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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BZA-1972-05-01 BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS# CITY OF ITHACA9 CITY HALL, ITHACA, NEW YORK MAY lets 1972 PRESENT: JAMES ROGANs Chairman GREG KASPRZAK C. MURRAY VAN MARTER ANTHONY PET32TI HARRY BORTZ GEORGE HARPER EDISON JONES„ Building Commissioner & Secretary Chairman Rogan opens meetings listing all members present. COMMISSIONER JONES: We had four oases advertised for hearing tonight but because the Planning Board has not been able to consider two cases# we will hear only two tonight, No. 976 and No. 980, THE CHAIR: The first case is No. 976rt the Appeal of Rhomao, Incorporated# for an exoeption to Section 79 Column 4s for sign size in an R-3 district at 210 Center Street. Who is appearing? JAY MoKELLAR: I am appearing for Rhomac Chftdoal, Incorporated by amendment to corporate charter, effective April 28th. I am Jay McKellar from Rhomac on Center Street, Ithaca. We have been here twice before, once for a variance and once for a sign hearing, and I have several things to present. I am a fifty percent (50%) part of Rhomac. In putting the sign up,, unfortunately this was a neglect in our office and we met with Mr. Jones in order to conform to all the Ordinances. We have formally applied for a sign permit; the sign at present is oompletely blocked out. -2- MR, MoKELLAR: Among the factors I wish to present are 1) The Ordinance which allows the right to appeal the existing Ordinance in effect at this time; 2) Most of all, the feelings that our neighbors have towards the sign. As mentioned before in January, this location has been a place of business for seventy years; one of the neighbors can remember this. Harbeck's Paper sign, which they own, has existed for forty-five years. All we want is a change of lettering for the same sign. We sent a letter out as requested; we have an affidavit and most of all, we have a petition. Appellant's Exhibits 1,2,3,4 marked for identification Mr. McKellar reads all Exhibits, 1,2,3,4, marked for identifioation, to the members of the Hoard. MR. MaKELLAR: This represents every neighbor. I would like to add that the Police would like to see this granted. Gentlemen, are there any questions? MR. VAN MARTER: Was this application No. 967? THE CHAIR: Well, it is No. 976 now. MR. VAN MARTER: I object to denying some one for something and let the next one go. This was a variance. THE CHAIR: Is there any one to speak in favor of this? None. Any one opposed? None. EXECUTIVE SESSION, BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, CITY OF ITHACA, MAY 11, 1972 CASE NO, 226: PETITTI: Move that the application for exception to sign size be granted. HARPER: Second. FININGS OF FACT: 1) The neighbors are in favor of this; 2) This sign has existed in this location for a number of years; 3) There was no indication on the application, no evidence presented, that referred to the request for the sign as an exception to the Ordinance. VOTE: Yes - 4 No - 2 -3- THE: CHAIR: We go now to Case No. 980, the Appeal of H&R MuLffler Center for a special permit to erect signs at 217-219 Elmira Road in a: B-4 district,, under Section 7, Column 4, and Section 8, Column 2A. Who is appearing? HAROLD FRIES: gentlemen, we are recently opening a new business, the H&R Muffler Center on the Elmira Road, and we feel that being as there is no other buathess in this com- munity similar, we feel a great necessity for it. Since we opened on March lst the business has gone well but we find that the people can not find us. They call to ask where we are located. We had a sign and put some others up but at the request of Mr. Buda took them down. At this time we have submitted the proper request with pictures of the building and the sign. We have a 6 by 8 foot neon lighted sign where evidently there was a sign similar at one time. We would like to put this beside tbe' road, and put some signs on the building itself, lit by neon lights on a 24-hour basis at night. There would be 208 square feet total signage. We are asking for three signs on the side of the building and three in front. MR. HARPER: How will the one beside the road be? Free standing? A. Yes, erected on a pole 15 feet high, and it will be within the limits. THE CHAIR: Is this where the old Esso sign stood? A. Yes. -4- MR, PETITTI: Is this to be lit all night? A. Yea, for identification purposes. MR. BORTZ: All night long? A. Yes, we feel our interest is to the motoring public. THE CHAIR: You have a photo developing stand in front? A. It is not ours but there is one there. MR. BORTZ: Who awns that? A. I don't know, air. THS CHAIR: How many signs total? A. Eight --- nine maybe. The one sign there now is 3 feet by 18 feet. The other sAall signs on the building will be 4 feet by 4 feet, and there will be seven of those. MR, KASPRZAK: What are the closest residential buildings to this? A. There is a trailer park located in back of the building. Right behind the Dairy Queen would be the closest residential. Everything else is commercial except for where you get over on the old Spencer Road. MR. BORTZ: Only one sign is to be illuminated? A. No, all will be illuminated through our fluorescent lights mounted on the building, which shine to the back of them. There is just one sign there now. MR. VAN MARTER: Could you reduce the number of signs required and still get the message across? Have you planned for that? A. No, the building is built on an angle and it is rather hard to see as you are coning from Ithaca towards Elmira. There are trees and it sets quite far back off the road, The people don't know what we are doing. MR. RASPRZAK: What about the sign standing 15 feet high? Could it be placed in such a way that you could avoid all the other signs? A. Maybe, but this sign is advertising only tires. Q. Couldn't you have one sign advertising both the tires and the mufflers? The Esso Company had only one sign and it was sufficient. A. It would put us to great expense and right now we can't afford it. MR. VAN MAKER: Esso failed. MR. HARPERS How many signs an the building? A. Eight. There is one there now, 3 feet by 16 feet and severs others, 4 feet by 4 feet. THE CHAIR: Is there any one who wishes to speak in favor of this application? ROY RIZZO: There was a question here about signs there before. There were a couple of Esso signs there on both sides of the building. You will notice in thqbl.aok and red blooks on the photo. There is another point of view I think you will agree with me on. We had these signs up and were told to take them down, and after we took them down business tapered off. THE CHAIR: Is there any one here who wishes to speak against this request? None. EXECUTIVE SESSICN, BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, CITY OF ITHACA, MAY 19 1972 CASE, go, 980: BORTZ: Move that the applioation for spsial permit be denied. KASPRZAK: Seoond. Thereafter, motion to deny was withdrawn by Mr. Bortz„ and the Second was not withdrawn by Mr. Kasprsak. FINDINGS OF FACT: 1) There were no complaints from neighbors; 2) There have been no attempts to design a more orderly sign. VOTE: Yes - 2 No - 4