City Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening and welcome to this meeting of the Syracuse Planning Commission. We have a very long agenda tonight and we will get started on it momentarily and we will work through it as expeditiously as we can to take care of the items on the agenda this evening first though we will take action on the minutes of our august 10th meeting those minutes have been distributed in draft form to the members of the commission and we will now pause to see if there's a motion for action on those minutes move to approve the minutes of august 10 2026 and i will second that with a friendly amendment asking that we adjust The pages aren't numbered, but it is under item SP 202630. We received a written communication as a comment for that application, and it was handed to me, and I erroneously attributed the comment to Mr. Prescott, and it's not his comment. He was kind enough to print it out. and share it with the Commission so we would have that input before we voted. So I don't know the correct name, but I will ask staff to locate the name of the sender of that email and replace Mr. Prescott's name with that name to make these minutes more accurate. So that's my friendly amendment.

And the friendly amendment is accepted.

Thank you. Discussion on the motion before us for the minutes? If there's no discussion, all in favor of the motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Our minutes from August the 10th are approved, as amended. And we will move into our schedule of public hearings for this evening, starting first with old business. But before each case is announced, I just want to say something about process for those who might be here for the first time. As each application is announced by a member of the staff, we ask that the applicant or the representative come to the podium in the center of the room, provide their name and address for the record, and then a brief summary of the application involved. following questions from the commission members we will open up the floor to individuals who wish to speak in favor of an application each application and then similarly an opportunity for those who wish to speak in opposition to any particular application or comments are offered in opposition we will encourage the applicant to address the comments made in opposition and since we have uh... fair number of individuals here tonight, and the agenda is so long, we really will insist on holding to our three minute limit for comments, whether you're speaking for an application or against an application. So be mindful of that as you begin to speak. We have someone keeping time, I believe. Our expert timekeeper will be on the job. So that will give everyone an opportunity to speak on the various applications that we have tonight. So before I turn it over to Jake, are there any changes to the agenda that's been published?

No changes. I do have one announcement for the board before I introduce the first old business item. Noel Garcia has been formally named our newest director of zoning administration within our department. I wanted to make a public announcement for that. Congratulations. Congratulations. I was remiss on our last meeting with everything going on. I could have announced it then, but it slipped my mind.

Well, we could have had cake tonight, but I didn't know in time. He's still here. He's still here, so that's a good thing. He's still here, right. Congratulations, Dylan. Thanks for that great update.

First up, this was on the last agenda. but the applicant had to miss and is hopefully here today. 745 North Salina Street, Special Use Permit SP 2026-10 to establish a smoking establishment in the MX4 Zone District.

Yes. Shibima Smith, 745 North Salina. I need to say Syracuse, New York, 13208. Perfect.

Thank you.

Okay.

If you could just go through... Just kind of an overview of what you're looking to do. You want me to go over? Yeah, just kind of give the board a briefing.

So I'm just going to open up a retail shop, no on-site smoking, so it'll just be like hookah supply store where you can come and get basically things to set up your hookah.

And the hours that you'll be operating?

I was looking for about, what did I put?

Okay And any other highlights that you would like to share with us no Just that there's no on-site smoking so Hey are there any questions for the applicant from the commission members I

Do you have a, currently, let me see, are you the owner of the building? No. No, I'm not the owner. Is there a residential tenant upstairs, are you aware?

No.

No, not at this time.

Not at this time. I think they have a program for, they're doing some modeling, remodeling or something.

Okay, okay. And have you considered where your customers will park? It's back, it's back parking. So in the.

It's a lot in the back.

Lock alley. Yep. They're going to enter on the lock alley. Yes. Drive and park. I think there's.

Thank you.

Yep. Further questions for the applicant?

All set, thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come forward, provide your name, address, and no more than three minutes of comments, please.

Lawrence Davis, 4100 South Salina Street. I rise to speak because every opportunity, a business coming into a community, you want to give them the opportunity to succeed. And for far too long, folks in the city have been holding back and controlling development because maybe they don't like it. or maybe they don't understand it, but there have to be more room for our city to grow, for new people to come into it and make their contribution. So of course I support the young women trying our business, and whatever the city need to do to make sure that it's all safe for the citizen, that's where the city should step in. Give thanks.

Thank you. Are there other individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application?

Good evening. My name is Abed Zahran. I'm familiar with that location. I think it would be perfect for this young lady to establish a new business there. And there's No Smoking, which is a hookah product, which sells everywhere. It's all legal, no headache, no problem, as long as she'll sell over 21 years of age. I'll give her my approval. Thank you. Did you provide your address, please? Well, I've got a couple of properties. I've got 1110 North Salina Street. That's my property. And I manage 847, 849 North Salina Street. And my son, he's down the street, 612 North Salina Street on the corner of Salina and State. I'm familiar with that location. That's enough.

We just want one.

I think you guys should give her the opportunity to open her business.

Thank you. Thank you. Are there other individuals wishing to speak in favor of the application?

Hello, my name is Sharif Ziran, and I'm located at 622 North State Street. I'm familiar with hookah. I used to smoke it a lot, and since there's no on-site on it, and it's very local in the area, I think I'd definitely give her approval for this, especially for a young lady to start a business. There's not that much hookah spots around, and to get it convenient, it's very reliable. And I know the location she's speaking about.

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Other individuals wishing to speak in favor? Are there individuals wishing to speak in opposition to the application? If so, please come forward, provide your name, address, and your comments. I don't see anyone rising to speak under this category. We'll close public comment and turn our attention to our Seeker Review.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and contained in your packet?

Yes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and contained in your packet?

Yes.

Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA? No. Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend... that the commission make a negative declaration and prepare the ea of part three accordingly thank you is there a motion for action on our secret review moved to issue a negative secret declaration thank you moved to second and i just would have one comment for the record uh... it appears that the applicant

wrote no in the short secret form talking about permitted uses. And I think because we were saying it is permitted with a special use permit, we just want to clarify. That's probably a clerical error. That's not saying that the law would not permit this if we vote on it.

Noted.

OK.

Thank you. Good catch, Commissioner. Good thing lawyers exist.

Actually, now that you mention it, there were a couple other things that I think were maybe On the form number 10, will the proposed connect to a public-private water supply? It's checked no, but I suspect there will be water at the site. And similarly, the next question connected to existing wastewater utilities, it's checked no, but I think it really is a yes. And I think that was it. Probably just misunderstanding of the questions, but so we'll correct kind of all those at once unless there's a concern from the applicant that we've misunderstood those issues so that was on the seeker right yeah we had a motion in a second with those clarifications any discussion on this motion If not, all in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Seeker motion is approved. Now we turn to the special permit itself, and the action from this body will come in the form of a recommendation to the Common Council, which will make the final determination on the special use permit. So is there a motion on SP 2026-10

I move to find special use of permit application SB-2026-10 in compliance with special use permit criteria as demonstrated by the criteria analysis contained in the staff report pursuant to Syracuse Zoning Ordinance Section 5.4B7A-H. and to recommend approval by the Common Council with the following four conditions. Those four conditions are as follows. The applicant shall comply with the general conditions for approval of the special use permit. Two, a certificate of use must be maintained and renewed every two years while the business is in operation. Three, a crime prevention through environmental design report shall be conducted and the recommendations implemented during the permitting process. And four, no on-site consumption of smoking products, including shisha, tobacco, or cannabis, shall be permitted without the prior establishment of a smoking lounge. Thank you.

Before we act, I just have a question for staff on the parking in Lock Alley. I note that DPW indicated in their analysis that if that's to be used as the parking for the establishment, they want to take a second review, I believe they said.

Yes. From the transportation planner. Right. Right. Neil and team.

I'm assuming that prior to it opening, transportation, Neil will have to take a second look.

It was really not a requirement. So, I mean, but. Right now it's saying there's no on-street parking available on Lock Alley. You mean for the parking lot mentioned?

So if you go down Lock Alley, I think there's like three spots. Right. So there is, I mean, it is apparent that you can turn into the back of the building and the door is there, at least it was to me. So you could go, and I would park my car there and go in that back door. Right. Oh, I have to go to the front. OK. So I just don't want to get at odds with her ability. Right. There's no on street parking on the alley. That's correct. But I don't want to get at odds, you or us, at odds with transportation and you have a problem.

Is there any signage related to no parking on Lock Alley?

Yes. I mean, and Lock Alley is as big as this table. It's tiny. It's very tiny and tight. So if you did park there, it would not be pleasant. It would be a problem. Okay.

Are you saying you want to put that in as a condition just to make? So if the parking lot will be formalized to accommodate customers in the rear of the building, that will need further review from the transportation planner at DPW.

Okay.

Thanks.

Yes. It's a fifth condition. Fifth condition. Yeah.

So there's a motion from Barry and kind of a second with maybe an amendment. Sounds good.

Except there is a friendly amendment.

Good. Now discussion on this motion before us. If there's no discussion, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? The special use permit recommendation is approved for SB 2026-10. It'll move to the Common Council for final disposition. Thank you. Our next application, please.

I'm told the applicant for the next old business item is on her way. If the board is okay with it, we'll go to the first three subdivision.

Yep, we can move right on.

That brings us to R-2026-59 at 1041, 1051, and 1031 and 33 South Geddes Street. And this is with the Syracuse Land Bank. Thank you.

Good evening, I'm Caitlin Wright with the Greater Syracuse Land Bank, 1941 South Salina Street. Our buyer here lives at 1031 South Geddes Street. She previously purchased the parcel to the north. We were here for our resubdivision a couple years ago, I think. That she used to provide off-street parking. She operates an in-home daycare out of her house there, and so the off-street parking is helpful, but she also wants some green space for the kids to play. So we're proposing to sell her the two lots to the south of her home, and she plans to fence them in We think it's unlikely that we would be able to build a new house here because South Geddes is a pretty busy street. So we think this is a great use and it will put the properties back on the tax rolls.

Great.

Thank you. Questions for the applicant?

Thank you. Thank you. Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come forward. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application, please come forward. We have no speakers, so we'll close public comment on this application and turn our attention to our environmental review.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and contained in your packet?

Yes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and contained in your packet? Yes. Yes. Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA? No. Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. Is there a motion for action on the SECRA review for this resubdivision?

I make a motion to issue a negative SECRA declaration.

Thank you.

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on this motion? If there's no discussion, all in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Seeker review is approved, and we turn our attention to the resubdivision itself. Is there a motion for action on R2026-59? I move to approve application R-2026-59.

AS PRESENTED WITH TWO CONDITIONS. THE TWO CONDITIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS. ONE, THE APPLICANT SHALL SUCCESSFULLY FILE THE RESUBDIVISION MAP R-2026-59 IN THE ONTARIO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE WITHIN 62 DAYS OF APPROVAL AND TWO, THE APPLICANT SHALL APPLY FOR ALL APPLICABLE PERMITS FOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS AS REQUIRED FROM THE CENTRAL PERMIT OFFICE.

THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? Thank you. Discussion on this motion for the resubdivision? If not, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Resubdivision is approved for South Gettys Street. Our next application.

I want to do the next subdivision before going back because it's with the land bank again. Right. R-2026-68 at 2615 Midland and 2619 Midland Ave.

Again, Caitlin Wright with the Greater Syracuse Land Bank. Our buyer owns and lives at 2615 Midland Ave. This vacant lot is right next door to his house. He's been maintaining it and mowing it for many, many years. On the other side of the lot is a mini-mart that's pretty busy, so we would like to sell him this lot so he can have a little bit more defensible space around his home and more of a buffer between him and that mini-mart.

