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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-05-28 TOWN OF LANSING Planning Board Tuesday , May 28 , 1996 ; 7 : 30 p . m . • PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS (* Denotes present) * Jackie Baker * Cheryl Nickel Lin Davidson * Larry Sharpsteen , Chair * Brad Griffin Robert Todd * Viola Miller Al White Larry Tvaroha , Town Councilman * George Totman, Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer B1 District Brad felt was important to look at general items that effect everybody ' s life : the concepts of the zoning , the application of water and sewage , and safety issues . Site Plan Review should still be discussed , but its application might be limitedfor agricultural areas . If the Board is amenable to members of the community coming in to raise points of concern , Mr . Losen ' s appearance was a good example . Larry suggested looking at the map again and trimming the B1 District down; which might help alleviate some of Mr . Losen ' s concerns . Town Hall 4111 The Town Board has been working on a new plan for a new town hall building . They are proposing to • reduce the size to 6 , 000 square feet to try to bring the cost down. They did approach Cheryl to design the town square to complement the town hall . Larry felt the proper location for the road is across from Woodsedge Drive and not farther west, but the town feels it is more important to respond to the concerns expressed by members of the community . The new town hall is also being moved farther west on the new parcel , which is on the north side of Route 34B . Other In response to the comments from Mr . Losen and others , Larry felt it is important for the Planning . Board to continue working on the paper roads , marking up the map where they think they should be , then they will have the town engineers (who are infrastructure engineers/traffic design engineers) come in and comment on the design of a paper street layout. The Board will continue working to complete the proposed zoning ordinance before they begin working on the paper roads . Site Plan Review 701 . 4 . 2 Standards for Site Plan Review . Since Route 34 and 34B are both state highways , Brad questioned if the 35 foot requirement applies to the ingress and egress of the parcels for curb cuts that currently exist . Brad felt it was important that the concept of Site Plan Review be used for commercial enterprises only • in the Ag District . It could be a minimal level , and could be viewed as reasonable . ® Brad asked for clarification on the definition of a buffer strip . Tom read , " A strip of land generally adjacent to a property line in which a screen of plantings is installed and maintained by the property ' owner . Such screen shall be planted with deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs in a manner that • Town of Lansing Planning Board Page 2 Tuesday, May 28, 1996 will be dense enough and high enough to be a visual buffer between properties . A decorative fence or a combination of a fence and plantings may be used as a buffer strip when the objective of screening can be met . " Brad didn ' t want to mandate what type of buffer needs to be used . He didn ' t like the idea of mandating a buffer without the knowledge of what that buffer was to accomplish . For example , the use of a low berm ; he didn ' t see what that accomplished . Larry suggested rewriting the definition of a buffer strip to indicate the outcome rather than specify what type is to be utilized . Tom stated that a buffer is used as a visual buffer between properties . George asked if it would be necessary to have a. buffer between all properties . Tom stated that it depends ; for example , a buffer would be used between a commercial and an existing residence . A buffer would provide protection of the existing residences from light , noise, and unusual intrusion on their personal property . Brad doesn ' t want to see the town government in the position of mandating any action that may not provide any relief to anybody . A buffer changes with the threat that it imposes . It might be a 15 foot strip of mowed lawn , for example . Leave it up to the Planning Board who is reviewing what is being proposed as a buffer . Larry doesn ' t want the Planning Board to have the power to make judgements ; it has to be in response to specific threats : health and safety , noise and light , and physical intrusion . Tom felt that noise couldn ' t be dealt with very well . Brad would rather see it expressed in terms of threat and solution than fixed and • limited solutions . Minimum Lot Size - Tom questioned whether the Board would like to change the allowance of reduction in lot size if public water and/or sewer is available , or just leave it with sewer , as currently written . George commented that the original thinking for this statement is that it was believed that public sewer would be available much sooner than public water (in the currently zoned area) . The requirement from the Health Department for a lot size reduction is to have public water available . Tom doesn ' t agree with the Health Department ' s requirement . He felt that if public water is available and public sewer is not , then the septic systems will begin to fail because they won ' t be able to keep up with the increased • • water output . George felt it would be important to include the option for lot size reduction with public water or sewer . Larry again stressed his concern that just because public water might be available , the lot size shouldn ' t be reduced . The issue of the increased sewage and its disposal still won ' t be dealt with until public sewer becomes available . Brad questioned the opportunity for this Board to speak with Dave Herrick or a Health Department representative regarding this subject . He felt that other communities must have already been through these discussions , and might be able to lend some insight into.a good solution. Larry stated that he will ask the Health Department representative to come and talk to the Planning Board . Arrangements will try to be made to have both a Health Department representative and the Town Engineer appear at the June 24 meeting of the Planning Board . Viola felt it was important to require larger lots along the lake front . Cheryl clarified that there is a 40 ,000 square foot minimum requirement for those parcels . Viola didn ' t feel that this requirement should be necessary along all the lakefront areas , but specifically along the cliffs and the fragile areas . Brad asked if a larger lot size would speak to that problem . Cheryl felt that it would help with the soil erosion problem by having more area of permeable soil . The Health Department requirements for septic fields are setback 20 feet from the cliff edge . George stated that in those areas where there is no public sewer or water, the Health Department ' s requirements is for a minimum lot size of one acre of land . The land all along the lake front was included in the R1 District to try to ensure the least dense area of development . Larry suggested perhaps increasing the lot size and require an R1 District . Tom recommended that since this Board has been working on this proposal with a 40 ,000 square foot requirement , it should continue to do so at this point . If the proposal needs to be changed in the future , that option is available . Viola Miller made a motion to accept the revisions to Section VII (700 . 0 - 701 . 9) as modified and deleted ; Brad Griffin seconded . VOTE: ALL IN FAVOR; MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY • Town of Lansing Planning Board Page 3 Tuesday, May 28, 1996. t Cheryl Nickel - Cheryl questioned whether she was a voting member of the Board . Larry stated that at this point she is not a member since her term expired in January , and to this point the Town Board has not reappointed her . George stated that the Town Board has advertized for her vacant seat , but has given no indication of their intentions . Larry clarified that Cheryl has not been reappointed because she is currently working on the town square grant . Brad Griffin made a motion to adjourn this meeting ; Jackie Baker seconded . VOTE: ALL IN FAVOR; MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY This meeting was closed at 9 : 50 p . m . Submitted by Michelle Eastman - The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 10, 1996, at 7:30 p . m.