Syracuse BZA Approves Three Cases, Tables One
SYRACUSE — How much business is too much business for a busy intersection? That was the discussion for most of the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals meeting the evening of Thursday, March 17. The board approved two exceptions and one variance at its meeting.
The hot topic of debate was an exception and a variance for three commercial uses on one tract.
The property at the center of the debate is located at 600 S. Huntington St. Shane Oberholzer owns the property, the site of Bale’s Butcher Shop.
Oberholzer’s petition for an exception was approved, but with conditions, after a lengthy discussion. He wants to allow a change and alteration to a previously approved case by allowing an alternative site plan layout for watercraft sales. He also wants no age limit on watercraft and to expand from only boats to all types of watercraft and accessories, including but not limited to, lift stations.
The discussion centered around adequate parking and enough space for the watercraft display area. Jeff Streby, owner of Protech Marine, wants to display various types of watercraft on the property.
Board member Ben Plikerd said he is concerned about traffic congestion. He said he is also concerned about parking. The site plan calls for nine additional parking spots. Plikerd stressed it’s all about traffic and safety and keeping the intersection clear.
“You can only get so many (uses) on one piece of land,” added Larry Coplen, board member. “We just want it to be safe.”
After considerable debate, the exception was approved with specific conditions. There is to be no outside storage and no service or repair work conducted on the property. The age limit on watercraft is lifted and parking will be angled, with curbs, and the proposed, new parking area is for marine sales and its customers.
Oberholzer’s petition for a variance, however, was tabled until April. He wants to allow three commercial uses on one tract, including a fruit and vegetable stand. The petition is for watercraft sales, seasonal fruit and vegetable sales, and overflow parking for the adjacent business to the north. The variance was tabled so Oberholzer can get a more detailed site plan for the fruit and vegetable stand, operated by another party.
Larry and Debra Nicolai’s petition for an exception to allow an accessory, personal storage building on a parcel, without a residence, was approved. The property is located 603 W. Boston St. and it was once a machine shop.
The Nicolais petition for a variance was also approved. The variance is to create two, undersized tracts of ground, with one having less than 75 feet of frontage, and both being under 10,000-square-feet in size. The couple’s attorney, Steve Snyder, told the board it will be good for the community because the couple plan to improve the property. The case was approved with the conditions there is no outside storage and the storage building can’t be broken up into individual units.
The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. April 21, in Syracuse Town Hall.