1997-07-30 SP
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FILE
QUEENS BURY ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
SPECIAL MEETING
JULY 30, 1997
INDEX
Use Variance No. 18-1997
Tax Map No. 134-6-1
134-6-2
134-6-13
134-6-14
134-6-15
Ben Aronson
1.
Area Variance No. 19-1997
Tax Map No. 134-6-1
134-6-2
134-6-13
134-6-14
134-6-15
Ben Aronson
10.
Use Variance No. 16-1997
Tax Map No. 36-1-1.3
Mike Barber
12.
THESE ARE NOT OFFICIALLY ADOPTED MINUTES AND ARE SUBJECT TO BOARD
AND STAFF REVISIONS. REVISIONS WILL APPEAR ON THE FOLLOWING MONTHS
MINUTES (IF ANY) AND WILL STATE SUCH APPROVAL OF SAID MINUTES.
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(Queens bury ZBA Meeting
7/30/97)
QUEENSBURY ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
SPECIAL MEETING
JULY 30, 1997
4:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
LEWIS STONE, ACTING CHAIRMAN
BONNIE LAPHAM, SECRETARY
PAUL HAYES
ROBERT KARPELES
MEMBERS ABSENT
CHRIS THOMAS
ROBERT MCNALLY
BRIAN CUSTER
PLANNER-GEORGE HILTON
STENOGRAPHER-MARIA GAGLIARDI
NEW BUSINESS:
USE VARIANCE NO. 18-1997 TYPE: UNLISTED CR-15 SR-1A BEN
ARONSON OWNER: SAME AS ABOVE 64 MAIN STREET, ONE QUARTER MILE
EAST OF EXIT 18 OF I-a7 APPLICANT PROPOSES A WAREHOUSE ADDITION TO
AN EXISTING WHOLESALE MEAT DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS LOCATED AT 64 MAIN
STREET. WAREHOUSES AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES ARE NOT LISTED USES
IN THE CR-15 ZONE AND THE SR-1A ZONES. RELIEF IS BEING REQUESTED
FROM THE USES LISTED IN SECTION 179-24, COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL 15
ZONE; AND SECTION 179-19, SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL ZONES. TAX MAP NO.
134-6-1, 134-6-2, 134-6-13, 134-6-14, 134-6-15 LOT SIZES: 0.70,
0.49, 0.36, 0.21, 0.32 ACRES SECTION 179-24 AND 179-19
FRANK LEO & BEN ARONSON, PRESENT
MR. HILTON-The only new information I have for you is some written
comment, that you can either read or just summarize, with a map
attached, and this was addressed to the Planning Board and the
Zoning Board, and it serves as kind of additional information for
both the Use and the Area Variance.
MRS. LAPHAM-July 30, 1997, Zoning Board and Planning Board, Re:
Variance and Site Plan applications for Double A Provisions "The
Applicant is seeking a Use Variance, Area Variance, and Site Plan
approval to allow the expansion of an existing meat distribution
business. A Use Variance is required because the application
proposes to expand to property which was not previously included in
approvals for this business. The applicant has purchased adj oining
properties, and seeks to include them in this site. An Area
Variance for property line setbacks will not be needed if the
applicant merges all properties into one lot. An Area Variance is
needed because the additional building shown on the Site Plan dated
7/25/97, will not be setback 50 feet from a residential zone line
which runs through this site. The applicant proposes to construct
additions which will go 177 feet into the required buffer area
between the CR-15 zone to the north and the SR-1A zone to the
south. The additions will meet lot line setbacks from adjacent
properties to the east and the south. The addition also requires
site plan approval from the Planning Board before construction at
this site can begin. The main issues with the site plan appear to
be possible traffic impacts and stormwater management improvements
to the site. The proposed addition of the surrounding properties
would include a portion of Tax Map Lot 134-6-13. This would leave
the remaining portion of this property landlocked. In order to
avoid this situation, the portion of this lot not included in the
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
Use Variance could be merged with Tax Map Lot 134-6-16. This would
not need subdivision approval and would avoid creating any
situations where lots in this area did not have frontage on a Town
road. The ZBA and Planning Board should condition any approvals on
having the remaining portion of Lot 134-6-13 and 134-6-16 merged in
order to avoid creating any new nonconforming situations.
