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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-09-17 Planning Board Minutes September 17, 1997 TOWN OF DANBY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES SEPTEMBER 17, 1997 7 : 00 P. M. PRESENT : Chairperson Kenneth Horst Planning Board. Members : Gerald Catlin, Arch Dotson, William Farrell , Linda Hansen, Robert ' Roe, Nancy Weitzel Others Present : Code Enforcement Officer - Susan Beeners Secretary - CaroI Sczepanski Tompkins County Planning Circuit Rider - Rebecca Lubin Members of the Public : Naomi Strichartz, Karl Kayser, Nancy Rice, John. Henderson Chairperson Horst called the meeting to order at 7 : 06 P . M . Communications : 1 ) Memo to Planning Board from Rice Landscaping for re-zoning request. 2) Sketch Plan of the Location Plan for Proposed Commercial Zone B for Rice Landscaping 3 ) SEQR Short Environmental Assessment Form 4) Site Plan of Proposed Site Rice Landscaping - Sketch Plan Review The Planning Board has received an application for the re -zoning of a property located at 1428 Danby Road, Town of Danby Tax Parcel No . 2 . - 1 -26 . 1 from a B2 zone to Commercial Zone B . The re-zoning request is for a year round lawn maintenance , landscaping and snow removal business to be located there . The property was originally used as a car paint and repair business . Nancy Rice addressed the Board and described the operation of the Rice Landscaping Business . She said that their operation is a quiet business and does not generate a lot of traffic . The company owns six (6) trucks that generally leave in the morning for a job site and return at night . . The sign is proposed to be where there is an existing sign at this time . The property is located directly across from a commercial property. They plan to cut overgrown hedgerow and shrubs along the drive back to improve visibility . There is a visual buffer of hedgerows that screen the property from the neighboring properties . Their goal is to improve the cosmetic look of the house and buildings . The only parking in the lot will be their own trucks and employee parking and for residents of the house . They want to improve the property and they want their home site to look good and to represent a top quality, well groomed appearance. Rice Landscaping is licensed by the DEC for use of chemicals and follow all DEC regulations for storage and use . • Discussion : Susan Beeners said that the property has a variance granted in the early 1970's granted to Charles Bruce for auto repair and painting and was a use specific variance . It is in a residential zone area. It must be rezoned for this proposed use . Gerry Catlin said that at the present location of Rice Landscaping he observed trucks going in and out throughout the day when he worked next to the location. Nancy Rice said that the company has gone through restructuring recently and it is a. rare occurrence that a truck returns for supplies during the day. Traffic to the facility is minimal and is generally the foreman, or one of the business management personnel takes supplies to crews at the site . The x90 2 Planning Board Minutes September 17, 1997 company is 35 % commercial and basically the customers are long term customers . The company has grown very slowly as quality is most important . Robert Roe said that he thinks that the access will have to be altered or widened to allow for truck traffic . Nancy Rice said that they are going to trim the drive access and take a better look at the drive . Susan Beeners said that the Town could arrange for a review with the Danby Fire Department to insure there is adequate access for fire equipment . Robert Roe said that we have two (2) separate zoning questions here : 1 ) commercial landscape business , and 2) the wholesale nursery . His personal feeling is here that it is going to change the traffic flow patterns as well and they should be separated . Chairperson Horst said that his impression was that in the future they may be growing plants that would be used in their own business . Nancy Rice said that growing plants was not their goal at this point . It is possible that in a few years Mr. Rice may be growing a few plants that he would sell to his customers . She just presented that as an option and there is not enough land for a wholesale nursery. Robert Roe said that he thinks that we should consider that this be approved for a commercial landscape business with the directions that should the business expand to a wholesale nursery that they be directed to approach the Planning Board again . Susan Beeners said that the building has a 25 foot set back from the property line . The Board reviewed the site plan and location of the parking area. Motion to Set a Public Hearing Date for the Rice Proposal A motion was made by Arch Dotson and seconded by Robert Roe to set a public hearing date for the Rice Proposal for Wednesday, October 1 , 1997 at 7 : 30 P . M . and a Special Meeting of the Planning Board will follow the public hearing . A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Carried Unanimously Nancy Rice will attempt to contact the adjoining neighbors in person to infoint them of her proposal before October 1 , 1997 public hearing . Comprehensive Planning Work Session Rebecca Lubin said that she has reviewed some general information on comprehensive plans presented an example of a goal for preserving the rural character of Danby . She also presented a draft that outlines elements can become a goal in the Comprehensive Plan . An outline for background research was distributed with agriculture was used as art example . • Rebecca explained the background research process as described in her example . She