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