HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1957-11-04 � 43
Minutes of Meeting
of
Board of Zoning Appeals of Town of Ithaca
November 4 , 1957
The meeting of the Board of . Zoning Appeals of the
Town of Ithaca was held on November 4 , 1957 in , the Town
Barn at 5 : 15 P . M . Members present were : William Rolston ,
chairman ; R . Powers ; T . Powers ; A . Fogelsanger ; and C . Cook ,
secretary . Others present were : Ben Boynton , Town Zoning
officer ; Milo Kouf ; John LoPinto , attorney for the appli -
cant ; and Frank Liguoui , County - Sanitation Engineer. .
Mr . Boynton explained to Mr . Kouf that the junking
of automobiles on his property would constitute a violation
of the zoning . ordinance . He pointed out that Mr . Kouf ' s
property is located in a commercial " district and the uses
in such a district are limited to those set forth in
Section . 11 . Mr . LgP.into stated that Mr . Kouf was a " road
scavenger " and brought wrecked cars to his premises pending
their disposal .
Mr . Kouf agreed to comply with the zoning ordinance .
He agreed that he would not junk or tear apart. automobiles
on his premises. and. that he would not burn the cars or any
rubber parts .
Mr . Kouf and Mr . LoPinto then left the meeting .
The chairman stated that the next item of business waso
to hear Mr . • Frank Liguori , County Sanitation Engineer , report
upon sanitation conditions at Bernard Quick ' s Mink Farm .
- Mr . Liguori stated that he had talked with Charles
Bassett , a federal government specialist in mink raising .
Mr . Bassett stated that the university cleaned its pens only
once a . year but it would be preferable to clean the pens
twice a year . From March until November , mink raisers can
not clean the. pens because it would disturb the animals .
Mink are. fed meat scraps . Disposal of the unused food would
keep down odors . Mr . Quick apparently lets the uncon-
sumed food fall to the ground beneath the pens .
Drainage is an important factor . Mr . Liguori said
there was water standing under several pens , particularly
the older ones . The use of chloride of lime would reduce
the odor . and improve sanitation . It would be important
to eliminate the standing water and that could best be done
by depositing sand and gravel . fi-11 under the pens . Mr .
Liguori stated that it appears that spraying mink with water
during the summer time is the only way to cool the - animals
and increased odor at that time can not be avoided . Mr .
Liguori stated that the pens are built in the best . way
to keep the rat population down and there are not too
many places on the premises where rats could find harborage
except possibly in the old barns . Liming the unconsumed
food remnants might help reduce the food available to rats .
As to flies , Mr . Liguori said that he did not know
whether the flies had been attracted to the area or whether
they are breeding there . In any event , liming would reduce
the possibility of breeding . Mr . Liguori added that the
cutting of grass around the legs of the pens would improve
sanitation .
The board discussed with Mr . Liguori the problems of
sanitation and adopted the following resolution unanimously :
WHEREAS , it appears that the health and general wel -
fare of the area will be promoted by spreading out the mink
population in a larger area and that a need for redistri -
bution of the mink now on the premises exists and
WHEREAS , if the applicant does not expand his present
operation , the spreading out of the animals over a larger
area will serve the convenience. and property of the com-
munity and . will not adversely affect the neighboring per .
sons and property ; be it
RESOLVED , that the application of Bernard Quick for
a variance for the town zoning ordinance with respect to
his mind farm located at 1564 Slaterville Road , be ap
proved and a building permit be issued for additional
cages , in order to effect a redistribution of mink on
the premises but not for the purpose of expanding his
mink raising operation and upon the condition that drainage
and . sanitation under the cages be improved , by ( 1) spreading
chloride of lime beneath the cages ( 2 ) filling depressions
under the cages to eliminated standing water ; and ( 3 )' cutting
or killing the grass around the legs of the cages .
The board then discussed two proposed changes of zone
and unanimously adopted the annexed report .
REPORT
TO
TOWN BOARD OF TOWN OF ITHACA
by
The Town Board of Zoning Appeals
Re - zoning of Land Owned by Hugh Rumsey on the Elmira and
Spencer Roads .
The Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously to re -
port to the Town Board that it had no objections to the
rezoning to a commercial use of the above tract , which i's
now zoned partially commercial and partially residential
if property owners in the immediate area were personally
notified of the proposed change and of the - pending hearing
of the Town Board .
Re - zoning of a portion of Five Mile Drive -Elmira Road Area .
After discussing the proposed change of zone from
residential to light industrial use the Board voted unani -
mously to report to the Town Board as follows :
The area in question is largely owned by the State
of New York , the County of Tompkins and the City Board of
Education and dedicated to public purposes . In view of the
topography of .the balance of the property which is privately
owned , there are few building sites which could comply with
the yard requirements of the proposed light industrial use
district . If set back requirements are observed , many of
the sites would be subject to flooding . Building upon them
might prove improvident to the owner and costly to the federal
. 52 �
government if a flood control project . is instituted as has
been proposed . In view of the pressing need for indus -
trial' sites in the town , however , the Board takes the posi -
tion that if the Town Board finds at its . hearing that a
considerable number of persons would be benefited byNthe
change and the residents in the area have no great ob -
jections to the change , the Board of Zoning Appeals would
not oppose the change .
The Board of Zoning Appeals further suggested that the
Planning Board consider re - zoning this small area along with
re - zoning of the larger area bounded by Five Mile Drive ,
Bostwick Road , Seven Mile Drive and Elmira Road . The
Planning Board might find it appropriate to enlarge the
residential zones in this area and to develop a commercial
zone along the Elmira Road and possibly a light industrial
zone in a portion of the area now zones as agricultural .
The Board of Zoning Appeals further recommended that
the Planning Board consider re - zoning the present industrial
district along the Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks and along
the area - to be annexed to the city to a light industrial
use so that it could operate as a buffer zone between the
residential area on Five Mile Drive and the industrial area
within the prospective city limits .
November 4 , 1957 . Constance E . Cook , Sec .
Board of Zoning Appeals of
The Town of Ithaca .
There being no further business , the meeting was
adjourned at 8 : 30 P . M .
Respectfully submitted ,
Constance E . Cook
Secretary .