HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1976-02-23 nF IrlTTACA
? OI? IISG BOARD OF ?APPEALS
FEBRUARY 23 , 1976
With no quorums present , an informal meeting of the 3onincj Board of
Appeals of the '^oc:m of Ithaca was held in the Town of Ithaca Town Hall ,
126 East Seneca Street ( second floor ) , Ithaca , r7ootw York , on Monday ,
February 23 , 1976 , at 7030 p . ri ;
PRESENT : Chairman Peter Francese , Edward Austen , Laurence Fabbroni
( Building Inspector ) .
ALSO PRESENT : John Agahool , JiM Zifchock , Richard Henry , Leo
Mahool , G , J . Loomis , Alfred Eddy , ma chael J . Carroll , z,T . Burr Chase ,
Mr . and Plrs . R . J . T•iells , Glenn Hubbell ,
ADJOURNED APPEAL OF LEOPIARD E . LIBEPJ AN FOR BOAT CLUB AT FAST SNORE
M2XRINA
Mr . Fabbroni announced that at Mr . Liberman ' s request the above -
noted matter has been postponed until further notice from Mr . Liberman ,
APPEAL OF CHASE ' S ROADSTAND , INC . , APPELLA111m r FROM THE DECISIOIN OF m. T.1
BUILDTLIG ITLI1SPECTOR DENYING SPECIAL APPROVAL FOR THE OPEPATION OF All
AUC"' YON SERVICE AND DANCE FLOOR ASSEMBLY OPERArpION Alp 1319 MECKLENBURG
ROAD , PARCEL NO . 6 � 2 ^ � 1 - 26 . 2. , ITH.ACA . N . Y . P £ FS �ISSION IS DENIED BY THE
BUILDING I14SPECTOR U14DER ARTICLE XTI , SEC'T' ION 55 , OF THE ZONING ORDINd
A1VCE .
71th no quorum p.Lesent , Fir . France .se and Mr . hasten discussed
informally the proposal being made by Por . richael Carroll of Chase ' s
Poadstand , Inc . andwith Mr . Fabbroni ,
Mr . Carroll stated that his request is for the use of a building
that was unoccupier3 for a time . lie no-Ited that Chase ' s Roadstand , Inc .
aet. . tio::�ecl t.cs t� se -n I s bu*Iding known as the hatchery on the old Mar-
shall Farri corplex ! as an auction service , received such approval . on
Jar_us.ry U , 1975 , and E.7ere granted an extension for one year by this
Board on January lr , 1976 . He stated that th.e dimensions of the building
are about 5 , 500 sq . ft . qr . Carroll said that they are seeking to lease
a Porti cin of - bLat building out to Varaxon , a ,Nall corporation that
assembles electronic dance floors . He said that there would be no noise
in connection with this operation - it involves light assembly . He
stated that Chase ' s Raodstand , Inc . , feels that they should be allowed
4: o use this building Taith the intensity it was used prior to their taking
it .
4r_ . Francese asked if Chase ' s had been before the Planning Board
ilith this matter . Pr . Fabbroni stated that they appeared before the
_Tanning Board for the first request for the auction _ service . Mr .
Fabbroni noted that the Zoning Ordinance calls light industrial use more
® intensive than residential . Fero Francese asked Mr . Fabbroni if he con
. siderec? this proposed use o the dance floor assembly operation more
ntense than the use put to the buildings under the Marshall Farm operam
Lion . Mr . FabbElooni said that he did not think it more intense , but that
Is What the Zoning Ordinance says . Mr . Fabbroni commented that it was
his understandinc; that the auction service riaill continue in another
building .
at Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals 10020010 February 23 , 1976
Mr . Francese stated that when he visited the site , Pyr . Chase told
0 him that there would be a continuation of the landscaping and nursery
business . Mr . Francese outlined what he thought would be four uses
going on on this property as follows °
1 . Residential .
2 . A landscaping service .
3 . An auction service on an annual permit .
4 . Light manufacturing operation assembling dance floors .
Mr . Fabbroni said that if this is going to go to a permanent
industrial use you should get into rezoning . tiro Francese said that
he was thinking more in terms of a special permit on an annual basis ,
Mr . Francese asked if the floors are to be assembled in the day
time or at night . Mr . henry of. Varaxon said that they would be a semen
blded in the day time and shipped out by truck about once a week . He
said there might be office work at night and designing ,
Mr . Francese asked how many people would be involved in this
business . Mr . Henry said there would be three to four employees plus
a secretary . biro Francese commented that there would be somewhat less
than 10 . Mr . Francese ask
ed if the floors require a crane to lift
them . Mr . Henry said they did not , they were ?~jade in 4 ° x £3 ° plywood
sheets and later interconnected at the job site .
