Oswego Council Looks To Examine Community Development Office

by Steve Yablonski | March 10, 2014 11:52 pm

OSWEGO, NY – At its meeting Monday night, the Common Council breezed through a relatively light agenda.

Councilors approved authorizing the mayor and council to review and possibly restructure the Community Development Office.

It is part of an on-going effort by the administration to ensure all city departments are operating as efficiently as possible.

In January, the Fire Department was the first to be examined. An operational report on the department by Chief Jeff McCrobie is due out next week. It will be part of the date from which the council makes its decision regarding the department.

Councilors also approved use of public space for:

• Gloria Scaccia, owner of property at 4 Lathrop St., in order to install a one-car parking area

•  Tammy Johst, owner of property at 176 E. Cayuga St., in order to enclose a porch

•  Benevolent and Protective Order of Elk, in order to place temporary A-Frame signs. John Rinaldo, representative for the Elks said they want to place two 3’ x 1 ½’ A-frame signs, from August 1 through 23 advertising upcoming classic car show in public space. Placement request for the A-frame signs is as follows: corner of East Utica and East First streets and at the Forks of the road on west side (between 104 and George Washington Boulevard).

They also OK’d use of city properties for:

• Oswego Lions Club, to use Veterans’ Park for its annual River’s Edge Craft Show, scheduled for June 8 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They would also like to request the use of the bandstand, a waiver of the noise ordinance (in order to have live music), a waiver of the open container ordinance (for the wine tasting), use of the Coleman’s parking lot (for vendor parking), and closure of the Eastern end of West Seneca Street (between West First and Linear Park). They will place several A-frame signs at various locations advertising the craft show two weeks prior to event.

•  Use of Breitbeck Park by the Redhouse Arts Center for a performance to be held on June 15. The event will be held at 7 p.m.

The council granted a variance of the noise ordinance to Nicholas Canale, proprietor of Canale’s Restaurant, 156 W. Utica St., during the months of June – September. Canale wants to have live music on the new courtyard between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight on Thursdays from June through September.

They are also planning an event for July 4.

Canale requested a sound level of 85 decibels and has purchased a decibel meter that will be located on the premises.

A proposed change of zone was sent to the Planning Board for its advisory opinion regarding real property at 320, 326, 330 and 334 State Route 104, changing from an R-3 Residential District to a B-1 Neighborhood Business District. A public hearing regarding the request was set for 7:05 p.m. March 24 in the Council Chamber at City Hall.

Anthony Leotta, city engineer, said these properties are no longer used for residential dwellings.

They are houses built back in the early 1950s, Leotta explained.

“When the zoning code map was developed, they insisted that these four pieces of property would remain residential. Really, it is spot zoned,” he said. “One house is gone; the state took it when they widened the highway. The time has come to change these all to B1.”

There is a strong prospect to develop each of these properties commercially for office buildings or other uses consistent with the B1 District.

A petition submitted by Eleanor Blunt, owner of real property at 115 W. Third St., for a change of zone, from an R-3 Residential District to a B-2 Central Business District was also sent to the Planning Board for its advisory opinion. A public hearing regarding the request was set for 7:10 p.m. March 24 in the Council Chamber at City Hall.

The council approved solid waste licenses for the year 2014.

Barbara Sugar, city clerk, received nine applications for a 2014 Solid Waste Collector’s License and has deposited with the City Clerk’s Office the license fee of $500 for a Major Hauler and $50 fee for a Minor Hauler.

The mayor was authorized to enter into an agreement with the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce for the year 2014.

The purchasing agent was authorized to seek proposals for computer equipment upgrade at the High Dam Hydroelectric Facility. Funds have been budgeted for this project.

Police Chief Tory DeCaire’s request to two officers to the Evidence Technician Course to be held April 28-May 9 in Elmira was also approved.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/oswego-council-looks-to-examine-community-development-office/

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