Agenda for the Meeting of thePage 1 of 10

City of Syracuse Planning Commission

April 6, 2015

Minutes of the Meeting of the

City of Syracuse Planning Commission

City Hall, Syracuse, New York

April 6, 2015

  1. Summary of cases discussed herein

SP-87-30 M1 / R-15-19 / SP-15-02 / PR-15-11 / Z-2782
PR-15-08 / PR-15-10 / SR-11-20 M2 / AS-11-12 M1 / AS-09-07 M1
R-15-14 / R-15-15 / R-15-18 / R-15-20 / SP-10-12 M3
PR-13-24 M3 / Z-2660 M2 / Z-2498 M2 / Z-2783 / Z-2781
  1. Attendance

Members PresentStaff Present

Mr. Steve Kulick Ms. Heather Lamendola

Ms. Rebecca Livengood Ms. Meghan Ryan

Ms. Linda Henley Mr. Jeff Harrop

Ms. Christine Capella-Peters

  1. Meeting called to order at 6:01 p.m.
  1. Approval of Minutes

Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to accept the minutes of the March 16, 2015, meeting of the City Planning Commission. Ms. Rebecca Livengood seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

  1. Public Hearings

1)SP-87-30 M1(Continuation from 3/15 RC, SK, LH, RL, CCP)

Special Permit Modification-Gasoline Station

Establish a Restaurant within a Convenience Store

4210-4224 South Salina Street

Clifford Fuel Co., Inc. (owner)

Ramzi Aljoufi (applicant)

Business, Class A

Mr. Ramzi Aljoufi, at 1302 Burnet Avenue, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which was a continuation of a Public Hearing opened on March 16, 2015, and consists of establishing a Restaurant within a Convenience Store on property situated at 4210-4224 South Salina Street.

No additional people spoke in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

2)R-15-19

Resubdivision

Combine Eleven Properties into Three New Lots

325, 327, 329, 331-335, 359, and 387 East Brighton Avenue, 307 East Brighton Avenue (Rear), 101, 103 and 105Thurber Street (Rear), and 113 Roney Lane (Rear)

Lauren Tawill, Tri-Value Development, LLC, Mark and Rose Stefanski, and

Cosimo Zavaglia (owners)

Innovative Acquisition Group, LLC. (applicant)

Residential, Class B-1, Residential, Class C, and Industrial, Class A

Mr. Brian Bouchard of Clough, Harbor Associates at 441 South Salina Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of combining eleven properties into three new Lots in order to construct a student housing complex (the Nest) consisting of three apartment buildings with a total of 166 one and two-bedroom apartments, a club house, and accessory parking with a total of 491 parking spaces.

The request is one of four companion cases consisting of this Resubdivision to combine eleven properties into three new Lots (R-15-19), a Special Permit to construct one of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 1 (SP-15-02), a Project Site Review to construct a second of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 2 (PR-15-11), and a Multi-Building Review to construct a third of three apartment buildings and a clubhouse with associated parking on new Lot 3 (Z-2782).

One person spoke in favor of the proposal. Nine people spoke in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

3)SP-15-02

Special Permit-Apartment Building

Construct an Apartment Building and Associated Parking

325-387 East Brighton Avenue and 101-105 Thurber Street (Rear)

Lauren Tawill (owner)

Innovative Acquisition Group, LLC. (applicant)

Residential, Class C and Industrial, Class A

Mr. Brian Bouchard of Clough, Harbor Associates at 441 South Salina Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of constructing a 56-unit apartment building with 46 indoor parking spaces and 118 surface parking spaces on a proposed Lot 1 of 3, located on property situated at 325-387 East Brighton Avenue and 101-105 Thurber Street (Rear).

The request is one of four companion cases consisting of aResubdivision to combine eleven properties into three new Lots (R-15-19), this Special Permit to construct one of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 1 (SP-15-02), a Project Site Review to construct a second of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 2 (PR-15-11), and a Multi-Building Review to construct a third of three apartment buildings and a clubhouse with associated parking on new Lot 3 (Z-2782).

One person spoke in favor of the proposal. Nine people spoke in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

4)PR-15-11

Project Site Review-New Construction

Construct an Apartment Building and Associated Parking

307 East Brighton Avenue (Rear)

Tri-Value Development, LLC (owner)

Innovative Acquisition Group, LLC. (applicant)

Residential, Class B-1 and Industrial, Class A

Mr. Brian Bouchard of Clough, Harbor Associates at 441 South Salina Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of constructing a 55-unit apartment building with 46 indoor parking spaces and 112 surface parking spaces on a proposed Lot 2 of 3, located on property situated at307 East Brighton Avenue (Rear).

The request is one of four companion cases consisting of aResubdivision to combine eleven properties into three new Lots (R-15-19), a Special Permit to construct one of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 1 (SP-15-02), this Project Site Review to construct a second of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 2 (PR-15-11), and a Multi-Building Review to construct a third of three apartment buildings and a clubhouse with associated parking on new Lot 3 (Z-2782).

