City Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

of the Syracuse Planning Commission. We are going to do something tonight we have not done in a very long time, and that is welcome a new member of the Planning Commission. Seated to my left, Christopher Montgomery joins us for his first meeting as a member of the Planning Commission. So welcome, Christopher. We look forward to working with you. We are grateful to the mayor for making this appointment, and we are equally grateful to Christopher for his willingness to serve the city in this capacity. So thank you and welcome aboard. Before we begin our series of public hearings for this evening, we will take care of some housekeeping business, namely the action on the minutes of our previous meeting that was held on May 18th. Those minutes have been distributed to the commission members in advance of tonight's meeting for review and now would be, I will ask if there's a motion for action on the May 18th minutes as distributed.

Yes, I have suggestions for corrections that are essentially all sort of Scribner corrections. There are eight Scribner corrections, corrections related to the language that's used in the assertion of the negative seeker declaration. There is one Scribner change. related to a misplaced seeker term. And then I have three additional Scrivener changes. The Scrivener changes I just mentioned, everybody has a copy of those if you've seen them over the weekend. The additional changes are threefold. On page seven of the document, There is a problem in the discussion of MASPR 2026-14. In the second paragraph of that discussion on page 7, there is a description of the block in which the project occurs that states Fayette Street, Pine Street, Shaw Street, and Washington Street. Shaw Street should be Walnut Avenue. The other changes are on page 16 in the the discussion of MASPR 2026-10, two instances in which the chair, Commissioner Kulik, had recused himself because of his affiliation with LeMoyne College. And there are two instances on page 16 where it's referred to Commissioner Kulik. That should be Commissioner Baller, who was the vice chair who was sitting in as a presider for the meeting. And at the bottom of that page, there's another instance in which Commissioner Kulik should be referred to as Commissioner Baller. So those are the Scrivener changes, the eight plus one plus the three final ones. So I make a motion that the minutes be approved with the recommended Scrivener changes.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on the motion before us for the minutes? If not, all those in favor of the motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? One abstention. One abstention noted. Thank you. We proceed now to our public hearings for this evening, first starting with old business item. Just as a note to those who might be here for the first time and unfamiliar with our process, as each application is announced by a member of the staff, We ask that the applicant come forward to the podium in the center of the room, provide your name and address for the record, and then a brief summary of the application involved. Following any questions from the Commission members, we will open up an opportunity for members of the public who wish to speak in favor of that application, and then similarly an opportunity for those who wish to speak in opposition to the application. Where comments are made in opposition, the Applicant will be encouraged to return to address the comments made in opposition. And we ask that all speakers hold their comments to two to three minutes so that when there are many interested parties in a given application, they can be heard. So with that, may we begin with our first application this evening?

Before that, just a couple, one more announcement. We do have two applicant postponed items that were advertised and that do appear on the agenda. So we do apologize, but anybody here for new business item MASPR-2026-19, it's a major site plan review at 726 University Ave. The applicant has postponed that and Also new business item, applicant postponed re-subdivision R-2026-40 at 303-307 Emerson. So anybody here for those two items? They will not be heard tonight. We expect them on a future meeting agenda, and we will make sure that we advertise and post that accordingly.

Great.

So first up, we do have three old business items. First up is a major site plan review second time extension, MASPR-24-21 at 3020 James Street. Owner is Steven Skinner. This is an MX2 zone district. Just for the board, this is the American Legion project in Eastwood.

Hello, my name is Katrina Skinner, 2226 James Street. And we are still on track with this project. We've been working on it for a couple of years. So it was still scheduled to be finished in March of 27. So we're about halfway through the project at this point and just looking for the extension to keep on moving. Do you want any more details on it or questions from the commissioners?

Yeah, I just want to check to make sure because I had June 17th, 2027 as the next date, but it's 3-27?

Yes, June 27 would be one year extension for the zoning.

I think, clarify, you meant you're on board, you think you'd be finished by the end of March?

Yeah.

Yeah, so you're right. She's saying that they think they'll be done by the end of March.

Right, but the effective date is June 7th for our purposes. Yes, correct.