MR. STONE-The record should reflect that, this was 18, right? That
previously in May we approved a Use Variance 18-1997, which was
based upon the application then before us, which was an extension
on existing owned property by Mr. Aronson. We granted relief
without knowing it from the buffer zone. We granted relief, it
turned out the property line was the buffer zone. We did grant
relief. We did grant an Area Variance at that time, and
subsequently granted an Area Variance at the same time. The
applicant is here before us because he has in fact bought the
adjoining properties and wants to increase the size of the addition
to the warehouse which we previously approved, as well as putting
an office on the new lot to the east. It also, in looking at this
picture, it looks to me as the warehouse that was before us last
month, or two weeks ago, has been further expanded by this little
12 foot by whatever, I can't tell, 12 foot by 10 foot or by 8 foot
addition in there. This being a Use Variance, if the Board is
satisfied, we can use the previous financial information that was
presented to us. That hasn't changed. It's only what we are
expanding the size of the additions.
MR. ARONSON-I think I explained that at the last meeting. The
opportunity to expand it would make a safer operation. The
original gave us just barely enough room to swing fork trucks. Now
that we have this property, this additional 12 feet, will give us
two or three feet on each side of each of those racks to swing the
fork trucks in. It's just going to be a lot cleaner operation for
us, and safer for the men.
MR. STONE-You have presented to Mr. Goralski and Mr. Hilton
adequate evidence of purchase of these particular pieces of
property.
MR. ARONSON-Yes. We have attached to the site plan dated 7/25/97
a letter at the end which states that adjoining property owners
have sold their property, and we're just waiting for that to be
finalized with the courts and lawyers. So all this land will be
under the control and ownership of Mr. Aronson.
MR. STONE-I have to admit, I wish it wasn't on Double A provisions
stationary. I found that very convenient, very helpful on your
part, but I wish you had used blank paper for that particular
thing.
MRS. LAPHAM-I have one question. I want to make sure that I
understand the lots. Sixteen and thirteen are going to still
belong to Mr. Fish, right, or are they part of Double A provisions
property?
MR. HILTON-Actually, a portion of 13 will belong to Double A, and
that's the reason for my comment, saying that this left over
portion of 13 will be merged.
MR. ARONSON-It'll make a square lot.
MR. HILTON-Right.
MRS. LAPHAM-Okay.
MR. STONE-But it'll be attached to 134-6-16.
MRS. LAPHAM-Right, which'll have frontage.
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
MR. STONE-Now will that lot be one acre?
substandard?
MR. HILTON-I don't know, but you're increasing the square footage.
So you're not making it more nonconforming.
It will still be
MR. STONE-Okay. So we can do that. That's a new thing with me.
I just wanted to be sure. Any questions of the applicant?
MR. KARPELES-This future addition, what are we doing? Are we
talking about that, or is that something that, do we have to
concern ourselves with that?
MR. HILTON-Yes. I think you should. The applicant has proposed
it. It's a part of the proposed variance.
MR. KARPELES-Is that part of the proposal that we're considering?
MR. HILTON-Right. That's a part of the most recent updated
proposal that the applicant is asking for.
MR. STONE-So that's new as of today?
MR. HILTON-As of the date of this plan, 7/25.
MR. STONE-Okay.
MR. HAYES-Ben, what's the construction proposed on that?
MR. ARONSON-We thought, in conversations with George and John, we
thought possibly we could bring this up at this meeting, and get
approval. Five years down the road, business is good, we'll be
within the buffer zones. All requirements for this addition will
be within the required requirements for buffer zones, and all we'd
have to do is get a building permit.
