The Stafford Town Board is looking into a proposition to rezone a section of Route 5 from agricultural/residential to commercial.
On Monday night, the Town Board voted 3-2 to send the proposal to the town’s planning board for review.
The subject of rezoning came up recently because Finger Lakes Construction Company has moved out of the location they were leasing a 5773 Rt. 5.
According to Zoning Enforcement Officer Lester Mullen, the property is owned by the Brisky Family and Finger Lakes Construction has two more years left on their lease.
The Brisky Family has decided to put the property up for sale.
Scott Adams, owner of Scott Adams Trucking, who is currently a tenant at Adams Fabrication and Welding, has an interest in the property and would like to purchase it and put a truck repair facility at the location.
However, the property is zoned agricultural/residential and Finger Lakes Construction was leasing there under a special use permit.
“The Brisky Family is having a hard time selling it as a warehouse,” says Mullen.
“Adams is intending to buy it, but can’t do what he wants which is to move the trucking business there and then service the trucks there.”
The current zoning and a special use permit do not allow for that type of business in this area.
Town Supervisor Robert Clement says the Town of Stafford is looking to get out of spot zoning and do a total commercial rezone from the area just west of Emery Park to Dupont TV on the east side of the hamlet.
Clement says there are about 10 homes that would be affected by the rezoning.
“I would like to see feedback and see a letter go out to residents,” says Councilman Ronald Panek.
“A truck repair business will change the whole atmosphere of the area”
Supervisor Clement says at this time its an idea in the early stages and sending the motion on to the planning board will get things started.
Town resident Sandra Swanson told the Board, “It feels like you are going to bat for just a couple of people here in town, don’t know how fair that is.”
Another resident told the Board, I would think as a taxpayer, who just got hit with a $288 tax bill for the Fire Department, the more you bring into this town the more it will spread out the cost people will have to come up with, so why not put it there.”
“We need to be looking at something,” says Mullen.
“If this can’t be done he’s(Adams) not gonna buy it, then you will have another warehouse doing nothing in the town.”
Clement, Pacer and Mullen voted yes while Panek and Robert Mattice voted no.
The Planning Board meets at the end of the month.
The issued will be looked into at the Town Planning Board then forwarded on to the County Planning Board. It will then be brought back to the Town Board for a public hearing and a vote.