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Home My WebLink About2000-08-24 632 1 Planning Board Minutes August 24, 2000 TOWN OF DANBY PLANNING BOARD MEETING AUGUST 24 , 2000 PRESENT : Chairperson Laurene Gilbert Planning Board Members : William Farrell , Daniel Klein, Robert Roe , Nancy Weitzel ABSENT : Olivia Vent Linda Hansen (arrived at 7 : 15 p . m . ) Others Present: Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer Carol Sczepanski - Secretary Dan Higgins - Ithaca Journal Members of the Public : Simon Ungers, Janet O ' Hair, Naomi Strichartz Chairperson Laurene Gilbert called the Planning Board Meeting to order at 7 : 05 p . m . The Review of the Proposed Local Laws will be addressed first by the Board . Persons to be Heard : Esther Dotson addressed the Board with information of a grant administered by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Matching funds are available for land acquisition. The Criteria for eligiblity for funding is that a project must develop, expand, or enhance public access to water bodies, promote water based recreation or enhance the natural , cultural or historic aspects of water bodies and must include at least some portion of the cost as a matching share to be raised from private sources. She asked the Planning Board to consider a letter of endorsement to be included in a grant application that is being prepared for application to the Office of parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for land acquisition . Bob Roe said that the application should include the letter from the Tompkins County EMC that was sent last year to New York State Office of Parks and Recreation supporting recreational projects . This proposal is in compliance with the existing comprehensive plan and the Danby Strategic Plan . Chairperson Gilbert will draft a letter of support on behalf of the Planning Board to be submitted with the grant application . Motion That the Planning Board Reiterate Their Commitment of Endorcement for the Purchase of the Proposed Site for a Community Center A motion was made by Robert Roe and seconded by Daniel Klein that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby reiterates their commitment of endorcement for the purchase of land at the proposed site behind the Danby Federated Church for a Community Center as previously recommended by this Board. A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Farrell Aye Klein Aye Roe Aye Weitzel Aye 633 2 Planning Board Minutes August 24 , 2000 Gilbert Aye Hansen Abstained Carried Request For Permit For Addition to Residence - Simon Ungers Proposal Simon Ungers addressed the Board with a request for a Special Permit to build a secondary dwelling of a one room guest quarter proposed to be added onto his residence at 61 Makarainen Road . Mr . Ungers submitted drawings of the proposed addition to the Board for review. He said that the matter is somewhat urgent due to medical problems and someone must be present to care for him . Chairperson Gilbert said that the Town does not know what the status of Makarainen Road is at this time . Susan Beeners reported to Mr. Ungers that if he wanted to have a detached second unit he must have a Special Permit and a public hearing by the Planning Board. She does not think there is any reason why if the Planning Board thinks the request is reasonable that a public hearing cannot be scheduled . The Town Board is currently considering a request from Simon Ungers to abandon a portion of the road before it gets to his property She is currently working with the Highway Superintendent to resolve the problem of the location of the turn-around . No action by the Town Board is likely before the next regular meeting of the Town Board . Linda Hansen has concerns that even if the Planning Board approves this request with contingencies that they still may not be able to move ahead until the status of the road is finalized . Susan Beeners suggested that in regard to the road status and the setback for the building that the Planning Board let this move on. There is still the safeguard that a variance would be necessary if there is still a question regarding the abandoned road and location of the turn around . Chairperson Gilbert said that the issue now is to set a date for a public hearing. Public Hearing Date Set - Ungers Request For Special Permit A motion was made by Nancy Weitzel and seconded by Chairperson Gilbert to schedule a public hearing on Wednesday, September 20 , 2000 at 6 : 45 p .m . to consider the request of Simon Ungers for a Special Permit to build a second dwelling on his property . A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows : Farrell Aye Klein Aye Roe Aye Weitzel Aye Gilbert Aye Hansen Abstained Carried Unanimously PROPOSED LOCAL LAWS Councilperson Naomi Strichartz addressed the Board with two proposed local laws related to zoning changes. She reported that there are roads that are labeled "Commercial Target Zones" . Residents on those roads would rather not have these areas labeled "Commercial Target Zone" . It is definitely a deterrent For many people if you think you are in a "Commercial Target Zone" . The other issue is that along every roadway in Danby the frontage for property 400 feet back from the roadway is zoned as high density with minimum lot size of one acre with road frontage of 150 feet . This proposal is to increase the road frontage and space between the lots to decrease the density in medium and high density zones . Councilperson Strichartz said that the Town Board would like to have some feedback from the Planning Board regarding the proposed local laws . She said that from what she is hearing from residents is they would like to know what they can expect in the area for potential development 634 3 Planning Board Minutes August 24, 2000 before they purchase . The Town Board has not had a full discussion on these proposed laws . The Planning Board discussed the effect this proposal would have on nonconforming properties that exist at this time and the cost to purchase and maintain a large size lot Linda Hansen said that we are in the middle of our comprehensive plan and maybe we should wait to amend some of our ordinance until it is completed . Nancy Weitzel said that we need to listen to the public after the comprehensive plan has been put together and then we would have a more general consensus about how the whole Town feels instead of a few. Councilperson Strichartz said that she would encourage the Planning Board to work on thinking about what our zoning in Danby should be . 4 Nancy Weitzel suggested that the Town Board wait to do any additional revisions to the zoning ordinance that is already in place until the comprehensive plan document has been completed and sent to the Town Board for review. They should make their comments and suggestions after their review. Olivia Vent said that maybe we need to define the word "commercial" , and to leave this alone until the comprehensive plan is completed . Dan Klein is concerned that people don' t know that a commercial target zone exists . Susan Beeners said that there has not been a new one acre lot created in over eight years as a. building site . What the trends and sizes of created lots over the last ten years for new lot sizes should be researched. We need to know the minimum sizes , number of lots, location, etc . of property splits . Approval of the July 19, 2000 Planning Board Minutes A motion was made by Robert Roe and seconded by Nancy Weitzel to approve the July 19 , 2000 Planning Board Minutes as submitted. Carried Unanimously On a motion the meeting adjourned at 9 : 00 p .m . (tide/ Sr Carol W . Sczepansk ' , Secretary min- 8 -24 . 00 r ; ti