Varick Planning board minutes
January 27, 2022
Present: Linda Mastellar (chair), April Freier, Cindy Lont, Lauren Burling, Frankie Long, Thomas Björkman (Secty). One vacancy.
Guests: Jason McCormick and Mark Lin; Scott Siganowich of First Light; Jim Foggo.
Minutes for December
Moved by Freier, Second by Burling. Approved 6-0.
Lin project
Mr. Lin and Mr. McCormick were at the Planning Board in November with a proposal. Neither they nor the Planning Board have received a response from Celia Flynn at County Planning who was going to offer the department’s thoughts on site plan review. No further discussion.
First Light project. A company is considering placing an antenna array in the former Scott Siganowich of First Light presented information about a planned antenna array on their campus in the Small Business Park and Institutional District. We determined that it meets the definition of Telecommunications Tower, and will require a Special Use Permit and site plan review. The anticipated height and setbacks are well within the requirements. This special use would require a bond in case of abandonment. The company will submit an application.
Martin Subdivision.
Resolution
The Varick Planning Board accepted a preliminary plat from Jason Martin to divide parcel 15-1-46 into three parts. A house lot of 1.18 ac will have 176 ft of frontage on Rt. 89. A residential lot will be 16.6 acres with abundant frontage on Rt. 89 and Town Line Rd. The farm field parcel will be approximately 85 acres with frontage on S Town Line Rd.
The applicant paid the fee and will provide a SEQR EAF and Agricultural Data Statement tomorrow.
We must notify Romulus because this is within 500 ft of the town line.
We will submit the application to the county planning board, and hold a hearing next month.
Moved by Björkman, Second by Long. Approved 6-0.
Short-term Rental Subcommittee. The subcommittee consists of Cindy Lont, Lauren Burling, Susan Ottenweller and Linda Mastellar. They have done a lot in the last month.
The committee has been looking the codes in Geneva, Fayette, Romulus, Ithaca, Rochester Town (Ulster Co.), Canandaigua. A public hearing was held January 5 that had input from 29 people; they have also received letters and emails.
Want to establish the vision and the goals.
The committee is emphasizing clarity about what problems are to be fixed. They are in two general areas.
Lack of community, such as owner and resident commitment to the future of the Town, but also making housing unaffordable for residents due to conversion of residences to short term rentals.
Nuisances and pollution resulting from overuse or renter behavior.
The committee will present the vision and goals to Town Board for buy-in and feedback. Then they will develop a framework accordingly.
Next steps for committee are to meet the next two Fridays, then present the proposal to the Planning Board at the February meeting. For the next meetings they will take up density of rentals and neighborhood feel. Also the role of long-term rental, which is currently a permitted use unlike short-term rental.
Resident Jim Foggo expressed his concern about subdivisions that make farmland unviable for farming and short-term-rentals that reduce the commitment to the community. In particular the Lin proposal and adjacent development.
Some other issues that came up:
Is there a fire inspection? That would have to be a requirement of the permit.
Communication is often in the code, with both communication with renters, neighbors and owners or managers.
Barking dogs left all day in the rental is a noteworthy nuisance that wasn’t identified before.
Board membership. Hershey Sensenig’s term expired at the end of December, so there is now a vacancy.
Adjournment moved by Burling, second by Lont. Passed 6-0.
Adjourned at 8:47 pm