ROUTE 305 Zoning board says no to condominium plan

About 15 residents attended the meeting.
CORTLAND -- The city zoning board of appeals has rejected an appeal that would have allowed the construction of condominiums in front of the Shepherd's Hill neighborhood on state Route 305.
By a 4-0 vote Wednesday, the board upheld a decision by the city planning commission to keep strips of land on both sides of Southdale Boulevard zoned service. That designation allows for the construction of stores and gas stations, but not homes.
The board listed several reasons for its decision, including that the service zoning designation is appropriate and that it is not in the best interests of the city to have housing on state Route 305.
About 15 residents attended the hearing to speak out against allowing multifamily homes on the 3-acre property.
At several previous meetings, residents argued that the new multi-family homes planned by the company would become eyesores, diminish property values and introduce other problems to the neighborhood of primarily single-family homes.
Residents' reservations
Neighborhood residents also have expressed reservations about WAE Corp. and developer Anthony Petrocco, who sought the zone change.
The homeowners have complained about infrastructure problems and street flooding in other parts of the Shepherd's Hill development, which Petrocco also built.
"It has all been fueled by the emotions of homeowners in the area," Mayor Curt Moll said today.
Atty. Robert Burkey, who represents WAE Corp., said this morning that city officials had been aware for years that multi-family homes were planned on Route 305, and multi-family buildings had been built on some streets in the development before many residents moved in.
"The city can make a decision independent of the people who have emotions about that," said Burkey. "This is land use planning, not emotional planning."
Homes and apartments could be constructed on service-zoned land until 1996, when the law was made more restrictive.
A sign on the property advertises that it is for sale for commercial development.