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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-11-25- TB Town of Ulysses Town Board & Planning Board Joint Zoning Work Session 11 /25/2002 PRESENT : Town Supervisor Douglas Austic , Councilpeople Carolyn Duddleston and Sue Poelvoorde, Planning Board Chairman Lorren Hammond, Planning Board Members Richard Coogan, Rose Hilbert, George Kennedy, Rodney Porter, David Tyler, Code Enforcement Officer Alex Rachun , Town Clerk Marsha Georgia, Planning Consultant George Frantz. The meeting was called to order at 7 : 00 pm . Article III-Definitions Mr. Frantz began by handing out two sheets containing sample sketches of setback requirements for the various zoning areas of the draft Ordinance . The consensus of the Board was that these sketches should be included in the Ordinance, and should be inserted on Page 17 , following the written definitions . Also under the heading of definitions, Mr. Frantz was asked to include a definition for "Professional Office" , and the question was posed , whether or not "junk yard" should be defined. Mr. Frantz noted that it is not explicitly defined in the current Zoning Ordinance. The consensus was that there should be a specific definition of "junk yard, Mr. Frantz suggested, "An open area for the outdoor storage of used building materials , scrap metal , papers, rags, glass, broken appliances, refuse, and unregistered automobiles". The Boards discussed this, some felt that the definition perhaps should allow for summer cars, taken off the road and unregistered during winter, and also for individuals who repair their vehicles at their residences . Special Permits-Multiple Articles of Ordinance Mr. Tyler suggested delineating between those uses that require a " special permit" and those that would essentially be a special exception . Another thought was to grant the Town Planning Board explicit discretionary powers in regards to special permit applications . Mr. Austic noted that wherever "bed and breakfast inn" is entered in the Ordinance, it should be changed to read, "bed and breakfast" . Public Meeting The next point of discussion was whether or not the tentatively scheduled public meeting set for December 11 `h should take place at that time or not . The consensus was that the draft Ordinance needs more revision before it should be presented to the public . Some of the assembled were of the opinion that the draft Ordinance as it now stands does not sufficiently deal with the protection of views and will not direct development as they feel it should by eliminating the trend towards single- family construction on small lots along roads and by, instead, pushing development in and immediately surrounding the established Village of Trumansburg and Hamlet of Jacksonville, as well as the Waterburg area. The Boards discussed how the Ordinance might be changed to meet these goals . -It was noted that SEQR could be used to protect views , if the views to be preserved are officially defined . Mr. Frantz urged against using SEQR as a crutch to get by with in the absence of a solid and effective Zoning Ordinance. -In regards to the Al District, the Boards discussed potential tax breaks to encourage development in desirable directions . Mr. Austic noted that the only taxes the Town of Ulysses could help a landowner with are the Town taxes, and, since the Town tax rate is lower than those of the school or the County, it would not be a very effective tax break . Another way of obtaining a tax break would Town of Ulysses Joint Zoning Work Session 11 /25/2002 necessitate the cooperation of the Tompkins County Assessment Department. Mr. Austic and Mrs . Georgia stated this was not very likely to happen. -The idea of encouraging cluster development where several residences are built off a private road was also discussed . It was explained that the N . Y . S . Attorney General 's Office handles the approval of such roads , and that the legal fees to go about the application process make it very expensive . -Mr. Austic suggested a provision of the Subdivision Ordinance whereby a property may be split once, and all subsequent subdivisions of either the original lot or the newly formed lot will require site plan review . Mr. Tyler spoke in favor of requiring all subdivisions to be heard by the Planning Board . Mr. Rachun pointed out that this would create an enormous burden on the Planning Board . -Mr. Frantz stated that one relatively fail-proof method of controlling development is the purchase of development rights . Mr. Tyler related how one community that he is familiar with sets a certain percentage of the proceeds from each real property sale aside specifically for the purchase of development rights to protect its views . Mr. Tyler asked how the Town of Ulysses could do this . No conclusion was reached, though this was discussed briefly. -The suggestion was made that certain areas of the Town could be zoned only for cluster development . -Mr. Hammond's view is that development needs to be pushed in towards the Village of Trumansburg and the Hamlets in such a way that it will be feasible to walk to services provided in these more densely populated areas . In connection to this , Mr. Hammond suggested a requirement that commercial buildings be at least two stories tall, to allow for more rental residences . -As was discussed at previous meetings, the consensus of the Town Board and Planning Board was that more space should be designated as commercial . -The Al District was discussed at length. Mr. Austic suggested reducing front setbacks and inserting a setback requirement that would mandate a house be built as close to a side lot line as possible, in order to protect open space . In concluding the evening's business, the Planning Board set a meeting for December 11 `h 1 to address some matters of business that have recently come up . The Boards set the next joint work session for 7 : 00 pm on December 5 `h With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10 : 25 pm . Respectfully Submitted, Marsha L. Georgia Ulysses Town Clerk G : k < _ n