The Skaneateles Town Board has agreed to establish a committee whose task will be to review and update the town’s current sign ordinance to make it less cumbersome and more up-to-date.
The action, taken by the board at its March 15 meeting, was the result of concern over aspects of the ‘business sign’ section of the ordinance that some residents have recently complained were unclear and in some cases prohibitive.
“It is a very detailed and cumbersome ordinance, and we need to make it clearer and fair for businesses,” said Town Supervisor Terri Roney.
The town councilors all agreed with the establishment of the committee.
Roney said Town Code Enforcement Officer Debbie Williams will be a member of the new committee, and members of the Town Planning Board and Town Zoning Board will be consulted about their interest to participate as well.
The current general sign regulations for the town — which run about 12 pages — are found in Chapter 123, Article 2, of the Town Code. They were adopted in 1991.
During the continuation of the public hearing concerning a request to extend the consolidated water district to service a new Victory Sports Medicine facility on East Genesee Street, the board voted to extend the public hearing yet again because they are still concerned over possible adverse effects the extension could have on water district No. 2 service.
Victory Sports Medicine, owned by Dr. Marc Pietropaoli, purchased approximately 99 acres of land two miles east of where the medical facility is currently located at 791 W. Genesee St., with the intent to construct a larger facility to meet the growing needs of his business. The project must receive town approval to extend a water district to reach the building proposed for the new location.
No one addressed the board during the public hearing (extended form the original March 1 public hearing). Roney said she had discussed the water district extension — and concerns about adverse effects to current water district residents — with the town engineers and they both recommended water line testing during high-use times.
Roney said old water district No. 2 has a history of low-pressure issues and “we don’t want to exacerbate” the issue by adding more usage to the line.
VSM Enterprises Chief Operating Officer Lance Wardell voiced concern over the added testing, which by regulations will be at VSM expense, saying VSM had already spent $12,000 over eight months on this project.
“Why was this issue not raised sooner?” Wardell asked.
Roney said she did not know, but “rather than push it through and pass it and find out after the fact that there’s pressure issues, we’d like to do further testing,” she said.
Also at the meeting:
¬—The board unanimously voted to appoint Karen Barkdull as full-time clerk to the town zoning and planning boards, and clerk to the town zoning officer. Barkdull, who has been the clerk of the town zoning appeals board since August 2007, will receive a salary of $30,500 per year. She succeeds clerk Suzanne Repulski, who retired March 13.
—The board unanimously approved the creation of a part–time town constable position with an hourly pay range of $15 to $22 per hour; and then unanimously approved the appointment of Alan Parsons to the position.
The town board previously passed Local Law 1 of 2012 in January, which authorized the appointment of a town constable to enforce town laws, particularly at the transfer station and as a town court officer. Thomas Adessa was hired to fill the new position and currently is town constable.
Roney said the creation of the new part-time constable position was because Adessa “can’t always be available,” and this will help the town maintain constable coverage.
Roney and Town Councilor Nancy Murray interviewed Parsons for the job and both recommended the board hire him. Parsons is currently town constable in Sennett and Fleming – although his hours on those jobs will not conflict with his hours in Skaneateles – and he is a Cayuga County 911 dispatcher.
—The town board scheduled a bid opening to replace numerous windows in the town hall building for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 17.
—Roney announced the receipt of a $200 donation from the Sons of the American Legion to be used for the new plaque currently being created to honor War of 1812 veterans in the Shotwell Park veterans memorial.
—Sue Murphy of the Town Parks department said the Austin Park Ice Pavilion is now closed for the season, while benches have been put out and tennis and volleyball nets have been put up in the park. The two new Pickleball courts will be taped and laid out on the existing Austin Park basketball courts during the week of March 19; and the Skaneateles Farmers’ Market will have at least seven new vendors when it opens back up.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Skaneateles Press. He can be reached at [email protected].
