**TOWN OF GRAND ISLAND**

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

DRAFT

MINUTES

September 3, 2009

 

 

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:            Marion Fabiano, Betty Harris, Dario Violanti, Peter McKee, Chairman, Bob Mesmer 

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:                  Alternate member, Tim Phillips

 

OTHERS PRESENT:               None

 

 

SUSPEND THE RULES

 

A motion was made by Violanti/Fabiano to suspend the rules in order to attend to personnel issues with the Town Supervisor, Peter McMahon.

 

Roll Call:

            Ayes: Fabiano, Mesmer, Violanti, Harris, and McKee           

            Noes:  None

            Carried

 

 

Chairman, Peter McKee opened the meeting at 7:11 p.m. He introduced the members of the Zoning Board of Appeals and explained the process.  Copies of the Legal Notice of Appeal to be heard at this meeting published in the Island Dispatch on August 21, 2009 were available to those present.

                                                                                                                       

           

           

NEW BUSINESS:

 

1) 1879 Whitehaven – Dana Carver – Property is zoned TCMS.  Proposed is the operation of a ‘Doggie Day Care’ and an upscale doggie boutique which would offer holistic dog foods and other high end products.  The question at hand is whether or not this type of business would be considered to be a kennel.  Kennels are only permitted in a B1 zoned area. 

 

Board member Mesmer questioned the noise from barking dogs and how the Appellant would handle that.  Ms. Carver indicated that all potential ‘day care’ participants will be put through an interview and screening process in which unruly dogs would be weeded out.  If a situation arose where a current client were to suddenly become a continual barker, Ms. Carver would ask the client to leave the day care. 

 

Chairman McKee stated that the Board first needs to define or give their interpretation of a ‘kennel’.

 

 

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A motion was made by Violanti/Harris to give their INTERPRETATION of a “kennel” as being a place where animals are kept overnight, and that this business is not a kennel.  

 

 

Roll Call:

            Ayes:  Violanti, Harris, McKee, and Mesmer

            Noes:  Fabiano

            Carried

 

A motion was made by Violanti/Mesmer to ALLOW a doggie day care and upscale dog boutique at 1879 Whitehaven Road.

 

Roll Call:

            Ayes:  Violanti, Harris, McKee, and Mesmer

            Noes:  Fabiano

            Carried

 

Rationale:  This action is taken because:

 

            1.   there is a need for this type of service on Grand Island.

            2.   this is no different than the grooming business.

            3.   noise will not be an issue due to the experience of the Appellant in dealing with business involving the keeping of dogs.  We also have a noise ordinance the Appellant must adhere to.       

 

 

 

2) 1430 East River Road – Carmen and Maria Laurendi – Property is zoned R1D.  The Appellants are proposing to construct a 13’ 5” x 26’ deck at the side and rear of the home.  The deck will wrap around the side and back of the home.  The Appellant’s neighbor’s house only has two (2) windows on the side where the deck will go.  The existing fence is the property of the Appellants.

 

Board questioned if they would be willing to minimize the variance requested by making the deck smaller.  The Appellant agreed to reduce the size of the deck from 13’ 5” to 12’.

 

 

A motion was made by Violanti/Fabiano to GRANT a 6’ 5” side yard setback variance, to construct a 12’ x 26’ deck at the side of the home which will wrap around to the back of the home at 1430 East River Road.

 

Roll Call:

            Ayes:  Fabiano, Violanti, Harris, McKee, and Mesmer

            Noes:  None

            Carried

           

 

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Rationale:  This action is taken because:

 

            1.  the deck will be inside the existing fence.

            2.  does not create a detriment to nearby properties.

            3.  of the difficulty in having two front yard setbacks.

            4.  the line of site problem has been diminished.   

 

 

3) 3348 Warner Drive – Michael Novack – Property is zoned R1E.  Proposed is the replacing of the 6’ fence which runs along South Park Drive. The Appellant appeared and stated that the current fence is approximately twelve (12) years old and it is dilapidated, he would like to replace it with a 6’ vinyl fence.

 

 

A motion was made by Fabiano/Mesmer to GRANT a variance for the replacement of the existing fence within the same foot print at 3348 Warner Drive.

 

 

Roll Call:

            Ayes:  Fabiano, Violanti, Harris, McKee, and Mesmer

            Noes:  None

            Carried

           

 

Rationale:  This action is taken because

 

            1.  the Appellant is just replacing an existing fence.

            2.  there are no line of site issues.

            3.  the existing fence has been in place for twelve plus years, without any problems..

            4.  you must have a fence around an in ground pool.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

 

1) West River Road – Nixon Peabody LLP – Proposed telecommunication tower on Russell & Patricia Colosi’s property on West River Road.  Zoning Code 49-196C states that the setback for a telecommunication tower is 500’ from a residential dwelling.  The proposed tower will be approximately 442’ from the Colosi residence; therefore a 58’ setback variance is requested.  Remains tabled pending receipt of the SEQR report from the Town Board.

 

2) 2770 Long Road – Verizon Wireless – Property is zoned M1. Proposed is a telecommunication facility.  Per Zoning Code Section 49-196C, there should be a 500’ setback for the fall down area.  Tem remains tabled pending receipt of the SEQR report from the Town Board.

 

 

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3) 2255 Grand Island Boulevard – Michael Jordan of Redtek Development  - Property is zoned R3, B1, and R1D.  Proposed is the construction of a Senior Housing Complex with building walls greater than 160’ in length.  Per Schedule 1 of the Zoning Code, the maximum allowable building length is 160’.  The item was tabled indefinitely at the owner’s request.

 

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE:

 

Updated Advisory Board List, received and filed.

 

 

 

OTHER MINUTES RECEIVED AND FILED:

 

Board of Architectural Review Minutes, June 16, 2009

Planning Board Agenda, July 13, 2009

Planning Board Minutes, June 8, 2009

Town Board Agenda, July 6, 2009, July 20, 2009

Town Board Minutes, June 15, 2009, July 6, 2009

 

Adjournment: 7:50 p.m. on September 3, 2009

Jacqueline McGinty, Recording Secretary prepared the minutes.