MR. HAYES-How about the nature of the building? Is it going to be
block, or is it going to be consistent with the building as it is?
Mr. ARONSON-Yes. It's just something we're trying to do now to
save five meetings in the future.
MR. HILTON-In a situation like that, as he has proposed this right
now, he proposes it right now. If he begins construction on the
office and warehouse. He's acting on the variance. He would then
be able to come in, in the future, to construct the future
addition. The only thing that would be necessary would be
additional site plan approval for that future addition.
MR. STONE-Since it's 50 foot from the line, it meets the setback.
It won't need an Area Variance.
MR. HILTON-It meets the setbacks, yes. The Area Variance which
will follow this Use Variance seeks to give it relief from the
zoning setback, from the residential zone, but it will meet the
actual setback from the property line to the south.
MR. HAYES-So it's a buffer zone, not the setback?
MR. HILTON-Correct.
MR. STONE-I have a question. You say 177 feet into the required
buffer area. I thought the buffer area was 100 feet, 50 and 50?
MR. HILTON-The buffer area that is required is 50 feet from the
line. So if you take the extent that the building will extend into
the SR-1A zone, you have a 50 foot buffer plus the amount of
distance that it extends into CR-15, that equals 177 feet.
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
MR. HAYES-The 50 foot buffer's going into CR-15, to the north.
MR. STONE-Yes, we've already given them that 50 foot.
MR. HAYES-Right, but I guess we're still going to have to approve
it.
MR. HILTON-And that 50 feet that is required in the CR-15 zone,
plus the distance, 127 feet that it will extend into the SR-1A zone
equals 177 feet.
MR. STONE-I guess I don't see the 127 feet on this drawing. That's
what I'm getting at.
MR. HILTON-Because the buffer zone's actually way up here. The
buffer zone is actually.
MR. STONE-I still see, I see a 60 foot building, and the buffer is
only 50 feet, and then I see 40 feet for this possible addition.
Unless I'm reading the wrong number, that says 40, doesn't it?
MRS. LAPHAM-Yes.
MR. STONE-So I see 50 plus 40. I'm not sure I see, if my math and
my understanding of the thing. The buffer zone is 50 feet on
either side. All right. We've already taken up that 50 feet in
the variance that we've already granted. That's 50 there, and if
this dotted line is the boundary of the zone, then we're going
another 40 feet.
MR. HILTON-Lets see if I can show you.
is required, this is the zoning line
take the 50 feet that you need, it's
the 97 for this lot, and add that.
If we take the 50 feet that
here, this orange line. We
50 to begin with. You take
MR. STONE-I don't understand the 97.
here and 50 foot buffer here?
Isn't there a 50 foot buffer
MR. HILTON-No, no, no, only on one side, and it has to be in the
CR-15 zone, meaning that no building can go closer than 50 feet.
MR. STONE-Right. That I understand.
MR. HILTON-Now, with this lot, this additional lot that the
applicant.
MR. STONE-They're not buying, they're buying these two lots.
MR. HILTON-Now, I'm being confused here.
MR. STONE-They're buying these two lots. This lot is not going to
be, it's going to be attached to this lot.
MR. HILTON-Okay. I guess I would amend my comments there and say
that it's 97 feet. We're all a little confused on the distances.
Thank you for pointing that out.
MR. STONE-I feel better.
MR. HILTON-All right, 97 feet.
MR. STONE-All right. I'll go with that. Any other questions of
the applicant? If not, I will open the public hearing. Anybody
wishing to speak in favor of this Use Variance application?
Anybody in favor?
PUBLIC HEARING OPENED
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
MYRTLE LILLY
MS. LILLY-I just have some questions about it, because I don't
quite understand it.
MR. STONE-Okay.
MS. LILLY-You bought the Whittemore house and out back of that from
Jim?
MR. ARONSON-Yes.
MR. STONE-I'm sorry, we need your name.