Thank you, that's fine. And no change in the scope or nature of the project, just additional time?

Yeah, it's just that we had to get the zoning before we get the finances, so it's just a process. So yeah, we broke ground, we started it back in November, and it's doing great.

Good.

So yeah, it's moving along.

Okay, further questions for the applicant?

All set, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Are there individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come forward, provide your name, address, comments. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the application, please come forward. We apparently have no speakers, which is fine. We'll close public comment, turn our attention to seeker, or no, time extension won't require that. So we could move immediately to proposed action on this application. Is there a motion for action?

I make a motion to approve this request for extension for a period of one year. All construction improvements and additions related to MESPR-24-21, including those activities required in order to comply with the conditions of the original approval, shall be completed by June 17, 2027.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Discussion on the motion before us? If not, all in favor of that motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? Time extension is approved. Good luck. Thank you. We move now to our second old business item.

That brings us to Special Use Permit SP-2026-18623-25 Wolf Street. This is in the MX2 Zone District, owned by Greg Neese.

Hello, how's everyone doing today? My name's Greg Neese, here representing 623, 625 Bull Street. I'm here to discuss a special use permit converting from a regular restaurant to a commissary kitchen. I was here last month. I feel the meeting went fairly well. Besides, I was a little bit of opposition from the Washington Square Park. Since then, I did take the advice and wanted to. I attended a meeting to discuss further details with everyone. I'm hoping I gave enough answers to their questions to move this project forward. So I'm here now to answer any questions you guys might have.

Questions from the commission members for this project?

Yeah, so I guess I have a couple of questions I want to follow up on from our previous meeting in reflecting and listening to the video again and reflecting on notes, et cetera. There seemed to be somewhat of a discrepancy between your original description of the activities in the area and the one woman who addressed the commission with respect to pop-ups that she wanted to operate. And in her description of the pop-ups that she wanted to operate, it sounded like she would be holding pop-ups. in the facility there. Now, it's our understanding that in terms of the activity in there for any sort of eating or viewing of products that various users of the commissary were going to be doing, it would only be for invitations of specific people who were interested in utilizing the catering service, not for pop-ups for people who would be coming in. So we wanted to clarify that because that didn't seem to be consistent with the business plan that you articulated.

Agreed, if I can answer. So some of the term, I think, got misconstrued a little bit. She did mention that she served 80 meals. It wasn't 80 individual people or 80 individual cars. There was 80 meals prepared, and she was referring to it as a pop-up. I did discuss that with G, who is present tonight, and you could ask her yourself here as well, but that has been discussed, and We are gearing towards, like you said, a commissary kitchen with more tastings if available. She does a lot of catering to weddings, so on and so forth. So that concept was more for people to come in and try the food. I do agree with your concept, what you said.

That wouldn't be pop-ups per se. It would just be people coming in to taste the product that she's preparing for the catering. So it would be a limited number of people scheduled specifically for a certain time?

Agreed.

Okay, great. Thank you. Additional questions? Evan, another question about the food trucks. Sure. What do you anticipate in terms of food truck activity?

So with the food trucks, as I think we all know from our last meeting, each food truck does have to have a commissary kitchen where they come in and prep their food. They mainly do everything on their truck. I think we all understand that. Pretty much the concept is they need the commissary kitchen for permitting, health permit, They would come there to fill their water, empty their water, their dirty water, grease, you know, so on and so forth, their basic needs and wants. The city out of our county health department requires that. So I want to be a facility that could facilitate for them.

Right. So anticipate, understand that, anticipate the importance of that need. Try to get a handle on some sense of what level of traffic do you anticipate from trucks? I mean, say like yesterday was, this weekend was Taste of Syracuse. There's lots of trucks at Taste of Syracuse. What do you anticipate the truck level of activity, like early in the morning when trucks are coming to stock up? at night when they're dumping their water and their grease, et cetera.

Talk a bit about that. I understand. I guess we were questioning. I mean, obviously, we would not have as many food trucks that we're at.