One person spoke in favor of the proposal. Nine people spoke in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

5)Z-2782

Multi-Building Review

Construct an Apartment Building, a Clubhouse, and Associated Parking

113 Roney Lane (Rear)

Cosimo Zavaglia (owner)

Innovative Acquisition Group, LLC. (applicant)

Residential, Class B-1

Mr. Brian Bouchard of Clough, Harbor Associates at 441 South Salina Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of constructing a 55-unit apartment building with 43 indoor parking spaces, a three-story clubhouse, and 120 surface parking spaces on a proposed Lot 3 of 3, located on property situated at 113 Roney Lane (Rear).

The request is one of four companion cases consisting of a Resubdivision to combine eleven properties into three new Lots (R-15-19), a Special Permit to construct one of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 1 (SP-15-02), a Project Site Review to construct a second of three apartment buildings and associated parking on new Lot 2 (PR-15-11), and this Multi-Building Review to construct a third of three apartment buildings and a clubhouse with associated parking on new Lot 3 (Z-2782).

One person spoke in favor of the proposal. Nine people spoke in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

6)PR-15-08

Project Site Review-Demolition and New Construction

Construct a Six-Story Apartment Building with Associated Parking

404-406 University Avenue

DS 53-16F Assoc. (owner)

Orange Grove, LLC (applicant)

Residential, Class B and Office, Class B

Mr. Brian Bouchard of Clough, Harbor Associates at 441 South Salina Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of demolishing an existing building and constructing a six-story, 54-unit apartment building with 21 accessory parking spaces on property situated at 404-406 University Avenue.

One person spoke in favor of the proposal. One person spoke neutrally about the proposal. No one spoke in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

7)PR-15-10

Project Site Review-New Construction and Site Alterations

Construct an Addition and Alter the Site

1836 West Fayette Street

Rasselas Associates, LLC (owner)

Community Resources for Justice, Inc. (applicant)

Industrial, Class A

Mr. John Larivee, of Community Resources for Justice, Inc. at 355 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, Mr. Andy Hart, of Bergmann Associates at 200 First Federal Plaza, 28 East Main Street, Rochester, NY, and Mr. Brody Smith, of Bond, Schoeneck and King at One Lincoln Center, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of requesting a waiver from the parking requirements in order to construct an addition to an existing vacant building and establish a residential re-entry center on property situated at 1836 West Fayette Street.

No one spoke in favor of the proposal. Nine people spoke in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

8)SR-11-20 M2

Site Plan Review Modification

Modify Site Plan and Floor Plans

450 West Kirkpatrick Street

Salt City Enterprises, LLC (owner/applicant)

Lakefront, T-5

Mr. Larry Ball, building consultant for Salt City Enterprises, LLC, at 906 Spencer Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of modifying the site plan, floor plans, and elevations for a Site Plan Review for a mixed-use building on property situated at 450 West Kirkpatrick Street, in order to comply with requirements and comments from the City of Syracuse Department of Engineering and the Division of Code Enforcement.

No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.

After further discussion and review, whereupon Mr. Ball presented revised plans, the Commission agreed to continue the Public Hearing at its next regularly-scheduled meeting on April 27, 2015.

9)AS-11-12 M1

Administrative Permit-Off-Premise Advertising Sign

Replace a Static Display with Changeable Copy

2937 Erie Boulevard East (Rear)

John Bonura (owner)

Lang Media Properties, Inc. (applicant)

Industrial, Class A

Mr. Michael Fogel of Brown, Sharlow, Duke and Fogel, P.C., at 621 West Genesee Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of modifying an existing off-premise advertising sign in order to replace the east-facing, externally-illuminated, static sign face with a Changeable Electronic Message Sign (CEMS) face on property situated at 2937 Erie Boulevard East, Rear.

No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.

After further discussion and review, Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration. Ms. Rebecca Livengood seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

10)AS-09-07 M1

Administrative Permit-Off-Premise Advertising Sign

Replace a Static Display with Changeable Copy

117 Butternut Street

Vincent Morrison (owner)

Lamar Outdoor Advertising (applicant

Commercial, Class A

Mr. Mike Bischoff, of Lamar Outdoor Advertising at 5947 East Molloy Road, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of modifying an existing off-premise advertising sign in order to replace the north-facing, externally-illuminated, static sign face with a Changeable Electronic Message Sign (CEMS) face on property situated at 117 Butternut Street.

No one spoke in favor of the proposal. One person spoke in opposition to the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

11)R-15-14

Resubdivision

Combine Eleven Properties into Four New Lots

1024-1028, 1100-1108 and 1110-1124 Court Street, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112 and

114 Michaels Avenue and 1017 and 1019 Kirkpatrick Street

Sisters of St. Francis of the Neuman Communities (owner/applicant)

Residential, Class C

Mr. Paul Curtin, at 42 Albany Street, Cazenovia, NY, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of combining eleven properties situated at 1024-1028, 1100-1108 and 1110-1124 Court Street, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112 and 114 Michaels Avenue and 1017 and 1019 Kirkpatrick Street into four new Lots.

No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.