MS. LILLY-I'm sorry. I'm Myrtle Lilly, and I live at 68 Main
Street. I live on the corner of Main and Second.
MR. STONE-That's to the west?
MS. LILLY-Yes.
MR. ARONSON-Yes, right opposite the building.
MS. LILLY-Right opposite. So is that where the addition's going?
MR. ARONSON-The addition's going to follow the back fence line back
where the dumpster's are, over toward Jim's Glass. We're not
coming forward.
MS. LILLY-You're not coming out toward Second?
MR. ARONSON-No, no. It's in that area. It's going to go on to
Whittemore's property by 12 feet. It's going to go straight back.
We're not adding anymore garage doors, as far as more truck bays.
It's strictly an addition for dry storage.
MS. LILLY-Okay. So your offices are going to be, are you tearing
down the house?
MR. LEO-Do you want to look at this? This might be easier.
MR. ARONSON-It would be easier if you looked at the.
MR. LEO-This is where you are here. This is the loading dock in
back now. This is Jim Fish's house. The white house is here.
Whittemore's house is here. Okay.
MS. LILLY-Okay, and then you're going to use the Whittemore houses
for your offices?
MR. ARONSON-No. The Whittemore's house is going to stay for a
while. In the sale agreement, we're letting them live there for a
while. Our office is going to go right behind their house.
MS. LILLY-All right.
MR. ARONSON-It's going to go right behind it, right over toward
they're garage.
MS. LILLY-And then where is the warehouse?
MR. LEO-Over here.
MR. ARONSON-On the back side.
MR. LEO-In the back where the dumpster is.
MS. LILLY-Okay.
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
MR. ARONSON-You know where the old red truck is? It's going to go
right there, where that old red truck is.
MS. LILLY-But it's not going to extend out into Second, it's going
the other way?
MR. ARONSON-No, no. It's going way, way away from you.
MR. LEO-Yes, because the loading docks for the trucks now are here.
This is where the trucks park now at night. We're staying behind
that. The dumpster sits here, and the red truck sits here, and the
fence, the wooden fence, is right here.
MS. LILLY-Okay. All right.
MR. STONE-Does that make you for or against?
MS. LILLY-No. I mean, I just wanted to get it straight. It sounds
all right so far.
MR. STONE-I have a question that came out of that discussion. If
this building is going to stay here, can we put the office right
next to it?
MR. HILTON-I'll have to look into that for a second. I know that
there would need to be at least 10 feet of, 10 foot of a separation
distance between the two principal buildings, that being the office
and the home, if it's going to stay.
MR. ARONSON-There'll be far more than that.
MR. STONE-I see 70 feet on your diagram to the office.
tell from this other thing how big the house is.
I can't
MR. LEO-The house is only about 20 foot deep.
MR. STONE-There's a deck on the back, I see.
MR. LEO-Yes, but that's more over toward the garage side. That lot
is 90 something feet wide. Anyway, we're going to wind up, here's
the corner of his existing lot. We'll be right here in this area.
There'll be a distance between the house and that. Eventually the
house is coming down. We're right over here.
MR. KARPELES-If you put those on top of one another, that's about
to scale, the same scale, aren't they?
MR. LEO-Right.
MR. STONE-I'm sorry. It's going to be right in here, because this
is already there.
MR. HAYES-George, is it possible to make the approval contingent on
a certain time frame when that house comes down? I mean, is that
a contingency yOU can live with?
MR. ARONSON-Well, the sale agreement was five years, but they're
frail. They're older people. It could be a year. It could be two
years. It's just use of the house until they either have to go to
a nursing home or whatever.
MRS. LAPHAM-This is beginning to sound like no good deed goes
unpunished.
MR. HILTON-To answer your question on that, that's something that
I think I really, I wouldn't be prepared to answer that. It may be
a legal opinion as to if you could actually condition a variance on
saying that the house had to be removed by a certain date.