We're just trying to get a sense of, and we really want to make sure that you can operate this in a way that meets code, that honors the neighborhood, et cetera. And so these are important details as clear as possible.

Sort of to be determined, okay, because I've been, you know, holding back on promoting this thing. So it's, you know, to be determined is a good question. I don't foresee, because there's a lot of food trucks on the road already that are permitted, and they're using other facilities, per se. Their exact... legalities behind that, I'm not really too sure, but each food truck is supposed to have a commissary kitchen, and it's labeled as commissary kitchen. The number of food trucks we're going to receive from being a legal commissary kitchen, I'm not sure. I can't really answer that straightly because that's a tough question to answer because most of the food trucks that are on the road today are already associated with someone, so unless there's a thousand more new food trucks coming in that are going to come to us for some reason, I can't really Answer that with a straight question.

Okay, so you're in a new market without a list of potential food truck clients yet.

Yeah, I want to offer a better service than maybe the next person or a legal service that's zoned proper for the service.

Okay, so when trucks come to dump their water and their grease at night, how long does that usually take?

You have a sense of that? They're pretty quick, in and out. You know, some of them, you know, in and out. So far from what we have, we haven't had a lot of them because we weren't really operating properly. So that's why I'm here to correct the issue. Right. Sure. So, I mean, we have very limited exposure to it to be forward with it. Right.

Okay. Okay. Good enough. Right. I'll defer if other commissioners have questions. I have a few maybe later on, but we'll see what other questions folks have. Okay.

I want to go back to the hours of operation because we'd seen 5 a.m. at one point to midnight. Is that what you're still planning on?

Yeah. Some of these catering, it's not just food trucks now, guys. Some of these people are catering. They start early. They want to get their prep going and they want to get on the road and go. Those hours, it doesn't mean it's going to be from 5 a.m. every day to midnight. 12 a.m. The 12 a.m., you know, there's some cushion in there. The people that like to get up early and go, such as someone like myself, I'm up at 4 a.m., 5 a.m. every day. Some people are early birds and they want to go. They want to work and they want to get to work and they'd be on their site and be prepped and be gone. It's a personal preference, that time zone to start. As far as the closing goes, we'll take the taste of Syracuse. This year I went both days. I think it closed around 9 or 10 o'clock at night, give and take. Some of the guys probably got out there, who knows what time. By the time they cleaned up, moved their trucks and all that, and some of them might have just went home with their trucks, or some of them might have went to their commissary and did what they were supposed to do. Or they went the next day, one of the two, you know.

What's that?

So Greg, from a neighborhood perspective, let's just use the Taste of Syracuse weekend as an example. Is there a reservation system for me to come at night and dispose of my waste products? In other words, if everybody leaves Taste of Syracuse and waits in line, quote unquote, on Wolf Street, We have a problem.

Sure. Okay. But here's what I'm anticipating. I'm the new kid on the block here. All right. I don't have a thousand food trucks or a hundred food trucks or even five at that matter. Okay. All these people already currently have a commissary kitchen that they're going to they're using they're not just gonna be using me I Wish I don't think that's the case. Okay, so it's not gonna be the case. I'm gonna have a limited access of people that could use us and the people that choose to are gonna choose to because they like the facility That's gonna be the main reason I'm in the center of the city too, so I but all these trucks already have someone. They don't necessarily need me to, oh, so I'm gonna have 500 food trucks coming down the road. That's not gonna happen. So, you know, it's a good question, but I don't anticipate my going from two food trucks to 50 food trucks. I don't think that's possible. I mean, most people that are on the road today, they already have their commissary. They're not gonna just switch, I don't think. You know, so it's something that would probably take a long time to build up to. something of that magnitude.

And so, I mean, if I eyeball your back entry parking lot, which is, I'm assuming, where I would drive my truck in to dispose, I mean, approximately, very approximately, there is room for two food trucks in there by the time you do the turn to get out the turnaround.

I believe so, easily.

Okay. And... I'm there for maybe 30 minutes.

