Zoning Board of Appeals

City of Cortland – Zoning Board of Appeals Zoning Board of Appeals City of Cortland Regular meeting of January 13, 2020 A regular meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals was held on Monday, January 13, 2020 at 5:30 PM in the Mayor’s Conference Room at City Hall. Present: Commissioners Scott Steve, Thomas Larson, Brett Barnes, Juliene Ray, Abigail Cleary, Maria Manning, Karen Leahy Staff: Secretary Devon Rainbow Item #1 Elect Chair of the ZBA Motion to elect Scott Steve as Chair of the ZBA. Motion: Comm. Manning Second: Comm. Larson Approved: Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Item #2 – Elect Vice Chair of the ZBA Motion to elect Maria Manning as Vice Chair of the ZBA. Motion: Comm. Ray Second: Comm. Leahy Approved: Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Item #3 – Appoint Devon Rainbow as the Secretary for the ZBA Motion to appoint Devon Rainbow as Secretary for the ZBA Motion: Comm. Leahy Second: Comm. Barnes Approved: Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Item #4 – 17-21 Tompkins St. (Hage) – Area Variance (R4)  Side yard setback  Front yard setback Minutes of the January 13, 2020 Meeting 1  City of Cortland – Zoning Board of Appeals  4ft Vegetative strip Scott Steve was recused from the discussion. Don Armstrong with Joe Hage were present. They went to Planning for and were approved for application for consolidation, site plan and special use permits. There were no changes to 17 Tompkins St. Building permits and inspections were done & approved. There are 11 units with 26 bedrooms and want 17 parking spaces. Any extra vehicles need to obtain parking permit. By consolidating allowed it to become more conforming requiring less variances. There is lots of pavement and no green space but there are plans for landscaping. There will be a 2nd drywell added for water runoff. Motion to close public hearing Motion: Comm. Barnes Second: Comm. Larson Approved: Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 The Board reviewed the questions necessary for the deciding of granting or rejecting an area variance. Motion to approve with the condition that there is a 4ft vegetation strip towards the Main St side between the Terwilliger property (132 Main St.) and Zeus property and that the landscaping plan be completed within 12 months of today’s date. Commissioner Cleary stated that she is not happy with the process of “putting the cart before the horse.” Especially when we have professionals doing this kind of work who have been in this town for a long time and should know what the steps should be. We have homeowners coming in trying to do the right thing and it’s not their area of expertise. Yet they are here before they do things, we work with them if they have difficulties and they wait to move on their things until they come here. She doesn’t think it’s fair that there are no consequences for those who move forward with the project before coming to the ZBA and then comes in front of them when the project is completed to get the proper permits. Motion: Comm. Cleary Second: Comm. Barnes Approved: Ayes – 5 Nays – 1 (Comm. Cleary) Exhibit A: Proposed Site Plan S-1.2 Exhibit B: Exhibit B Survey Map File No. AT167 Minutes of the January 13, 2020 Meeting 2  City of Cortland – Zoning Board of Appeals Approval of minutes Motion to approve the minutes as submitted from December 9, 2019. Motion: Comm. Ray Second: Comm. Larson Approved: Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 New/old business: 52 Clayton Ave (Pace) – Interpretation (R1) Motion to Table any further discussions on 52 Clayton until hear back from Corporate Counsel. Motion: Comm. Barnes Second: Comm. Cleary Approved: Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 Adjournment Motion to adjourn. Motion: Comm. Larson Second: Comm. Barnes Approved: Ayes – 6 Nays – 0 I, SCOTT STEVE, CHAIR MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR THE CITY OF CORTLAND, NY, DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT SAID RESOLUTIONS WERE ADOPTED AT A MEETING OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS OF THE CITY OF CORTLAND, HELD ON THE 13TH DAY IN JANUARY IN THE YEAR 2020. SCOTT STEVE, ZBA CHAIR MEMBER Minutes of the January 13, 2020 Meeting 3