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
MR. STONE-If you look at this thing, the office is going to sort of
straddle the old building and the current addition, as I see it.
MR. LEO-If you set this on top of there, you could see where we
are. Here's the house. This is the same scale. See where we are?
See how far back the thing is on it?
MRS. LAPHAM-So this would be something that we don't really have to
worry about.
MR. ARONSON-It's far more than 10 feet.
30.
It's probably closer to
MR. HILTON-It's subject to review by the Building Inspectors, at
the time of building permit for this addition, and they would
review it and make sure that it meets their requirements also.
MR. ARONSON-That's true with any building.
different about that.
There's nothing
MR. STONE-No, it would certainly be more than 10 feet. Okay. Any
other questions?
MS. LILLY-Yes. So does that mean you're going to be moving, take
down that back fence and move the truck and the dumpsters, or are
they still staying there?
MR. ARONSON-The dumpsters are going to be enclosed. We'll probably
utilize the back of the white house for now, until the lease 1S up
with them. They have a lease with Jim. I think there's about
another year on it.
MS. LILLY-So does the white house go with what you bought?
MR. ARONSON-Yes.
MS. LILLY-I didn't realize. I thought it was out behind there that
you (lost words) .
MR. ARONSON-The white house goes with what we bought. I have to
let them live out their lease, which I think is about a year.
That's going to come down. We're going to fence in the dumpsters.
It's going to look a lot better than it does right now.
MR. STONE-Ben, help me here.
about?
This is the house you're talking
MR. ARONSON-Yes. This one will be down within a year.
MR. STONE-You're going to build immediately, then?
MR. ARONSON-Yes.
MR. STONE-And you're going to come back here.
MR. ARONSON-Right.
MR. STONE-And that old truck is going to go?
MR. ARONSON-That old truck has been sold for $100.
MS. LILLY-Is it worth it?
MR. ARONSON-I was going to restore it. That was our first
refrigerated truck. We were going to restore it, but I figured
we'd just never do it.
MR. STONE-Okay, and other public comment?
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
MS. LILLY-Yes. Is it going to mean more increased traffic, by that,
I mean more tractor trailers coming in?
MR. ARONSON-It's going to mean less. Right now, we're bringing in
smaller companies, we're buying a lot of products second hand. You
see Butler Wholesale Grocer's truck there a lot.
MS. LILLY-Yes.
MR. ARONSON-He's a redistributor. He's out of Adams, Mass. and I
can get him in there every day. We don't want to buy from him,
because there's an upcharge. He buys direct and then he re-
supplies to us. Rather than buy a palette of flour every day, we
bring in a tractor trailer load that'll last us a month. So we'll
get bigger loads that we can store, hopefully make a little more
money, and you won't see these little trucks coming in and out
every day, every day, every day. You'll see the big ones come in,
they'll unload, and they'll be out and you won't see that same
truck for another three weeks, maybe. That's our goal. We don't
want little quantities of stuff coming in every day.
MS. LILLY-Well, the big trucks are the ones that bother me. There
are so many.
MR. ARONSON-Well, to be honest with you, they bother me, too.
There's so many of them coming down Main Street, that we can't get
our trucks out to deliver, and if I leave the door open, I can't
hear the phone. There's just nothing we can do about truck traffic
on Main Street. I wish there was.
MS. LILLY-No, I'm not talking about Main Street. I'm talking about
in your yard, you know, the tractor trailers and overnight parking.
MR. ARONSON-There's not going to be any overnight parking.
hired a sign painter to put a sign up.
I've
MS. LILLY-Where is that going?
MR. ARONSON-It's going to go on the side of the building, No
Overnight Parking.
MS. LILLY-Is it going to be fluorescent so they can read it?
MR. ARONSON-We need a sign for receiving so the truckers know where
to go, and this'll be part of the sign, No Overnight Parking.
MS. LILLY-All right, now overnight parking, what time is that, from
what time to what time?
MR. LEO-From the time he closes until the time he opens.
