HomeMy WebLinkAbout1968-12-09R Dt - f J NEW YORK
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IN THE HEART OF FINGER LAKES REGION
MEMORANDUM T0:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Planning Board
Town Board
Peter A. Curtiss
"Dog House a Go Go";
Zoning Progress Report
December 9, 1968
a
We accomplished quite a bit at the special meeting last Thursday, December
5. (There will not be a TB meeting in December.) The first order of business
was to do what we could with the proposed "Dog House a Go Co" on part of the
Star Scientific Supply property on Hanshaw Road. I talked at length with Mrs.
Creasy, the spokesman for residents in that area, and at my suggestion she sent
us a formal request for something in writing to back up their pitch to the
. Alcohol and Beverage Control Board in Buffalo, in an attempt to prevent the
issuance of a license. (They are obtaining letters from other groups, too, in-
cluding Cornell.) They ended up sending us a petition as well, idenLical to the
one that will go to Buffalo. We discussed the matter and were able to come up
with some good ammunition that may be helpful. A copy of the letter I wrote to
her is attached for your information. Frankly, I don't think there is much else
the Planning Board can do directly, nor the Town Board, but maybe there is - -
let us know, Helen! In any case, I know Mrs. Creasy is very pleased with the
letter. There is the chance that this business of the Go Go is a bluff or joke
by Ed Locke, but after talking with him Mrs. Creasy doesn't think so. If it is,
I think he's playing with fire and will regret it. I do not feel like calling
Ed Locke and discussing it with him; right now it is probably best to sit tight.
Let me know if you hear any information.
J. Winthrop "Wink" Brown had stopped in my office with tire. sketch plan of
a major subdivision - - an extension of his other one on Ellis Hollow Creek Road.
He will leave for Florida soon and said there is no rush on this, so we tabled
it until the January 16 meeting.
Next we continued on the zoning ordinance. I had sent a note to Mrs. Sienko
in Ellis Hollow with a copy of our original and inadequate sign regulation section
asking her and her cohorts for any constructive suggestions they could give us on
this particularly difficult and time consuming section. They did struggle with it,
ended up turning it over to Pete Levatich who did put something together, and they
got it back to us (very quickly) by the Thursday meeting. In the meantime I had
written the New York State Natural Beauty Commission after seeing an article in a
newsletter and obtained (very promptly) an excellent booklet on "Sample Provisions
for a Local Law to Regulate Signs." Rather than taking.the remainder of the evening
to evaluate these two new documents, we went ahead and finished the special
regulations and miscellaneous sections of the ordinance; also went back and per-
fected that most important first section on ''Purpose."
MEMORANDUM TO: Planning Board
Town Board
December 9, 1968
Page 2 -
We
during
are at last
the holidays
set to at least start retyping the major portion.
the sign regulations can somehow be resolved
Hopefully
so as to be
incorporated
before
gether
before
the Town Board
and with Mrs.
the first
hearing.
Sienko to
public hearing;
In any case,
get the final
if not, we will add
Ginna Hardesty and I
typing underway.
it after but
will work to-
The minutes to the September and October meetings are enclosed.
It has
been
quite
a year
- - progress on
the
zoning ordinance
revision has
been agonizingly
slow,
but we
are about there
at
last and with luck
an ordinance
should be in
effect by
spring.
Thank you all
for
your work and /or
patience.
A very Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your family!
PAC:jb
CC: H. Amdur
ttt
91 �U
IN THE HEART OF FINGER LAKES REGION
December 9, 1968
Mrs. L. L. Creasy
540 Lower Creek Road
Ithaca, New York 14850
Dear Mrs. Creasy (Spokesman for the Town of
Dryden. Residents in the
Hanshaw Road -Lower Creek Road
Area SW of Route 13):
The Planning Board has read your letter of December 4 with interest and concern.
Specifically, it is our understanding you are all disturbed over the proposed
location of a dance hall (which supposedly would serve alcoholic beverages) to
be located on Hanshaw Road between the SPCA and the residence of Mrs. VanMarter.
