GLOVERSVILLE – The Common Council will hold its regular meeting Tuesday and is expected to approve zoning changes to the Pan Am property at 312 W. Fulton St. and six properties located within a city block.
Last week, the city and county Planning Board recommended the city change the zoning at the former Pan-American Tannery site on West Fulton Street from residential to manufacturing.
City Department of Public Works Director Kevin Jones said the city has been working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Department of Health to make the site available for new development.
Jones said the property at 312 W. Fulton St. is about 4.8 acres and originally was zoned as a manufacturing site. The zoning was changed to a residential classification in 2002.
Jones said the zoning changes must be completed by March 31. If not, the DEC will take no further steps to complete a study of the property until next year.
He said if the zoning is completed in time, the city will be able to complete the Pan Am project this year by demolishing the buildings and installing a soil cap.
He said the soil cap only will be necessary on the vegetated and exposed soil areas.
In another proposed zoning change, the city council will consider rezoning a city block.
The change would include six properties: 8 Frontage Road, 49 Spring St., 83 Bleecker St., 40 Church St., 30 Church St. and 52 Church St.
A city resident wants to turn a building on Spring Street into a primary residence, but it is zoned for manufacturing. Because the city cannot have “spot zoning,” the council would have to change the zoning for the entire block.
The county and city planning boards were neutral on the change and see no regional effect from the zoning change.
Public hearings
A public hearing will be held at the meeting for the purpose of putting a stop sign at the intersection of Apple and Almond streets.
Jones and the Police Chief Donald VanDeusen said they determined the intersection should have a stop sign after residents complained to the city.
The sign would be placed at the end of Apple Street where it intersects with Almond Street.
The council will look to pass a formal resolution regarding the stop sign at the end of the meeting.
There also will be a public hearing regarding the proposed sale of a paper street known as Hales Mills Road to the Foothills United Methodist Church for the consideration of the city obtaining highway rights of way owned by the church for a proposed access road on Route 30A.
Casale said the “rights of way” are located near the intersection of 30A and Kingboro Avenue.
Speakers
Board member Charles Potter will present a quarterly report about the Gloversville senior center at the meeting on Tuesday. Last month, the Common Council voted to provide $8,500 to the senior center this year with the stipulation the city Recreation Commission can use the center once a month for events.
Joseph Lander of Express Taxi & Chauffeur Services and Jake Spraker of Glover City Taxi also will speak about the city code referencing taxi cabs and how the current written code affects their businesses.
Spraker said this morning the city Police Department, according to city code, is supposed to inspect the taxis once a month to make sure the cars have working lights and adequate tires, but often it doesn’t happen. The taxi services are proposing the code be removed or changed to eliminate any liability the city could have if the inspections aren’t completed monthly.
He said in the 15 years he has run the taxi service, the police have inspected his taxis about 10 times, and none ever revealed a problem.
VanDeusen said today he will propose making the inspections happen every three months rather than monthly.
The meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the council chambers in City Hall.
Levi Pascher covers Gloversville news. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
