MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT PLANNING BOARD HELD AT THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 215 SOUTH WORK ST., FALCONER, NY ON OCTOBER 08, 2003 AT 7:00 P.M.

 

PRESENT:  Acting Chairman Gary Swanson, Bob Pickett, Mike Mogenhan, Ron Calanni  

                  Attorney William Wright and Code Enforcement Officer Randy Woodbury.

ABSENT:    Dan Evans, Becky Holmstrom and Dave Carlberg

 

Acting Chairman Gary Swanson called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.

 

Motion made by Mike Mogenhan, seconded by Bob Pickett to approve the minutes of the August 13, 2003 meeting.

 

Carried.                Ayes-4                        Noes-0                   Absent-3

 

Charles Hall, Attorney for Jamestown Pediatrics, and Rex Tolman, Engineer for the project presented plans to install an asphalt parking lot behind 816 Fairmount Ave. on a paper street known as First St. from Allegheny Ave. to Dunham Ave.

 

Attorney Hall told the Board that the County Planning Board had no objections to the project.  They understand they have to apply to the Zoning Board for a variance for a setback. Mr. Hall told the Board members that the Town Board has granted an easement to the Doctors for this project.

 

Mr. Tolman said the property is wooded and they would not have to bring in much fill because they would use the natural slope.  They will be meeting the existing asphalt. The dimensions of the paving will be 42’ x 160’. 

 

Attorney Wright asked about the east boundary of the parking lot and if it would need an area variance.  Mr. Tolman stated they were approximately 40 feet from property line.

 

Mr. Steven Wasniack, representing Sacred Heart Church, told the Board members the church has property that borders First Street and this would eliminate any future planning they might have and this would impede on the access to their property. 

 

Michael and Sharon Giambelluca, 30 N. Alleghany Ave., W.E., Jamestown, NY, told the Board the way they found out about this project was through a letter thanking them for giving 30 feet of their property for the buffer zone.  They had no knowledge of it and they contacted the lawyer. He told them Mr. Rauh had contacted them.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Giambelluca stated they had not agreed to anything and not talked to Mr. Rauh or the Doctors before this letter. They had talked previously.  Mrs. Giambelluca said they were cutting trees on the Town property without a permit.  They contacted the Town and the Doctors and it was stopped.  Mr. Giambelluca had concerns about the water run-off that he feels will go right on to his property. He does not feel the pipe can handle the water.

 

PLANNING BOARD

OCTOBER 8, 2003

PAGE TWO

 

Attorney Wright stated that a contour map is required for site plan because they cannot look at these plans and see how the water flows.  He asked Mr. Tolman to explain how the parking lot is slanted so the water does not go unto the Giambelluca property. 

 

Mr. Tolman explained the drainage. The catch basin is in the middle of parking lot and they have detention storage that will cut off all water going unto the neighbor’s property.  He had an engineering report that states they are reducing the run off. Mr. Tolman said the water run off goes unto Town property. Attorney Wright asked if Mr. Shellhouse had seen the report. Mr. Tolman said he did not know. 

 

Mrs. Giambelluca said the run off from the Town property goes right unto their property and washes over their driveway.  They have called the Town but have had to repair their own driveway and have cleaned out the ditch. They are willing to work with the Doctors but if they plan to clear trees and put up a fence they will have water problems.  Mr. Tolman told the Giambelluca they would have significantly less water than they have now. Mr. Tolman stated they could not have done a more comprehensive job of controlling the run off on this site. A copy of the storm water management report had been provided to the Town in June 2002. 

 

Marilyn Wasneack, representing Sacred Heart Church stated the neighbor on Dunham has already gone into the paper street with the paving. They were concerned with having the Church property landlocked. She would like to see the paper street opened up.

 

Attorney Wright stated that he had read the easement and it is specifically revocable if the Town would want to open the paper street. Mr. Hall agreed and stated the Doctors were paying $1,000 for the privilege of using First Street.

 

Mr. Woodbury stated real property often has a consideration from the grantor to the grantee and it is standard procedure in many places where commercial easements from the Town pay some consideration. He does not feel $1,000 is unreasonable.

 

Mr. Swanson told them they would have to go to the Town Board concerning the easement or to open the paper street.  The Board would like the Highway Superintendent to approve the drainage. Mr. Woodbury said he thought Mr. Shellhouse would have had been at the public hearing for the easement and would have known about this project.

 

Mr. Wasneack asked why the neighbors were not notified on the public hearing for the easement.

Attorney Wright told them the Town Board does not notify the neighbors but publishes notice in the paper. They would have to contact the Town Clerk concerning the notice.

 

Mrs. Giambelluca asked if there was something they could do if the water does go unto their

 

PLANNING BOARD

OCTOBER 8, 2003

PAGE THREE

property. Mr. Tolman explained the drainage again. The Giambellucas were told to notify the Town is they have any water problems.

 

Mr. Wasneack asked how many parking spaces they will add.  Mr. Tolman said they would add approximately 30 spaces.

 

Mr. Swanson stated the Board couldn’t make any decision at this meeting because they need the County Planning comments. Attorney Wright explained that the applicant has to appear before the Zoning Board for an area variance for the setbacks.  The neighbors will be notified of the meeting.

