Planning Board
Town of Varick New York
Minutes March 28, 2024 (Draft)
The Varick Planning Board held a regular meeting at the Varick Town Hall March 28, 2024 at 7:00 pm.
Present: Linda Mastellar– Chair, Cindy Lont, Ann Kaminski, Seth Brandow, Thomas Bjorkman, Jeff Vest, Tim Dorn – CEO
Absent: Lauren Burling?
Guest(s): Derek Valgora, Jason McCormick, Bob Steele, Peter Scott, Ann Sweet
Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm.
Public Comment– None
Minutes Review:
February 2024 minutes: Motion to accept minutes with amendments and corrections.
1st – S. Brandow, 2nd – T. Bjorkman Opposed – 0, Approved
Welcome Jeff Vest as a new Planning Board member.
Quorum Verified to proceed with business on agenda.
Code of Ethics in regards to receiving gifts. A code of ethics has been in place for the Town of Varick prohibiting town officers and board members from receiving gifts, confidential information, etc. since 1991. This board will request the Town Board bring it forward and for it to be posted on the website. It currently is only on paper, not in any digital format.
Serfass Subdivision Action The August Planning Board minutes were lost during the change of staff. These missing minutes included the approval resolution of the Serfass Subdivision Resolution. The following action takes care of the missing information for the files. Review of the Environmental Assessment short form, maps and other accompanying documents.
Serfass Subdivision Resolution
This resolution memorializes the Varick Planning Board’s approval on August 28, 2023 of the lot line move among parcels 01-04-19, 01-04-16 and 01-04-24.1 in lieu of recorded minutes from that planning-board meeting.
All members of the Town Planning Board voting on this action are familiar with the application and relevant documents.
The Varick Planning Board issued Final Approval of the Serfass subdivision. This action is a lot line move from lot 01-04-19 of Todd and Kathy Serfass at 527 Yale Farm Rd. consisting of 3.88 acres. This action transfers 0.43 ac to parcel 01-04-16 of Willower (currently 50 x175 ft, 0.2 ac) and 2.28 ac to parcel 01-04-24.1 of Lerch (currently 188 ac). The lot parcel will retain 1.17 acres. The approval is conditional on filing a final survey map and on the land being transferred to the adjoining parcels, not creating new parcels.
The Seneca County Planning Board reviewed the application on August 10, 2023, and recommended that the subdivision be approved conditional on the survey map being prepared and reflecting the actual size of the portion of the parcel on the east side of East Lake Road and being retained by the owner/subdivider being in excess of minimum lot size for this district, and that the area of the two areas being divided off be made part of adjacent properties. This resolution incorporates both of those conditions.
The Varick Planning board held a Public Hearing on August 28, 2023. There were no comments.
The applicant supplied an Agricultural Data Statement. The board finds that there will be no impact on adjoining agricultural uses because the agricultural land will be transferred to an active agricultural operation.
The board received the Short Environmental Assessment Form and declared itself the lead agency for State Environmental Quality Review. Upon review of the EAF, the board found no impact because the action will lead to no change in land use, nor creates a condition that would encourage one. The board makes a negative declaration of environmental impact.
The applicant provided a final map reflecting the required conditions, which was signed by Chair Mastellar on August 28, 2023.
The lot line move does not appear in the Seneca County tax records as of March 28, 2024.
Motion brought forward by T. Bjorkman, 2nd – A. Kaminski, Opposed – 0, Approved.
Public Hearing opened 7:15pm for the application from Derek & Elizabeth Valgora for an Owner Supervised Short Term Rental. There is a change from 5 parking spaces to 4. Ann Scott, neighbor across the street, voices approval. The owners plan to rent to couples, no kids or large groups will be allowed.
Motion to close the public hearing made by S. Brandow, 2nd – C. Lont, Opposed – 0, Approved
Motion to approve the application for STR by C. Lont, 2nd – A. Kaminski, Opposed-0, Approved
The Permit will be processed and sent. The applicant is allowed to advertise/rent prior to recieving the permit.
Article V – Nonconforming Uses S. Ottenweller, chair of the ZBA, requests that Article V be reviewed and possibly re-worded for better clarity. Discussion of the Article sections and their meanings followed– non-conforming continuous use is permitted, but cannot be restarted after it has been stopped for a certain amount of time, a non-conforming structure cannot be rebuilt if it is over 50% destroyed unless it conforms to Code, etc.
Related discussion of Violations – how to issue tickets & fines and enforce them. The Town Board needs to address this process. Also, a concern of how to determine ‘actual abandonment’ of a property/structure.
This subject will be looked at again in future meeting(s) and include a FAQ’s list on this subject on the website.
Solar Farm – an applicant requested time to discuss a draft proposal for a Solar Farm on White Road and Rte 96 and receive feedback before bringing a formal proposal in the future but was a no show.
Peacock Villa Inc. Subdivision – Jason McCormick submitted a Sketch Plan for a subdivision called Peacock Village on behalf of owner Mark Lin. The Board classified the proposed subdivision as a Major Subdivision. The board had no recommendations regarding further information required for the next submission.
This Sketch Plan uses existing structures & features with lot sizes of approx. 1.25-2 acres, each privately owned, with a HOA to maintain the ‘community spaces’. Approx. ½ of the proposed lots are tagged for investors. No commercial uses are allowed as the access drive is in the Lakeshore Residential district.
Website update – FAQs List All members are asked to bring ideas to the next meeting of items to include.
Town of Varick emails for board members will be set up following this meeting by T. Bjorkman. Others can be set up as needed.
Town Board meeting: C. Lont and J. Vest both attended the meeting. J. Vest was accepted as a new member on the Planning Board. Town Highway Dept. will sell off excess equipment. The Water Dept. needs some equipment to deal with leaks.
Next meeting is scheduled for April 25, 2024.
Motion by T. Bjorkman to adjourn at 9:12 pm, 2nd by A. Kaminski, Opposed-0, Accepted
Respectfully submitted.
Carol J. Millis, Secretary