Lysander Town Board refers next incentive zoning application

By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

The Lysander Town Board has given its second incentive zoning application the go-ahead. The board voted Aug. 8 to refer Bella Casa Builders’ application to develop 122 lots in Collington Pointe East to the Lysander Planning Board, the Lysander Zoning Board of Appeals and the Onondaga County Planning Board.

While he did vote in favor of sending the Collington Pointe proposal on for review, Councilor Roman Diamond said he was concerned about the project’s requirement for homebuyers to plant two trees in the front of their lots.

“[We’re saying] ‘Thanks for buying this house, but you have to put in these trees,’” Diamond said during the work session preceding the town board meeting.

“It’s a whole litany of headaches for the builder,” town engineer Al Yager said.

If Bella Casa Builders were to plant the trees, Yager explained, it would be their responsibility to maintain the trees going forward.

However, the developers would not have the right to maintain the trees once the buyer takes over the property. Yager said having the developers plant the trees would deprive homeowners of landscaping choices.

“We thought if we wrote it [into the proposal], we would leave the choice up to families as to what kind of trees,” Supervisor Joe Saraceni said.

A joint meeting of the Lysander Planning Board and ZBA will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, to discuss Collington Pointe’s incentive zoning proposal.

To view the letter of intent and related maps for the Collington Pointe proposal, visit bit.ly/collingtonpointe.