July 2007 Agenda

Varick Planning Board
Agenda
July 26, 2007

Approve minutes
June 28, 2007

Committee reports: None
Information items: None
Discussion items: None

New Business

• Ordinance regarding dangerous dogs

Old business:

• Zoning Code
  
  • Definition and regulation of “Camp;” a structure less than a dwelling but more than a shed. Not an accessory structure if the lot has no main structure.
  • Permit requirement for 120+ days travel trailer on others’ property
  • Flood zone: Change datum and minimum height?

New subdivision proposals: None

Set next meeting time: Currently scheduled for August 23, 2007 7:00 pm

Adjourn

June 2007 Minutes

Varick Planning Board
Minutes
June 28, 2007

The Varick Planning Board met June 28, 2007 at 7 PM at the Varick Firehouse. In attendance were Thomas Bjorkman, Larry Peterson, Kevin Swartley, Annie Bachman, Bob Kayser, and Bill Larzelere. Absent was Frankie Long.

Two minor changes were made to the minutes from May 24, 2007 and they were approved.

There is a grant possibility for Farmland Protection. Harriet Haynes is aware of it and the county and other towns may also apply for this grant as well as the Ag Enhancement Board of which Kevin Swartley is a member. Anne Bachman made a motion that we notify the county we are interested in this grant. Kevin Swartley seconded the motion and it was carried.

Bill Larzelere gave us a presentation on the definition of a Laboratory/R&D facility. It was modified as follows: A place where scientific research and development is conducted and analysis performed. Most laboratories are characterized by controlled conditions (temperature, humidity, cleanliness). Procedures often include sampling, pre-treatment and treatment, measurement, calculation, and presentation of results. Some examples of technologies studied and industries served would be pharmaceutical, electronics, life sciences, materials, nanotechnology, biotechnology, petroleum, chemical, food and agricultural, manufacturing, methods and support for many other industries.

Bob Kayser made a motion to accept this definition. Annie Bachman seconded the motion and it was carried.

Annie Bachman gave a report on vehicle sales and service. Vehicle service: An establishment that, for compensation, is wholly or partially engaged in the business of repairing or diagnosing motor vehicle malfunctions or repairing motor vehicle bodies, fenders or other components damage by accident or otherwise. it includes establishments whose activities consist solely of fueling, changing oil, water, batteries or tires, replacing fan belts, air filters or oil filters; and those engaged in the business of repairing road building machines, farm machines, lawn machines, garden machines, and vehicles registered as special purpose vehicles.

Bob Kayser made a motion to approve this definition. Annie Bachman seconded it and it was carried.

Vehicle sales: An establishment regarded as a dealer under section 78.1(a) of New York Motor Vehicle Dealers and Transporters regulation. Selling, or offering for sale, more than five motor vehicles, motorcycles or trailers, other than mobile home trailers, in any calendar year, or who displays or permits the display of three or more motor vehicles, motorcycles or trailer for sale at any one time or within any one calendar month upon premises owned or controlled.
Annie reported that there is much information in the state DMV law that we can just reference rather than rewriting it all ourselves. Kevin Swartley disagreed with the concept of a strict limit on this type of new business coming into Varick.

Bill Larzelere made a motion to approve this sales definition. Bob Kayser seconded it and it was carried with Kevin Swartley opposed.

Larry Peterson reported on the definition of a warehouse: a business whose principal activity is the storage of merchandise or materials for others, and which occupies an total area greater than 1000 square feet. It seems to be the consensus that warehouses will only be allowed in the institutional zone. Kevin Swartley noted that FLTG has now taken over any vacant space in the institutional zone effectively eliminating any new warehouses in Varick. A motion was made by Bob Kayser to accept this definition. Bill Larzelere seconded it and it was carried with Kevin Swartley opposed.

We had an extensive discussion on multi-family dwellings as stand alone units and above retail and commercial space. Dwelling above retail space: must meet the following criteria: the total building must be at least 2000 square feet of usable space. The dwelling area should be no less than 550 square feet. Kitchen facilities must include at least a stove, refrigerator, and sink suitable for dish washing must be present in each dwelling unit.

Bathroom facilities including at least a tub or shower, toilet and lavatory must be present inside each dwelling unit.

Must provide no fewer than 2 off street parking spaces per dwelling unit. It shall not detract from the visual aesthetics of the neighborhood

Dwelling: Any building or structure or part thereof, used and occupied for human habitation, or intended to be so used. The terms dwelling unit, one-family dwelling, two family dwelling, and town house dwelling shall not be deemed to include, motel, hotel, rooming house, bed & breakfast, or other accommodations used for more or less transient occupancy of less than 30 days,

Dwelling, multi-family: One or more dwellings located on a single lot or on contiguous lots with common ownership providing separate dwelling units for 3 or more families including condominiums and cooperative apartment buildings.