After further discussion and review, Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration. Ms. Linda Henley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

12)R-15-15

Resubdivision

Combine Two Properties into One New Lot

414 Cortland Avenue and 415 Martin Luther King West

Syracuse Model Neighborhood Corp and the City of Syracuse (owners)

Syracuse Model Neighborhood Corp (applicant)

Business, Class A

Mr. Tom Francis, of the Syracuse Model Neighborhood Corp., at1721 South Salina Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of combining two properties situated at 414 Cortland Avenue and 415 Martin Luther King West into one new Lot.

No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.

After further discussion and review, Ms. Linda Henley made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration. Ms. Rebecca Livengood seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

13)R-15-18

Resubdivision

Combine Three Properties into One New Lot

110 Fenton Street and 207 and 211-213 Grand Avenue

Santo Development, LLC, and

the Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation (owners)

The Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation (applicant)

Business, Class A

Mr. Michael LaFlair, of the Northeast Housing Development Association at 101 Gertrude Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of combining three properties situated at 110 Fenton Street and 207 and 211-213 Grand Avenue into one new Lot.

No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.

After further discussion and review, Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration noting that the approval does not include any acknowledgement of existing on-site conditions. Ms. Rebecca Livengood seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

14)R-15-20

Resubdivision

Combine Two Properties into One New Lot

314 and 316 Ainsley Drive

Emerald Storage Group, LLC (owner/applicant)

Industrial, Class A and Commercial, Class B

Mr. John Marzocchi of Germain and Germain, LLP, at 314 East Fayette Street, spoke to the Commission about the proposal, which consists of combining two properties situated at 314 and 316 Ainsley Drive into one new Lot.

No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the proposal.

After further discussion and review, Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration noting that the approval does not include any acknowledgement of existing on-site conditions. Ms. Linda Henley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

  1. Minor Modifications

1)SP-10-12 M3

Special Permit Modification-Restaurant

Modify Signage

2859-2867 South Salina Street

CPGT Properties, LLC (owner)

Clarice Gray (applicant)

Business, Class A

Ms. Heather Lamendola, Zoning Administrator for the City of Syracuse, spoke to the Commission about the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

  1. New Business

1)PR-13-24 M3

Project Site Review Modification-Site Alterations

Modify Parking Plan

712-714 East Fayette Street

712-714 East Fayette Group, LLC (owner/applicant)

Business, Class A

Ms. Heather Lamendola, Zoning Administrator for the City of Syracuse, spoke to the Commission about the proposal.

After discussion and review, Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration. Ms. Linda Henley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

2)Z-2660 M2

Exception for Use Modification

Modify Floor Plan

525-619 East Adams Street

Harrison Center Assoc., LLC (owner/applicant)

Central Business District-Local Business

Ms. Heather Lamendola, Zoning Administrator for the City of Syracuse, spoke to the Commission about the proposal.

After discussion and review, Ms. Rebecca Livengood made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration. Ms. Linda Henley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

3)Z-2498 M2

Project Plan Review Modification-Syracuse University Sub-District 8

Modify Site Plan (Shaw Hall)

201 Euclid Avenue (aka 775 Comstock Avenue)

Syracuse University (owner/applicant)

Planned Institutional District

Ms. Heather Lamendola, Zoning Administrator for the City of Syracuse, spoke to the Commission about the proposal.

After discussion and review, Ms. Linda Henley made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration. Ms. Rebecca Livengood seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

4)Z-2783

Project Plan Review Modification-Syracuse University Sub-District 3

Modify Site Plan (Machinery Hall)

101 University Place (aka 120 Smith Drive)

Syracuse University (owner/applicant)

Planned Institutional District

Ms. Heather Lamendola, Zoning Administrator for the City of Syracuse, spoke to the Commission about the proposal.

After discussion and review, Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to approve the request with a negative SEQR declaration. Ms. Rebecca Livengood seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

  1. Old Business

1)Z-2781

Zone Change Petition

1001 East Brighton Avenue from Residential, Class B-1 to Commercial, Class B

901 East Brighton Avenue from Planned Shopping District to Commercial, Class B

911 East Brighton Avenue from Planned Shopping District to Commercial, Class B

915 East Brighton Avenue from Planned Shopping District to Commercial, Class B

962 East Brighton Avenue from split Business, Class A and Residential, Class A-1 to Business, Class A

565 East Seneca Turnpike to Business, Class A

401 East Brighton Avenue from Residential, Class C to Business, Class A

City of Syracuse Planning Commission (petitioner)

Ms. Heather Lamendola, Zoning Administrator for the City of Syracuse, spoke to the Commission about the proposal.

No action was taken on this request due to time constraints.

  1. Authorizations

Ms. Rebecca Livengood made a motion to authorize those cases listed for Public Hearings on Monday, April 27, 2015, in addition to the continuation of SR-11-20 M2. Ms. Linda Henley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

The Commission authorized the scheduling of a Special Meeting in order to conclude unfinished business from this meeting.

  1. Adjournment

Ms. Christine Capella-Peters made a motion to adjourn at 9:56 p.m. Ms. Rebecca Livengood seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.