Planning Board of the Village of Aurora
Aurora, New York 13026-9790 

 Minutes
June 27, 2012

JOINT PUBLIC HEARING: 

Present: Planning Board (PB):  Nancy Gil, Chairwoman, Patricia Bianconi, Alan Connors, 
					Grace Bates and Patricia Foser 

  Community Preservation Board (CPP): Chris MacCormick; Chairman, Dan DiSanto,  
			Jeff Blum, Claire Morehouse 
 Absent: Ed Easter    
  
Also Present:   Village Residents:  Elizabeth Knight, Alan Ominsky, David Brooks, Linda 				Schwab, Tracy Leffingwell and Melissa Miller
		Aurora Inns Rep. Sue Edinger with Architects Aino Parlo & Bruce King 
Deborah Brooks, Deputy Village Clerk

  PB Chairwoman Gil welcomed everyone to the Regular Monthly Planning Board meeting at 7:02 PM.  
PB Chairwoman Gil opened the Public Hearing at 7:03 PM with Application #12-09 from Tracy Leffingwell for a Demolition Permit to remove a portion of the house located at 348 Main Street also known as “The Chimney Corner”; Tax Map # 181.12-1-7.1. 
PB Chairwoman Gil noted that members from both of the Boards, Village Code Officer Piechuta and Ms. Miller were able to tour the home Monday, June 18th.  CPP Chairman MacCormick noted the options Ms. Leffingwell had under the Village Zoning Law.  He also compared Ms. Bates house and his home to this one noting that a portion of the structure was built on skids without a proper foundation under it.  	
Ms. Schwab enlightened those present with her research as to the history of “the Chimney Corner” as she found in Professor Temple Rice Holcroft’s writings on Aurora which she found on the ‘Rootweb/nys/pringport’ web site.  She noted that the map showed a main structure with a small addition and that the first Masonic Lodge was housed in the front of the house around 1806.  Mr. MacCormick also noted the information he received from Avery Ayers on his mother’s family (Avery) living in the house prior to moving to north Main Street.
Ms. Gil noted while touring the house she found no mildew smell due to the water damage and that the fireplace in the section designated for demolition was very beautiful.
Mr. MacCormick (who braved going to the basement) found that the furnace and electric panels had been damaged from the water flow from the adjacent creek.  He suggested that they needed to solve the problem of the creek overflowing into the house basement before attempting to do anything else.  He suggested they contact NYS DOT for help in the matter.  He volunteered to discuss the matter with Mayor Bennett to determine if the Village could be of assistance.
Ms. Gil asked Ms. Leffingwell to present the reasons why she wished to demolish part of this structure.  Ms. Leffingwell asked Ms. Miller to speak for her on this matter.  Ms. Miller noted that their goal was to fix the house to be livable and that they were interested in the Boards suggestions on how to proceed.  She noted there is the need to put in a kitchen and a proper bathroom on the main floor as well as to replace the furnace, electric and line the chimney for the furnace exhaust.  Ms. Miller added that they have not contacted anyone about cost to do this work yet and there were several other issues that would have to be addressed, too
Both the CPP & the PB Boards agreed that Ms. Leffingwell needed to consider preserving the house as is if at all possible, but her first goal would be to correct the flow of excessive rain water flow into her home.
Mr. Ominsky explained their contact with NYS DOT two years ago when they were approached by the state to have the ditch/culvert area repaired.  Ms. Knight added that the state’s drawings for the area were very inadequate and they voiced their concern about the proposed project.  They both noted that the NYS DOT has abandoned the project for the time being.  
Mr. Ominsky informed the Board members that he had checked out the covered catch basin on the east side of State Route 90 and found that there is a deposit of sediment in there which impedes the flow of water to the west side of the road thus flooding out Ms. Leffingwell‘s home.
Ms. Schwab suggested they contact Significant Elements of Ithaca	to see if they could help establish a proposal for either fixing the house or to salvage the area in question for demolition.  
Mr. MacCormick questioned what the engineers report said as to safety issues that maybe present.  He emphasized that it is the charter of the CPP to preserve and protect this building.  Ms. Bianconi suggested that NYS Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) be contacted for help with grant funding that might be available to them.
	PB Chairman Gil noted that the Public Hearing would remain open until next month’s meeting or whenever the applicant provides more detailed information to the Village office for them to review and that no vote would be taken until the file was complete.  CPP Chairman MacCormick asked the Deputy Clerk to have the sign board removed from the front yard.	
	Ms. Bianconi for the PB moved to adjourn the Public Hearing at 7:50 PM.  Mr. DiSanto for the CPP seconded the motion.  Motion Carried 9:0. (The CPP took a break outside)
		
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING

Present:  Nancy Gil, Chairwoman, Patricia Bianconi, Alan Connors,
			Grace Bates and Patricia Foser 
Also Present:   
		Village Residents:  David Brooks and Michael Peter
		Aurora Inns Rep. Sue Edinger with architects Aino Parlo & Bruce King 
		Deborah Brooks, Deputy Village Clerk