 

The Planning Board continued with the site plan checklist noting:

1)      The east properties need to be shown on the plans  so the Planning Board can determine they do not need an area variance.

2)      Contours need to be shown on plans.

3)      The Board wants the Highway Superintendent to review the drainage.

4)      Traffic flows and parking need to be shown on plans.

5)      All buffer areas need to be shown on the plans

6)      Lighting would need to be shown on the plans if they are adding any lights.

Mrs. Giambelluca asked if there was some way to slow down the traffic coming out unto Alleghany Ave. Mr. Woodbury said they could look into a private STOP sign.  They are not enforceable but they may slow the traffic down.

 

Mr. Swanson suggested the Giambellucas get in contact with the Highway Superintendent and they could resolve some if their issues.

 

Attorney Wright asked about moving the Planning Board meeting to one week earlier.  This will allow Jamestown Pediatrics to go to the Zoning Board and return to the Planning Board in the same week. The Board decided to move the meeting to November 5, 2003.

 

Randy Woodbury asked Mr. Ron Johnson of Forecon LLC to present a sketch plan for a storage building at 1890 E. Main St., Falconer, NY. Mr. Woodbury asked the Board members to determine if Mr. Johnson needed a full site plan review.

 

Mr. Ron Johnson explained the plans to the Board members.  He said they are proposing to build a 32’ x 42’ storage building.  He said the site is flat and there is a slight drainage for the driveway to let the water flow to a catch basin and not unto the neighbors property. Forecon required a setback variance from the Zoning Board and neighbors had come to that meeting but were not at this meeting. Mr. Johnson had talked to them and they were satisfied with the project.

 

Mr. Woodbury said there was no exception listed in section 121-5 of the code.  Attorney Wright said he agreed with Mr. Woodbury and did not see any exception in the code. The Planning Board

 

PLANNING BOARD

OCTOBER 8, 2003

PAGE FOUR

 

does have the authority under section 121-10 of the code to determine that the full site plan is not necessary. The Board determined this did not require site plan review. Mr. Woodbury said he would like this subject to the condition that if something arises he would issue a stop work order and ask Mr. Johnson to come into the Planning Board.

 

Motion made by Mike Mogenhan, seconded by Ron Calanni that this project be exempt from the site plan review under section 121-11 provided that if the Code Enforcement Office sees something he feels needs to come before the Planning Board he can bring them back in.

Carried.                    Ayes-4                       Noes-0                      Absent-3

 

Mr. Johnson needs to come back in on October 27, 2003 for the Zoning Board.  They are waiting for County Planning comments.  Mr. Woodbury authorized Mr. Johnson to do site work.

 

Mr. Woodbury asked Rose Wightman, Executive Administrator for the Industrial Development Agency to present a sketch plan for a project in Mason Industrial Park. Ms. Wightman introduced Karen Bishop and Ray Heelan from Alleghany Coupling Co. She told the Board Allegheny Coupling Company is considering putting up a new facility in the Mason Industrial Park across from Serta. They are looking at purchasing a 3.2 A parcel and have been working with Krog Company as their building developer.  John Schleyer from the Krog Co. presented preliminary plans.

 

Ms. Wightman stated the reason they are here for sketch plan conference is because if they decide go ahead the project they would like to start the first week in November. The County Planning has agreed to work with the Planning Board to expedite this project.

 

Mr. Schleyer told the Board members that they are looking to build an 18,000 SF facility on Peck-Settlement Road and Industrie Drive. There will be two loading docks on the southwest and the north.  The access will be a private drive off Peck Settlement Road  and the other access will be off Industrie Drive. There will be a small office on the interior of the building. 

 

Gary Swanson asked what Allegheny Coupling does.  Mr. Heelan said they manufacture hardware for trucks.

 

Attorney Wright asked about the setbacks.  They are required to have 50 feet.  Mr. Schleyer said they have that now but would possibly want to put in additional parking in the future. 

 

Attorney Wright asked Mr. Schleyer to give a general water flow and how they will change that. Ms. Wightman said she could explain.  The county intended that all the water detention to go into the system designed for the Industrial Park because they have the capacity to hold the run-off for all 

 

PLANNING BOARD

OCTOBER 8, 2003

PAGE FIVE

 

the properties in the Industrial Park. Attorney Wright asked if the County did a full environmental study.  Ms. Wightman stated the County did a GEIS.  The Planning Board must determine this project is not outside the anticipated values in the GEIS.  Mr. Wright asked if she could present this in some easier form. Ms. Wightman will present the findings. Attorney Wright would like the initial assumptions as they were established and demonstration that this project falls into all of those assumptions.

 

Mr. Woodbury told the applicant to get the application in for the next meeting on November 5, 2003.

 

The Board had a brief discussion on the County Planning.  Ms. Wightman said that County Planning is looking for some way to determine there is some category of projects that does not need County review.  The Board would like to see some changes. Mr. Woodbury told the Board that there is a provision in the law to exempt a lot of things.  The County is reluctant to do that.

 

 

Motion made by Ron Calanni, seconded by Bob Pickett to adjourn the meeting at 8:18 PM.

 

Carried.                      Ayes-4                         Noes-0                  Absent-3

 

 

 

_________________________________

Valerie Pierce, Secretary