HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1962-04-27 isl
TOWN OF ITHACA
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
MINUTES
APRIL 27 , 1962
A meeting. of the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of
Appeals was held at the Tompkins County Court House on
Friday , April 27 , 1: 962 at 7 : 00 P . M:
Members of the Board present were : Chairman .
David. F ... Powers , Constance E . Cook , and William B . Norton .
A1so. Robert J . Wells , Zoning Officer .
Others present were : William Kerr , Allan Treman ,
William Lynch , . Mr . . and Mrs . Pfister , . and several residents
fromr the- Enfield Falls Road area .
FIRST CASE : This is an appeal signed by William H . � Lynch
of Wi iam H . Lynch Excavating and Trucking Corporation for
special approval in regard to the decision of the zoning
Officer denying permission to extract gravel for commerical
use from the property of Mrs . W . D . MacMillan on Enfield
Falls Road , Town of Ithaca . Proof of publication was
presented . Permit was denied under Article X111 , Section 70 ,,.
of the Town of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance,
Mr . . William Kerr , representing the Lynch Corporation ,
presenting maps of the property in question showing topo "
graphy , elevations , lot lines , etc .. , and explained the pro -
posal . Mrs .. MacMillan explained the improvements which would
take place " if ;. the gravel was allowed to be extracted , The
high ridge would be removed , the land would be sloped to the
bordering Teeter property , trees would be planted , trash
which has been deposited there would be cleaned -up , and the
use of the bank for a rifle range would be eliminated . The
trees that are now on the edge of the gorge would be left
standing and no rubbish would be shoved into the gorge ,. The
bank was used by the State previously for extraction of gravel ,
but has not been used in the past year . The request for
special approval is for a period of four years .
- Further explanation was given by the appelants
on the method of extraction , length of time - for removal ,
amount of gravel to be excavated , method of sloping the land ,
pl'a.n.ting trees , and the distance they would stay from the
bordering Teeter property .
Comments were asked for from the residents of the
area who were present . Several spoke against it for the
reason that there would be great danger to the children who
must walk on the road to and from school bus pick-up stations .
There are no sidewalks and they must walk on the road . Also
the road is a secondary one which has weight limits of ten
ton per axle . The trucks will be travelling on this road and .
r will cause it to break up . Objections were also raised to
the fact that rocks and dirt would be on thr road presenting
a hazard to cars . Some residents felt hte danger of the
fast moving cars in the area was a greater danger than the
trucks . Concern was expresses over the commercialization
1 � z
of the area which would take place as it might set a pre -
cedent and one thing would lead to another . One spoke that
it was the logical step to take .
The State Park uses this road as the other entrance
to the park is temorarily closed .
Motion was made by Mrs . Cook to adjourn this hearing —
until Monday , May 79 1962 . Seconded by William Norton and
carried . The Board feels that it should obtain more facts .
SECOND CASE : This is an appeal signed by William H . Lynch
of William H .. Lynch Excavating and . Trucking Corporation
for a variance in regard to the decision of the Zoning Officer
denying permission to extract gravel for commercial use from
the property of the Robert H ., Treman Estate . Proof of
publication was presented . Permit was denied under Article.
XIII , Section 70 , of the Town 6f Ithaca ZoningOrdinance .
Mr . William Kerr , representing the Lynch Corporation ,
maps and pic,$ures of the property explained the proposed
excavation . Walker Smith -and Rumsey have used this same
vein previously for extraction of gravel . The trucks :would.
travel King Road West and Danby Road . There is no heavy
population on the truck route or' near the site for extraction .
They would extract only bank run . gravel and there would be
no processing on the site . The- bank cannot . be seen from the
road and this would be an improvement to the lan .
Mr . Pfister assured that the . State Park would be
protected . Sloping would be done up to the lot line of the
Park .
A' motion was made by Mr . Powers and seconded by
Mr . Norton , and carried , to grant the variance subject to .
the following conditions :
1 . The gravel bank to be kept shaped up at all times .
2 . The g"round shall be left in a reasonably smooth condition .
3 . All boundaries shall be protected and no unsightly bank .
shall be left . The land shall be re -graded substantially
as shovm on the map dated July 12 , 1955 showing plan and
elevation of the gravel bank* on the property of ' Allan H .
Treman and Carolyn S . Cooley , south of Buttermilk Falls State
Park and near King Road West ,
4 . Upon completion of the removal of gravel , an initial
plgnting of small seedlings shall be done upon the owner ' s
request .
5 . No stationary equipment or installations shall be made
or affixed to the land .
Motion was made by Mr . Powers and seconded by
Mr . Norton , and carried , to adjourn the Rasch hearing until
the next meeting . - '
Meeting adjourned . at 9 : 20 P . M .