Thank you. Questions for the applicant on this resubdivision?

Thank you.

Thank you. Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come to the podium, provide your name, address, and comments. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application, please come forward. We have no speakers for this application that appears, so we'll close public comment and again turn our attention to the Seeker Review for this resubdivision.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EIF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and contained in your packet? Yes. Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EIF Part 2 prepared by staff and contained in your packet? Yes. Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA? No. Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. Is there a motion then for action for our seeker review?

Move to issue a negative seeker declaration.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on this seeker motion? If there's no discussion, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? The seeker motion carries. And we turn our attention now to the resubdivision itself. This is R2026-68. It's described on Midland Avenue. And our action now, again, in the previous case, becomes a recommendation going forward to the Common Council for final disposition. Is there a motion for action on the proposed resubdivision?

Yes, but it's not a recommendation to the Common Council on a resubdivision.

Oh, excuse me. I'm looking at one and reading the other. Cancel that.

Yes. Okay. Thank you. I move to approve application R-2026-68 as presented with two conditions. Those conditions are, one, applicants shall successfully file the resubdivision map of R-2026-68. the undying clerk's office within 62 days of approval and to the applicant shall apply for all applicable permits for site improvements as required from the central permit office thank you sir second second discussion on this motion before us if there's no discussion all in favor please indicate by saying aye I was opposed please say nay any abstentions

The subdivision is approved and it's real. And thank you. And now we'll return to the original order of the agenda if the applicant is here.

All right. Back to old business. This is a major site plan review 25-26 at 4100-06 South Salinas Street in the commercial zone district. There's some proposed amendments with the vehicle mitigation plan and off-site parking agreements. I'll let the applicant review that with the board.

Good evening. Hello.

Hello. I appreciate you guys for not waiting for me, but I thought I was number 10 today, and we were doing the bridge work in Central Square, so apologies. Shaquilla Brown, 4100 South Salinas Street, my address.

Can you just give an overview of what the updates are?

Okay, so my new updates are I have new parking. I didn't bring, I do got my phone. To give me the exact addresses. But so last time we spoke and I was standing in front of you guys, I had Seneca Turnpike. So due to the amount of time that, you know, the year and a half, that owner backed out on me. And he backed out on me because he paid his lawyers to do all of the paperwork and everything. And it took so long, he felt as though I ghosted him. But this goes to follow back to what I was saying before is I wanted everything to be black owned. And one door closes, another door opens. So my pastor agreed and signed an agreement to allow me to utilize 40 parking spaces at our church. So I was told by zoning that I had to come back in front of you guys. I don't know why I thought that I would be able to just give the new agreement to zoning office and let them know. But I'll let you guys know that the 10... commandments that you guys gave me. I followed all of those. I also did the intake meeting downtown, but it was stopped by zoning. Zoning wanted to, you know, for me to go back and thank God that they asked me to go back because I would have been allowing my fellow agreement to be broken because he had already leased out portion of that to the saucy sisters is a food truck so portion of what we agreed upon parking had actually been rented out so I had to go with my next options and actually worked in favor and now I have in total.

49 parking spaces to use aside from the eight that we have at our facility So if we could just review My understanding of the new parking agreement that we have that's in the packet is at 43 25 and 43 31 South Salina Street, there's 40 available spaces

Yes, sir. And it's also shorter than the 2,000 feet. I also do still want to be able to allow my clients the party bus, the shuttle, you know, access as well. But with these parking spaces, I logically, by zoning code, I wouldn't have to do what I had to do before with using Seneca Turnpike. So it actually works out better for zoning and my company.

So that's the first one. The second one is at 4110 South Salina Street. There's three spaces. At 4413 South Salina Street, there's 10 spaces. Yes. And on the on-site parking is five spaces for a total of 48 spaces.

So that the three space, I mean, up to 58. Yes. Yep. So those three parking spaces that you're talking about is upon our East Bay line. I don't I'm not familiar with which photo images that you guys have, but it's literally adjacent to our property. in which we have boundary lines to utilize those as well. And also with code for DPW, they required us to have two handicap parking spaces as well as the regular four and the barriers. That was a big thing with DPW is making sure that no one backs out onto Dawes Avenue. I also have, you know, I plan to use valet parking. I mean, honestly, I'm telling you guys again, my building is not going to be an everyday thing. Uh, it is only going to be open for, you know, bookings. So I'll be able to figure out exactly how many people are going to be there per event. You know, I'm in control of all of those things. Right. Because it's per events. Um, If you rented it out and you wanted 50 people or you rented it out, you know, there's no telling of how many people is going to walk, how many people is going to drive, you know, but that's my job to make sure that everything is ran, you know.

Okay, good. So what we will be doing is we will be amending the original approval. Item 10 on the original approval was with respect to the parking plan. And so the new amendment would be to adopt a new parking plan for up to 58 parking spaces at various locations with shuttle service and a security team to assist with traffic flow and event security for all events. A failure to fully implement and maintain operation of the parking Management plan may result in revocation of approval for the application So that's just an amendment of item 10 before and the only thing that's changed is the locations in the number That's fine.

Even the last ten Commitments I say in my head that you guys gave me I literally went and did every step and I was Skirt halted by zoning and I want to make sure that we are all working together with this

Sure. Okay. So given that our total number of parking spaces is up to 58, you have provision for two bike spaces in the adjacent property. But according to the code for 58 parking spaces, there should be- It's more than enough. Racks for six bikes.

Absolutely.

So that would include adding four bike racks to the main property.

Even if I was to revert the logical eight parking spaces that's on facility, I could utilize those for bikes. I have enough parking right now to where... I could just use those two addresses from my church.

Right, okay. Because ideally, given the future, with that event center continuing, that successful one, with BRT and everything, we would anticipate more traffic using public transportation and more people using bikes.

Right, I mean, no fault. I love the idea of me having these much people at an event. You know, I want longevity, and that's what I'm doing it for. I mean, I've missed out on so much throughout the duration of this. This is why I'm back in front of you guys is because the time, the time frame, the, oh, you got to go back and do a minor site plan review, you got to do a major, and now look, we're back to a major. You know, there's been a lot of representatives that I've gotten close to from zoning, and I respect them because they're making sure that everything with my business is secure.

Okay, good. Great. So I just have one more question. I mean, since we first considered the application, there have been a couple of complaints with respect to violation of codes for work going on without permitting and inadequate improvement of the ballot situation. So I just want to note them.

Yes, so I can definitely say that the last time I stood in front of you guys, I was given three to six months to go ahead and make sure that these things were corrected. And I jumped the gun. I went and another black-owned company allowed me to, you know, they made a nice price with me to go ahead and fill in the potholes that the community was complaining about and those things of that nature. And I jumped on it because I had three to six months. I want to make sure that everybody is happy within this situation. And then I also turned around two days after that and I went down and I tried to pull the permits on them and I was told I couldn't do anything by zoning. Zoning had to go back and look at the things that you guys have already approved, which was the agreement with Seneca Turnpike. Okay, so with that being said, now it's been two years. Now I got to go and figure out how I get back in contact with this owner. He changed his phone number, and then I went to one of his stores that he's renting out, and I got his phone number, and that's how I found out that he rented. Thank God that everything didn't go through, and that would have been a mishap. You understand what I'm saying? So everything happens for a reason. I don't take it with a grain of salt or anything like that. I just take it as we're all working together, and I just hope that that's what it is.

Great. Thank you.

So, Shaquille, let's just follow up on that. I'm assuming that the continuation of whatever work you're doing... Oh, no, that was just the base.

That was just the base. I do paving. I do construction for a living. Once the base got put down, I didn't do any more paving. I didn't do any of those things. I notified the other parking agreement that I have. Also, the guy that came and he spoke and said he didn't want it happening, well... I'm not gonna lie I asked them you know don't don't interfere with his property and he still filled the holes behind there and it you know it is what it is but I just want to make sure that we're all able to work like I wanted to do a book a bad giveaway I couldn't even do that this year because I didn't want to go against zoning it's like a fight with zoning and then it's like I want to apply. I'll apply. Because it's like I've been through so many different people. It's a tongue. Now it's pan. Now it's this person and this person. And now all of these things are getting misdocumented. You know? And it's... It's hard getting people to work, and I know that because I try to get people to work, especially minority. But that's neither here nor there.

But you do understand that you're going to have to continue to pull permits to get the work done.

Absolutely, absolutely. And that just raises a question for me. So being that I did the intake and I know what each department wants, am I going to have to go back And time wise, because these permits that I'm pulling, they take a certain amount of time.

That's right.

You see what I'm saying? So am I going to have to go back in time before I can go ahead and operate and do these things that you guys are setting for me, you know, to do? I mean, logically speaking, it's hard for me because I am a nine to fiver.

Are you going to have to go back in time? Go ahead.

I'm not sure I'm following, but I'll clear it up. So these are two different things. First of all, this is the same application before this body that has been ongoing since the beginning. We have to, by law, have her back here today to present this to you because it involves traffic and parking locations off-site. So we don't have an ability to make an administrative review or approval of that. So this body has to hear what was presented just moments ago.

I fully understand that because that's what I do for 11. I do traffic for Syracuse.

On top of that, after you guys hear this and make a decision on this, we will do Seeker 2 to update this. But what she's talking about are building permits.

I know.

And I mean, are you claiming your intake was rejected or I guess?

So I'm not claiming. Absolutely. It was rejected based off of zoning because you are you Jake Deshaw? Okay, nice to meet you. I'm Shakila. I've been here forever. But by law, that's what they say. Right, exactly. And I would like to get to know him because we got to work together with these things. But with it being stated, it takes, I believe, it could take up to three to four weeks or it can take up to four to eight weeks for this process to go through. And I've already endured all of that time. The only comments that I have is about the barriers is from DPW, which I'm very familiar with that. All of the traffic that you guys see going on, I said all of your traffic. I'm the reason why you're late to work. I'm the reason. I'm out there. I'm taking the middle fingers. I know. I know the rules. I know what I have to do. And a part of me knowing what I have to do is zoning. They're doing their job. And I have the same thing to follow. Right now, I'm out in Central Square. I'm removing a bridge that has been there. All of these bridges, I play a part in. I play a huge part in. But my thing is, I've already put in so much space blood, sweat, and tears into all of this, and it's like, it's unjust. You know, I just want to be able to have the opportunity to open. Now here we are, another summer, another. These are all, people have already placed their bookends with my company. So with that being said, the same way that I am taking their deposits, I have to repay these people. I want to do things with the community. I cannot do them because I have to go through zoning. So with that being said, all I'm asking, I followed everything that you got, every guideline that you guys put in front of me, I followed, I've completed. Sometimes I get into the negative thought, like, okay, this is the delayed response, you know, like they want you to give up, you know, you know, whoop-de-whoop, but my thing is I'm not giving up on something that I really believe in, you know, and now I have... Now I have my neighbors. My neighbors are coming, hey, you can use my company, use my company, but wait, you can't do anything because they have a code violation. They have, you know.

So thanks for saying all that. I just looked. So we'll connect you with our permit office because your site work, Application is unsubmitted by you as the applicant and then you're they told me to stop because And then your building permit was rejected because it was an incomplete application. I will connect you with our senior project manager within the permits office Tomorrow and we can go through all this and straighten that out. But it's two different things. This is back to amend the land use approval.

I've been in contact with Chad as well.

I don't know. We're saying right to what we're doing here tonight, which is not building.

I just want, for the record, this has had no impact on the building permit reviews. Those are different things that are- Separate, separate issues. Related, but separate. We will connect, Chad.