	 Chairman Gil reopened the monthly meeting at 7:55 PM, 
 Old Business – 

	Application # 12- 05 – from Pleasant Rowland, LLC located at 453 Main Street Tax Map #181.16-1-27:  changes to Abbott House project.  
	Ms. Parlo reviewed drawings for the changes to the:
		1] covered area between the main house and the staging kitchen,
		2] slope of the sidewalk area to the event tent to allow for handicap access to 				the restrooms,
		3] removal of the proposed porch area outside of the handicap bedroom on 				the north side of the house and the area to be enclosed to become a part of 				the bedroom living space, 
		4] relocation of the lift in the current hallway to the kitchen in the main house 				thus eliminating the need to cut into the foundation to accommodate the 				mechanical component, and
		5] addition of space in the dining room area - approximately 4 and 1/2‘ on the 				west side of the house.	
	After all questions had been answered, Mr. Connors moved to approve the above described changes to application #12-5.  Ms. Bianconi seconded the motion.  Motion Carried 5:0.

New Business – 

Application #12-12 - from Pleasant Rowland, LLC located at 453 Main Street -Tax Map #181.16-1-27 for Boat House Renovations.
	Ms. Parlo explained drawings for the repairs and renovations.  She pointed out that the existing structure would be kept, but they would be repairing the frame and stabilizing the columns.  The top deck would be a sundeck area for guests staying at Abbott House.  They will be replacing the stairs to the second story but would not be doing any work on the dock itself.  Mr. King noted that they intend to discourage the seagulls by placing a fine wire grid over the dock area.
	Ms. Foser moved to approve application #12-12.  Ms. Bates seconded the motion.  Motion Carried 5:0. 

	CPP Board members: Chairman Chris MacCormick, Dan DiSanto, Jeff Blum and Claire Morehouse rejoined the PB Board meeting at 8:30 PM.

Application # 12- 13 - from Michael Peter located at 461 Main Street for excavation, earth filling and dock addition and repair. 
	Mr. Peter apologized to the Boards for not having filed the necessary paperwork with the Village before commencing his project in March 2012.  He explained that he will be holding a wedding for his goddaughter in September and needed to level out the east yard behind his home in order to erect a tent large enough to hold 150 people.  
	Through questioning by both boards it was learned that he has had over 30 truckloads of top soil brought in and enough new sod to cover the area leveled.  Ms. Gil noted that a special permit should have been issued before any of the work started.  
	Mr. Connors questioned whether the Village had the right to impose fines for construction without permits.  The Boards were concerned with how enforcement of fines should be handled in future cases. Ms. Bianconi moved that the matter of fines and penalties be discussed with Mayor Bennett, and then have the Mayor contact the Village Attorney for advice.
Mr. Connors seconded the motion.  Discussion ensued.  Mr. DiSanto read aloud from the Village Zoning Law page 74 Section 1202 regarding Fines and Penalties.  After discussion, both boards voted unanimously to approve the motion.  Motion Carried 9:0.
	The Boards reviewed the drawings submitted by Mr. Peter and found them to be inadequate.   Ms. Gil noted that his drawings lacked detailed labeling and there was no way to distinguish new from old.  Mr. MacCormick added that the CPP need to see dimensions, height of second floor and railing, sample of railing materials either from pictures or a piece of the material; drawings for the proposed gazebo and stairs.  Both Chairs expressed concern that NYS Army Corps of Engineers had not been consulted for such an extensive renovation to his dock. 
Mr. Peter argued that he had attended a meeting earlier this year where he asked questions about doing his dock over and said that he was told he didn’t have to contact Army Corp as long as he didn’t exceed 950’ or what his neighbors had done.  Both Boards unanimously voted to ask the Deputy Clerk to notify Code Officer Piechuta to place a “STOP WORK ORDER” on Mr. Peter’s dock project until further information was submitted to the Village office by Monday, July 16, 2012 in order to come before a joint meeting of the CPP and PB on Wednesday July 25, 2012 at 7 PM.

	Both Boards briefly discussed restarting the amending process to the Village Zoning Law.
	The CPP unanimously agreed to adjourn at 9:10 PM and left the meeting with Mr. Peter.

 	Ms. Gil asked for approval of the May 23, 2012 Minutes.  Ms. Foser moved approval of the May 23, 2012 Minutes.  Ms. Bates seconded the motion.  Motion Carried 4:0. Mr. Connors abstained as he was absent.  The Joint Minutes for April 25, 2012 were tabled as the CPP have not reviewed them yet.  Ms. Gil asked the Deputy Clerk to distribute all sets of minutes to both    
Boards for their next meeting on July 25, 2012.
	
 	Next Meeting will be Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 7:00 PM.
	
	Mrs. Bianconi moved adjournment at 9:12 PM.  Seconded by Mr. Connors.    Motion carried 5:0.

Respectfully submitted,

Deborah M. Brooks
Deputy Village Clerk