TVI g: Yes.
F. Pierson: How far do the restrictions run?
C. Twigg: That's when I'm asking.
G. Van Slyke: I don't even remember restrictions.
CO Twigg. What's the lady that's got the dogs?
F. Pierson: Hoyt,
C. Twigg: Hoyt. It runs down to her door yard .
G. Van Slyke: I don't remember any restrictions on that.
C. Twigg: If you go back and look at the Minutes of that meeting that we did that we approved
that because there was some people that come in that said we done wrong and we had to go out and
measure from the four corners in West Groton back to her house.
G. Van Slyke: Give me a time line on this. About what year are you talking about?
C. Twigg: About three , two --
S. Clark: But what has that got to do with now?
C. Twigg: We're wondering what this is zoned at. .
G. Van Slyke: Well, according to the Zoning Map it's Agricultural.
V. Travis. And that issue would come up in Site Plan Review, am I not correct?
C. Twigg: Well, I don't think it's a problem with us tonight, but I'm saying it's something that
may want to be checked into before we okay a whole lot of things.
V. Travis: George , you made a comment that the blank on the form.
G. Van Slyke: The Short Environmental Assessment Form, front page . He didn't put it in because -
- I don't know who he was talking to that told you you didn't know whether you should do that or not.
F. Pierson: I didn't really know what it really's zoned for, and the girls out front said you fellows
would probably help me decide.
G. Van Slyke: I'm going to help you decide. It's Agricultural .
V. Travis: I agree. Are we ready -- do we have any other questions for Mr. Pierson? Are we
ready to do the SEQRA Review? George, would you be so kind as to lead us in that?
G. Van Slyke: Yes, but you're going to have to mark them off. You have the official sheet. Okay,
let's clarify this now so it's out of the way and we don't have to do it again . Okay, we made that
decision on Agricultural.
V. Travis: You need to write in Agricultural on Line 9 .
G. Van Slyke: Okay. We're going to . start Part 11,
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Town of Groton Planning Board Public Hearing & Meeting Minutes/Transcript 20 May 1999
Board Member George Van Slyke then reads aloud Part II of the Short Environmental
Assessment Form. Negative responses were obtained to all questions in Part II .
Therefore, it was determined by the Planning Board, upon a motion made by Member
Cecil T wigg, seconded by Member Sheldon Clark, with all members present voting in
favor, that the action, based on the information submitted, will not cause any
significant adverse environmental impact, resulting in a Negative Declaration.
V. Travis: The next item of business, the Ordinance says we may call for a Public Hearing. Is
there anyone here who feels it is necessary to hold a Public Hearing with respect to this proposal or
feels that it would be advisable to do so? Hearing none, may I have a motion that the requirement for a
Public Hearing will be waived?
Co Twigg: I'll make that motion that we waive the requirement for a Public Hearing.
V. Travis: Is there a second?
S. Clark: I 'll second it.
V. Travis: Is there any further discussion? All those in favor, signify by saying aye. (All
members present so signified, "aye . ") Opposed? None . The motion is carried. Then we need a motion
to approve this application for a Minor Subdivision. Is there a motion in that regard?
G. Van Slyke: I'll make that motion that we approve this as a Minor Subdivision.
V. Travis: Is there a second?
Ce Twigg: I'll second it.
V. Travis: Is there any further discussion with respect to this motion? All those in favor ,
signify by saying aye. (All members present responded "aye. ") Are there any opposed? The motion is
carried. Thank you, Mr. Pierson. These documents will be turned over to the Town Clerk's office and,
honestly, I don't know what they do with it after that, but they will have them as of 9 o'clock when
they open and you can come in and speak with them.
F. Pierson: Okay,
V. Travis: Thank you very much.
F. Pierson: Thank you.
V. Travis: Is there any other business to come before the Board? Hearing none , I will accept a
motion for adjournment.
S. Clark: I 'll make a motion we adjourn this meeting.
V. Travis: Is there a second?
G. Van Slyke: I 'll second it.
V. Travis: Is there any discussion -- it's not discussible . All those in favor say aye. (All
members present responded "aye. ") The motion is carried and the meeting is adjourned .
The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
o E. Fitch
R cording Secretary
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