Yeah, see, that's not what they're telling me. What they're telling me is they can no longer go on with my permits until I satisfy zoning. And then when I get in contact with zoning, it's Jake Deshaw. And I've never known who he was. He's the man.

He's the man. So what you need is this board to decide on your land use issues regarding the parking. And then tomorrow, you need to connect with Jake or his team, whoever he assigns it to. to work on the building permit side. Perfect. We can't issue the permit.

No, no, I understand. I understand, and I'm okay with following every step in demand that I need to, and I've been doing so for two years now. We're not that bad. We like seeing you.

If I understand correctly, part of your question had to do with the time restraints, though. So you do have 12 months from the date of approval to get all your permits in place. So I guess one of the questions, is it 12 months from the prior approval, or is it 12 months from today, given that we're doing an amendment?

Bingo. I think the prior. But I...

So that's one of the questions.

And that's the main thing that I want to know because that sets me back another year.

This will be a new approval so we can go off.

A new clock starts. This date? This date, okay.

We're going to reduce Seeker just to make sure there's no impacts with the parking and traffic. So I think we can go from this date.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for that update.

Thank you.

Are there individuals who wish to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come forward, provide your name, address, comments, at three minutes or under, please. Good evening.

Good evening again. Lawrence Davis, actually the owner of said property, 4106 South Salina Street. Two years to open a business. No one could rent a piece of property and not pay rent for two years. So whatever system you guys are operating on, it's not real. Please. There's no business can open and go to the duress that is under in order to open. She said, and she'd been trying to figure it out and navigate the system and give you, the city, what it needs to be able to feel that the business is gonna be safe and that it's gonna be productive and that you can get it done. Two years. and now we're going over, and now we have to come back again. There must be some way that this business can say, all right, or as Mr. Deshaun said, in that area, common sense should kick in. They already have everything, the only issue was the issue for parking, you now replace the parking with more substantial, the parking is even closer, it's even more. Go forward. Some educated decision got to be made because it cannot take a business for two years. The amount of money that has to be paid in rent in order to maintain it. And I'm the landlord, so don't mess with my money. So a lot of business will be closed. People will be losing it, lose their down payment, their security deposit, move on. I'm trying to do some other business, and I would hate that I'm going to start rent a 10,000 square foot space and that space I have to be paying rent for two years to open up a business. I hope there must be a quicker way to this. With AI, other cities are using AI and technology to be able to speed this up to weeks. The issue of safety is the only issue. So please, participate in helping our city grow. It is actually dying. I don't know if you all look out the window and walk around the city. It is actually dying. There's an enormous amount of empty spaces because of this backlog, this issue here. And the people are coming in, there's actually new immigrants coming in and trying to inject because they say, oh, it's a city, let me try something. All the people are not, they give up. So please, I would love for us to do it, be considerate that if somebody's renting something, that the rent is being paid. There's got to be a way to expedite the situation. It can't just be just sitting there, backlog. No business will open.

Okay, thank you.

And this is what we want. We want a productive city. We want people to create work, particularly people from the minority community like myself. If we are trying to build our community, if we don't do it, who will? Because it's been abandoned. I think we're just getting the supermarket coming back now across the street from her, quite frankly. Just coming back now. Food insecurity. No one would even try to open up a supermarket so it could be the community could have food. People buy food every day. Well, I wouldn't even think about it as a business because I have to go through just to be able to think about it. And I have some good ideas I would like to try, but I can't even try them because I'm scared that it's going to take me as long, two years to come through the process. So please, the process is bad. Introduce AI to it, please.

Thank you. Thank you very much. The next person wishing to speak in favor of this application, please come forward. Your name and address, please, and your comments.

Sure. Hello, my name is Jacqueline Lassonde. I'm a Southside resident, and I've been here nine years, and it is truly disappointing. I regularly come and hear... before people when they want to do something on the south side. And it's stunningly slow, and it shouldn't be. We have a lot of boarded-up places. We have a lot of places that have code violations. We don't get service like we should. So when somebody wants to do something good that will benefit people, it seems like the naysayers are the ones who won't support the business anyway. And it's not a business as much as an event space that's going to... that's going to go to the good of the youth and the younger people in this area, the walkable area. So that being said, I'd like to not continue to see these delays. I was 59 when this started, and now I'm 62 going into 63. I guess I'll be 64 when this is done. And this is not OK. I run a large food pantry in the city of Syracuse, and I see a lot of kids just wandering, nowhere to go and no event space to do something in. This is something huge, and it's for the good of the community. If things can be built as quickly downtown, then surely we're the uptown part because we're still south side but going straight up South Salina. So I would not like to continue to hear these delays. And people, even the supermarket, we don't own it. It's something that's going to go and be tried here, and we'll see about that. Because ownership is key to things that happen here in this city. So we need to do better, and I would hope that the body of people here would do better with it.

Thank you. Additional individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application, please come forward. Is there anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application? If so, come forward, provide your name, address, and comments.

I attempted to submit this by email, but it didn't go through, so I'm 316, Monticello Drive North. Sorry, every time I come here, I lose my voice. I live about three, four blocks away from this parking lot, and I... I tried to provide a context for the greater evangelical parking lot and the issues around it. So this is a totally new application as far as our neighborhood goes, and no one around the area was notified. Okay, so no one around this parking lot was notified that this... large change is going to happen every day of the week from four to 12 and on weekends. Uh, so that's a serious issue. And I just point out the Emmaus ministry, main building, the Emmaus dental clinic, the, uh, the tiny homes, the, um, Approved funeral home with no parking places or very few parking places It is not yet an operation and there was no solution when you approve that so that's gonna that's an unknown The Catholic Charities housing all that surrounding this area So the question is We've had issues in parking lots with all these venues. They claim to be event centers. How are you going to limit the cars to 40? That area accommodates more than 40 cars. In the past, what happens is it fills up much more beyond what they anticipate. And there's only a partially fenced lot between Emmaus and the church parking lot. The other day, I went back there, and there's actually a gap where they can go into Emmaus parking lot. And they may, at times, be able to get to East Glen Avenue from there. And that's the neighborhood. The city has few ways to deal with this. They're not around at night. They're not, codes isn't there, police isn't there, fire's not there, nobody's there. So the question is, another question is, how are these events going to be monitored? I know they per part decide to monitor, but I don't see how they can possibly do that. The church is a non-profit entity. It's going to get $400 an event. There can be several events a day. And they can lose their tax exempt status on the parking lot.

Could you wrap? We're kind of at the three-minute limit. Could you wrap up, please?

If there's a termination of the lease, then... will the event center be terminated? Will she go to all this work and put this in and then be terminated because we have an issue, there's issues with the parking lot? So the noise, the before behavior, the after behavior which we've experienced at all these other locations will not go away, will be the same thing. So I think we're being penalized. because we've had these other incidents. So now we can't park at Valley Plaza because of all the things that have happened. We can't park at the corner of Ballantyne and Walrath and Salina because of those incidents. Now we're pushing it into the neighborhood. So now we're gonna be more directly impacted because of these other incidents. And, I mean, again, like I said the last time, we're the guinea pigs in this. So I urge you to deny this application. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there other individuals wishing to speak in opposition? If so, please come forward, provide your name, address, and comments. I don't see anyone else rising to speak. Oh.

I didn't realize we weren't notified that this was affecting the parking lot at the evangelical center. I'm here for Lamar advertising. My address is 5947 East Malloy Road. We own the lot at 4305 South Salinas Street. There's some billboards at the front of it, but to the rear, there's an open green space along Florence Ave. which we have had a lot of issues with cars parked both in front and behind the billboards over the last few years. And it is extremely difficult to do anything about that, quite frankly. It's very difficult to get anything towed. Nobody wants to tow anything. We believed it was coming from the property, the rental property that is also owned by the church next door. And I have left several messages for that pastor and gotten no response. But I do believe if they're going to be parking in that parking lot and there is overflow that we may have some issues in that green space. And we've left it open because a fence around it doesn't really do anything to improve the look of the area. It is a nice green space if kids were playing soccer or kick around or whatever. We don't mind them being there. But obviously, if it's going to end up being used as possibly a parking lot or causing issues, then that is going to cause more issues for the neighbors. That is an issue for us.

Excuse me, I didn't catch the address of the parking lot you're referring to.

4305. Oh, 4305. We own the corner lot there. So that large green space on the corner of East Florence? Yes. And as far as I know, you can come through between that parking lot and that green space. You can actually access it. Recently, we have had, because they were the DPW, they're doing roadworks in that area. So we have allowed the city's contractors to park their equipment in there. But over the last few years, we've had a lot of problems with just random cars being dumped and parked in there. So just wanted to bring that up as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there other individuals wishing to speak in opposition to the application? Please come to the podium. Write your name, address, and comments. I don't see anyone rising to speak on this, so as indicated at the outset, the applicant has an opportunity to address some of the comments made in opposition if she chooses to do that.

quickly, the for the record, there was one other letter received by staff and opposition. Just for the record.

Thank you.

I

So I am not aware of the things that previously happened. One thing that I am savvy with is blueprints and addresses. And the property that she's speaking of is approximately 500 to 800 feet away from the church's property. I am not the owner of the land. I do not have control over him contacting them for any complaints or anything like that. But I could assure you that my event center will not be open every day. It's not an everyday thing. It's per bookend. If there is, you know, a way that I can contact my pastor and ask him to check his emails or however you see fit, you know, I am... I'm savvy to doing that. Another thing that I want to brush up upon is traffic. I mean, if you live in that area, you own property in that area, there's been a lot of construction going on over there. If you look in the newspaper, you will see me. I am the plaster child for the 481 switchover. I do the traffic for all of those things. I mean, if you guys can trust me to do traffic for you on a day-to-day basis,

five hour time span that I'm given I will be able to accomplish that that's all I have to say thank you so all speakers have been heard who wish to speak we'll close public comment on this application and turn our attention to the seeker review

Yeah, again, out of an abundance of caution, we're going to do this just to make sure. I think we should anyway, but since it does impact traffic and other locations, I think it's the best thing to do. Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and containing your packet? Yes. Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and containing your packet? Yes. Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA? No. Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. Is there a motion then for action on the seeker review for this application? This is MISPR 2473 and MASPR 2536. Move to issue a negative seeker declaration.

Second.

Thank you both. Is there discussion on this motion? If not, all in favor of the motion before us, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Seeker motion carries. And we now look at the site plan review itself. This is again MISPR-24-73 and MASPR-2536. Is there a motion for action on these reviews?

I move to amend item 10 in the conditions of the original application MASPR-25-36 approved by the CPC on 4-27-26 to adopt the new parking plan for up to 58 parking spaces at various locations with shuttle surfaces and security team to assist with traffic flow and event security for all events. A failure to fully implement and maintain operation of the parking management plan may result in revocation of the approval for the application.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on this motion now before us for the site plan reviews.

If

There's no discussion. Then those in favor of the motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? The motion carries. Our next application, please.

Next up is another major site plan review, MASPR-2026-20 at 2156 Erie Boulevard East. seeking to establish a business service supply and automobile repair heavy and retail general.

Thank you. If the applicant is here, please come forward.

We just notified that they are also running late. Okay. We will hold this one and see if they show up.

Exactly. There's no shortage of work tonight.

gets us to another major site plan review, MASPR-2026-25 at 344 North Salina Street, owned by Helio Health in the MX4 Zone District.

