Post by newsfeeder on Jul 4, 2006 7:12:45 GMT -5
Councilors To Consider Zone Change In Third Ward
OSWEGO, NY – The Planning and Development Committee moved forward with setting a public hearing regarding a zone change in the Third Ward.
Earlier this spring, a group of neighbors began fighting a multi-million dollar off-campus student housing project that was being proposed in their neighborhood near the college campus.
"Our neighborhood is one of the nicest in the Third Ward and we want to keep it that way," Anthony Joseph, one of the spokespersons for the Sheldon Ave./Ontario Heights neighborhood group, told councilors this spring.
Possible zone change discussed
Councilors Ed Harrington and Connie Cosemento look over paperwork regarding a possible zone change in the Third Ward. The council is considering a public hearing on the matter.
The neighbors are requesting the area be re-zoned as residential to block the development.
The city must have a specific map of what it wants to have re-zoned, according to Tony Leotta, city engineer.
City Attorney Gay Williams agreed. To vote on the zone change, they must first have a map of exactly what they are voting to change, she explained.
However, Monday night it was pointed out that one of the six parcels within the group that would be re-zoned is a car wash on Washington Boulevard.
If re-zoned, it would continue as a car wash but any additions or renovations to the business would be greatly curtailed, Leotta noted.
“I am not going to vote no on this but I do have some problems,” Connie Cosemento (D-First Ward) “We are re-zoning business into residential.”
The residents rejected the developers’ plan because of “anticipated bad behavior,” she said, adding that isn’t the right way to go about re-zoning.
The car wash owner has recently “put gobs of money” into his business, Cosemento pointed out.
The city shouldn’t do anything to handcuff the business, Councilor Tim Rice (D-Sixth Ward) agreed.
Acting Mayor Randy Bateman suggested tabling the matter until the business owner could offer his opinion on the proposal.
That way, he said, the city could prepare the resolution with the specific map of what it wants to have re-zoned and advertise the public hearing (which would include the parcels to be re-zoned).
Councilor Ed Harrington (D-Third Ward) noted the council could amend the resolution when it gets to the floor; all the committee was looking to do was set a public hearing.
The residents’ intent is to limit the business district in their area to just properties that front on Route 104, Leotta noted.
Harrington said the city engineer would notify all property owners involved on the proposed public hearing; if they had any issues they could voice them then, he said.
They could get input from concerned property owners prior to the public hearing, he said. That way, the council could pass the resolution regarding the public hearing and include which parcels were going to be re-zoned, he added.
“There is nothing that says Monday night (at the council meeting), we can’t yank one of these (six parcel) descriptions,” Harrington said.
“That’s correct,” Leotta agreed.
“My proposal would be table it for two weeks; notify the owners and ask them what their feelings are,” the acting mayor said.
That way the language in the resolution could be completely set prior to the council vote, he added.
The committee decided to send the resolution to the full council for consideration.
In the meantime, they would entertain any comments and concerns from the affected property owners.
oswegodailynews.com/index.php/oswego/home_page/headlines/councilors_to_consider_zone_change_in_third_ward
OSWEGO, NY – The Planning and Development Committee moved forward with setting a public hearing regarding a zone change in the Third Ward.
Earlier this spring, a group of neighbors began fighting a multi-million dollar off-campus student housing project that was being proposed in their neighborhood near the college campus.
"Our neighborhood is one of the nicest in the Third Ward and we want to keep it that way," Anthony Joseph, one of the spokespersons for the Sheldon Ave./Ontario Heights neighborhood group, told councilors this spring.
Possible zone change discussed
Councilors Ed Harrington and Connie Cosemento look over paperwork regarding a possible zone change in the Third Ward. The council is considering a public hearing on the matter.
The neighbors are requesting the area be re-zoned as residential to block the development.
The city must have a specific map of what it wants to have re-zoned, according to Tony Leotta, city engineer.
City Attorney Gay Williams agreed. To vote on the zone change, they must first have a map of exactly what they are voting to change, she explained.
However, Monday night it was pointed out that one of the six parcels within the group that would be re-zoned is a car wash on Washington Boulevard.
If re-zoned, it would continue as a car wash but any additions or renovations to the business would be greatly curtailed, Leotta noted.
“I am not going to vote no on this but I do have some problems,” Connie Cosemento (D-First Ward) “We are re-zoning business into residential.”
The residents rejected the developers’ plan because of “anticipated bad behavior,” she said, adding that isn’t the right way to go about re-zoning.
The car wash owner has recently “put gobs of money” into his business, Cosemento pointed out.
The city shouldn’t do anything to handcuff the business, Councilor Tim Rice (D-Sixth Ward) agreed.
Acting Mayor Randy Bateman suggested tabling the matter until the business owner could offer his opinion on the proposal.
That way, he said, the city could prepare the resolution with the specific map of what it wants to have re-zoned and advertise the public hearing (which would include the parcels to be re-zoned).
Councilor Ed Harrington (D-Third Ward) noted the council could amend the resolution when it gets to the floor; all the committee was looking to do was set a public hearing.
The residents’ intent is to limit the business district in their area to just properties that front on Route 104, Leotta noted.
Harrington said the city engineer would notify all property owners involved on the proposed public hearing; if they had any issues they could voice them then, he said.
They could get input from concerned property owners prior to the public hearing, he said. That way, the council could pass the resolution regarding the public hearing and include which parcels were going to be re-zoned, he added.
“There is nothing that says Monday night (at the council meeting), we can’t yank one of these (six parcel) descriptions,” Harrington said.
“That’s correct,” Leotta agreed.
“My proposal would be table it for two weeks; notify the owners and ask them what their feelings are,” the acting mayor said.
That way the language in the resolution could be completely set prior to the council vote, he added.
The committee decided to send the resolution to the full council for consideration.
In the meantime, they would entertain any comments and concerns from the affected property owners.
oswegodailynews.com/index.php/oswego/home_page/headlines/councilors_to_consider_zone_change_in_third_ward