MS. LILLY-Okay. Now, you know what I was thinking, to take that a
little further, why couldn't you put up like a chain across the
whole thing, you know, maybe half, like on a stand or something,
and, you know, roll it one way and the other half the other way?
I don't know if that's allowable.
MR. ARONSON-It would have to be an awful long chain.
MR. STONE-Anything else?
MS. LILLY-I think that's it for me.
MR. STONE-Okay. Any questions by the neighbor?
MS. LILLY-I don't think I have anYmore.
MR. STONE-Okay. I'll close the public hearing.
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED
MR. STONE-Any other questions by the Board? All right, having said
that, Bonnie, what do YOU think about it? This is the Use Variance
now. This is to, this is an extension of the Use Variance that we
previously granted, recognizing now that Mr. Aronson has bought
land on both the east side and the south side, and that he has
gotten permission to go through the buffer zone on one side of the
property, and we're going to get that in the Area Variance, but
this will be on the other side of the buffer zone, but it's still
to expand the business. We have agreed that there is a, he needs
to get a reasonable rate of return on this property, and he cannot
do it as zoned, as we previously decided. How do you feel about
this extension, if you will, of the Use Variance?
MRS. LAPHAM-Well, I had approved of the Use Variance before, and I
don't think my mind has changed. If anything I think I feel more
strongly that it should be going through, because it sounds like
Mr. Aronson has made every provision possible to not disturb his
neighbors. In fact, even though the use may be expanded, it sounds
like the actual operation and annoyance to the neighbors will be
less, with trucks coming in.
MR. ARONSON-There's going to be more room for trucks to swing
around. I mean, it's just going to be a nicer operation.
MRS. LAPHAM-Yes. The biggest thing is there'll be less noise to
the neighbors, I think, than there is now.
MR. STONE-All right. Bob?
MR. KARPELES-I agree with Bonnie. I think she said it very well.
MR. STONE-Paul?
MR. HAYES-I agree. I mean, the same economic justifications for
the Use Variance are there.
MR. STONE-I agree. I mean, we granted the Use Variance based upon
a much more land mass, land use if you will. I see no reason not
to grant this one. Having said that.
MOTION TO APPROVE USE VARIANCE NO. 18-1997 BEN ARONSON, Introduced
by Paul Hayes who moved for its adoption, seconded by Bonnie
Lapham:
Doing Business As Double A Provisions, has proposed a warehouse
addition to an existing wholesale meat distribution business at 64
Main Street. The warehouses and distribution facilities are not
listed as uses in CR-15 zones, or SR-1A zones. He is requesting
relief from the uses listed in Section 179-24, Commercial
Residential 15 zone, and Section 179-19 Suburban Residential zones.
Mr. Aronson has provided us with adequate information relating to
the economic necessity of the proposed addition in terms of his
business, and that without such, this business could not realize a
reasonable return or flourish as it stands now. The alleged
hardship is unique in that this is the only kind of business in
that particular area, even though I think it should be noted that
the neighborhood is in the transitional period. We have had
letters and public contributions in a positive way toward the
project, and in addition, since the last variance, Mr. Aronson has
increased the property mass by acquiring specifically the lands of
Helen Whittemore and the lands of James and Judith Fish.
Duly adopted this 30th day of July, 1997, by the following vote:
AYES: Mrs. Lapham, Mr. Karpeles, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Stone
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Thomas, Mr. McNally, Mr. Custer
AREA VARIANCE NO. 19-1997 TYPE II CR-15 SR-1A OWNER: SAME AS
ABOVE 64 MAIN STREET, ONE QUARTER MILE EAST OF EXIT 18 OF I-87
APPLICANT PROPOSES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE
ADDITIONS TO AN EXISTING MEAT DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS. THE
CONSTRUCTION WILL NOT CONFORM TO THE BUFFER ZONE REQUIREMENTS
BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY LISTED IN SECTION 179-
72 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. TAX MAP NO. 134-6-1 134-6-2, 134-6-
13 , 134 - 6 -14 , 134 - 6 - 15 LOT SIZE: 0 . 70 , 0 . 49 , 0 . 3 6 , O. 21, 0 . 32
ACRES SECTION 179-72
FRANK LEO & BEN ARONSON, PRESENT
MR. HILTON-The only comment I would make is the one Mr. Stone
discussed, that it's 97 feet into the buffer zone, as opposed to
the 177.