Good evening. I'm Bob Seigert with Shop for Architects, 1111 James Street, Syracuse, 13203. I'm representing Helio Health tonight on this project. This involves a .7-acre property parcel that's bordered by Laurel Street, North Salina Street, and Pearl. And the goal of this is to demolish three abandoned buildings and to construct a new two-story training center, two-story, 12,500 square feet total, I think. square foot total for the training center along with redeveloping the entire site parking lot which includes stormwater lighting landscaping and and fencing This is a project we went through with the city, the Landmark Preservation Board, back in 2021 and 2022. So that's why we're going for a variance. And I know you're not dealing with that tonight. You're just dealing with Seeker.

Just to give a quick overview. So the applicant has submitted a minor site plan review for demolition of the site. which requires a building permit for demo. We'll do seeker this evening. Then we will bring the project before the Board of Zoning Appeals for the three-story minimum requirement relief from that. And then we'll come back to this body for a final decision on the site plan review. Sorry, what did I say, minor? Major.

It's a long time.

Closer to me. Rub it off on people. It's okay.

Just a scheduling question. The next BZA meeting is on September 17th. Is it queued up to go through that meeting? Yes. Okay. So that'll be September 7th, for those who may be interested, will be the Board of Zoning Appeals review for the variance.

Okay. Thank you, Jake, for the context there. And were you finished with your summary? I'm finished.

If you have any questions, I'm here. That's what we'll find out now.

If there are any questions for the applicant on the project just described on North Salinas Street.

I'm giving the length of our agenda tonight, and we'll have a couple more shots at this. No, I don't have any questions. Understood. Thank you.

It may not be the case later. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? Please come to the podium, provide your name, address, and comments.

Here was being said, Lawrence Davis, 549 West Seneca Turnpike. Every time Helio Health opens a business, I was thinking if I was going to be negative or positive, but I'm trying to be positive. The only thing I worry about with them is that they bring baggage. I have another property that maybe I should have been negative. I'm next to a Helio Health business, and someone caught in a fire. sleeping in there in the freezing cold. One of their clients caught it on fire. So I'm worried every time I see Helio Health do something, it's not necessarily development, but it's also not, you know, it needs much more care in it. So I just want to give the board that insight. So I'm not here to stop development in any which way, you know, because if it's a vacant property, we have to bring it back online. But at the same time, there have to be some kind of caveats that they take much more care in how they put their business and impact the community. The very same thing that people were saying about the business impact. But this is one that we know will impact and it cannot just engage the clients and not control the flow in the immediate neighborhood. Just like the issue with the cars moving in, the same way the people, they seem to stay around and they cause issues. and I'm a victim of that. So I hope they come in and contribute because our people does in fact need to help, our community need to help. People are struggling with issues and yeah, it should not just be a business, it should be an issue of care that's gonna impact and transform people's life, not just get them from, you know, satisfy their immediate need or try to get them off their issues that they're struggling with, but help them pull back into community. and I think that they've been lacking, so I just wanted to say that, but I also support the issue of them coming in and contributing to the development.

Thank you, appreciate that. Other individuals who wish to speak in favor, please come forward. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application, please come forward, provide your name, address, and your comments. Please keep your comments to three minutes.

Hello, my name is Shreve Zaran. I'm located at 622 North State Street. And I'm very familiar with the property itself. I actually tried to purchase a property before Helio did. And that property specifically, my first clothing store, my dad's old warehouse, the exact location is 344 North Salina Street. It's the larger space, the warehouse space in there. It used to be my clothing store for about 10 years. So long story short is I like, I always loved the property to develop, but I love Helio Health and I love what they do, but the problem is, like the gentleman just said, they bring a lot of package. And this is the package I've been seeing over 20 years. I've been in this street over 20 years. I see needles everywhere, Solano. I mean, especially in front of Rockies all the day. I want the Rockies to get a cigar. I see a needle right in front of me. Sniper Park, there's a little park in front of my building between 344 North Solano, that property, and my property, 622 North C Street. It's called the Sniper. It's like a little park with a statue, and it's a sniper on it. Long story short, people are doing drugs there all day, every day. To Asti's. Asti's Cafe used to be right next door to Jacobson Rugs. Jacobson Rugs used to own it before Helio Health. And next door to it was Asti's Cafe. It was a beautiful Italian restaurant. The family, they're Italian. They invested over a million dollars adding the addition to their property. It's right in the entrance now. I think it's a venue, I think, I forget who owned it, but long story short, it ran them right out of business. Who wants to take their family out to a dinner, their wife, their kid, and there's a bunch of drug addicts. And I understand that drug addicts need help, but close to downtown, it's not helping them much. They get it either way. But it's a lot to do with. Now, I love the training center, and I got questions about this. Are there going to, like, people, are the addicts going to be able to live at this location? is just going to bring, this is 100% going to bring more of these type of situations. And the situations that I see, like even the other day, like a couple years ago, I was going to take my kid just right across the street to the little park, and he almost stepped on a needle. And it kind of bothered me, so I told my wife, I don't even want him in the area. And it's not just even the needles. It's a lot more to do it. I mean, I've been in this business for 25 years for clothing, and a lot of my boosting and stealing is those addicts. And I understand they want help, and I understand, and I love what they're trying to develop the property. But my question really is, is this just going to be a training center for the employees to learn and Which I'm in favor of that. But if this is going to bring more people where they have in-house and then people get to go there, get their methadone or whatever they need to get, this is going to... kill the area. I'll tell you why. You got an apartment building right behind it.

Could you summarize quickly?

I'll make it very simple. I got residential tenants and I got commercial tenants. And right down the street, for me, there's an apartment building with like 20 apartments, no, 16 apartments. on State Street, and they got kids and family. That's definitely going to get affected because that's right behind them. Then across the street from them, you got a red big building with 60 apartments. In 60 of those apartments, 50% is occupied with family and kids. So there's always hangout in front of that red building. Down the street, even from mine, I try to clean that up as much as I can. I don't even have a loaner in a hangout, just professional business people. But at the same time, it's killing the community itself. Ever since Helio, and I love Helio. Nothing against them. It's just what they bring to this area over, I've seen it in a decade. There's not that many people walking in that area to do anything but for Helio. Before, it used to be Jacobson Rugs. We used to be flourishing with Jacobson Rugs. It used to be my clothing store. We used to have Sarah Pericles Diner right next door. We used to have Daggett's Insurance Agency in that building.

We're going to need to move to another speaker, so thank you.

So long story short, that's my summary. I'm with it, and I'm against it. I'm against it if they're going to bring more people in this area. I'm with it if they're doing to train their employees, and there's nothing wrong with that. And rebuilding it, I understand that. I would love it. I would love to see a new property get developed down the street, but... what is it going to, how is it really going to impact everybody in the area? Right. You know, and Salina Shee is beautiful, and I want to keep it beautiful. Thank you for your views. That's it. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Thank you. Are there other individuals who wish to speak in opposition? Please hold your comments to three minutes after you've given your name and address for the record.

Hi. My name is Dwayne Sorrow. I own a building at 412 Pearl Street, just a very short distance from the proposed site. Helio Health has been in the Learberry building for nine years. I've owned the building that I have since the mid-'80s. and i've seen a lot of transitions in the neighborhood uh... certainly in the last decade it has been very very negative i've had a lot more uh... breakage in the cars in the parking lot directly across from us the city lot i've had my glass window broken out in the business again it is more recent than later so i'd say that last decade and certainly the drug issue that we have in the city and in every city is something that needs to be addressed so the mission of helio health i think is very good one i think it is a very very poor placement it doesn't belong in a business district Because business in downtown, all downtown, it's not just Syracuse, it's not derived from downtown. My customers, I've been in business since my second generation, since the 50s. Our customers are from Fayetteville, Manly, it's all over. And they don't want to come down there. I hear it from my customers coming in asking me if it's safe to leave the car on the street when they come in for a session. And you can't conduct business like that. And again, I have one tenant, so I have three apartments upstairs, two commercial sites on the ground level. One of my tenants is moving out. He's had his car broken into in the lot that is parked right at the street, not way back in the back of the lot, but right at the street on Pearl Street, the main entrance, twice in the last 30 days. So it's coming from somewhere. Are there needles? There's always needles downtown. I mean, but that's probably every city everywhere. I don't say that that's the only issue. But obviously, if they're going to bring more people, more concentration of these needy people who do deserve help. But again, I think the location of it should not be in a business district. it should be someplace else i mean uh... it's up to you wise people to help decide where that should go all i know is it doesn't belong where it is so it is adversely affected my business substantially And I'm sure others as well. So that's what I have to say about it. Love that they're there. Love that somebody wants to do something with the building. That nature of a building where you're inviting more drug addiction to that location. And what amplifies the issue is the Samaritan Center just a block on the other side of us. So you're giving them free drugs over here, and then I'm going to go over and get free food over there. And what's in the middle? A couple windows that you can break out and see what you can steal. So Venomania, you know, it's an upscale liquor store. He has two by fours bolted now in the last three years on the inside of his glass door. Looks terrible. It's because people are breaking in for a bottle of wine. So, and I've asked the city, by the way, if they would put surveillance cameras on the street. They have not done so. I also don't think it would change anything because if you're a drug addict, you don't care if you're on film. You just need to get what you need to get. So, but they're also not patrolling the area. So with or without a camera on Pearl Street, which is only two streets, it's a very, very short street. It's Nettleton Commons, Art Block, And so there's no additional surveillance, and there is a lot of added crime based on the traffic that is being brought to the neighborhood from the business.

That's my thoughts. Thank you. Thank you for sharing the thoughts with us. Additional speakers who wish to come forward, sir, and provide your name and address and your comments?

My name is Frank Westfall, owner of Middle Earth Leatherworks. I bought the building in 1993. I've been on campus from 75 to 93. If this goes through, you are destroying the North Solana Street Business District. One, June, July of 2020, I do the downtown art show, the COVID no-show. I'm off buying a motorcycle in Rhode Island. I get a call. My building's on fire. A homeless guy, a drug addict, burns, tries to burn my building down. They catch him. They release him with no bail. I go to court. He's not there. I'm there. I have all this damage. Insurance company only covers one thing. I have a steel roll down. If you drive by my building, it comes across the full front of the building because my assets are worth more than the building in the front window. And with this issue, I have more needles. I can't even walk behind my building because of the needles. I've called Helio Health to come back. They've come a couple times to pick up the needles. It's a constant affair with homeless people. sleeping behind my building, shooting up, and so forth, and you allow a drug addiction facility to come in, that facility should be used for commercial positive progress. There's other places for this facility to be placed, not like my neighbors are complaining about right now, deteriorating our environment. I have to travel 500 to 1,000 miles every weekend to sell my product because it has been destroyed by the environment of that area. I have a high-end product. I'm appreciated in major metropolitan areas where people adore my work, and it's very humbling. But also, at 73 years old, I have to travel 500 to 1,000 miles every weekend so I can pay my taxes and all my utilities so I can survive. And if you allow this to happen, you are destroying North Solana Street. I've graduated in 1990 from rehab. These things are, yes, a positive issue, but in the proper placement, not in a commercial district where you're destroying businesses like Austie's who invested a million dollars. Who wants to go to dinner? I have people, like he said, they're afraid to come downtown and park because even the parking, they come through checking the meters. Is there any change? Looking for open doors. Grab whatever they can. You are deteriorating our commercial environment if you allow this to happen. I don't know what to do at 73. Am I supposed to stay home, watch TV, drink beer, smoke, rope, whatever? I want to be productive. I enjoy creating. I enjoy helping people. But how can I afford to do this if you allow this environment to happen? It's your choice. I hope the hypocrisy of democracy doesn't erode our environment that is basically the fall of the Roman Empire, if you allow this to happen.