The intent of such a location has been expressed by a "future location" sign on
the site, and confirmed by your discussions with Mr. Edward Locke, owner of
Star Scientific Supply which also plans to locate on that site.
While we do not agree completely with all the points brought forth in your letter,
we do agree that the location of a dance hall in that specific location is in-
appropriate and would be a detriment to the existing character and quality of the
area.
While we realize full well that zoning in th
the proximity of such an ordinance cannot he
a situation that appears to be "getting in u
zoning restrictions for that area. While th
(with and without permit) certain uses other
good reason to believe that a Zoning Board o
in that location.
Town of Dryden is not yet in effect,
p but influence our attitude toward
der the wire" in defiance of the
zoning for that area does allow
than just residential, there is
Appeals would not allow such a use
There are two major problems (in addition to those problems you mentioned in your
letter) that such a use in that location would raise. One is sewage disposal;
the high density use with a business such as a dance hall would cause serious
problems in a location that is exceptionally swampy and poorly drained. The
Tompkins County Health Department would require a good (and undoubtedly quite
expensive) sewage handling capacity. Although there is the possibility of sewage
extension to this area some day, there are no current plans for such extension.
The most important consideration, however, and the one which we feel should most
significantly affect any action or decision regarding the location of a dance
hall in that area, is the special
regulation
in our proposed
zoning
ordiance
which
states "no place of public
assembly....shall
be allowed
in the
Airport
Hazard
Area." That section of Hanshaw
Road
is in the Airport
Hazard
Area and
would
fall under this provision.
The intent
of this regulation
(and
designated
area)
is quite obvious. Not only
a zoning ordiance,
but all
governmental
agencies
or bodies (including the
Dryden Town
Board and the Town
of
Dryden
Planning Board) must assume some measure of responsibility (written or unwritten)
r,
To: Mrs. L. L. Creasy
December 9,
Page 2
M
for the protection and safety of the public within their areas of jurisdiction.
As 1. mentioned to you by phone, the Planning Board informally concurred in the
proposed location of Star Scientific Supply (only), as proposed by the Locke
brothers several months ago. However, we felt that the wording of the zone
regulations could not be changed to include that specific use as one allowed
without a permit, and of course we could give no "guarantee" that once he had
located there (before zoning) that any further expansion would be approved by
the Zoning Board of Appeals, although due to the special circumstances involved
with that location there seemed little doubt of such approval. Our position on
this matter was clearly stated to Mr. Locke in two letters. We are surprised
and disappointed that Mr. Locke seems to have taken such a strange position in
this matter, and changed what was an "acceptable" plan to one which is not only
unacceptable in terms of zoning and the public welfare, but of obvious distaste
to local residents.
I hope that I have made the Planning Board's
are free to use this letter for whatever pur
prevent the location of a dance hall in that
may be taken by other individuals or groups,
on this at the present time.
position on this matter clear. ou
pose you wish in your efforts to
area. Separate preventative action
but I cannot speak authoritatively
Good luck and please feel free to call on me or the Planning Board if we can be
of further service to you. As you know, our immediate and most pressing goal
is the final preparation of the zoning ordinance for the first public. hearing.
PAC:jb
CC: G. A. Lee
H. Amdur
Town Board
Planning Board
Sincerely yours,
Peter A. Curtiss, Chairman
Planning Board
.<
�: �R. i_
i
Peter A. Curtiss, Chairman
Planning Board
December. 12, 1968
M&* Ben she66y
34 Tu)tkey YOUZ Road
Ithaca, New Vonfi
Dear. Dn. She66y
At a ne-gutatty' acheduted Meeting o6 the Town Boa&d head December
10, 1968 at' the Va' &na Community Ce.n.te)t Vanna, New Yo&k you
werce ne- appo.inted to .6eave as a membe& o6 the Ptann.ing Board
6on4a' 41even- yeak..tekm.
Ma&tene W. Lush, Town: CZe&k
cc - Perm CuittAi4h