MRS. LAPHAM- "MOTION TO APPROVE AREA VARIANCE NO. 19-1997 BEN
ARONSON, Introduced by Robert Karpeles who moved for its adoption,
seconded by Paul Hayes:
The applicant proposes to construct an addition to an existing meat
distribution business. The addition will not meet the side yard,
rear yard and permeability requirements of CR-15 zone. Benefit to
the applicant, the relief will allow the applicant to build an
addition to an existing business which will result in more storage
space. There do not appear to be any feasible alternatives. The
applicant is seeking, or we would approve 0 feet side and rear yard
setbacks, and as far as the permeability is concerned, the
applicant should submit a stormwater management plan to the
Planning Board that is satisfactory, and this variance hinges upon
that. There appear to be no adverse effects on the neighborhood or
community, in fact, it appears to enhance the community. Whether
the alleged difficulty is self created, it is self created, but
it's the only portion of the property that the building can be put
on. Combination of the two lots, if that's feasible, and if that's
not, an expansion of the Use Variance.
Duly adopted this 21st day of May, 1997, by the following vote:"
MR. STONE-That was the Area Variance that we granted before.
MRS. LAPHAM-Right.
MR. STONE-The Area Variance before us, read. All right. Since the
Area Variance was granted back in May, the applicant has purchased
lands to the east and to the south, and has expanded his original
request for buildings. The only matter before us is basically the
relief from the buffer zone on the south side, which is 47 feet, I
guess. We've granted the 50 feet already.
MR. HILTON-Right, but to clean it up, and with this new addition,
if you would, in your motion, state that he's going 97 feet into
the buffer.
MR. STONE -Okay. Any other comments you want to make, Mr. Aronson?
Any questions of the? So, I'll open the public hearing. Anybody
in favor of this Area Variance? Anybody opposed?
PUBLIC HEARING OPENED
MR. STONE-I think we should put into the record this letter, I
think, that you ought to read it in.
MRS. LAPHAM-Okay. I thought I read that in the last time, not in
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
May, but the last meeting where this came up.
MR. STONE-You may have.
MRS. LAPHAM-But I can read it again.
MR. STONE-And we do have satisfactory evidence that the Fishes have
granted, have sold that property. Is there anything on record
about that?
MR. HILTON-The actual letter that you have is from the Fishes and
the Whittemores.
MR. STONE-Okay. So these are two different pieces of property.
MRS. LAPHAM-All right. I'll read it. To the Town of Queensbury
Zoning and Planning, from James Fish and Randy and Helen Whittemore
"I've sold my property to Mr. Benjamin Aronson. The land surveys
have been completed and we are waiting for our attorneys to
finalize the transfers and deeds. All the paper work for this are
in the hands of the attorneys at this time. Sincerely yours, Helen
Whittemore James C. Fish"
MR. STONE-Can we say Helen Whittemore for, do we have the lot
numbers? There's two separate lots here.
MR. HILTON-Yes, 134-6-2.
MR. STONE-And Mr. Fish for, a portion of.
MR. HILTON-134-6-13 and 16.
MR. STONE-Right. Okay. Any questions by the Board? You have to
keep in mind that this thing has to be modified. We have to put
that condition in there. Bob, what are your comments?
MR. KARPELES-I have no objection to this.
MR. STONE-Okay. Paul?
MR. HAYES-He's totally laid out his capital to make it a good
project. I think that we have to take that into account. I'm in
favor of it.
