At its Sept. 23 meeting, the Liverpool Planning Board continued its discussion of proposed development at the Limp Lizard Bar & Grill, 201 First St.
Liverpool Properties LLC, a firm created by prominent Liverpool businessman Val Lamont, who owns the Limp Lizard and White Water Pub properties, applied for permission earlier this year to add a deck at Limp Lizard.
The proposal also calls for expanding the mid-block parking lot to 49 spaces, which would be shared by Limp Lizard and the White Water, located on the southern edge of the basin block at 110 S. Willow St.
During the 19th century that block was the site of an Oswego Canal side-cut basin, which is why drainage remains a primary consideration. The block is zoned for mixed-use, both residential and commercial.
“We’re waiting for the applicant to return with a revised site plan,” said planning board attorney Wendy Reese, “but they are preparing that and expect to have it before the planning board soon.”
Board member Jim Taft pointed out that future basin block developments by JGB Properties and the Barking Gull restaurant are also part of the picture.
“I have some concern about all the different elements,” Taft said. “We can’t proceed too far without all the answers. We need access to the lake. That’s our primary concern.”
On Sept. 12, Planning Board Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr. sent a letter to the village board of trustees making two recommendations: the village retain ownership of a 40×200-foot parcel running from mid-block to Lake Drive, and, regarding a second 20-by-178-foot strip of land connecting South Willow Street between the White Water and the Barking Gull, “that any disposition of that property (or retention of the property) provide for the creation of a walkway for pedestrian access to the interior portions of this mixture of parcels.”
Ostuni’s still waiting for feedback from the trustees.
“We’re not taking any action yet,” Ostuni said. “This is only discussion tonight.”
Planning board member Tom Tartaglia noted that JGB wants to build condominiums on Lower First Street at the site of the former municipal parking lot. “JGB is still questioning the noise issue [involving the Lizard’s outdoor deck proposal],” Tartaglia said. “Will the applicant address that issue?”
Ostuni replied that the village noise ordinance will be enforced.
As to parking, Tartaglia said White Water Pub presently uses a row of parking spaces located on JGB property just east of the pub, but the pub’s agreement with JGB to utilize that space expired Sept. 30.
To ease parking concerns, Fourth District County Legislator Judy Tassone secured permission from Onondaga County Parks and county government to allow free parking at the Griffin Visitor Center parking lot off South Willow Street and at the Salt Museum lot off Lake Drive, Ostuni said. “I thought that was very generous of the county,” he added.
