Syracuse BZA Grants Approval For Additional Housing
By Shelby Harrell
InkFreeNews
SYRACUSE — Thanks to a decision of the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals Thursday evening, May 19, additional housing opportunities will be available in Syracuse.
An amendment to the Ridgestone Development Group’s originally approved exception to convert the former Syracuse Elementary School at 502 W. Brooklyn St. into residential housing units was unanimously approved.
Marlin Schwartz, a partner in Ridgestone Development Group, explained their intent is to convert the east wing of the building, that houses the gym, into an additional 19 housing units. When considering the demand for commercial as opposed to residential development, members of the group concluded residential made the most sense.
“These units already include plumbing and infrastructure,” said Schwartz, “so it would be easily accessible on that end as well.” The project will now have 63 units as opposed to the 44 initially granted. Forty feet of additional parking space will also be added to the eastern side of the building, which will aid in controlling the flow of traffic.
Resident Kim Miller voiced concern about the additional parking possibly inhibiting his access to his own driveway, but the board reminded him the parking expansion had already been approved.
Resident Zachary White presented the board with a petition for a variance to allow for the use of a home as a multi-family residential property on 7,406 square feet of ground when the established ordinance requires 15,000 square feet. White also filed a petition to allow the location of said housing units within a residential district. Both requests were denied by the board due to White’s initial failure to obtain the board’s approval.
It was also determined by board member Randy Cox the property on which White had initially planned for the conversion to take place lacks the required amount of parking space for a multi-family housing unit. “You can’t develop the right amount of parking, and almost everything on the property has been done without our approval,” Cox reasoned. “On top of that, I just can’t see a triplex working in the area.” The board did, however, subsequently approve the conversion of the property into a duplex.
Local restaurant owner Sheila Canseco filed a petition for a variance to allow a commercial addition to remain as constructed without approvals or permits zero feet from an east right-of-way. A survey was conducted, which revealed that approximately 4 feet of the property extend beyond the established boundaries.
Canseco and her husband, owners of the Los Toritos Mexican restaurant, 717 S. Huntington St., had initially planned to use the space to establish a new parking area. Canseco, mistakenly under the impression they would only need to obtain building permits from the town of Syracuse and not Kosciusko County, was unanimously granted the variance by the board. “They not only have the main restaurant lot; they also have the empty lot behind it,” said Steve Snyder, attorney for Canseco. “They are currently in the process of regrading, and the parking spaces are available and adequate.”
A variance to allow for the construction of a building for indoor private boat storage on the east side of Hickory Street was approved by the board, with the condition that no additional outside storage takes place. Kyle Swartz represented business and property owner Jeffrey Wells at the meeting.
The board also approved a petition filed on behalf of residents Douglas and Karen Stanley, which would allow for a variance for a new residence 19 feet from the right-of-way, 2.18 feet from the northeast property line and 4.59 feet from the south property line to the property’s AC unit. The Stanleys’ property is located at 209 E. Baltimore St.