HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-01-17-BZA-FINALTOWN OF ULYSSES
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Approved:
Present: Board Chair Robert Howarth, and members Jonathan Ferrari, Stephen Morreale, Cheryl
Thompson; Town Planner Darby Kiley.
Mr. Ferrari was made a voting member in place of Andrew Hillman, who was absent.
Public in Attendance: Linda Liddle
Call to Order: 7:00 p.m.
Draft language for zoning
Mr. Howarth began by reminding Board members that the BZA in April had put forward three
resolutions – passed unanimously – outlining suggestions to the Town’s Zoning Update Steering
Committee (ZUSC) in regard to ongoing zoning updates. Those resolutions encouraged 2-acre
minimum lot sizes, responsible ag-manure management practices and – most substantively – a
density-based averaging approach where 80 percent of a parcel would be conserved at the time
of first subdivision. While the Town Attorney believed the BZA’s 80/20 conversation-to-
development strategy to be a takings issue, Mr. Howarth challenged her on that. ZUSC
ultimately did not address the BZA’s strategy again, however, ZUSC did propose 15 as the
divisor to determine the number of allowable subdivisions on a given parcel. This strategy comes
very close to the BZA’s original 80/20 approach. To Mr. Howarth, he does not see the point in
putting forward the BZA’s proposal again, but instead would use the evening’s meeting to
discuss collectively what the BZA would like to see in the updated zoning.
The conversation began with CAFOs. Ms. Kiley said CAFOs remained unchanged under the
latest zoning rewrite – they still require a special permit. The only change is the Town will now
receive notification of manure management plans by the producing site. Much of the language in
the updated zoning regarding CAFOs comes from the consultant’s work from the Town of
Catharine.
Ms. Thompson asked about the A1 and R1 zones, which initiated discussion on flag lots and road
frontage, since the primary difference between the two is that A1 requires a minimum 400 feet
while R1 requires a minimum of 250 feet. In its initial resolutions, the BZA recommended 200
feet road-frontage minimums in the ag zone, but Mr. Howarth has since come to doubt whether
that is a good idea or not. Relaxing from 400 to 200 feet allows for more building lots, he said.
Mr. Ferrari noted the Town of Homer requires 400 feet minimum road frontage and prohibits all
flag lots. What is the point of a road frontage requirement if you allow flag lots? He asked. With
flag lots, Mr. Morreale said, we want to encourage clustering; I do not want 200 feet minimums
throughout the landscape. Mr. Howarth noted both the Ag Committee and Planning Board have
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January 17, 2018
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challenged cited statistics about the rate of housing development in the Town; that is debatable.
He said his biggest fear is the Town turning into Lansing, which has experienced considerable
housing development. Ms. Kiley noted an idea floated recently to extend the Town’s
Conservation Zone up to Dubois Road and as far north as Willow Creek Road, since
groundwater accessibility is limited and thus housing development should be limited too.
Mr. Howarth felt ZUSC language should stress the importance of open space, since there are
other values to open land besides just views. Ms. Kiley said the Ag Committee had made the
argument that there needed to be more emphasis on ag land.
The advantages of a smaller road frontage requirement were discussed, but ultimately Board
members favored a 400-foot minimum road frontage requirement.
How many people own farms? How many large landowners would be impacted by the proposed
zoning changes? Mr. Morreale asked, adding he does not want to make ag lands and open space
more amendable to development for the sake of only a few property owners. Mr. Ferrari, too, felt
the larger responsibility is to all Town residents and not just 30 or so people. It is the BZA’s
responsibility to be stewards of the Town for those who come after us.
The BZA then compiled its three points to present before the ZUSC meeting on January 18.
They are:
1. Propose a maximum of 20 percent of total acreage of the parent lot can be used for
residential development. The 20 percent proposal has the same effect as dividing by 15,
but allows more flexibility for the land owner by relieving them of a maximum
residential lot size. This streamlines the proposed language.
2. Leave the minimum lot size at 2 acres.
3. Change the minimum road frontage requirement to 400 feet.
A straw vote was taken on whether these three points should be presented and was passed
unanimously.
The BZA then spent about 45 minutes discussing the Town’s Conservation Zone, the R1 Zone
near the Village of Trumansburg, and the pros and cons of changing the R2 zone in the southeast
corridor to mostly agriculture.
Mr. Howarth repeated both his and Mr. Morreale’s charge to represent the BZA well at the
ZUSC meeting, adding they will stress that open space has other advantages besides aesthetics
and that density should be targeted to specific areas.
Mr. Morreale MADE the MOTION to accept the December 20, 2017 meeting minutes, and Ms.
Thompson SECONDED the MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried.
Mr. Morreale MADE the MOTION to adjourn the meeting, and Mr. Howarth SECONDED the
MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried.
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January 17, 2018
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Meeting adjourned at 9:01 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Louis A. DiPietro II on February 8, 2018.