HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1964-11-10 24 -5
TOWN OF ITHACA
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
NOVEMBER 109 1964
A meeting of " the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals
was called to order at 7 : 30 P . M . Tuesday November 10 , 1964
at the Town Highway Building on the Elmira Road in the City
of Ithaca .
Members of0the -:.Board present were : Chairman David Powers ,
Robert Powers , Roger Sovocool , William Scott , Jr . , C ; A .
Tilton and Zoning Officer Robert J . Wells .
Also present were : Mr . A . Fontana , Mr . John Arthur , Mr .
and Mrs . Reidel and Richard Blatchley .
FIRST CASE : A meeting was called to order by Chairman Powers ;
on the a� bove date , for the published purpose pf conducting
a public hearing on the appeal of Mr A . Fontana , owner and
Mr . John Arthur , builder who desire to build a one family ,
one story residence at 1197 Danby Road on a 100 ft . front
lot for use of the * Fontana family . -, The Zoning Officer gave
the specifics as shown on the building permit application and
the appeal form and also presented and read the legal notice
as published in the Ithaca Journal on ll/3/64 . The application '
was denied on basis of Section 57 of the Zoning Ordinance ,
which in this instance required one 40 ft . side yard . Mr .
Fontana being able to provide 24 ft . only due to the length
of his proposed combination garage and house and the 100 ft *
width of the lot .
The Zoning Officer produced proof in the form of deed record
and property record card which showed that this lot had
been purchased in 1948 , prior to the ordinance , as a 100 ft .
lot which at that time would have been legal to build upon .
Mr . Arthur , builder , indicated that Health Department
clearance had been secured and the lots . good drainage allowed
use of only the front yard for the tile field , leaving the
side yard unused in any way . He also pointed out that there
was no close neighbor to the north and Mr . and Mrs . Reidel ,
present , next and only . neighbors south , both indicated they
had no objections to the proposal . The Zoning Officer stated
that he had contacted the only other close neighbor , Mr . S .
Matychak , who lives across the street , and that Mr . Matychak
had no objedtion to the proposal .
Mr . Fontana has maA-e an attempt to purchase additional front -
age in the form of a vacant lot on his north , but the owner
refused to sell . Mr . Fontana bought the lot expressly to
build _ a home on and has paid the taxes for a number of years
on it and felt that the requested variance should be granted .
Mr . C . A . Tilton moved at this time , that , in light of the fact
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that Mr . Fontana had shown practical difficulties , that his
proposal was in amenity with the general purpose of the
ordinance , that it would not alter the character of the area
or depreciate any property and that it was in keeping with
the general plan of the Town , that the requested variance
be granted . The motion was seconded by Mr . David Powers
and passed by unanimous vote .
The public hearing was declared closed at 8 : 05 P . M .
TOMPKINS COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION : ° In other business - The
Zoning Officer presenTed the Board with a letter and a plot
plan from_ the Tompkins County Fair Association requesting
the Town Board - to re - zone the Ward Leonard , 102 acre farm
on the north side of the Mecklenburg Road , which they -" pro -
pose to buy and use as the Tompkins County Fair Grounds .
The Town Board in their October meeting referred this request
to both the - Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals for
a recommendation and report as required by the Ordinance . .
Mr . Richard Blatchley was present , representing the Fair
Association and he explained their proposal indetail to
the Board ,
The concensus of this Board was that they do not feel that
this area should be re - zoned . , They did feel , however , that
the Gbunty Fair use - of the property was a reasonable request
and the Zoning Officer was directed to contact the Town
Attorney for an opinion as to the Zoning Board powers , in an
instance such as this , to hold ' a public hearing and consider
such a use request ; based on merit as a variance or special
Approval .
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There being no other business to be heard , the meeting was
adjourned at 8 : 30 P . M .
Respectfully submitted ,
Robert J . Wells
Zoning Officer
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