HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-02-02-SteeringCommittee-FINALTOWN OF ULYSSES
STEERING COMMITTEE FOR ZONING UPDATES
MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, 02/02/2017
Approved: March 2, 2017
Call to Order: 7:00 p.m.
Present: Chair Liz Thomas and Committee members Michael Boggs, Rod Hawkes, Darby
Kiley, Sue Ritter, and George Tselekis; CJ Randall of Randall + West.
Public in Attendance: Roxanne Marino of the Sustainability Advisory Council and Benjamin
LeWalter of the Town Planning Board.
Agenda Review and Minutes Review (1/5/2017)
Mr. Tselekis MADE the MOTION to accept the January 5, 2017 meeting minutes, and Ms. Kiley
SECONDED the MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried, 5-0.
Jacksonville Open House Debrief
Ms. Kiley reported she met with members of the Jacksonville community yesterday. Some of
their zoning comments included suggestions for design standards like no vinyl siding.
Additionally, there were a few property owners in the R1 or Al districts, adjacent to the
municipal water line, who requested smaller lot sizes. Mr. Tselekis said blight and housing
affordability were some of the concerns voiced during the open house. Highlighting some of the
comments she took, Ms. Thomas said an equal number of community members have called for
both affordable housing and no low-income housing. She advised perhaps reminding community
members of basic laws regarding housing discrimination and code enforcement.
Mr. Boggs arrived at 7:08 p.m.
Ms. Thomas said she was surprised to hear so many positive responses to design guidelines,
considering they can be controversial.
Ms. Ritter asked about the Jacksonville park and wondered if the Jacksonville residents
expressed concerns about its isolated location. Asked about the ongoing Town negotiations with
Exxon Mobil, Ms. Thomas said negotiations continue and progress is being made. She also noted
recent successes involving code enforcement of dilapidated properties in Jacksonville.
Referencing the zoning document, Ms. Randall said both she and David West feel it is time to
proceed with the Hamlet zoning draft and bring Noah Demarest in to work on the framework for
design guidelines.
Rural/Ag Zoning — draft memo and revised language
Zoning update steering committee 1 2
February 2, 2017
Committee members spent considerable time finalizing each section of the zoning draft memo,
which the Town Attorney had recently reviewed and revised in areas. Numerous wording
changes were offered and supported for definitions like "Agriculture Building", "Agricultural
Commerce" and "Farm Operation", which replaced the previous entries for both "Agriculture"
and "Farm". Committee Members also reached a consensus to refer to the combined rural and
agricultural district as the "Ag/Rural Zone".
Much discussion concerned the Permitted Accessory Uses section and a clause that allowed for
additions of no greater than 50 percent on existing ag-commerce buildings. Ms. Thomas felt 50
percent was a sizable increase in a building's footprint, especially if considering an addition to a
large barn. Committee members deliberated whether to change the 50 percent threshold to an
actual square footage limit, like 5,000 or 3,000 square feet. Ultimately, the Committee removed
the entire reference to the 50 percent threshold, making all proposals for new buildings or
additions subject to site plan review.
Additional wording changes were made to Section 212-29.1 "Limitations on subdivisions of
parent tracts."
Committee members were in agreement that a Town zoning map would be included with the
draft zoning document when it is released to participating stakeholder groups next week.
Additionally, the Committee reached a consensus on the supplemental memo, as written, to
accompany both the draft and zoning map.
Timeline was discussed. It was decided comments on the draft Ag zoning document would be
due back from participating stakeholder groups by May 4, with the Committee's May 18 meeting
dedicated to reviewing those comments. In regard to the Jacksonville zoning document, the
Committee and Ms. Randall discussed a reasonable timetable for reviewing a draft, with both
parties expecting to have an initial draft by the Committee's next meeting on March 2. Though,
Ms. Randall expressed some initial concern that a few weeks may not be enough time to pull all
facets of the zoning rewrite together. Mr. Tselekis said he was asked to draw up a business
district plan for the south end of Town. The Committee agreed to review it at its March 2
meeting.
Ms. Ritter MADE the MOTION to adjourn the meeting, and Mr. Hawkes SECONDED the
MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Louis A. DiPietro II on February 7, 2017.