1-4640* Robert J . 111ells was present and stated that he would like to
• speak against this operation . He said that he t;7ould lige to read a
letter from himself and Mr . George CST . Idenan on t..ie matter , dated
February 23 , 1976 , and turn over two copies of t?z�. s letter , one for
each hearing set for tonight , to the secretary ,
Mr . Francese read the letter from Mr . TTells and Mr . Ideman in its
entirety .
" he under3i( rne.:A'A , being oiA,mer• s of the property located immediately
adjacent to the of the subject property , respectfully submit that
the tour prop�� sed use , of the property would not , in our opinion , be
compatible wi �t. h th -� char.� aCter of the area , and would without question
have a c•-) ns derably cepreciating effect upon the future potential for
res
iden-*U - ial &A,*elopment . The Totem Plan proposes residential use of
this area and we feol that the plan should be adhered to .
We and many other neighboring property owners have considerable
investment in the area , have paid high taxes for years for this privi -
lege , and are now threatened with undesirable uses being allowed to
become established . We feel that one " Elmira Road " around Ithaca is
enough , to allow another to be started is too much . As we all knots ,
erce it gets started it is extremely difficult to stop such growth .
As we understand the proposed uses , they would produce very little
or no addition to the tax base . Instead , by allowing these uses , the
•town would be seriously jeopardizing the immense tax base which this
rea has the potential to produce .
T•Te also .feel that there is no actual need in this area for such
uses , and that the elements of " hardship " and " uniqueness " do not exist
in this instance ,
Tovvm of Ithaca Zo&ninq 'hoard of Appeals - 3 - February 23 , 1976
Thank you for your attention and serious consideration to this
matter . Tle would appreciate our comments becoming a part of the
official record of these hearings . "
Mr . Francese directed the following to Mr . Carroll . He said that
the existing use , the auction , is under an annual permit . He asked if
Mr . Carroll saw any problem with having this proposed use , light in-
dustrial , under a one -year permit also ,
Mr . Carroll said that they would prefer more than a one year per -
mit because of the nature of the buildings up there which are much more
than a residential use ,
Mrs Francese noted that if there is to be this multiplicity of
uses the main road into the property is rapidly deteriorating . He said
that it would appear to him that if they are proposing to use th� ,se
buildings this way one of the conditions would have to be that that
road be improved and widened .
Mr . Chase stated that they have already retained a contractor to
do this work . Mr . Carroll stated that the property will deteriorate if_
these buildings are not used ,
Mr . Francese asked Por . Henry from Varaxon hoes long they would think
they could operate in this location , Mr . Henry stated that they cannot
tell right no,r3 h-Ow long they would be able to operate in this building
but he could say hopefully at least two years , He said that they are
definitely hoping '� o expand their business ,
Mr . Francese asked Mr . Henry how many dance floors they assemble ,
Mr . Henry said they do about four a month and they are sent throughout
the country , He said that they do not anticipate any heaving trucking ,
The dance floors are shi.np�d in sections in a panelled truck . He said
they would be usin; a drill and a hand or table saw . There would be no
big 3 ig sacs .
Mr . Francese U ' : e.1 TSThat they are presently doing in this connec -
tion , Mr . Iierffy sa that they aria manufactur- ing the floors in down-
town Ithaca , They a.-re ii;) t presently manufacturing four a month ,
Mr . John P.Ghocl , one of the partners in Varaxon , stated that his
fathe _I is a homeotft -i-ier on West Hill and that he has a family home on
Blest Hill and their firm would not do anything to devaluate the neigh-
borhood . He noted that there will be no outside storage .
Mr , Francese stated that outside storage would be specifically
prohibited .
There e:7as no further discussion on this matter . Another meeting
will be held ,
APPEAL OF GLENTIT L , HUBBELL , APPELLANT , FROM THE DECISION OF THE BUILDING
TrTSprCTO?', T�EP1YTTdG PEM!IISSIOPT TO OPERATE AN ANTIQUE AND SECOND —HAND SHOP
:'*a D TO USE BUILDINGS FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE OF 14ATERIALS AND GOODS FOR
,= ENTS ON A CASH BASIS AT 1319 MECKLENBURG ROAD , PARCEL NO , 6 - 27 - 1 - 14 ,
IT IACA , Na Y , PERMISSIO?rT IS DENIED BY THE BUILDING INSPECTOR UNDER
SEC"' I011S 19 , 5l , 5 .3 , 54 , AND 55 , OF THE ZOIJING ORDINANCE ,
Mr , Glenn Hubbell appeared informally before the Board since there
Tom of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals - 4 - February 23 , 1976
was no quorum present .