Is that right? About 10. Probably five, 10 minutes. You're talking emptying some water, which is gravity. It just flows right out. Most of the water that they're emptying would be the dirty water. Filling water, they probably wouldn't be filling if it was at the end of the night. They're not emptying in the morning. They're probably filling. Or they're doing both maybe quick. But we're talking a matter of 10 minutes, you know, to get their stuff and go on, you know, take their show on the road, you know.

And the allowable use of commissary does not allow for overnight parking of food trucks?

The parking lot's my parking lot. I'm not going to allow that. I'm not going to have obstructions in my parking lot. So no, that's no plan to let people park their food trucks in my parking lot.

Just to follow up on the last point by Commissioner Murphy, the last time when we had the hearing, there were 10 conditions that were attached to the special use permit. For tonight, we've added two conditions to that. One condition would be related to what Commissioner Murphy just mentioned this back the fact that there should be no food trucks parking in the parking lot overnight and I understand you agree with that and that's not less was my food truck what's the property I decided by a food truck guys or something and I'm gonna park my food truck in the parking lot then I would say I

I will park my food truck in the parking lot, you know, but now I'm not going to let people. Other than the owners. Exactly. If an owner decides to buy a food truck and it's my parking lot, you know, I'm just telling you, I'm like telling you not to park your car in your driveway or something, you know, but I don't plan on it as of right now, but.

right so the other condition we talked about a little bit this is the last meeting but i don't think it resolved it really concerned about the sidewalk situation and we have been very consistently uh when development projects come up of this sort requiring the owner to reinstall sidewalks in cases where there were sidewalks there and this is a this is a case where especially the way this property fits into the rest of the neighborhood restoring those sidewalks to their original configuration would be extremely desirable and i think it would all go a long way to making the property more amenable to the aesthetics of the residential neighborhood. So we would like to require that sidewalks be restored on both Wolf Street and Second North to their original configuration with appropriate landscaping.

And that's something a property owner does?

Yeah, and we would say within a year. You don't have to do it immediately, but within a year to restore the original sidewalk configuration.

The next question would be, is that a local company through the city, or is that someone I hire?

Well, you guys can work that out.

Sure. Just curious. I mean, I know people that do concrete work, so it's not a problem.

I mean, the city has a sidewalk program, but the city can't replace all the sidewalks everywhere, so it becomes a negotiation.

I mean, I have people that do concrete and do sidewalk. I'm just curious if it's a city thing that I've got to pay for, or is it I can hire my own contractors to get permits through? I would talk to Jake about this, I guess. I got you now.

I don't know if we can find out. I don't know if they'll do it. I believe you may have to hire somebody on your own. I'm probably more comfortable hiring someone on my own.

I guess my question was, do I have to hire through the city? I've got people that do concrete. You just have to get a sidewalk permit and follow city spec. Fair enough. I've got guys that do that.

And in the conditions, we'll give you at least a year to do that. I'm sorry? We'll give you at least a year to do that. That's cool.

That's it for me. I want to go back to the reservation question. I understand you don't anticipate a large volume of trucks, but if the volume were unexpectedly large, would you adopt a reservation system so that... Trucks aren't collecting on the street waiting to do their thing.

Understood. I would have to put a little thought behind that. I don't want to just pull something out of the air right now and just say it to say it. But I have a very, very well organized business plan. If you guys read it already, it's very organized. I know what I'm doing, but I would have to put a little thought behind that. Maybe timeframes. People get their timeframes if they're early birds. They're early birds if they're Sleepers they get up at 1 o'clock my day is almost over, but everyone's different I would have to um I would have to put a little thought behind that but I could figure something out for that for sure I mean time slots you know if there's the nine o'clockers or the Early birds or the you know I'd pull up the thought behind that Thank you any further questions for the applicant Okay, thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you for your time.

So as you all may know, we closed public comment on this at the last commission meeting. But at the same time, we asked that the applicant meet with the neighborhood organization. And fortuitously, there was a scheduled meeting, I think, just a few days thereafter. And we did ask for a report on how that meeting went. So we did receive report prior to this meeting, but I would like to ask Catherine if you were comfortable to come forward and also from the Washington Square Neighborhood Association perspective address the meeting that was held with the applicant now a couple of weeks ago, I think.

