HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1963-05-13 20f-
TOWN OF ITHACA
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MINUTES
MAY 139 1963
A meeting of the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of
Appeals was held ih, the Town Highway Building on Monday ,
May 13 , 1963 at 7 : 30 P . M .
Members of the Board present were : Chairman David
F . Powers , Robert N . Powers , William B . Norton , and Gilliam
S . $ Scott .
Also present were : Zoning Officer Robert Wells ,
Mr . Curtis Gray , Aubrey Marion , Millard Brink , Hilda Guterman , ,
and Ethel . Boyce .
This is an appeal signed by R . C . Gray and Jewel
Gray , owners of . the Grayhaven Motel , for a variance in
regard to the decision of the Zoning Officer denying permission
for continued use of the flashing portion of the Grayhaven
Motel sign located at 657 Elmira Road . Permit was denied
under Article 7 , Section 38 , of the Town of Zoning Ordinance .
Proof of publication was presented .
IIr . Gray stated in his appeal that the lights of
the motels across the road are so bright that people don ' t
see his motel . Also , a portion of his units are hidden by the
contour of the land and people looking for the motel are
often unable to find it . The sign is what is called a pogo
stick , has - twenty 100 watt light bulbs on it , and is about
twenty feet from the highway .
Mr . Marion , owner of the Dunrovin Motel , stated
that he doesn ' t see how the flashing sign will help Mr .
Gray ' s business . Both motels can be seen from both directions .
The sign flashes continually in his windows and his guests
must keep the blinds closed . It also reflects on the highway ,
and is , therefore , a traffic hazard .
Mr . Gray stated that an advertiser had suggested
the sign . The two motels across the road are lighted up
much more .
Mr . Marion said that the Grayhaven Motel sign
also . has six flood lights directed on it . The Wonderland
Motel has taken their flashing sign down . ,
Mr . Gray stated that a portion of the Dunrovin
Motel sign is flashing .
Mrs . Boyce on the Seven Mile Drive said that the
Grayhaven Motel pogo stick is on all night at times . It is
on at 5 : 45 A . M . when she leaves for work . With all of the
lights in her house turned off , it is still well lighted
from the lights of the motels on the Elmira , Road .
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Mr . Brink stated that he felt 'that. all three motels
have overdone their lighting .
Hilda Guterman said that the sign is not a new one
and is not bothersome . She lives across from Dodds Nursing
Home , where there are lights on all night on their sign .
Mr . Gray stated that the pogo stick had been
delivered on August 12 , 1960 and was installed within one
week thereafter .
The Board recessed for a short time to go look at
the sign . Upon their return , a motion - was made by William
B . Norton that the variance to retain the flashing sign be
denied . seconded by Robert N . Powers , Carried ,
The Board stated their reasons for denying the
application were that it is against the Ordinance , they
could find no hardship involved , and they felt that it
was a traffic hazard . They also stated that the Zoning
Officer would be instructed to investigate the possibilities
of having the other two motels on the Elmira Road tone down
their lights .
Meeting adjourned at 9 : 00 P . M .
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