Thank you. Are there other individuals wishing to speak in opposition to the application? Please come to the podium, provide your name, address, and comments.

Good evening, I'm Councillor Marino-Nave. This evening you heard three of my constituents who have invested so much of their monies to put businesses in that district. Sharif has a clothing store. Dwayne Sorrell has a photo. Frank has a leather business. I'm quite aware of what they're saying because I see it every day. We lost businesses in that district, we lost hosties, and they did invest millions of dollars. And there's businesses that right now who are calling to complain, have problems. Will Rocky's News pull out? Will Who Got Smoke pull out? Will the businesses, the barbershops in the area pull out? With all due respect to Helio House, They did open a business, an apartment, on Catherine Street. That has been one of my biggest nightmares as district counselor, to hear many of their complaints. Many of these drug addicts who participate in their criminal activity, breaking the people's homes, in their backyards, needles, drugs, pimps. Does this better our neighborhoods over on Catherine Street or throughout the Northside? It does not. It worsens our community. It worsens our neighborhood. It worsens all the money that these businessmen have put into this city. They work hard. They play by the rules. They pay their taxes. And now we're saying to them, well, you know, we got to put Hilliard House in it. You're just going to have to live with it? You're going to have to deal with it? No, I don't think so. So as their representative of the city government, I will urge all of you to please reject this proposal. And if Hilliard House would all due respect want to put this in, some place, I suggest go out to the suburbs. Fayetteville, Manus, Tully, DeWitt, the town of Salina, Clay, where they would go. But for God's sake, please leave what we have left of our business on the north side of the city of Syracuse. My constituents, my friends, Let their deal work hard with their businesses. Let us work harder to bring more businesses into the community. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor. Are there other individuals wishing to speak in opposition to the application? Sir, you did speak once already, I think for maybe more than three minutes.

Mr. Chairman, we're on the issue of actually doing the secret. Yeah.

Yeah. And and is was announced when this item was introduced tonight is for environmental review. If this goes forward, there will be additional opportunity for additional input when it returns to the agenda. So I would say at this point, no. And I will continue to ask if there are other individuals who wish to speak in opposition to this application. To come forward, provide your name, address, and comments up to three minutes. I'm seeing no one rise to speak additionally against. However, as noted at the beginning, the applicant has an opportunity to address comments made in opposition if they want to take advantage of that. So, sir, you have that opportunity.

There's I know I'm not going to satisfy the people who are upset with Helio health over this what I would say is I would I I will orchestrate a meeting between All of you and Helio health to try to resolve these problems Okay, I mean, I think this is the result obviously of this project of but of Helio health's presence at 349 North Salina Street And, you know, I understand it's a problem. I understand that nobody likes these facilities in their backyard. Right. I mean, so we move to do it and we'll have a room full of people who don't like this. You know, I understand it, but it's a problem that needs to be resolved. And I would welcome the opportunity to get everyone together with HelioHealth. to try to work through this to see what they can do. Obviously, they need to do more. Maybe the police need to do more. I'm not sure. Now, one thing I'll say is this facility that we're talking about here is a training facility for HelioHealth employees only. So it would house their training group, I mean, offices for it. There's no residential here at all. It is just a training facility for their staff. That's all. There's no residential. There's no treatment here. There's none of that. Again, that said, that doesn't change the fact that HelioHealth is across the street and they have a treatment center there. Again, I think this starts with some dialogue. I think dialogue would be a really important next step.

I encourage you to follow through on that. Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. We'll close public comment on this portion, and as indicated earlier, our only action tonight is to consider the seeker review.

That's correct. This is just for the environmental review. This is not a decision. The project will be back, and we will advertise and notice it. Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and contained in your packets?

Yes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and contained in your packet? Yes. Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA? No. Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. In light of that process, is there a motion for seeker action on this project at North Salina Street?

Yes, but before forming a motion, I would just like to remind all the people present and people listening online that this issue will be gone before the Board of Zoning Appeals on September 17th, assuming a positive outcome there. This issue would come back to this body for a resolution of a major site plan review to address some of the issues that were raised tonight, either on September 22nd or October 13th, depending on how everything moves forward. So with respect to the motion, I move to issue a negative seeker declaration.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Whoever, you can arm wrestle, whatever. There is a second. She wins. Okay. In that instance, is there discussion from the commission members on the motion?

Nothing further, thanks.

Sir, Mr. Kulick, I had a question. So if we have this meeting on September 17th, will those who have spoken this evening, will they have the opportunity to come back? And what time would be the meeting? BZA meets in the afternoon.

Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, and I believe it's 1 o'clock is the time of their meetings.

Okay, and it will be known to people.

It will be advertised. Okay, thank you.

They use the same process, right?

Yeah, to be clear, that's for an area variance, but the public is welcome to attend for sure. If it's more about the land use, this is the appropriate meeting.

There are multiple steps in the process. Correct.

So be aware the chair of the BZA may not allow comments that are not specific to the variance issue.

All right. We are going back to. No, no, no, no. Oh, sorry. But yeah. You're pulling a Steve.

There has been a motion for a seeker action. There's been a second. We didn't have discussion on the motion pertinent to the motion. And so in this case, we'll call for a vote on the seeker motion now before us. All in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please indicate by saying nay. Any abstentions? Seeker motion carries. That is our action this evening on that application. That's correct. Knowing in the future it will likely return in some form. Our next application, please.

Going back to Major Site Plan Review MASPR 2026-20 at 2156 Erie Boulevard East. Again, this is to establish and legalize three commercial tenants there, one for business services and supply, one for automobile repair. and one for Retail General.

Hi. Hi. You are? Sorry, I'm Brian Cohen, 5201 Hoag Lane, Fayetteville, New York. Please don't put a rehab facility in Fayetteville. And we got the Zoning Board of Appeals approved for the use variance for heavy auto, and now we're back to ask for the building to be approved for multi-tenant is how I understand we're moving forward.

Yeah, this is essentially memorializing what's there and how they're utilizing it and kind of getting the proper documentation in a proper place.

Okay. Don't punish me for the sins of my father sort of deal.

So with that summary, are there questions for the applicant as we consider this major site plan review?

I'm looking for the page. Could you put up the map or the diagram that has the four different businesses in a different color coded? It's on page 143. I think it would just be helpful if you could give us an explanation of the distribution of the different businesses that are in there.

Yeah. So in the green, that's AR Customs, which is an auto body repair facility. To the left, it says studio. I think it says studio space. So everything else meets MX2 zoning. So in the middle, there's... what's, um, like a training facility for, um, uh, concealed carry course. Which color is that? Um, blue, like dark blue, maybe blue. And then pink is, um, the legacy tenant, uh, Fred sport motors. Um, he, Fred used to occupy the whole building. Um, and my father bought the building from Fred a couple of years ago, years back. And, um, various tenants of sublease space and this and that. Now I'm just trying to make it right with you guys that that's how the building was used.

Additional questions for the applicant? I guess we're good. Thank you. Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? Please come forward. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application, please come forward. We have no speakers. We will close public comment on this application and turn our attention to the environmental review.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EA? What? Oh, so BZA did seeker, I forgot. Oh, that's nice. We're good.

That was thoughtful. Oh. Very efficient of them. Yes. OK. So we're all set on Seeker for that. So we may turn our attention to the actual site plan review.

When did they do that?

When did they complete Seeker?

423.

Oh, wow, okay.

I wonder why I forgot.

Yeah, months ago.

That's what I haven't noticed.

Ages ago. Okay, so in that case, Seeker has been addressed through the BZA several months ago, and we may now consider the major site plan reviews. This is MASPR 202620. Is there a motion for action on this?

I make a motion to approve application MESPR-2520 as presented with five conditions.

Are those five conditions? Sorry, can you amend it? Five is no longer needed in the staff report. We have an update from KKW that all previous comments have been addressed and satisfied in the site plan layout within the packet. So we do not need five. And I will mention... Excuse me, can the audience please try to be quiet? OCPB made a comment. One, they did commend the applicant and the city for the proposed improvements to this site. But secondly, that the applicant and city are advised to ensure that there's formalized access agreements and easements in place. and that they're legally filed to ensure legal access and use of the adjacent parcel for parking and access. So we might want to add that in as five.

So that would become condition five?

That's what I'm recommending.

Okay.

We have an access agreement. We have an easement for the parking, for the property to the west. Okay. I SUBMITTED IT, AND IT WAS, OH, OKAY, GREAT. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE, OKAY.

I DIDN'T KNOW WE RECEIVED THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OCPB COMMENT WAS SATISFIED. SO, NATE, ARE WE GOOD ON THAT? OKAY.

WE'RE GOOD WITH FOUR CONDITIONS. BACK TO FOUR.

BACK TO FOUR. SORRY. I WAS GOING THROUGH AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS ADDRESSED. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE HAD THAT. SO THANK YOU.

We'll start over. I move to approve application MESPR-2520 as presented with four conditions. The four conditions are as following. One, the applicant shall comply with the general conditions for approval of all site plan applications. Two, curbing and landscaping within the front setback shall be installed to prevent vehicles from exiting or parking within a public sidewalk area. Three, the existing legal non-conforming motorcycle sales and repair use shall be limited to its currently established tenant space and shall not be expanded into any additional tenant space or areas of the property. And four, the applicant shall maintain a valid Access and parking agreement for the approved off-site parking space is located at 2144 East Erie Boulevard. If the on-site parking agreement is terminated or the parcel becomes unavailable for parking, the applicant shall submit a revised site plan for 2156 East Erie Boulevard, demonstrating compliance with applicable parking requirements for all established land uses prior to the loss of the approved off-site parking spaces.

Thank you, and that was in reference to MASPR 2026-20. I'm sorry, right? 2026. Thank you.

I'll second that.

Thank you. Discussion now on this motion before us for the major site plan review. If there's no discussion, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? So that's approved for MASPR 2026-20. Thank you. And we move forward to our next application.

Next up is MASPR-2026-38, Major Site Plan Review for 301 South Salina Street. Proposal for mixed-use development with 62 new apartments and three commercial tenants. I believe, Jim, I know you sent some stuff today. I know you're still working through some comments.

I think we've answered most of the questions, and this one should be pretty straightforward. All right. Jim Nittle in Architects, 239 East Water Street. I'm representing 301 South Salina Realty, LLC, the owners of the building. The project is 301 South Salina Street, the former Woolworth building built in 1940. We were here before you folks a few years ago with a previous owner. We were granted site approval. We did some work at that time. It's a new owner now, slightly different program. What we're adding, we're actually adding another floor onto the building. So this is a historic building. It's a historic tax credit project. We've already worked through with National Parks and SHPO. We have approval from National Parks. We were here in front of your landmark preservation board last week. They have no issues at all. The only major change to the exterior of the building besides adding another floor, which is set back so the sight lines are acceptable to National Parks. National Parks? National Parks. It's a historic building.

Well, no, I knew that, but does that... Interior Department?

So the SHIPO, the State Historic Preservation Office, tees everything up and they send it to National Park, but ultimately National Parks approves these projects. Okay, and we're there already with that.

That was the Interior Department, but that's okay.

