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Home My WebLink About1996-01-17 TOWN OF DANBY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES PUBLIC HEARING Public Hearing- Boardman 7 : 30 P. M. January 17 , 1996 PRESENT : Chairperson Ken Horst Planning Board Members : William Farrell, Joel Gagnon, Mary Lou Hardesty, Nancy Weitzel, Ralph Wilbur ABSENT : Arch Dotson (Excused) Others Present : Carol Sezepanski - Secretary Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer Howard Steiner - Councilperson Edward Inman - Councilperson Mary Boardman - Applicant Members of the Public : Cheryl Chamberlain, Patty Matthews, Cisela Wilder, Fred Lieberman, Katherine Liu, Marcus Wright, Brent Testut Public Hearing Declared Open: The public hearing was declared open at 7 : 40 P . M. by Chairperson Horst and the following Notice of Publication was read : " NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held by the Planning Board of the Town of Danby on Wednesday, January 17, 1996 at 7 : 30 P .M. , Danby Town Hall, 1830 Danby Road, Ithaca, New York, 14850 . Purpose of the hearing is to consider a Request for Modification of a Special Permit granted by the Planning Board on June 15 , 1994 for "Nature ' s Song Retreat Center," 217 Peter Road, Willseyville, New York, Town of Danby Tax Parcel No. 28 . - 1 -6 .3 , with said requested modification generally related to the scheduling of activities. Mary E . Boardman, Owner/Applicant. All interested parties will be given the opportunity to be heard either in writing or in person. By Order of the Planning Board Chair Carol W. Sczepanski, Town Clerk Dated : January 9, 196 Published : January 11 , 1996 " ® Neighbor Notification Affidavit of Mailing received January 10 , 1996 . The following communications were sent to the Code Enforcement Officer in support of the Request for Modification of Special Permit for Nature ' s Song Retreat Center"and were presented to the Board for the public hearing. 1 ) Janice Nigro - 105 King St. , Ithaca, NY ( 12/23 /95 ) 2) Diana DelVecclin - 39 Hungerford Road, Ithaca, NY ( 1 / 10/96 ) 3 ) Russell L . Hall - 1279 Turner Hill Road, Marathon, NY ( 1 / 11/96 ) 4) Margot H. Grobsmith - Solvay, NY ( 1 / 17/96) 5 ) Leslie Bower Ungberg - 3 Winthrop Place, Ithaca, NY ( 1/ 17/96) 6) John R. Bell - 4715 126th St. NE, Marysville, WA ( 1 / 11 /96) 7) Laura Zastrow - PO Box 382, Newfield, NY ( 12/31/95 ) 8) Kim Lopez - PO Box 4965 , Ithaca, NY ( 1111/96) I ,;1 4 4 2 Planning Board Minutes Public Hearing - Boardman January ji7996 9) Patty Matthews - 23 Wilderness Rd . , Lansing, NY ( 1 /8/96) 10) Mary Robison - 582 Langford Creek Rd . , VanEtten, NY ( 1 / 17/96) 11 ) Suzanne E . Camin - 481 LaFayette Rd . , Groton, NY ( 1 / 17/96) 12) Elaine Dudek ( 1/ 17/96) 13 ) Gordon Bjorck - 233 W 16th St. , Elmira Heights, NY ( 1/8/96) 14) Jared Jones & Elizabeth Walker, 117 E . York St. , Ithaca, NY ( 1 / 17/96) 15 ) Andrea Smith - 408 N. Geneva St, Ithaca, NY ( 1/8/96) 16 ) Eileen Morock - 11216 Haradon Rd . , Corning, NY ( 1 /5/96) 17) Richard Weiskoff - 2803 Erie Boulevard E . , Syracuse, NY ( 1 / 1/96) 18 ) Diana Houghton - 1193 Simons Rd . , Castleton, NY ( 12/28/96) 19) Jane McManus - P. O. Box 4678, Ithaca, NY ( 12/28/95 ) 20) Leona Gorezynski - 43 Janivar Dr. , Ithaca, NY ( 12/28/95 ) 21 ) Rhonda Stanford-Zahn - 9 Pleasant St. , Auburn, NY ( 12/29/95 ) 22) Barbara Prud 'homme - 220 Pearl St. , Ithaca, NY ( 12/29/95 ) Mary Boardman explained that she is requesting a Modification of a Special Permit for "Nature ' s Song Retreat Center, " because there are many requests from participants for programming on weekdays . Members of the Public: Patty Mathews - 25 Wilderness Road, Lansing - reported that she thinks Ms . Boardman is doing some wonderful work. Cheryl Chamberlain - 216 Pleasant Street, Ithaca, New York - is here to support Ms. Boardman - and the Nature ' s Song Retreat Center. Fred Lieberman - 486 Park Hill Road, Erin, PA - said that he a physical education teacher, has attended programs at the Nature ' s Song Retreat Center and there is a need for the service that Ms. Boardman supplies. Ed Inman - 52 Bald Hill Road, Ithaca, NY - said that Ms . Boardman, as a local businessperson he thinks she should be allowed to work with the hours that participants are available. Howard Steiner - 1050 Coddington Road, Ithaca, New York - said that he would like to encourage the Planning Board to be as flexible and as reasonable as possible to fit future events such as camping out so that this business can prosper. Discussion Joel Gagnon said that he read in an advertisement that there were overnight accommodations available . The Special