The Varick Town Planning Board met November 16, 2006 at 7 PM at the Varick Firehouse. Attending the meeting were Chairman Thomas Bjorkman, Larry Peterson, Kevin Swartley, Bob Kayser, and Anne Bachman. Absent were Frankie Long and the new grandfather Bill Larzelere. Also attending the meeting were two members of the community; Linda Mastellar and Sally Swartley.

Commercial Zoning Permit application. Angel Landis has applied to start a business on the farm owned by her husband and herself at 5083 Rt 414, Romulus, NY. The business would be a store selling books, crafts, and probably some Amish food. It would be located in a new building no larger than 24ft X 32ft. Code Enforcement Office Dick Foxx had asked Angel to come before the planning board for our approval of the permit. The business does not yet have a name and Angel is aiming for an opening next spring. Bob Kayser moved that we recommend that the Code Enforcement Officer approve the application. Kevin Swartley seconded it and it was carried unanimously.

Minutes. Kevin Swartley made a motion that the minutes of the October 26, 2006 planning board meeting be approved. Anne Bachman seconded it and it was carried unanimously.

Kevin Swartley asked for information about an Open Space grant proposal to be submitted to the Restore New York program by the towns of Fayette, Varick, and Romulus. Kevin said the Town of Romulus will asked to be removed from the proposal. Thomas Bjorkman said he was not aware that Romulus felt that way, having met with their planning board to invite them to join the proposal. The grant was written by Peter Brown who is the grant writer for Seneca County. Chairman Bjorkman indicated that and Open Space Plan is called for in our Comprehensive Plan and he took the initiative to apply for a grant to prepare such a plan when the opportunity was announce earlier this month. Kevin was concerned that this application had not been approved in advance by the Varick planning board.

Bob Kayser felt we should allow Chairman Bjorkman to take the initiative on such a topic as this without planning board approval as long as he keeps us informed of what he is doing by email or a phone call. Kevin Swartley asked to be on the board for an Open Space Plan if it comes about. Thomas Bjorkman said Kevin would be a good member that board if he represented the Agricultural Enhancement Board’s to identify agricultural land that should be highest priority for protection, but the final board selection would be up to the town boards involved.

Zoning. Thomas Bjorkman presented a Use Table and we went over a number of items related to the Lakeshore Residential Zone, which had not yet been addressed. The board members were asked to consider uses in the Agricultural and Rural Residential Zone for the next meeting.

Next Meeting. It was decided to cancel our December meeting. Our next meeting will be January 25, 2007.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.

Respecfully,

Larry Peterson

Acting Secretary

Approved January 25, 2007