Link to D&C article on Newport.
The Planning Board will have their meeting tomorrow - Monday, March 22nd at 7pm.
There could be Final Site Plan approval at this meeting.
I still don't know the height of the Condos.
"One argument has revolved around the height of some of the buildings, which can be measured differently because of the sloped ground on which they will be built. Those buildings, he said, will be 29 feet on one side and 49 feet at their highest point."
Huh?
As far as I know, to determine height, you are supposed to measure at the front of the building (which is the side facing the water) from the ground to the ceiling of the top floor. I don't know if RSM can get out of measuring that way because it's not a single family detached unit, and condos don't fall under that classification......but that's how I thought they measured.
The Town Code for Waterfront District, section 235-33(C)(4) - which the PB Attorney cited in his 17 page resolution proposal, and the PB Attorney says 49.5 ft. in this proposal, but the actual Town Code section 235-33(C)(4) says 45 ft. - and it is the PB's discretion to set maximum heights (lower than 45 ft.) if they feel there would be visual impacts.
How do they get 49 ft.? The specific code that the PB Attorney cites does NOT say anything about the PB making the height HIGHER than 45 ft. - only that the height is 45 ft. UNLESS the PB determines there are visual impacts. Would you make it higher if there were visual impacts? No. You would set the maximum height LOWER than 45 ft. if there were visual impacts. The PB Attorney says there is no visual impacts (even though they haven't done a site walk).....so that means (if you follow Town Code section 235-33(C)(4)) the buildings cannot be HIGHER THAN 45 FT.!
"....and is considerate of and does not interfere with the scenic views or vistas identified in the visual analysis examined by the Planning Board."
How did the Planning Board "visually analyze" it when they have never even done a site walk? Are they aware of how dominating and huge four 49.5 ft buildings will be 25 feet from the shoreline?
Imagine 4 buildings taller than the Hampton Inn's main building (which is 41 ft.) sitting on the shore. Ugh.
The site plan still lists the condos at 53 ft.
So, again.....it's been 3 years......nobody can give a definite answer to the height of the condos. FOUR Public Hearings where that question was SPECIFICALLY asked - how high are the condos? - no definite answer as of yet.
FINAL site plan approval could happen tomorrow night - and the site plan still lists 53 ft., the PB Chair at the Public Hearing in January said 52 ft. and "we'll answer that in a while", the PB Attorney says 49.5 ft. and cites a Town Code that says 45 ft., and now the PB Chair is quoted in an article saying 49 ft.
How can you approve a site plan without knowing how high the condos are?
I think Mr. Dana was correct when he said this in the article:
"These clowns on the Planning Board don't have a living clue on what they're passing."
No kidding!
For reference, here are links to the Town Codes for Waterfront Districts, Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management, site plan review, and the link to Irondequoit's LWRP with links to past and present documents relating to waterfront development.
3 comments:
I think you triangulate the rise of a building.
You've done the Planning Board's research for them. I hope they do the reading.
I don't know how they are measuring the condos.....the Town Codes for Waterfront District doesn't say (that I read) and only pointed out that single family detached units would be measured from the ground to the ceiling of the 2nd floor.
What they are proposing is almost a 5 story building - how the hell does that translate to "low density"?
Boggles the mind.
I was reading some MPN articles from 3 years ago - some of the SAME issues are still issues as of today.
I read through the comments on the Newport section on the Town Website. Frequently it was asked what the height of the condos are - and RSM never once answered that question in writing, or directed an answer to the board at the Public Hearings.
How can you have a final site plan approval when you don't have an answer to the height of the condos?
If you do triangulate the rise of a building - somebody better get busy triangulating!
RSM doesn't answer anything that it doesn't want to. They don't want to publicize the height of the buildings. It is the planning board's responsibility to draw that answer out of them. Not only do they owe that to the public but this is basic board member stuff.
How did this board have the nerve to joke at the January meeting (after nearly 3 years) of not even knowing the height of the buildings yet!? (((((WHAT?))))
How do these guys have a 30 minute conversation about white/off white colors on a sign application but Nothing-Nada on height of the buildings taller than the Hampton Inn 25 feet from the Bay!?!?!
So WD code is 45 feet.
The site plan says 53 feet.
Remember this is a LOW density area and almost every public input speaker in the last 3 years has concerns about density and height.
LOW MEANS LOWER, NOT HIGHER!
No discussion about documents like the LWRP that are relevant in WD zoning. No mention of the Bay Harbor Management Plan.
No deliberations, hardly any discussion other than grammar corrections! What a joke!
RSM hasn't been accountable and that is the FAULT of the planning board!
ps-This applicant didn't want a site walk from the very beginning but the planning board did say as approval got closer they were going to have one.
So when is it?
Maybe AFTER final approval is granted tonight!?
Priceless! :)
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