Permit as approved by the Planning Board was with no overnights allowed . Ms . Boardman said there were no overnights in the main room but there is a bedroom in the presenters quarters to accommodate a couple or a small family. There are no plans for group overnights as there was not approval for a dining hall or dormitory in the original plan as approved last year. She said she did not remember what the main objection was to people sleeping in the great room. The building code permits the assembly of 49 people. If people want to come to the center and stay overnight they have been camping out on the land . No fires are allowed on her property. Susan Beeners said that the Occupancy Permit allows a maximum of 49 people for assembly. There was a bedroom always shown on the plan, Allowing overnight accommodations is a. code question. The issue is to what extent does the Planning Board want to allow Ms. Boardman to use the great room for overnights . There is some benefit to allow overnights so that people are 5 3 Harming Board Minutes Public Hearing - Boardman January'? 996 not traveling on the roads. Chairperson Horst said that some of the questions that were raised regarding overnight accommodations were concerning bathroom facilities and food service. Ms. Boardman said that presently she was cooking some food at the house for meals. Most of the groups have been brown bagging. She does supply a small refrigerator in her home for their • use. Public Hearing Declared Closed : Chairperson Horst declared the Public Hearing closed at 8 : 10 P . M. adad , a1,4„th,„; Carol W. , panski, Secretary phm-Boardman • . . 346 fi , 1 Planning Board Minutes January 17, 1996 TOWN OF DANBY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES Regular Meeting 7 : 30 P .M. January 17, 1996 PRESENT : Chairperson Ken Horst Planning Board Members : William Farrell , Joel Gagnon, Mary Lou Hardesty, Nancy Weitzel , Ralph Wilbur ABSENT : Arch Dotson (Excused) Others Present: Carol Sczepanski - Secretary Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer Howard Steiner - Councilperson Edward Inman - Councilperson Mary Boardman - Applicant Members of the Public : Cheryl Chamberlain, Patty Matthews, Cisela Wildes, Fred Lieberman, Katherine Liu, Marcus Wright, Brent Testut Chairperson Ken Horst called the meeting to order at 8 : 10 P . M. Privilege of the Floor: Councilperson Inman said that he would like to see a joint meeting of the Town Board, Planning Board and Board of Zoning Appeals on Monday, March 11 , 1996 at 8 : 00 P. M. His said that we need to discuss the Town of Danby Comprehensive Plan, possible Zoning Ordinance amendments and other town issues. Nature ' s Song Retreat Center RESOLUTION NO. 1 of 1996 SEOR DETERMINATION FOR NATURE ' S SONG RETREAT CENTER SPECIAL PERMIT MODIFICATION - APPROVED By Joel Gagnon : Seconded by Nancy Wietzel WHEREAS, this action is the Consideration of a Request for Modification of a special Permit granted by the Planning Board on June 15 , 1994 for "Nature ' s Song Retreat Center," 217 Peter Road, Willseyville, New York, Town ofDanby Tax Parcel No. 28. - 1 -6 . 3 with said requested modification generally related to the scheduling of activities, Mary K Boardman, Owner/Applicant, and WHEREAS, this is an Unlisted action for which the Planning Board is acting as Lead Agency in environmental review, and WHEREAS, the PlanningBoard has revised the draft Environmental Assessment for at and following Public Hearing on the matter on January 17, 1996, now, therefore, it is RESOLVED, that the Planning Board, acting as Lead Agency to environmental review, make and hereby does make a negative determination of environmental significance for this action. A roll call vote on the resolution resulted as follows : Farrell Aye Gagnon Aye Hardesty Aye Weitzel Aye Wilbur Aye Horst Aye Carried Unanimously 2 Planning Board Minutes January 17, 1996 RESOLUTION NO. 2 of 1996 NATURE ' S SONG RETREAT CENTER SPECIAL PERMIT MODIFICATION - APPROVED By Joel Gagnon: Seconded by Nancy Weitzel WHEREAS, this action is the Consideration of a Request for Modification of a Special Permit granted by the Planning Board on June 15 , 1994 for `Nature ' s Song Retreat Center," 217 Peter Road, Willseyville, New York, Town of Danby Tax Parcel No. 28. - 1 -6. 3 with said requested modification generally related to the scheduling of activities, Mary E. Boardman, Owner/Applicant, and WHEREAS, this is an Unlisted action for which the Planning Board, acting as Lead Agency in environmental review, has on January 17, 1996 made a negative determination of environmental significance , and ru a o 6e LI that the Planning Board grants said request for modification of said Special Permit, subject to the following provisions : 1 . The requirements placed by the Planning Board by Resolution No. 24 of 1994 on June 15 , 1994 , in granting the Special Permit, remain unchanged, except as may be modified herein. 