I did send it to you, and we still object to this proposal. Basically, a bunch of the stuff that we said, you have all that information, but first, the history of the property, the situation in the neighborhood, the condition and the environment in the neighborhood, And the other thing is we don't trust Mr. Neese. And unfortunately and sadly, we don't trust the city to do the proper thing for that neighborhood either, based on all the things that we have encountered throughout the neighborhood. And that's pretty much all that I have, with the exception of your summary that I gave you, which is, Pretty comprehensive dialogue, I think, back and forth. I mean, I can go through the whole thing. I can read it. I have it here.

That's not necessary.

No, we appreciate the fact that you... Those three things are what encompass our position and our objections.

Any questions from the commission members for Catherine?

Thank you.

Thank you. So we had closed public comment on this. We did ask for the conversation, the dialogue to take place. That has happened. We have received a report from Catherine, on behalf of the Neighborhood Association, we heard an update on that conversation as well from the applicant. And now it is appropriate for the commission to undertake its seeker review before contemplating action either way on this application. Would you assist us in that, Jake?

Ready? 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 EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. Is there a motion for a seeker determination on this application?

I make a motion to issue a negative seeker declaration.

Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Discussion on the seeker motion. If there's no discussion, all in favor of that motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? One abstention. Abstention noted. Thank you. The seeker motion carries. And we are now in a position to consider action on special permit 2026-18.

I make a motion to find special use permit application SP-2026-18 in compliance with special use permit criteria as demonstrated by the criteria analysis contained in the staff report pursuant to Syracuse Zoning Ordinance Section 5.4 B7A-H and to recommend approval by the Common Council with the following 12 conditions. 1. The applicant shall comply with the general conditions for approval of special use permit. 2. The applicant shall always possess a valid certificate of use issued by the City of Syracuse. 3. The business owner shall abide by the hours of operation that the Planning Commission decides upon, which are currently listed as 5 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday through Sunday. 4. Any exterior lighting on the subject property shall be maintained so as to protect Prevent any direct clear of light beyond the boundaries of the subject property. Five, no neon signage and decorative lighting shall be permitted on the windows or building facade. Six, all outside storage of junk, bottles, cartons, boxes, debris, and the like shall be restricted to appropriately screened enclosures not visible to the general public. Seven, the existing dining area, floor plan, Sheet A-01 shall not be open to the general public for walk-in restaurant service or pop-ups, as the principal approval use of the space is limited to food preparation operations. 8. Approval of this special use permit shall supersede and vacate the previous special use permit SB-24-30, as the same tenant space cannot operate under two separate principal land use approvals. Nine, the applicant shall comply, I'm sorry, we already did that one, excuse me. So there's actually only 11. 10, the applicant shall obtain all necessary permits from the Audunag County and New York State Health Department. 10, the applicant shall remove asphalt and reestablish ADA-compliant sidewalks and curb cuts with landscaping around 2nd North and Wolf Street within one year of approval of this application. And 11, no food trucks will be permitted to park on the property overnight except any that are owned by the owner of the property.

Thank you. Is there a second to that motion?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion?

I just would like to say before we vote to the applicant that I think it's clear here. Come on up. Sure, Greg. That the neighborhood, having had a very bad experience on that parcel, which I agree you acknowledged from the beginning, has a lot of concerns going forward. And we like to think that applicants come here with the intention of being good neighbors to all of their neighborhood, not just their own parcel. So I hope that you will take that and going forward, work with the neighbors, particularly your most adjacent ones, to ensure that there's a very smooth transition as you begin the new business. Obviously, there's declared need for a commissary kitchen and that is something that's a permitted allowed use on this parcel by the code but I just had to say I hope that you intend to be the good neighbor and lead your business in an efficient neighborly way for the neighborhood.

I 100% do. I don't want to be a bad neighbor. I own the parcel. It's in my best interest to be a good neighbor and get along with everyone. I'm not here to cause problems. I own the property. It's an investment for me. But I also prefer to get along with everyone than be in any arguments or be a bad neighbor, so I 100% agree with that.

