Community News

The City of Oswego Planning Board held its February meeting on Tuesday evening. There were fifteen items regarding five properties on the evening’s agenda.

Board Chair Richard Freeman called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm with five members present, along with City Attorney Keven Caraccioli.

First on the agenda was a series of motions having to do with a proposed outpatient substance abuse treatment center to be built on George Street by Farnham, Inc. After some discussion regarding the proposed construction’s environmental effects on a bordering wetland, the Board voted unanimously to approve the site plan and off-street parking plan, and to forward the proposal to the Zoning Board with a favorable recommendation.

Next up was a proposed head shop at 143 George Street. Applicants Natasha Glynn and Darrell Pfiffner were on hand to address the Board’s concerns. Mr. Freeman asked about the amount of off-street parking the plan included, as there are two additional businesses located in the building. Pfiffner said they had been consulting with the Code Enforcement Department over the parking requirements, and felt that the proposed redesign adequately dealt with the issue. There were also questions raised regarding the security of the building’s shared entrance. Pfiffner and Glynn said new doors and entrances would be installed prior to opening. 

The Board inquired as to the business’s permit status from the State’s Office of Cannabis Management, and was told that their application is in queue, but it is hoped they would have their retail cannabis license within six months or so. All motions regarding this project passed unanimously.

A proposal by local landlord Lee Walker was next on the agenda. Walker has proposed to convert a residential property at 54 Liberty Street to a multi-use building, with the intention of opening a bar on the ground floor. The building formerly was home to a bar called The Shacki Patch for many years before the property was converted to all residential. Walker’s proposal was met with significant resistance.

Several board members voiced concerns over the availability of required off-street parking, and what the traffic congestion from a busy tavern would do to a largely residential neighborhood. Walker stated that he felt he had been able to meet the letter of the code, and also stated that there were several other establishments in the city that faced similar situations.

Several neighborhood property owners were in attendance, and spoke during the public comments period. Richard Favata, whose house is adjacent to Walker’s, said that on the rear or west side of the property there would not be enough room to safely park five cars as Walker has proposed. Neighbor Amy Moshier also mentioned the noise issues in the past, as well as incidents of public urination and other disturbances.

Oswego Mayor Rob Corradino also attended the meeting. Corradino said that he has owned a property within two hundred feet of Walker’s building since 1980, and has seen the area’s fortunes rise in the years since the Shacki Patch closed. The Mayor recalled many incidents of littering, fights, and other disturbances in the area and stated that city residents did not want to go down that route again. 

Corradino continued, stating that the First Ward neighborhood had been long neglected, but had improved its quality of life significantly in recent years. He cited efforts by the City’s Code Enforcement Department, as well as many investments made to properties in the area by homeowners, and touted the Oswego Renaissance Association’s stewardship as being vital to the area's rise.

The Mayor concluded by saying that as a neighbor, he was against moving the project forward,  and that returning to the bad old days was not something the city was striving for.

Following the comments by the Board members and the public, Walker requested that the Board table the proposal so he could reconsider the project. This motion was defeated by a 3-2 vote. Next, the motion to approve the off-street parking plan came up for a vote. It was defeated by a 4-1 count, effectively putting Walker’s proposal on hold until he revises the plan.

Other matters that came before the Board on Tuesday included the proposed conversion of a carriage house at 259 West 3rd Street to a short term rental unit. This matter passed following confirmation from applicant Dan Lupa that parking and privacy concerns had been met.

The board then reviewed a matter regarding a property at 80 East Schuyler Street. At issue is the location of a storage building that was placed on the lot following its purchase by owner Mark Lytle. The neighboring property owner also is contending that Lytle’s business is disrupting the area’s quality of life. The issue was tabled, and will be revisited at the March meeting to allow for further review of a zoning variance previously issued for the property.

Following this final agenda item, the motion to close was made at about 9:00 pm.

The next meeting of the City Planning Board will be on March 5th at 6:30 pm, with submissions due by 4:00 pm on February 22.