2. No restrictions are placed on the times or dates on which activities may be held. 3 . It is acknowledged that the retreat center building as originally approved and constructed has a bedroom for overnight use. 4. Overnight accommodations may occur within the great room of the retreat center when such is associated with retreats. 5 . Camping by program attendees is permitted consistent with any pertinent health department requirements. A roll call vote on the resolution resulted as follows : Farrell Aye Gagnon Aye Hardesty Aye Weitzel Aye Wilbur Aye Horst Aye Carried Unanimously County Planning Board Report Ralph Wilbur said that he will attend the March 1996 meeting of the County Planning Board. Other Business : ® Materials and Communications received : 1 ) Small business Resource Guide for Tompkins and Cortland Counties - September 1995 2) COTABA - Winter 1996 Newsletter 3 ) ORA - Odyssey Research Associates - Notice of Finger Lakes Entrepreneurs ' Forum for January 18, 1996 4 ) Lansing Business Association Bulletin Chairperson Horst said that he has attended meetings of the Finger Lakes Entrepreneurs ' group and was surprised of the many aids there are for IglOr businesses in the community. SusanBeeners presented a Working Draft Proposal of General Objectives, Proposed Work Program schedule and suggestions for a Planning Advisory Subcommittee. ( s. b. 1/17/96) Councilperson Steiner addressed the Board and said that he thinks that a meeting of all the Boards to J 4 v 3 Planning Board Minutes January 17, 1996 discuss revising our Comprehensive Plan and continuing to update our Zoning Ordinance would be a good idea Chairperson Horst said that he thinks there should be a committee to work on economic development, planning and the comprehensive plan. He suggested that a committee could consist of a member of the Planning Board, the Town Board and a member of the community or other community organizations. We need input from outside of our own boards and there are people in Danby who would be willing to work on a committee. Discussion on Surveys and Questionnaires : • Mary LouI-lardesty said that she does not think that questionnaires are effective unless they are done on a personal basis similar to the way a census is done. Nancy Weitzel said that most persons just do not respond to surveys. The Town had only a few residents who responded to the survey that was done for the Comprehensive Plan. The Board based the plan on that response. There were many complaints about the comprehensive plan because it Is. »v�t what the true feeling of the bulk of citizens in the Town. Susan said that in relation to the questionnaire that some surveys are disastrous. Some of the response received is related to attitudes. She would hope that the value of a business survey or questionnaire would be to identify characteristics of business and give them a few leads for response. For a residents survey, itmightbehelpful to have questions related to living patterns such as items that are important for their family needs and for community activities . Joel said that the easiest way to insure that you have a representation of the Town is to do a telephone survey from a listing of the entire town. Ralph said that there are many errors on the Town Maps that was adopted in December 1991 and need to be corrected. Many of the regulations we now have are cumbersome and make it too hard for existing business to operate . Neighbor notification letters sent out to people who are a mile away from the land affected is not necessary. Request for an expansion or modification take too long and discourages the growth of business in the Town. Chairperson Horst recommended to the Planning Board that they come to the March meeting prepared to make suggestions of how they want to proceed to meet some of the objectives discussed tonight. Approval of December 20, 1995 Planning Board Minutes Amotion was made by Joel Gagnon and seconded by William Farrell to approve the December 20, 1995 Planning Board Minutes. Carried Unanimously Other Business Rural Planning Grant Susan reported that the Town was not awarded a Rural Planning Grant. She hopes that the Planning Board will continue to work on some of the goals that were outlined in the proposal. ADJOURNMENT : On a motion the meeting adjourned at 10 : 15 P.M . espectfully bmitted, Carol W. Scze ki min- 1 - 17. 96 Secretary