Travel trailer. No motor home, camper, or similar travel vehicle shall be parked or located overnight within the town except a) On the property of the owner. If used as a permanent seasonal residence, setback for structures must be met. May not be used as permanent year-round housing. Bob Kayser made motion to approve the first exception for travel trailers. Bill Larzelere seconded it and it was carried.

Mobile Home. All mobile homes shall be on a permanent foundation that goes below frost line, with anchors or tie-downs capable of securing the stability of the mobile home. All mobile homes shall be provided with skirting to screen the space between the mobile home and the ground shall be of a material which shall provide a finished exterior appearance. Mobile homes not on a pad or foundation, or unoccupied for 12 months, must be disposed of off the property.

Bob Kayser made a motion to approve this requirement for mobile homes. Annie Bachman seconded it and it was carried.

Chairman Bjorkman said he thinks we are at the point where we should give our product to Harriet Haynes in the county planning board for her comments. Everyone agreed.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 PM.

Respectfully,

Larry Peterson
Secretary

Approved July 26, 2007

June 2007 Agenda

Varick Planning Board
Agenda
June 28, 2007

Approve minutes
May 24, 2007 5 min

Committee reports: none

Information items: none
Discussion items: none

New Business
Grant possibility for Farmland Protection. 10 min

Old business:
Zoning Code 90 min
Cleaning up definitions, conditional and special uses.

New subdivision proposals: None

Set next meeting time: Currently scheduled for July 26, 2007 7:00 pm

Adjourn

May 2007 Minutes

Town of Varick Planning Board
Minutes
May 24, 2007

The Varick Town Planning Board met May 24, 2007 at 7 PM at the Varick Firehouse. In attendance were Thomas Bjorkman, Larry Peterson, Frankie Long, Annie Bachman, and Bob Kayser. Absent were Kevin Swartley and Bill Larzelere.

Annie Bachman made a motion that the minutes of the April 26, 2007 meeting be approved. Bob Kayser seconded the minutes and it was carried.

Frankie Long gave a report on dog kennels. Noise to neighbors seems to be the biggest concern of the ownership of dogs. Frankie had done research with State Ag & Markets, other government agencies, and with Bruce Johnson. Bruce Johnson lives on the East Lake Road and is probably the only dog breeder in Varick. He raises and sells a small breed of pure bred dogs and has up to six pregnant females at one time. We decided that five or fewer non-commercial dogs can be kept without restriction. Commercial dogs are dogs boarded for others, kept for sale, or kept to produce puppies for sale. Small scale kennels will be six or fewer commercial dogs, or 6 or more non-commercial dogs. For these the condition in all three residential zone will be that the outside runs are more than 100 ft from adjacent dwellings and that the noise should not exceed 55 dB at the property line. Large kennels will be 7 to 20 commercial dogs. This will be permitted in the ARR zone only, with the condition of a 300-foot setback from the outdoor run to adjacent dwellings. We put no limit on the number of dogs under six months old, they do not count towards the totals. We decided to put no restrictions on number of cats.

Annie Bachman led a discussion on the definition of an inn. We decided a bed and breakfast should follow NY state law, and be an owner-occupied single family home with 5 or fewer rooms for rent. A hotel would have more than 12 rooms. An inn would be "in between" with 6 to 12 rooms, and may provide meals. The setback from adjacent properties should be 300 ft in the Lakeshore Zone, 200 ft in the Agricultural Rural Residential Zone, and 15 ft in the Hamlet Zone. They should not generate noise over 55 dB at the property line.

Bill Larzelere had provided information on mobile home conditions. We decided there would be no single-wide mobile homes in the lake zone, and that new mobile homes should be on a permanent foundation that goes below the frost line. Looser rules for one or two mobile homes used as farmworker housing on farms, as recommended by Ag & Markets.

Bob Kayser led a discussion on annoying smells that would bother a neighbor. He did considerable research on this controversial topic. He found that Seneca Falls has some very good local laws in this area. We decided that a separate noise ordinance would be more effective for dealing with specific activities rather than land uses. The standard for smoke is that it not exceed Ringelmann Smoke Chart No 2.

For the next meeting, Annie Bachman will research the definition of vehicle sale and service, Larry Peterson research the definition of a warehouse, Bob Kayser will research multi-family dwellings conditions (C-7 and C-11 in the Use Table) and define General business office, and Bill Larzelere will develop a definition of Laboratory/R&D facility.

The next meeting will be June 28, 2007 at 7 PM at the Varick Fire House.
The meeting was adjourned at 9 PM.

Respectfully,

Larry Peterson
Secretary

Approved June 28, 2007

April 2007 Minutes

Town of Varick Planning Board
Minutes
April 26, 2007

The Varick Town Planning Board met April 26, 2007 at 7 PM at the Varick Firehouse. All seven members of the Planning Board were in attendance.