Okay. But we're putting parking in the basement here. So we're coming off a bank alley. You drive in, there'll be an auto elevator. Right now we've got about 35 cars in the basement. We're looking at some stacked storage systems. Some people don't drive their car every day downtown. They park it, they leave it there. So we're looking at that. But right now we're 35 cars. We're coming in off a bank alley. The questions that came in the other day from Nate were regarding the turning and some bollards and some garbage. We did submit turning overlays. Um, we're fortunately in a wider part of bank alley. So we actually have easier to drive in. There's four other doors further down, um, on the, uh, on bank alley that drive into parking already. And they're, they're just in a little 12 foot passage to get down in there. So there's plenty of, plenty of room for in and out parking. Um, we indicated some bollards. Uh, we previously indicated on the drawing bike racks on the exterior. Um, though we all know nobody really uses those, but they're there all the same. We have an area in the basement for inside parking of bicycles for the tenants. Trash, every floor in the building will have a trash room. That trash is taken daily down to a basement trash room. On collection days, those bins, they'll come up in the auto elevator, and they'll be stacked outside, much like everybody else in Bank Alley right now. There's no enclosed pen or anything like that for it. But that'll be inside until pickup day.

Handled by the management?

By the management, yeah. And... uh... yeah there's a at any exit doors out of the back to be ballers provided i think we've addressed all the issues so i'm here for any questions you might have one point just to clarify there was uh... apparently discrepancy in our material in terms of the number of apartments thirty sixty two sixty two i think that was the larger number yeah okay yeah i know we we've corrected that i thought when we went from minor site to major site, I think we corrected that.

And 10% of those would be the affordable units?

Yeah, I believe we had a letter already submitted on that as well.

Okay, thank you for the clarification. Questions for the applicant?

The studio, the apartments are all studio?

They're mostly studios and a couple one bedrooms, yeah.

A couple one bedrooms, okay. So just make a comment that I've made in previous meetings. I understand. you're doing this based on the pencil point of what works, but we have a real need for two and three bedroom apartments.

I think we've had this discussion before, yeah. I know all the landlords for the past six, eight years have been looking, screaming for one bedrooms and studios, but I'm starting to hear the same thing, and now more and more we're looking for two bedrooms. Right, right.

Yeah. So it's not a comment directed at you, but it just keeps happening now. Every meeting, we keep going.

We're starting to hear more of that.

So the other is, I have just a question. Is it customary for developments like this to have interior storage space for bicycles?

Yeah, so in the plan that came over today, there's a corner of the basement where you can't park, and we'll designate that for indoor parking. Great. We'll put some racks or wall-hung units or something like that.

I know there's two outside.

The two are outside also, yeah.

Okay, thank you. Okay.

Bridge square feet on the studio?

These are small. These are micro units. They're about 450 to 480 square feet.

On the studio? Yeah, I think the ones are a little bit bigger than that, yeah.

And I apologize, I can't quote you the numbers right now. You have the plans up here somewhere?

Yep.

Oh, here you go. 440s, 430s, 627. Yep. Yep.

And then can you just give us a little light on what's the additional floor on the top and the use?

It's just an additional 12 apartments. If you pull it up there.

There was contemplating at one point in time some amenity space on the top.

We're still looking at a rooftop terrace, and we have provided for two means of exit from there, as well as an elevator up to that level. That being said, value engineering hasn't happened yet, and we'll see where this goes. But we'd like to do it, and it'd be a nice amenity. If you've ever been on that roof, it's a great view up there.

It is beautiful. And I assume I read, I think that the whole facade will be restored as much as possible.

The goal is to pull off what was put there in the 80s. We've been told various things over the years and by people that were around when that went on that it was in pretty good shape. It was just leaking. The flashings were leaking and the mentality of the 80s was

Easier to cover.

Cover it up and put something clean and modern on there. We all know that never really looked like much. And, you know, the right aid or whatever it was in there, they moved the facade back in about 10 feet, and we moved it back out to where it was originally. And then there will be some exterior work. The terracotta needs a little bit of work, and there's some reinforcing work. make sure things don't fall off and repointing. But all goes as planned.

And my last question is the parking garage in the basement for the 35 spaces, which I'm assuming is obviously for the tenants first. But if you're able to stack them inside, which I think I heard you say you're looking at.

We're looking at some systems, yeah.

Right, which would potentially double the...

I don't think we're going to get there. We might get it up to 45 or 48. Okay.

So you're not going to see anything where you exceed the number of units? No. No.

Okay. I'm not optimistic.

Yeah.

Okay. Thank you.

Further questions for the applicant?

All set. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Are there individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application? Please come forward.

It's been a long time coming for that property. It's a big footprint on the south side. It's been there sitting for a long time, so I'm quite happy.

Thank you. Thank you. Other individuals wishing to speak in favor, please come to the podium. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application? Come to the podium, provide your name, address, and comments. I don't see anyone who indicates an interest in speaking, so we'll close public comment. Turn our attention to the environmental review.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and contained in your packet?

Yes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and contained in your packet? Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under secret? No, no having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EIF part 3 accordingly Thank you Is there a motion for action on seeker for this major site plan review?

Make motion to issue a negative seeker declaration Thank you.

Is there a second second? Thank you. Discussion on the Seeker motion before us? If not, all in favor please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed please say nay. Any abstentions? The Seeker motion carries and we turn our attention to the major site plan review. This is the 301 South Salina Street address, MASPR 202638. Is there a motion for action on this?

Prior to making a motion, staff would like to add an eighth condition. As Jim mentioned, he did submit what appears to satisfy all DPW's comments, but we haven't had a review and final sign-off, so Recommending a condition that the applicant obtain final approval from DPW Transportation prior to issuance of any building permits regarding the comments contained in your packet tonight.

Seems reasonable. Is there a motion for action? Perhaps.

We're confused right now because of the reordering of all of our... Yeah. Applications, so we're doing SP-2026-42? 38. 38, excuse me. Okay, so I thought we're doing presentation only for this one.

Yeah, so that's what I'm updating you on. So prior to earlier today, we did not have DPW review and we didn't have comments addressed, but we, agreed to get Jim before you to introduce the project, but since then he has submitted everything that appears to address it, but myself nor the zoning staff can sign off for public work. So as a solution what I'm proposing if you choose is to just add a condition that we confirm that the updates provided from Jim and his team earlier today if they satisfy DPW that we can move forward and they don't have to come back.

Okay. All right. So let's try this then. I make a motion to approve MASPR-2026-38 with the eight following conditions. The first condition is the applicant shall comply with the general conditions for approval on the site plan application. Two, the applicant shall designate at least 10% of the 30 apartment units as affordable dwelling units. Three. 62 units. I'm sorry. Yes, thank you. 62. 62. The affordable dwelling units must apply with city income and rent restrictions regardless of the change in building or property ownership. Four, all affordable units will have the same structural fixtures, appliances, and materials as market rate apartments. Five, all affordable dwelling units must be certified by the City Department of Neighborhood and Business Development Administration procedure. Six, the affordability requirement shall be effective for 30 years from the date where the certification of occupancy is based. Seven, any land use type occupying The ground floor commercial tenant spaces shall obtain appropriate approval before commencing operation. And in eight, the material identified by Department of Public Works for satisfaction has been met to their satisfaction. Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on the motion now before us through the South Salina Street venue. If not, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? So that is approved with the eight conditions for MASPR 202638. We move to our next application.

Next up, special use permit SP 2026-42 at 2910 Erie Boulevard East in the MX3 Zone District to establish a facility with multiple purposes, one being an office and another being indoor contractor yard with an accessory use of a parking slash storage land use and a property historically that was office and retail prior to.

Hi, Don Shetler, 2910 Area Boulevard East, Syracuse 13224. So I'm a home performance contractor. I've been out at East Syracuse for the last 25 years, looking to move our business to Area Boulevard. We have kind of the same issues that these gentlemen running businesses on North Salina Street have. So I'm looking to be able to put in a fencing yard so I can park my vehicles and try to mitigate some loss. We've been at the property for about a year now, kind of just getting it cleaned up. and we've had three different issues costing somewhere in the $80,000 range. So I'm just trying to get ahead of the game and hopefully put a fence in yards so they don't break into my trucks.

Thank you. Questions for the applicant?

I have one question. There's no accommodation for bike parking at all on your site plan or anything. Have you done anything with that yet?

No, sir. I'll put it in if you want. Other than them parking at night, leaving these verbal bikes all over my parking lot, none of my staff drives a bike.

So, I mean, given the number of parking spaces you have, the accommodation would be for six staple-style bike racks.

I suppose.

Okay.

Again, I believe I just take all the parking space, but, you know, if that's what you want, that's what I'll do, but it's kind of a waste of money and a waste of space.

Well, I mean, it's up to the commissioners to agree. I mean, it's just customary with this number of parking spaces to have accommodation for bicycle parking.

Sure.

Yeah, staff, a question on that?

For the zoning. Okay. Sorry, the hour of the night. I have to ask you this because I can't remember. For the zoning for that area, for business, are they, with the number of parking spaces they have, are they supposed to have a bike rack, as you'd expect in other places?

I'm trying to get the total number of spaces.

52. It's a question for clarification. Right. Yeah. There's a math question at this hour. I cannot do that. So I'm being honest. My mother told me not to. Mr. Davis knows not to fib. I have to.

God bless you. I can do windows in HVAC.

Tell the truth. So based off the minimum required, the calculation is 14 spaces. And with that, every six requires one. So two. I mean.

Two would be the... Two racks would be for that number of spaces. Right. Or two bikesicles. Two staple style bike racks. Staple style bike racks. Okay. Saf can explain better than I can what that means.

Yes, sir. But it's two racks, units. Okay.

Not disagreeing, just trying to clarify. Okay. Exactly. Not the total number of partners.

Oh, it's based on required, okay. That's the difference between two and six. Thank you.

No other questions, thanks.

Additional questions for the applicant? I guess we're good, thank you. Are there individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application? I think you know the routine.

Lawrence Davis again. Of course, I support. The only thing I'm concerned about is that it's the main area, but it is a main strip. And as a construction company coming out, it depends on what kind of vehicle they have, coming out onto the main road might be a little concerning. But other than that, the gentleman needs to secure his property so they can do his business and bring more, help Syracuse develop. Give thanks.

Thank you. Other individuals wishing to speak in favor of the application, please come forward. Is there anyone who wishes to speak in opposition to the application? If so, come to the podium to share your comments. I don't see anyone else rising to speak. We'll close public comment on this. Turn our attention to the seeker review. I will note, once again, I think on the environmental form, there might have been a misreading of the question, 10 and 11 is before, on a different application. Will it connect to public water supply? I think the answer there is really a yes. And similarly, the action, the following question, connect to existing wastewater facilities? I think that answer's probably yes as well, rather than no. So just, probably just a simple typo, but wanted to clarify that unless the applicant really feels strongly otherwise. We'll make those notations before we undertake our environmental review.

Noted, thank you. Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF part one prepared by the applicant and containing your packet?

Yes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and contained in your packet?

Yes.

Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA? No. Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. Is there a motion then for our SECRA action?

I move to issue a negative SECRA declaration. Thank you.

Thank you both. Discussion on the Seeker Motion. If not, all in favor indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? The Seeker Motion carries. We turn our attention to SP 202642, the Special Use Permit. And this time it's in the form of a recommendation. that will go to the Common Council for a final decision. Is there a motion for action on the special permit?

