Common Council discusses zoning changes

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·2 min read

Mar. 23—Members of the Oneonta Common Council continued to discuss changes to the city's university zone during their meeting Tuesday, March 21.

Code Enforcement Officer Stephen Yerly said after the discussion about short-term rentals at the March 7, meeting, he redrew some of the map to exclude Wood Ridge Apartments from the new University Transect 3 zone, while Hillside Commons was included in the zone.

Council Member Len Carson, R-Fifth Ward, asked if excluding Wood Ridge constituted spot zoning.

Yerly said that after the discussion at the last meeting, there was a consensus of council members to not allow short-term rentals at the Wood Ridge Apartments. The apartment complex is also located closer to residential homes and will be added to a residential zone, he said.

Council Member David Rissberger, D-Third Ward, worried that separating the two apartment complexes would result in an Article 78 filing from the owners of Wood Ridge.

Hillside Commons at 150 Blodgett Drive, and Wood Ridge at 15 Farone Drive, are near each other, adjacent to the SUNY Oneonta campus. At the last meeting it was announced Hillside Commons rents to college students, while Wood Ridge rents to residents.

"We have on record they are substantially different," Yerly said. "We've done our due diligence."

City Attorney David Merzig was asked if he felt comfortable with the change. Merzig answered he felt comfortable and could defend the city.

Council members also discussed the percentage of a property that could be used for short-term rentals. Yerly had put 75% in the code, but several council members felt this was too high.

Mayor Mark Drnek said he was told Hillside Commons would offer 60 apartments per week to baseball families. Rissberger said that amounts to 45% of the apartments in the complex.

Carson suggested 45%, but Emily Falco, D-Eighth Ward, suggested 50% and others agreed.

Kaytee Lipari Shue said 50% makes sense for four-unit properties, as anything less, they would only be able to rent one unit out.

The zoning changes place different parts of the city near the two colleges into three different university transects: University Transect 1 would encompass buildings along Clinton Street and along West Street from the north of Franklin Street to Center Street; University Transect 2 would encompass buildings along West Street from Chestnut Street to Franklin Street; University Transect 3 would encompass all of Hartwick College, SUNY Oneonta and Hillside Commons.

In addition to allowing short-term rentals, the changes to property setbacks in those zones were also discussed. Yerly said setbacks and the square footage requirements were also changed in those districts, as many properties on those streets would have to apply for zoning variances otherwise. "I'm trying to reduce the number of nonconforming properties," he said.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.