MR. STONE-Bonnie?
MRS. LAPHAM-I have no problem with it except I want to see these
two lots merged so that you don't have a substandard, landlocked
piece that isn't going to do anybody any good.
MR. STONE-That's what we have to put in the motion. Having said
that, Bonnie, go.
MOTION TO APPROVE AREA VARIANCE NO. 19-1997 BEN ARONSON,
Introduced by Bonnie Lapham who moved for its adoption, seconded by
Paul Hayes:
64 Main Street. For the construction of a warehouse and office
additions to an existing meat distribution business. The
construction will not conform to the buffer zone requirements
between commercial and residential property listed in Section 179-
72 of the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant requests relief to
extend into the buffer zone 97 feet between the CR-15 and the
Suburban Residential zoning area. This variance approval is to be
conditioned on the two lots, 16 and 13 being merged, so that there
will not be a substandard, landlocked lot left in the rear and with
the combination, there will be frontage on Second Street. Mr.
Aronson has indicated that his original property and the newer
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(Queensbury ZBA Meeting 7/30/97)
acquisitions will all be merged into one lot, and they'll be given
one tax map number.
Duly adopted this 30th day of July, 1997, by the following vote:
MR. STONE-Should we mention, George, or should we recommend that
all of these lots now owned by Mr. Aronson be combined into one?
MR. HILTON-Well, they'll have to, as I mentioned in my notes, in
order for him to meet the setbacks with these new additions.
MR. ARONSON-This is what we want anyway. This is the purpose of
the survey.
MR. STONE-So we should say that in the motion.
MR. HILTON-You can just probably mention it in passing. You don't
have to condition this approval.
MR. STONE-Okay.
MRS. LAPHAM-Mr. Aronson has indicated that his original property
and the newer acquisitions will all be merged into one lot, and
they'll be given one tax map number.
MR. HILTON-Most likely that'll be done by the County.
MR. STONE-Okay.
MR. ARONSON-Can I ask, how do we go about that? Who do we see to
do that? Who do we give the survey to to get that done?
MR. HILTON-You can actually go to the County Real Property Office,
and they will, up at the Administration Building, and they would
take care of it.
MR. ARONSON-So it's done by the County, then?
MR. HILTON-Yes. We really don't see any, if it's a merging, which
it is, we don't take care of that.
MR. STONE-Should we reflect that this buffer zone goes through, we
talk about relief, but that it actually goes through the property?
It's probably not necessary. We've give the relief.
Any other additions to it? It sounds fine to me. Second?
MR. HAYES-Second.
AYES: Mr. Karpeles, Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Lapham, Mr. Karpeles,
Mr. Stone
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Thomas, Mr. McNally, Mr. Custer
MR. STONE-So the Area Variance has been approved.
MR. HILTON-You might want to take care of Barber at this time.
MR. STONE-Yes, I'm going to do that. We had to write it off.
MR. HILTON-Yes, right. Instead of just letting it sit and say it's
a dead issue, the best thing for the Board would be to probably
just deny it. You may want to say in your motion that the
applicant never appeared.
MR. STONE-This is Mike Barber on 149. It was a Use Variance.
We'll take up Use Variance No. 16-1997, for Mike Barber, Tax Map
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No. 36-1-1.3.
MOTION TO DENY USE VARIANCE NO. 16-1997 MIKE BARBER, Introduced by
Paul Hayes who moved for its adoption, seconded by Robert Karpeles:
The applicant has not appeared to show benefit to the applicant
versus the detriment to the neighborhood, so I don't believe we
have a choice.
Duly adopted this 30th day of July, 1997, by the following vote:
AYES: Mrs. Lapham, Mr. Karpeles, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Stone
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Thomas, Mr. McNally, Mr. Custer
MR. STONE-I declare this special meeting of July 30, 1997 of the
Zoning Board of Appeals closed.
On motion meeting was adjourned.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
Lewis Stone, Acting Chairman
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