Yes, indeed. I move to find special use permit application SP-2026-42 in compliance with special use permit criteria as demonstrated by the criteria analysis contained in the staff report pursuant to Syracuse Zoning Ordinance Section 5.4B7A-H and to recommend approval by the Common Council with the following criteria. nine conditions. Those conditions are as follows. One, the applicant shall comply with general conditions for approval of all special use permits. Two, the applicant shall apply for a change of occupancy and shall successfully obtain and maintain all licenses required to operate their business on and off site. Three, the on-site dumpster shall not be relocated outside the approved fenced area and any accumulation of debris around the fence shall be removed. to ensure flow of water into the on-site catch basin that is not impeded. The applicant shall not store bulk materials outside and shall obtain an amendment to this approval before expanding or modifying their land use. Five, the applicant shall maintain the business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Six, the applicant shall provide impact protection for any natural gas piping, meter, or regulators per the 2025 Fire Code of New York State. Seven, the immediate access to the fire department connections and fire hydrants shall be maintained at all times without obstruction of fences, bushes, trees, walls, or any other fixed or movable objects. Eight, snow shall be maintained on site snow storage shall be maintained on site in the designated area and shall not encroach into the public right-of-way or adjacent properties. And nine, the applicant shall provide staple-style back racks for two bikes.

Thank you, Barry. Is there a second?

Second.

And discussion on this motion for the special use permit recommendation. If not, all in favor of the motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? That motion carries, moves to the Common Council for final determination. Our next application.

Other special use permit, SP-2026-48 at 711 South Beach in the MX2 Zone District, seeking to establish a wine bar.

If the applicant is here.

Well, I'm Bill Pitcher, WJP Architecture, representing the owner, 124 Fegal Avenue, Syracuse, New York. The property is zoned MX2, and as such, a beverage cafe is a permitted use in that. The building itself is probably pre- 1970s construction. It has a studio apartment.

Just a moment, please. Gentleman in the rear of the room, could you move the conversation out into the corridor, please? Gentleman's trying to make a presentation here. Thank you. Sorry.

We have a studio apartment on the second floor, and the first floor is currently a garage. And tenants of uh... been interested in the idea of the wine bar the owners proposing to do this renovation and basically the existing garage door would be replaced with a man door and a garage door so that you would have during the summertime you could open building to it. We're set back about six feet from the public sidewalk and from the right-of-way so there would be a patio in front with some with some chairs. We had a previous design where we were doing sidewalks to get up to the present floor level and with all of the sewers and work on the inside we've decided to lower the existing floor one foot to match the city public sidewalk. So that provides us with our access, ADA access. That's basically it. If we go about four pages down, we can look at the service counter. Basically, we're putting in one service counter and the restroom And so about half of the area is customer area, the other half is the restroom and the kitchen area. There is no food preparation in this space. It's basically going to be drinks and probably baked goods, some kinds of things that do not need to be prepared on site. We have had discussions with DPW about the ballards. I think we're okay on that. And on parking, we're about 400 square feet. So I think we're exempt from the parking requirement. And what we're doing is we're putting that little fence on the lower left-hand side and that's where the City dumpsters will be hiding behind So that'll be screened from the from the street we're bringing in new utilities a new gas line new water line and sewer line, and we will be separately sub-metering the electric, bringing in another electric meter for the commercial space. We don't know, at this point in time, the owner is going to build out the According to this plan and we'll see whether a tenant shows definite interest Maybe we will be modifying some of the interior in that if we need to we'll come back for that So we see this as an occasional thing that during the daytime Probably the tenant will be doing coffee and sodas and and baked goods and that probably the wine tasting function would be an evening function, and that particular tenant would have to go ahead and get their liquor license for that part of the work. Do you have any questions? Do we?

So there's no operator identified yet?

Not yet. No, we just have tentative feelers like, well, what's it going to look like?

And then one of the questions is there's no hours of operation identified, and since you haven't had a tenant identified yet, an operator, I assume that's part of why that's the case.

It's hard to approve this without any hours of operation, though.

A staff analysis of businesses in the area suggests 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. or 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

I think the owner would be acceptable to that. Okay.

Okay.

With the understanding, if something else suggests as things move forward, you could return to amend.

Additional questions?

All set, thank you.

So no, all consumption will take place on the site?

Correct, it's not a takeout.

There's no takeout anticipated or planned?

Correct.

Of food or drink?

Well... I mean, we're selling, there's a cooler in there for canned drinks. I can't say that how that would, it just seems to me that, you know, soda cans and drink cans. I mean, if that is a requirement of the special permit, it will be enforced.

Okay. And looking at it from the other angle, I think you're going to have to, Somebody's going to have to determine that for a liquor license. Yes. If there's canned cocktails, as an example, that can be purchased there and taken out, that will have to be spelled out in the license.

Yeah, the liquor restrictions will be more restrictive. I'm thinking more like soda cans and juice cans during the daytime.

Okay. And it's not anticipated takeout food.

No, there's no food prep. We have a small sink, probably an espresso maker, and two or three coolers, and a rack for wine bottles. So what I also have shown on there is a case sitting on top of the counter for baked goods, for muffins, cookies, that kind of thing.

Okay, thank you. It does make it tougher because the line between a coffee shop, which you're saying coffee shop and pastries, and then maybe a wine bar. And then when you start talking about things going out the door, we're talking about convenience store, which is a much longer hearing. So without an operator, it is difficult to make this determination. I'm not sure what the other commissioners think, but this may require a little more thought if we're talking about things being sold for the public to take out to consume.

Yeah, I think if We either have to outline that that is not authorized within our purview tonight. We do not authorize that. And so if there is anticipated or the operator decides they want that, you have to come back. You have to come back, okay. And tell us the liquor license is in compliance with takeout cocktails and this is what we want to do.

So at this point, the condition is no takeout.

They'll take out alcohol-based.

Oh, I would assume so, yeah.

My opinion on that.

The condition relative to the liquor license is the applicant shall possess a valid liquor license that reflects the correct business name from the appropriate authorities for any sale of alcohol. You want that to include there shall be no takeout of any alcohol beverages?

Yes. It isn't so much that that provision has to have that, whatever you go through the approving authority for that, but we had an additional commission-generated condition about no takeout, right? Right. I think that's what you're saying. Okay.

So it would be more elegant, I guess, if we just added a separate condition.

So it's my understanding we are now talking about just the juice bar, non-alcoholic, and when the liquor license comes back, we would come back to amend the special permit.

That would be the wisest.

That would be my recommendation, if the commission were to agree.

To amend the special permit rather than include it in...

To amend it so that we are clear on the hours of operation with liquor and take out, take in, blah, blah, et cetera. Would be my thought.

The intention, though, is that if you find an operator who wants to open before you get the liquor license, you will open before the liquor license. Is that correct?

Additional discussion and questions for the applicant?

I think we're good, thank you.

Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? Please come forward, provide your name, address, and comments.

I was just trying to be productive on my night out. A wine bar without a liquor license? I'm not sure if you need a liquor license to serve wine. So why is it being branded a wine bar? I support new businesses coming into Syracuse. I can see it's a large investment to convert it to a liquor, a place for people to come. I don't know how many people are going to be inside of that location. It's seeding. I don't see why they would come there and who are these people. But it's opening up a new business and we should support new business coming to Syracuse and people trying new things. and he's making an investment from his pocket to convert it, so yes, I support it.

Thank you. Other individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application, please come to the podium. Is there anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application? Please come forward, provide your name, address, and comments. I don't see any additional speakers. Did you overlook something?

I've been talking to the owner. Unless the approval is for the sale of alcohol as a permissible activity on the property, he can't get his license from the Liquor Authority. So we can't come back and amend it.

Good clarification.

Any guidance, Jake? Just ask, how do we have it worded now?

Well, right now, there's two conditions that are related to the alcohol. The one is the applicant shall possess a valid liquor license, which reflects the correct business name from the appropriate authorities for any sale of alcohol. And then the next condition would be any sale of takeout services for alcohol will require an amendment of the special use permit. So you can get the liquor license, but if you want to do takeout, you have to get it.

So we would be approving the special permit for on-site consumption only?

Correct. And that's your expectation, your wish? Okay. In addition, just for the record... We just received an email written earlier today from an individual on Greenwood Place registering opposition to the application. I'm not going to say who printed this email because I got bad luck in that department. But anyways, we note that for the record comment in opposition. So with that, we will close public comment on this. And do you wish to add something?

Yeah. So I know Bill mentioned at the beginning of his presentation, he said the plan used term beverage cafe. But what this is going to fall under would be a bar within our zoning code. And as defined, a bar is, quote, an establishment within a building or a portion of a building that allows On-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages in which the sale of these products is the primary source of revenue So it's clear that by definition that's for on-site consumption Okay, but there's another question that arises over approving it as a bar, but it's gonna if they

don't have the liquor license and are ready to open before they get the liquor license, they're going to open as a bar but with non-alcohol?

Is that square with the code? Not necessarily because it says on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages in which the sale of these products is the primary source of revenue. So if you're not selling alcohol yet, it can't really be your primary source of revenue. Does that answer your question?

Well, I'm not sure where that leaves us, though, other than that you can't open unless you're selling alcohol, if it's a bar. Correct. I would say that's accurate.

Okay, so does the applicant want to come back up here?

I think we've come to a rock and a hard place. Given the definition of primary income, it seems to me you can open a bar and not be selling liquor. I mean, I think that that's the simplest solution to the issue. It is a bar, but because it doesn't have a license, it's not selling alcohol. It's selling other beverages.

What's your take on that?

I'd be something other than a bar at that point. They're seeking permission to establish a bar, a wine bar, which falls under the definition of a bar in our code. I'm not trying to make this difficult. The code states where does it fit. If you're seeking to establish a bar, then the liquor license

If you're seeking to you want to establish something else right you can amend your application and go through that process, but Well, that's why I asked a question originally whether or not they were gonna open before you get a liquor license So it seems we have either we have two options right now. We either hold it and resolve the issue of land use or You don't open until you have your liquor license.

I was just informed that may be a condition of getting the liquor license within three months of of the approval would solve all of the issues, putting that contingency in there, that it's approval to be a bar is dependent upon getting the license within three months.

That's a question for the zoning administrator. But if it's only three months, what's the value of opening before you get to liquor license?

Well, we don't know at this point. We're just trying to get approval for it.

I'm not the board, but I don't understand how they're going to do all that utility work and all that, and they're going to get all that done in less than three months?

Six months?

I'm not sure what you're asking. So you're asking permission to be open for six months before serving alcohol?

I'm not following.

The question is, is the land use, is it a wine bar? then you open as a wine bar. You can't open before as anything else in terms of the land use category.

You could use two different uses in the same space. If it's not selling alcohol, it's a beverage cafe. If it's selling alcohol, it's a wine bar. It's the same space.

It's a totally different primary land use. It later to include I guess I mean, I'll ask it. I don't understand what the challenge is like It seems like the amount of work you have is far going to exceed the timeline it would take to apply to the state No, we're just trying to get everything in place so that we can get to the building permit we need permission to do something to

in order to get the building permits.

So what's the issue with if the board chooses to approve with a condition that you need a liquor license before opening? Wasn't that the contention? Why is that a problem?

In reviewing the original application, I understood the application to be an application for a wine bar. non-application for a beverage facility that would become a wine bar when you get the liquor license. So that's the question in terms of land use. There's two different land uses, and according to code, they're different. And so we can't approve it as a bar when another land use is going to happen before it gets converted to a bar when the liquor license is converted.

Then we are asking for permission for a bar.

Right, but the definition of a bar is. The board was, you wouldn't be able to open until you had a liquor license, which you.

Well, we need approval to be a bar before we can get a liquor license.

I understand.

Right. That's what we're approving.

We're approving a bar. But that would be the cleanest.

That's what we're approving. If we approve that tonight, you have that approval.

Thank you.

None of that's the problem. The problem is if you, which you said, You want to open ahead of time without a liquor license and serve coffee and sodas and muffins. That triggers a completely, if I'm understanding correctly, a different review and a different application of the code.

