HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1960-10-25 137
Minutes of Meeting
of
Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Ithaca
October 25 , 1960 .
Mr . & Mrs . H . S . Ei hme Applicants , d b a
Gables Restaurant .
Ashland Oil and Refining
Company , by McPherson
Builders - Applicant .
The adjourned meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals
of the Town of Ithaca was held on October 25 , 1960 at 5 : 15 P . M .
at 919 Elmira Road , The Gables Restaurant . Members present were :
William Rolston , chairman ; D . Powers , R . Powers ; Aldus Fogelsanger ;
and Constance E . Cook , secretary . Others present were Mr . and Mrs .
H . S . Eighmey .
The chairman called the meeting to order- and stated that
the purpose of the meeting was to consider further the application
of Mr . and Mrs . H . S . Eighmey for special approval for an extension
of a non- conforming use to erect two signs on their .premises .
The Board members reviewed a model of the sign and site .
The applicants stipulated orally that their letter and sketch in
support of the application be made a part of the application .
A motion was made by Mrs . Cook and seconded by R . Powers
to grant special approval to the application of Mr . and Mrs . H . S .
Eighmey upon the following conditions :
1 . The sign and sugorts shall be the size , color , and
design shown on the letter attached to and made a part of the ap -
plication .
. 2 . The location of the sign shall be within approximately
10 feet of the present location , as shown on the original appli -
cation , . dated November 13 , 1959 .
3 . The sign shall not exceed 9 feet in height from the
ground .
4 . There shall be no change in lighting from the lighting
of the present sign .
The motion to approved the application upon the above
stated conditions was passed unanimously by the Board .
138
The meeting was then adjourned to the Ashland Oil Com-
pany premises at 5 : 30 P . M . In addition to the Board members
present , the following persons representing the Ashland Oil Com-
pany were also • present .: Andrew .McPherson , Builder and Agent ;
Gilbert M : Ellis , - Manager of Ashland Applicant ; Zane Meek , Ashland
Plant Manager in Ithaca ; and Paul Moyer , Ashland District Sales -
man .
The chairman , Mr . Rolston , stated that the order of busi -
ness was to - consider further the application of Ashland Oil. Com-
pany for special approval of an extension of a non- conforming use
to construct a new warehouse and office in a residential zone .
In discussing the application , Mr . Ellis stated that the
present storage capacity is 83 , 800 gallons fo liquified petroleum ;
a
there are approximately fifty 500 gallon tanks stored on the prem-
ises for domestic use ; also there are a maximum of one thousand
100 lb . cylinders . Mr . Ellis explained the: general operation of
the plant . The 100 lb . cylinders are filled , then transported
to the dealers and customer locations . Painting and general
maintenance of the equipment are carried on here . Most trans -
portation is done by contract haulers , although some of it is also
done by rail and some by the company itself . The company trucks
come from Buffalo . Ordinarily , no transport trucks park at the
plant overnight . Personnel cars , one tank truck , one stake truck ,
and two pick-up trucks do park at the plant . The plant receives
a maximum of fifteen deliveries by transport trucks per month .
At the site , the Board made the following findings con- .
cerning the proposed change : there would be no through traffic ;
there would be no increase in .truck traffic over present use ; there
is a private well and private sewerage on the premises, therefore ,
there would be no burden on public facilities ; there would be no
devaluation of surrounding properties since there are no buildings
nearby except one virtually abandoned commercial plant ; the prem-
ises are adapted to the proposed use , being removed from any resi -
dences , it is in a low lying area which is subject to flooding and
not likely to develop as residential property ; the plant will be ,
set off from the public road ; and the proposed construction would
be primarily a continuation of the existing use .
. I�
139
The Board further found that the proposed change
was not inconsistent . . with surrounding land uses , there being
no developments or improvement in the immediate area . The
access and egress are presently safe , t.nd the use will not be
enlarged except for office employees . The proposed change
would be no deterrent to the health , safety , or general _ wel -
fare of the community . The safety features of this type of
business are extensively regulated by state and federal agencies .
A motion was made by D . Powers and seconded by Mrs .
Cook to grant special approval to the Ashland Oil Company for
the erection of a building without any commitment or approval
of, size of plot or the depth of the front and side yards , in
as much as the applicant is not the owner in fee of the land .
The owner of the fee , who has consented to the actions . of the
applicant , also owns the surrounding land on three sides ,
( the railroad being on the fourth side ) , and in the event of
development of said surrounding land , adequate front and side
yards can be provided .
The above motion was passed unanimously by the board
members still present . Mr . Fogelsanger had left the meeting
before this action was taken .
There being no further business , the meeting was
adjourned .
Respectfully 'submitted ,
C . E . Cook , Secretary .