said that this is a very comprehensive background search . Not every issue , topic or aspect would go through something this intensive and this is an example of types of information available . You want to obtain background information that supports your goal and how to maintain and encourage those uses to continue . The Board discussed the Tompkins Agricultural Districts and its benefits to the landowners . Susan Beeners said that agricultural districts allow for landowners to apply for reduction of tax assessments and penalizes development of water and sewer lines in active agriculture districts . The other important item is SEQR environmental review. Any unlisted action in an ag district must have 4 ey 1 3 Planning Board Minutes September 17, 1997 a type I long form . Rebecca said that comprehensive plans are becoming more important than in the past for legal reasons . They can to be used for a guide for and as a support for decisions that are made . The comprehensive plan should be supportive of the other town regulations . Susan Beeners said that the Town needs a strong plan that can be used in decision making. Rebecca said that after the background work has been completed you use that to refine your goals • and then you deal with the objectives and implementation . The Except from the Town of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan section for Agriculture was added as an example because it was easy to obtain the information. Tompkins County Planning Department has several Comprehensive Plans and other information that the Planning Board can look at to help decide on an objective for the Town of Danby . Committees can be formed to look at different aspects . Even two (2) people can be a committee and does present two (2) views . Rebecca said the next step for the Planning Board is to think about the form you want to take and how much information you want your comprehensive plan to contain and what topics it should contain . Robert Roe said that we should start with some sort of visionary statements . He sees three possible alternatives for Danby : 1 ) it could become a bedroom community for Ithaca where residents live here but their social and economic lives and most of their other activities are centered in other locations ; 2) it could become a recreational bordello for Ithaca by the plan for the Alternative School being moved into this building as youth program activities and recreational activities could follow that ; and 3 ) is to have a viable community with a sense of identity and community that actively encourages citizen participation. Rebecca said that we must also consider where development cannot be located due to things that cannot be changed, i . e . soil types, land slopes , wet lands , etc . In other words what the land cannot handle . You have little to no control over N . Y . State Forest Lands . Rebecca said that the Board needs to take the following steps : 1 ) develop a mission or vision statement; 2) list general areas and concerns of what is going on in Danby ; 3 ) identify areas to be addressed in the plan 4) collect background materials for all areas-- have groups or committees work on different area to collect background information 5 ) after subject areas are defined a meeting could be scheduled to address each area after background material has been collected Discussion followed regarding what kind of mission statement the Board could start with . Susan Beeners asked the Board to provide the Town Board with a report or an outline of the vision, • mission or goal for the Comprehensive Plan . Chairperson said that he would like the Board to develop a plan of action or schedule of activities to be covered over the next three months . The Board discussed doing a survey of residents , business person survey, economic analyses, research, and a community directory . Susan reported that she has submitted an application for a grant in the amount of $4 , 000 . 00 . If the grant is awarded in early 1998 a survey could go out . She would like the Board to define the types of questions that should be asked on the survey. Bob Roe said that $4 ,000 . 00 would not be sufficient to set up an analysis . The data collection for 492 4 Planning Board Minutes September 17, 1997 just the survey would take more than $4 , 000 . 00 . Chairperson Horst listed the areas he would like the Board to consider as areas to be addressed in a comprehensive plan. 1 ) Rural atmosphere agriculture 2) Historic Preservation 3 ) Commercial Development 4) Recreational Development/Use of State Lands 5 ) Water and Sewer 6) Law Enforcement • Rebecca said for the next meeting she said that she would get together and fine tune some of the population, economic, and natural resource information in a packet as they are a good place to start . She asked Sue to send out something to the Board before the October 15th meeting to consider for a vision statement . Planning Board Minutes of August 20 , 1997 Corrections to August 20 , 1997 Minutes 1 ) Page 1 - under Chairperson Horst statement - - add the word another after the word least . 2) Page 1 - under Chairperson Horst statement -- delete the word (He) and insert and Motion to Approve Planning Board Minutes of August 20 , 1997 A motion was made by Nancy Weitzel and seconded by Robert Roe to approve the Planning Board Minutes of August 20 , 1997 as corrected . A vote on the motion resulted as follows : Carried Unanimously Other Reports : Susan Beepers reported that the Town has received $4,930 . 00 from the New York State Council on Arts pay Lynn Cunningham for a Historic Survey of Danby . ADJOURNMENT : On a motion the meeting adjourned at 9 : 30 P . M . a Carol W . Sc / s ' ski , Secretary