Five public hearings on various property issues took up much of the Skaneateles Town Board’s July 19 meeting, with the board addressing unsafe buildings, establishing a new drainage district and conveying land to Grace Chapel.
In follow-up actions from its June 22 meeting — which are also in the aftermath of the passage of the new local law on property maintenance — the board held public hearings concerning properties on Stump Road and Heifer Street, both of which Code Enforcement Officer Debbie Williams deemed unsafe.
The owners of the Stump Road property attended the hearing and told the board they are addressing the issue by hauling out trash, tearing down a dangerously decrepit outbuilding and securing the doors to the house. “We have no problem working with you and doing whatever needs to be done,” said Thomas Sheetz, son of the property owners, adding that he is currently working on selling the property.
Williams said she was satisfied that the family was addressing the unsafe conditions on the property, and asked that they keep in touch with her as the work progresses. They have 60 days to bring the property into code compliance.
The owners of the Heifer Street property, Edward and Betty Albring, did not attend the public hearing and no one else in the audience made any comments. Williams said the family did not respond to the notices she has sent them regarding code compliance on their property.
“This house is bad, it’s really bad. I think the best thing for it is to take it down,” Williams told the board, adding that the collapsed barn also needs to be cleaned up.
The board agreed to carry over the issue to its Aug. 2 meeting to verify the Albring family received the code enforcement notices. Councilor Jim Greenfield said he knows the Albring’s daughter and will speak to her about the property.
The board next held a public hearing concerning the petition by Don Spear to establish a drainage district in the Hidden Estates subdivision, which would allow the construction and maintenance of a water quality facility to serve the three-lot subdivision. There were no public comments.
The board declared the drainage district creation would have no negative environmental impact on the land, and unanimously agreed to establish the district.
The final two public hearings of the night concerned a previously-approved property conveyance to Grace Chapel from the town, specifically the release of a 30-foot drainage easement and a right of reversion. The reversion interest is under the condition that the conveyance is effective as long as the property is used for religious purposes and no other, and is used by Grace Chapel or its legal successor.
Both public hearings had no public comments, and both the release of easement and the right of reversion were approved unanimously by the board.
Also at the meeting, the board:
—Accepted the resignation of Planning Board member Jessica Millman. Town Supervisor Terri Roney said the board already has received a letter of interest to fill the vacancy.
—Announced that the NYS Department of Transportation agreed to a previous town board request to lower the speed limit from 55 to 45 miles-per-hour on a 1.2-mile stretch of New Seneca Turnpike. The new speed limit will extend from the end of the existing 35 MPH speed zone (.4 mile from the village line) to Fisher Road.
—Scheduled a public hearing for 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 13, to set a bid opening for a PRV (pressure reducing valve) vault for use as the town changes its water system to the village water tank. The change is intended to increase gravity pressure to the Mottville area, said Jim Card, head of the town water department.
—Agreed to send a letter of support to the Skaneateles Village Board of Trustees as it applies for a zero-energy use grant for the new village hall building.
—Approved the 2012 Standard Work Day Resolution, which states that all elected and appointed officials standard work day be eight hours.
—Scheduled a special operations meetings for 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, to pay bills. The meeting is necessary because the board only meets once during the month of August.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Skaneateles Press. He can be reached at [email protected].