Frankie Long made a motion that the minutes of the March 22, 2007 be approved. Kevin Swartley seconded the minutes and it was carried.

There was a discussion of public hearings. These hearings are supposed to be for information only and they should not be used as public pressure to influence decisions.

There was a discussion of outdoor wood furnaces and how many municipalities are banning them because of the air pollution that they cause.

Bill Larzelere and Bob Kayser attended an evening training session in Lyons on May 3. They reported that the training was good although rather long. And the pizza was excellent.

There was a discussion on docks and moorings in the lake. The boundary of Varick extends into both Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. In fact, on Seneca Lake, it extends all the way across the lake to the other shore. This was supported by a 1988 letter from NY State. This leads to the need for rules and regulations on this underwater area. The two lake associations for Seneca and Cayuga Lake are taking the lead in this area. There is a desire for all towns and municipalities bordering on the lake to have the same rules and regulations. Bob Kayser made a motion that we pursue adopting a law in coordination with other towns. Kevin Swartley seconded it and it was carried unanimously.

Old Business: We spent quite a bit of time cleaning up the zoning code.

Bill Larzelere is going to look into language for mobile homes to permit their use, but not too junky appearance.

Bob Kayser is going to look into language hamlets and dwellings and noise and objectionable odors.

Frankie Long is going to look into language that will limit the size of kennels in the lakeshore zone in order to permit small-scale home breeding but restrict operations too large for the neighborhood.

There was a discussion of set backs. The consensus was for 15 feet on both sides and back. There apparently is no setback on private roads.

There was a discussion of fences in the institutional zone. It was decided that the requirement for a fence half they height from the property line would apply there just as well as everywhere else.

The meeting was adjourned at 9 PM.

Respectfully,

Larry Peterson
Secretary
Approved May 24, 2007

March 2007 Minutes

Town of Varick Planning Board
Minutes
March 22, 2007
The Varick Town Planning Board met March 22, 2007 at 7 PM at the Varick Firehouse. Attending the meeting were Chairman Thomas Bjorkman, Larry Peterson, Bill Larzelere, Frankie Long, Anne Bachman, and Kevin Swartley. Bob Kayser was absent.

Minutes. Larry Peterson read the minutes from the last meeting. Bill Larzelere made a motion that the minutes be approved as read. Frankie Long seconded the motion and it was carried. (Kevin Swartley arrived at the meeting after the minutes were approved)

Zoning Code. Most of the meeting involved discussing further clarification of the Use Table, especially commercial enterprises and how much detail we should include in there vs. just having a general category.
Junkyards: Leave out since many state laws cover this.
Golf Courses: leave out.
Laundromat: Include in hamlet under the category of personal services.
Laboratory/R& D Facilities: OK in conservation area.
Nursery/Garden shop: allow more outdoor space than other retail sales.
Tavern, Bar, nightclub: ignore.
Multi-family dwellings: two vehicles per family, 200 ft setback, screening by fence or natural vegetation.

Water Grant. Chairman Bjorkman said he has been asked to write a letter of support for a grant that is being requested to supply water to the hamlet of Fayette. The board strongly concurred in Mr. Bjorkman writing such a letter.

Old Business. Empire Biofuels. Thomas Bjorkman discussed the reply we received from IDA on our letter to them regarding our concerns about the Empire Biofuels project. Mr. Bjorkman said he was pleased with their answer and the board concurred.
There was a discussion of the location of the ethanol plant in the town of Romulus rather than the town of Varick. Kevin Swartley, as an employee of Empire Biofuels, said that he had recommended the ethanol plant be located in Romulus rather than Varick because he felt there was less opposition in Romulus than in Varick. Several board members were surprised to hear him make this statement and asked if he was talking about the Varick town board or the planning board. He said both. He said he could sense the same kind of opposition in Varick that there was in Seneca Falls. Since the hour was late, it was decided to discuss this further at the next meeting.

Next meeting. The next planning board meeting is scheduled for April 26th. Kevin Swartely said the next public meeting by Empire Biofuels may be April 25th at the Romulus school auditorium at 6:30 PM. However, this is not yet a firm date and time.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM.
Respectfully,

Larry Peterson
Secretary

March 2007 Agenda

Varick Planning Board
Agenda
March 22, 2007

Approve minutes
February 22, 2007 5 min

Information items:
Training requirement adopted by Town Board 5 min

Old business:
Commercial use. Managing car sales and garage sales that become indefinite businesses.
Use Table. Conditions on uses, additional commercial. 60 min

New Business
Response from SCIDA regarding our letter regarding Empire Biofuels SEQR
Letter of Support for Hamlet of Fayette water grant application

New subdivision proposals: None

Set next meeting time: Currently scheduled for April 26, 2007 7:00 pm