It's a different application, different land use.

So if you want an application which you submitted to open a wine bar with a liquor license and all the modifications, Included in the site plan. That's what we have before us tonight.

Yes, that's all okay And that's workable for you proceeding on the basis of a wine bar and Not open it until the relevant liquor license is obtained Okay

Did we do... Did we finish Seeker?

We did not do Seeker. No. We were about to.

Yeah. Were we? I don't remember. Before someone switched their drinks. Yeah. All right. Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and containing your packet?

Yes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and containing your packet? Yes. Yes. Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA?

No.

Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EIF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. Is there a motion for action on the SECRA review?

I move to issue a negative SECRA declaration. Thank you. Is there a second? Second.

Thank you. Discussion on the SECRA motion? If there's no discussion, all in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Seeker motion carries. And we return to the special use permit action, which will again be, as with the others, a recommendation going to the Common Council for a final decision. So is there a motion for SP-2026-48, the special use permit on South Beach Street?

Okay, so I think we're back to our original ten conditions. I move to find special use permit application SP-2026-48 in compliance with special use permit criteria as demonstrated by the criteria analysis contained in the staff report pursuant to Syracuse Zoning Ordinance Section 5.4B7A-H and to recommend approval by the Common Council with the following 10 conditions. One, the applicant shall comply with the general conditions for approval of all special use permits. Two, the business owner shall always possess a valid certificate of use issued by the City of Syracuse. Three, the business owner shall abide by the maximum hours of operation that the Planning Commission and a Common Council decides upon. Those hours are 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Four, the applicant shall possess a valid liquor license that reflects the correct business name from the appropriate authorities for any sale of alcohol before the business opens for operation. Five, exterior lighting shall be directed at the neighborhood parcels or dwelling units. And six, the property owner shall contain all necessary building and right-of-way permits prior to performing any work. Seven, pursuant to SZO Article 5, Section 5.4, the property owner shall maintain all conditions within 18 months or approval of the permit shall become null and void. Eight, any significant external changes from the current plan will require approval by the city preservation planner. Nine, the property owner must inform current and future tenants of the second floor apartment and apartments of the primary structure on 711 South B Street that there will be a bar operating on the first floor of the garage structure. And 10, the applicant shall work with the Department of Public Works to ensure all ballards and right-of-way improvements are permitted and installed in according with DPW rules and regulations.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on this motion now for the special use permit. If not, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Special use permit resolution passes. It will move on to the Common Council for final determination. Our next application, please.

Another special use permit. SP 2026-50 at 2671-73 James Street. This is in the MX2 zone district to establish a smoking establishment.

Good evening. My name is Kristen Jordan. I'm general counsel for a cannabis chain called CannaPlanet. Currently, we operate 15 dispensaries across New York State, primarily focused in the Hudson Valley. We have one locally that just opened, I think, about six weeks ago. two months ago in Liverpool. That's our closest one. And then subsequently, we opened another store in Rome. So those are our two closest to the proposed location. If we are so lucky in receiving the special use permit, we will occupy about 1,400 square feet of space. Currently, it's being used as a massage parlor. That tenant is on a month-to-month basis currently. And if we are lucky enough to get a special use permit, the landlord will terminate that lease and we'll start the process of our build out once we receive our building permit. At the same time, simultaneously, we have been informed that our license, the license which holds the cannabis license, the retail cannabis license issued by the state of New York, we got an email, I think it was Friday when I was submitting everything to NOAA, indicating that they have accepted the location and they are undergoing the process of reviewing it. Generally, it takes about a week and a half, two weeks, provided there's no issues. And currently, we check the map every day. There is no impediments to our current location. We are 1,000 feet from any other dispensary currently operating, as far as we know. In addition, we are more than 500 feet from any school and more than 200 feet from any church. So we meet all the standards that New York State will utilize, and we expect to see that dot on the map any day now, and we'll notify NOAA as soon as that happens. Again, we are an operator that has 15 dispensaries open currently. This is a family, an extensive family that runs and operates these. Extensive retail experience, over 20 years of retail experience in other businesses. All very entrepreneurial businesses, immigrant-owned. And this will be our... Probably a 20th store when it does get open, if we're so lucky to get the approval. We have 14 parking spaces. I believe we'll probably restripe to see if we can maximize that a little bit more. I understand that there's some interest in the bike racks, and I believe that we've shown that on the plan as well. I don't think that shows the parking lot.

That's just our interior.

And in terms of fit-out work, it will be solely inclusive of the space. There's no proposed work to the exterior at all. One of the benefits to this building is that a requirement from the Office of Cannabis Management is that you not be able to see directly into a space that shows cannabis. So this building currently, because it's used by a massage parlor, is blocked out. So we won't have to make many changes, if any. Our intention is to slap on an appropriate sign when we get that signage permit. In addition, the rear of the building, no work. I understand that there's residential behind there, but there will be no presence of cannabis. I don't believe there's a door even in the rear. So there will be nothing facing that side at all, indicating what the business is whatsoever. We intend to employ probably between five and ten local individuals to work in our dispensary. They undergo vigorous training as a requirement from the state. As a community member, we are required to submit a community impact plan, and typical for this location, we would make a contribution to a local charitable organization, likely the Rescue Mission. My father was Clarence Jordan. And so it's a full circle moment for me to come back here in this capacity. Yes, and in addition, we'll probably be participating in a Thanksgiving food drive as well to help those who are food insecure. And we will look for any other ways to participate and become members of the fabric of that Eastwood community.

Thank you. Questions for this applicant?

I just want to check on the hours of operation to confirm. So we're looking at 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, and then 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. That's it. Okay. Thank you.

Additional questions for the applicant?

All set. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come forward.

Weed is legal. We are adults. Treat people like adults. They want to do that, that's their business. Do it safely. Don't bring our children into it. Don't damage our community. Welcome. New business coming in, we welcome it.

Thank you. Additional individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application, please come forward. Are there any individuals wishing to speak in opposition to the application? Please come to the podium, provide your name, address, and comments. I don't see anyone else with an indication to speak. And I will just note for the record, an email sent today, oh, excuse me, Sunday afternoon, registering opposition to the proposed application. I don't know the address, the resident of Eastwood. So we'll note that for the record as well, comment in opposition. But beyond that, No one in the room is indicating the desire to speak, so we will close public comment on this and begin our environmental review.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 1 prepared by the applicant and contained in your packet?

Yes.

Has everyone had an opportunity to review the EAF Part 2 prepared by staff and contained in your packet?

Yes. Yes.

Does anyone believe that the proposed action will have a moderate to large impact under SECRA?

No.

Having determined that the proposed action will not have a moderate to large impact, I recommend that the Commission make a negative declaration and prepare the EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. With that in mind, is there a motion for action on SECRA?

I make a motion to issue a negative SECRA declaration.

Thank you. Thank you both. DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED PLEASE SAY NAY. ANY ABSTENTIONS? SEEKER MOTION CARRIES. WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT. THIS IS SP2026-50. for the special use permit on James Street, as just described. As before, the action we take next will proceed as a recommendation to the Common Council, and the Council will make a final determination on the special use permit. With that in mind, is there a motion for action on this application for SP 202650?

I move to find special use permit application SP-2026-50 in compliance with the special use permit criteria as demonstrated by the criteria analysis contained in the staff report pursuant to Syracuse Zoning Ordinance Section 5.4B7A-H and to recommend approval by the Common Council with the following eight conditions. Those conditions are as follows. One, the applicant shall comply with general conditions for approval of all special use permits. Two, a certificate of use shall be maintained for the duration of the business. Three, an Office of Cannabis Management license shall be maintained for the duration of the business. Four, snow storage shall be maintained on site in a designated area and shall not encroach into the public right-of-way or adjacent properties. Five, permits shall be obtained to screen the rear of the property from nearby residential uses prior to occupying the structure with the proposed business. Six, a crime prevention through environmental design review shall be conducted and complied with prior to proposed use of occupying the structure. Seven, the applicant shall adhere to the hours of operation approved by the Planning Commission and the Common Council. Those hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. And nine, the applicant shall restore the lead walk located along the western side and by parking as a condition of DPF transportation approval. Lead walk shall be five feet wide or greater and shall meet the ADA compliance as well as city specs and shall be physically separated from the adjacent parking area.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Discussion on this motion before us for the special use permit? If not, all in favor of this motion please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed please say nay. Any abstentions? SP 2026-50 is approved. Moving now to the Common Council, thank you. Our next application please.

Next up, another special use permit, SP 2026-56 at 702-10 Butternut Street. This is in the MX2 zone district. To establish a neighborhood market that's existing, ReZone triggered all these within certain MX districts to obtain a special use permit. So we've had a number of these before you.

Is the applicant here? Would you come forward, please, and give your name and address for the record, and then provide a little summary of your application for the commission?

My first name is Abbott. My last name is Zaran. And for 702, 708, or 710 Barron Street. When I moved to Syracuse from Western Massachusetts in February 1981, it was existing business there since then. Over the years, it's still there. Actually, in 1995, I went down to buy the store from Gary. We disagree on the price. In 2016, I bought that business and the building. My daughter, she owned the business. I owned the building. And everything is there. We got all the license there. from beer to lard, food stamps to cigarettes to tobacco to wine. All the license there exists. No violation, no underage selling to minors, whatever it is. And the store is nice with the neighborhood and is good on the traffic and is good with the customers. And we like this hearing to be approved for a special use permit for a neighborhood convenience store. And that was my objection on that. And I've been working on the special use permit for over two years. Until today, we have a special day to get a hearing from you guys.

Thank you. Are there questions for the applicant?

Hi, greetings. My name is Ivana Sawicki. I am the owner of Smokey's Grocery and Deli. The address is 708 Butternut Street, Syracuse, New York, 13218. I am the owner for 10 years since 2016, and still the owner. My husband, Dina Swekey, works there. I work there part-time, and then my also father, Abed Ziran, works there too. I do part-time. I'm also a teacher assistant. I work at a school district. I work with kids with disabilities. I do elementary, middle, and high school as well. It's just nice, cozy. I still work with my husband in the store sometimes. I just love greeting people. I love seeing everybody happy, coming in, getting what they want, greeting people, always seeing like the same faces and new faces. Just so nice to the community, like neighbors, everything else, just everything is like comfortable and cozy, it feels like. Thank you.

All right, thank you. Are there questions for the applicant? Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Are there, oh, three-part presentation, okay.

Hello, my name is Sharif Ziran, that's my sister Evanna Swakey, and she operated the business for 10 years, never no incident, selling to minors for any illegal activity. The parking lot is very guarded, it's got lights all over it. We got tenants upstairs and in the back of the property maintaining the property. The property's very safe. We never had an incident there since we've been in business. Before they've been in business, at Bass, rest in peace, he used to own it. He's owned it over 20 years. The store is a good business. It gives the people an opportunity to play their lotto, get their grocery, get whatever needs they need for the households right around the area. It's one of the largest parking lots on Butternut Street. You've got a huge parking lot where people can just park right in, take your time shopping, go right back on to the off-street parking there's not that much off-street parking um they do not sell in as long as they've been in business and before prior They monitor and everybody makes sure everybody's the right ease to purchase alcohol and tobacco products. Never had an issue with some of the minors or anything. The hours is not that bad. I think they're until like 9, 10 o'clock at night. They close around 10 o'clock, I'm guessing. And like I said, she works here sometimes, but mostly her husband, sometimes my father. And pretty much that's it. And I'm definitely approving it.

Thank you. Thank you.

And that's it.