Mr . Hubbell stated that Eddy Hill , Inc . owns this property . They
wish to sell a portion of the original farm to him . Ile noted that this
parcel was an integral part of the poultry operation which was across
the road . The set of buildings that he is referring to is set up to
handle baby chicks after they are born . He noted that the gas meter
was taken out two years ago , fie said that the NO'S Gas and Electric
will not hook this . building back up without a ruling from the Public
Service Commission ; He commented that the hatchery being extinct makes
the buildings extinct also . The equipment has not been used for a
number of years . liro Hubbell contended that the buildings are not
feasible to be used for other than poultry buildings unless they were
converted and it would be very costly to convert , Tae noted another
alternative which would be hog raising which would be much more detri -
mental to the neighborhood . r1r . Hubbell stater that he believed that
he could provide that use which would be in the best interests of the
Town , lie said he would propose to mzake the house his residence - he has
a wife and six children . He said that he has a background in and interni
est in antiques and w,. od repairing . He said that these buildings would
meet his needs for an antique and secondhand business . He said that he
is a landlord in the City and has property in the City , it is neces -
sary , therefore , for him to have materials and tools kept in storage .
He said that he could still have a lot of empty buildings left . :3e
stated that lie felt that the best use would be , in view of his living
them , a type of light warehousing - storage -type thing = dead storage
type , possibly a bort from 'November to April , dry goods , campers ,
warehousing of rurr ture - the Landlord ' s Association' is anticipating
buying in hulk , refrigerators , etc ,
tire Francese asked if all . of the storage would he inside . fir .
Hubbell ; aid it would definitely be inside . Mr . Hubbell said that he
would 11. 1°.- e to have a six ab :l. e antique shop operation ,
tire Francese asked if ? Ir . Hubbell planned to employ anyone else in
this operation . y,i. -. . TI.W.) yell Stated that he has six children , the oldest
being 16 andhe has a 14- �•y` ar oldtoo , so he did not anticipate hiring
anybody ,
'i Auston ask.ed if there are tvao floors in the buildings . tire
Hubbell sai& that therea is on. e three - story building and two others
wh ?:ch are one - story , 'ir . Francese asked if T'ir . Hubbell is buying all
of the buildings . tire Hubbell said that he was .
Mr . Austen askedMr . Hubbell if he is planning on doing any remodeld
Ang and if so to what extent . Mr . Hubbell said that he was planning
on some remodelling particularly with concrete floors . He said that
there is basically very little cost involved - mostly personal labor .
He stated that the exterior of the buildings is basically in good
repair - they could stand painting , but they are physically in good
shape . He stated that the four grain bins will come down . Dire Hubbell
said that there are 304 total acres in the former Marshall Farm and
' hat he is pronosing to Purchase 3 to 4 acres .
> r . Francese outlined the proposal being presented b tire Hubbell ,
? Retail operation - buying and selling of antiques . y
> ,
One building for personal residence .
3 . Interior storage of all kinds of materials rented for compensation .
` Town of Ithaca 4"Ooning Board of Anneals - 5 - February 23 , 1976
Mr . Francese asked Mr . Fabbroni if the storage of materials is
permitted . Mr . Fabbroni replied as follows :
1 . The residence is permitted .
2 . The home occupation exceeds the square footage limitation .
3 . The storage is similar in some ways to what is across the road .
He noted that this was a non- conforming use which was abandoned for
over a year . He said that this causes problems .
Mr . Francese asked Mr . Hubbell what these buildings had been
used for over the past year or two . Mr . Hubbell said that they have
been used for 12 chickens and storage .
Mr . Austen asked Mr . Hubbell if he uses this building, for the
retail business how is he going to heat it . kr . Hubbell said that he
had an alternative of LP Gas or an electric heater . He stated that he
has put his name on the waiting list for natural gas . He said that
the house is heated by fuel oil .
There was no further discussion of the matter ,
ADJOURNdMIENT
The Board of Appeals will hold Public Hearings on these two
matters , duly advertised , at a date yet to be chosen .
This inforr;kal :.meeting of the Zoning Board of nppeals was adjourned
r.
r
Respectfully submitted ,
Clancy M . Fuller , Secretary .
PL. G. z. ^ 11 .. F rl',...Li ems'. . *
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