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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1961-05-16 43 Minutes of t Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Ithaca May 16 , 19610 Frank Wrisley , Applicant . Mr . & Mrs . David Williams Applicants . The meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Ithaca was held on May 16 , 1961 , at 7 : 30 P . M . at the Town Boarn , in accordance with published notice in the ITHACA JOURNAL on May 11 , 1961 . Members present were : William Rol - ston , Chairman ; R . Powers ; D . Powers ; and Constance E . Cook , Secretary . Others present were : Robert J . Wells , Zoning Of - ficer of the Town of Ithaca ; Ben V . Boynton , Supervisor of the 0 Town of Ithaca ; Mr . Frank Wrisley , applicant ; and , Mr . & Mrs . David Williams , applicants * and interested neighbors . * . The chairman called the meeting to order and stated that the purpose of the meeting was to consider first the ap - plication of Frank Wrisley for special approval -for replace - ment of a non- conforming barn . The appeal is from a decision of the Zoning Officer , under Article XII , Section 56 of the Zoning Ordinance , denying an application to replace a non- conforming barn , which had burned on May 1 , 1960 . The premises affected are at the corner of Troy Road and King Road East , Ithaca , New York , R . Powers , member of the Zoning Board of Appeals , disqualified himself from consideration .of this application , since he is a property owner in the area . Mr . Wrisley stated that he wishes to replace a barn which burned on May 1 , 1960 , and desires to replace it on the same foundation ._ The replacement of such a barn would be non- conforming since it would be too close to the road right - of -way . An appeal was necessary since it was . not rebuilt within six months of the date of the fire . Mr . Wrisley told the Board that his vocation is general firming , and when the barn burned last year , he lost X44 • 18 cattle and $ 11 , 000 worth of machinery and equipment . The proposed replacement barn would have one story instead of three stories as the burned barn had . The foundation , on _which the new barn would be built , is 4 feet 6 ' inches from the highway . The lot is 125 feet deep . The Zoning Ordinance requires a set back . of 100 feet from the road . Following are statement of neighbors , friends , and relatives of the applicant regarding the proposed replacement : Donal Tompkins , 227 King Road East - Mr . Tompkins is a next door neighbor of Mr . Wrisley . He felt that the applicant has suffered hardship by the fire , and it would be an additional hardship for Mr . Wrisley to prevent him from erecting a new barn . Mr . Tompkins felt that the proposed barn would not increase the safety ` hazard . Mr . & Mrs . - Donald C . Blackiner - The Blackiriers are next door neighbors , , and raise no objections to the proposal . Mrs . Ruth Poole , 160 King Road East - Mrs . Poole does not object to the application . Mr . & Mrs . Don Erickson , 153 King Road East - The Ericksons approve of the proposed replacement . Frank Howell , 156 . Ridgecrest Road - Mr . Howell feels it would be an improvement . The proposed new barn would not affect intersection visibility . Aubrey Evray , 209 King Road East - Mr . Evray has no objection to• the application . Glen C . Palmer , 229 Forest Home Drive - Mr . Palmer is the mailman in the area •of King Road East and Troy Roads . He feels that the barn would be close to the road , but has observed in the past that Mr . Wrisley was always careful with his machinery . The barn would not interfere with the highway . Ruth Armstrong , Titus Avenue - Mrs . Armstrong is a daughter of Mr . Wrisley , and approves of his application . James Bush , Forest Home Drive . ..-` Mr . Bush feels that the replacement would be an improvement to the Town . Mr . Ned Armstrong , Titus Avenue - Mr . Armstrong is a son- in- law of Mr . Wrisley , and approves of his application . Ism Mr . Boynton stated that Mr . Wrisley ' s lot - slopes sharp - ly , and therefore it would be necessary to place the barn forward . �I There were no objections raised to the proposed replacement barn . A motion was made by D . Powers , seconded by Mrs . Cook , and passed unanimously by the ' Board to grant special approval to the application of Mr . Frank Wrisley . The * next order of business was to consider the ap - plication of Mr . and Mrs . David Williams for a variance to add an apartment to a two =family residence in a R- 15 Resi - dence Zone . The appeal is from a decision of the - Zoning Officer , under Article IV , Sections 11 and 12 of the Zoning Ordinance _ denying permi. ssioh for establishing of a multiple residence use in an R -15 Residence District . The premises affect-ed are at . 104 Halcyon Hill , Ithaca , New York . The reasons stated for the proposed change of making . a present two -family home into a three - family home are as follows : allows the full use of the property , it is an economical time to build a third apartment since the house will be in the process of being remodelled , there is a need in the community for more rental housing , and rental of the proposed new apartment will be offered to foreign students studying in the community who need it . Following are statement of neighbors and interested persons concerning the proposed addition of an apartment to a two - family home : Alfred Pridham - 111 Halcyon Hill . Mr . Pridham noted that the intersection of Halcyon and Warren Road is dangerous with a very steep slope , and should be widened . R . J . Wells , Zoning Officer , answered Mr . Pridham ' s statement by noting that Halcyon Hill is a private road ex- cept for about the first 80 feet . Mrs . Lucy Curtis - 110 Halcyon Hill . Mrs . Curtis owns about three acres at the end of the road. and wanted the road improved . Mrs . R . W . Shaw - 105 Halcyon Hill . Mrs . Shaw would rather have one family than three family homes anywhere in the area . All homes in this area have sewage problems . Yob Mr . Walter B . Westervelt - 115 Halcyon Hill . Mr : Westervelt asked if the Board of Health would have to ap - prove the applicant ' s proposed addition . The applicant , Mr . Williams , noted that no changes would be made to the outside of the house . The house has aluminum siding and only a fire escape would be added . Mrs . R . W . Shaw noted that any multiple dwelling would tend to downgrade the community in general in terms of property values . Mr . Pridham wondered that had been planned ' to take care of extra parking . Mr . Williams said that he planned to provide off - street parking with a carport to be built . R . W . Shaw of 105 Halcyon Hill observed that there is no multiple residence district in Forest Home . He owns a lot at the end of Crest Lane , and wonders if he could have 3 apartments . He went on to say that there is a drainage problem in this whole area . In discussing the application of Mr . and Mrs . David Williams , the Board made the following findings : The Board does not feel that the granting of this variance would be within the spirit of the Zoning Ordinance , since multiple residence zones were established in appro - priate areas for the erection of homes designed for several families . The purpose of establishing such multiple resi - dence zones was to discourage the subdivision of single homes . There is nothing unique about the situation of the applicant ' s home in the neighborhood . The granting of the variance might change the char- acter of the ` neighborhood which consists primarily of resi - dent landlords with one or two student roomers : And finally , while the Board is assured that the ap - plicants ' purpose is worthy and their multiple residence would be well operated , the . Board would not be warranted in granting a variance upon the evidence presented ; therefore , the appli - cation for a `variance is denied . There being -no further business , the meeting was ad- journed . Respectfully submitted , Constance E . Cook , Secretary