Preliminary Draft/Unapproved Minutes

 

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HELD AT THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 215 SOUTH WORK STREET, FALCONER, NY 14733 JUNE 24, 2002 AT 7:00 P.M.

 

PRESENT: Chairman Al Suchar, John Leamon, David Remington, Robert Thomas, John Merchant,   

                     Steven Hoglin, Attorney William Wright and Code Enforcement Officer Randy

                     Woodbury

 

ABSENT:  Kevin Saff

 

Chairman Al Suchar called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. Secretary Okerlund called the roll.

 

Chairman Suchar opened the public hearing for Community Eye Care Specialists, 462 Fairmount Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY for a sign set back variance.  They have withdrawn their request for a variance and are complying with the code. 

 

Motion made by Al Suchar to deny the application for a sign variance for Community Eye Care Specialists, 462 Fairmount Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY, seconded by John Merchant.

 

Carried.            Ayes-6                                    Noes-0                                    Absent-1

 

 Chairman Suchar opened the public hearing for Todd and Jennifer Nelson, 72 Robinson Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY.  The Nelsons are asking the Zoning Board of Appeals to table their request for a garage set back variance and special use permit for an apartment above their garage, (which is in a residential zone) until they can seek legal advise.  Randy Woodbury states they are trying to be code compliant.

 

Motion made by Robert Thomas, seconded by John Merchant to table the request for a garage set back variance and special use permit for an apartment above their garage at 72 Robinson Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY for one (1) month.

 

Carried.                 Ayes-6                   Noes-0                   Absent-1

 

Chairman Suchar opened the public hearing for Joseph and Mary Ann Loverme, 26 Dunham Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY .   Mr. & Mrs. Loverme are applying for a variance for a second garage and an area variance for set back within residential limits, rather than neighborhood business limits. 

 

Motion made by Robert Thomas and seconded by John Leamon to approve the application for the second garage of Joseph and Mary Ann Loverme, 26 Dunham Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY.

 

Carried.                      Ayes- 5          Noes-1            (Suchar)                      Absent-1

 

 

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

June 24, 2002

PAGE TWO

 

Motion made by Al Suchar and seconded by John Merchant to reject allowing an area variance for set back of the garage of Joseph and Mary Ann Loverme, 26 Dunham Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY.

 

Denied.                    Ayes-6                             Noes-0                          Absent-1

 

Chairman Al Suchar opened the public hearing for Nicholas Ferreri, (represented by Attorney Gregory Peterson) for Tanglewood Manor and Memory Gardens, 560 Fairmount Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY.  Mr. Ferreri is requesting  two (2) sign variances.

 

The present Tanglewood Manor sign is two (2) square feet larger than the proposed new sign.  The new sign will be thirty (30) square feet and the current sign is thirty-two (32) square feet.  The shape of the sign will remain the same, while the script will change.  Mr. Ferreri was informed that without a variance, he can maintain the existing non compliant Tanglewood Manor sign.

 

The Memory Gardens sign is presently on location on a 90-day temporary permit.  It is in a code compliant position/location.  Mr. Ferreri is requesting a variance from a height of  four (4) feet to seven (7) feet and an area from six (6) square feet to thirty (30) square feet. 

 

Motion made by Robert Thomas and seconded by John Leamon to grant a height and area variance for the Memory Gardens sign and permission to repair/replace the present Tanglewood Manor sign with one of the same or smaller size, at 560 Fairmount Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY.

 

Carried.                      Ayes-4                        Noes-2 ( Suchar & Remmington)              Absent-1

 

Chairman Suchar opened the public hearing for SBA Properties, Inc. and Horizon Personal Communications, Inc., for a use variance to construct a telecommunications tower, antenna array and equipment cabinet on the property owned by Church of the Nazarene, 405 Howard Ave., WE, Jamestown, NY and for an area variance from fencing dimensions. 

 

Cathy Bardenstein, attorney for the SBA Properties, Inc., and Horizon Personal Communication, Inc., requested the application for a use variance to construct a telecommunications tower, antenna and array and equipment cabinet be tabled for one (1) month to allow her to gather the necessary information to make the application for variance.

 

Tom Flowers, 220 Wembly Drive, WE, Jamestown, NY spoke for himself and his neighbors against the tower.  He stated that they had Holt Associates assess the situation and Holt stated that a tower would depreciate their property by 10- 25%.  Wally Huckno also spoke out against the tower being placed on the Howard Ave. location.

 

 

 

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

June 24, 2002

PAGE THREE

 

 

Motion made by Al Suchar and seconded by Steven Hoglin to table the application for construction of a telecommunications tower, antenna array and equipment cabinet for one (1) month. 

 

Carried.                      Ayes-6                                    Noes-0                                    Absent-1

 

Chairman Suchar opened the public hearing for Pat Anderson for application for a variance for a dog grooming, boarding and day care business at 1805 East Elmwood Ave., Falconer, NY. 

 

The area is zoned industrial.  Since there is no break in continuation of similar service, the business is grandfathered for use.  The building has been used for the care of animals for approximately 40 years.  At peak times of service, there will be 15-20 dogs in the facility.  The Humane Society has 42 kennels  there at present.

 

Motion made by Robert Thomas, seconded by John Merchant that states that the dog grooming, boarding and day care business is in compliance with the code and there is no need for a variance.

 

Carried.                      Ayes-6                                    Noes-0                                    Absent-1

 

Chairman Suchar opened the public hearing for New York RSA #3 Cellular, DBA as Verizon Wireless, for a renewal of a special use permit for a wireless tower located in the area of Idlewood and Orchard Road.   They were represented by John Englebert, attorney from the firm of Nixon Peabody, LLP. 

 

The original permit was granted in January of 1991.  There was no cell tower ordinance, at that time, in the Town of Ellicott. 

 

There have been recent complaints of excess water run off from the roadway constructed for the tower, due to poor drainage.  Randy Woodbury suggested an informal resolution of the problem with Verizon, which was agreed upon by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

 

Motion made by Steven Hoglin and seconded by John Merchant to renew the special use permit for  the wireless tower.

 

Carried.                      Ayes-6                                    Noes-0                                    Absent-1

 

Verizon requested that they not be required to have a personal renewal, rather do the renewal by correspondence, unless the Code Enforcement Officer requested their presence.  Atty. Wright stated that a renewal with out Verizon’s presence may possibly put Verizon and the Zoning Board of  Appeals at a disadvantage if the neighbors protest an issue.  The request was informally refused.

 

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

June 24, 2002

PAGE FOUR

 

Verizon also requested that the date of renewal be moved up from April to July, since two months have already passed since the official renewal date.  Randy Woodbury had no objections as the company has acted in good faith.

 

 

Motion made by Steve Hoglin and seconded by Robert Thomas to set the date of the next renewal of the Verizon Communications tower permit from April 2004 to July 01, 2004.

 

Carried.                      Ayes-6                                    Noes-0                                    Absent-1

 

 

Motion made by Steven Hoglin, seconded by Robert Thomas to approve the minutes of the May 29, 2002 meeting.

 

Carried.                    Ayes-6                             Noes-0                      Absent-1

 

Motion made by Al Suchar, seconded by John Merchant to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 P.M.

 

Carried.                    Ayes-6                              Noes-0                      Absent-1

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________

Karyn E. Okerlund, Secretary