After nearly a year and a half more than a dozen meetings — some lasting as long as three hours each — on July 28 the village of Liverpool Planning Board unanimously approved plans to build a 38-seat back deck at the Limp Lizard Barbecue, 201 First St. and a 48-space parking lot behind that property to be shared by the White Water Pub, 110 S. Willow St.
Both businesses sit on parcels owned by Liverpool Properties LLC, a real estate concern operated by prominent Liverpool businessman Val Lamont and managed by Lamont’s grandson, Tom Juliano.
The two restaurants are located on the basin block bounded by Lake Drive, First Street and South Willow Street adjacent to Onondaga Lake Park. The large, roughly triangular-shaped block is also the site of JGB Properties’ planned mixed-used development combining residential units and retail and office spaces on lower First and South Willow streets.
“Overall, the lighting plan looks good,” said village engineer Greg Sgromo. “It looks balanced, and the landscaping has more variety now. They’ve addressed the concerns that we had.”
The site plan submitted by architect Peter Chrissey on behalf of Liverpool Properties shows access from the proposed mid-block parking lot via a two-way driveway off of Lake Drive across the street from the Salt Museum lot. One way access will also exist just east of the Limp Lizard building on First Street, and a relatively narrow one-way exit will empty onto upper Lake Drive.
“They’ve come up with a logical, straightforward plan for traffic flow,” Sgromo said.
The City-County Planning Board has already approved the site plan, noted Planning Board Chairman Joe Ostuni Jr. “And the applicants have done an outstanding job by meeting with adjacent property owners,” Ostuni added. “They’re working with their neighbors, which is good.”
The approval of the Limp Lizard proposal was moved by planning board member Mike LaMontagne and seconded by Tom Tartaglia.
“I’ve got to give credit to Val and Tom and Peter for sticking with it,” LaMontagne said. “The meetings [with Sgromo and the affected property owners] that were conducted outside of the planning board were well worth it.”
Juliano asked for the board to allow Liverpool Properties 18 months to have contractors complete the work. “There’s a lot to be done,” he said.
Planning board alternate Robin Daloia, who was filling in for member Peter Osborne, said she still had several questions about the site plan. “There are still a lot of unresolved issues,” she said.
Ostuni, however, anticipated no problems. “But much has been resolved,” he answered.
Planning board member John Eallonardo expressed concern about the lack of a definite end-date on the recent inter-municipal agreement with Onondaga County allowing village businesses to utilize two parking lots owned by County Parks at Onondaga Lake Park. Site-plan applicants, who must demonstrate that enough nearby parking exists to accommodate staff and customers, will now be able to count parking spaces available there.
Eallonardo voted in favor of approving the site plans after a specific reference to county lots was deleted from the resolution.