And it goes without saying, I think you understand there's going to be a lot of eyes on this.

There's been a lot of eyes on me for the last, and I understand why. There has. And I'm okay with that, though, because I understand it. I understand it, but we've been a very good neighbor the last two, three years. We've been very quiet, purposely, and I'm more hands-on than just leasing the space out. I'm in there now. Before, it was just a lease building for me. I had that has changed because of all that for the better.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you. Thanks, everyone.

I'd like to add to the discussion on this as we consider this that clearly this parcel has had a troublesome history over a long period of time and create a lot of angst for the neighborhood. And yet, I think this body needs to take each application as a fresh new start. There are many parcels in the city that have troublesome histories and if we were to not entertain projects on those parcels, many of our neighborhoods and our business districts would be suffering and would look very different from the way they do today. At the same time, listening to neighborhood concerns I hope we have, or Commissioner Lentz has, through his conditions on the resolution, translated some of those concerns into conditions that are enforceable and will create the good neighborliness posture that we hope your attitude in this new project will foster. As someone just said, there will be many, many ayes on this project. We hope it can proceed if it passes according to all the conditions enumerated in the resolution. Additional comments or discussion on the motion before us? If not, then I think we're ready for a vote. All in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions?

One abstention.

Abstention noted. Special use permit for SP 202618 is approved, and it moves on to the Common Council for a final determination. Our action is advisory only. It's a recommendation. Final determination will be up to the Common Council. Thank you.

Our next application. One more old business item. It's a major site plan review and resubdivision. Actually, two major site plan reviews. It's for the Housing Visions Headquarters Project at 1201 East Vance Street and 210 Pine Street. This is in the MX4 Zone District. Just for the board, as a reminder, so last meeting, we performed a Type 1 Seeker Action. We completed that with a negative declaration. the applicant went before the Board of Zoning Appeals, and they were approved for their area variance on June 4th. So now they're back before us. This board can choose to take action tonight and make a decision and vote on each individual item before you. So again, there's two major site plan reviews. One is for the office building, and one is for their mixed-use building, and then the re-subdivision. But Seeker's all set, so that's the good part. We went through that already.

And the BZA has approved the area variance. Yes. So the applicant is here.

Hi, I'm Donna Kimoski, and I'm representing Housing Vision Eastside Business Center at 1201 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, New York, 13210. So we're in front of you guys for our parcel that we currently own over at 1201 East Fayette Street. Do you guys want me to go back to a little bit of the project story? Description or?

Just a quick overview to refresh our memory.

So we're proposing to demo our current one-story building right now that's commercial use, and we're proposing to subdivide the lot into two. One would be Housing Visions corporate offices on the corner of Walnut and East Fayette, and the other parcel will hold a new 144-unit affordable housing development for workforce housing and a small commercial space for our support service arm, Connect, which will provide support services to the neighborhood.

Mm-hmm.

We're proposing to present this to the state for financing later on this year and into next year, and if everything goes to plan, we will probably break ground sometime in 28 on the project.

In 20?

2028. 2028, okay.

Yep. Thank you. And you're not moving to Shaw Street?

I'm sorry?

You're not moving to Shaw Street?

No, we're not moving to Shaw Street. We'll move someplace, we just don't know yet for a little bit.

Wherever Shaw Street is. Right. We have to invent one. Any questions for the applicant regarding this project?

Two questions. First, I guess not necessarily a question, but given that you're still applying for financing and you're not anticipating construction beginning of 2028, you're going to need to come back for an extension. So just noting that. All right. And so two other questions. I guess my next question is on page 118, It's the rendering that's labeled Housing Visions Headquarters 00. It's the floor plan. That's it.

OK, good, good.

So I'm looking at the first floor, rendering the common space, the office space, et cetera. You talked a little bit about that. What are the office spaces going to, it looks like four office spaces there.

Oh, in the residential building?

Yeah, in the residential building.

So those are going to be property management offices. So we do have onsite property management at the sites, along with the Connect office space. So that's the small commercial spot. So we have both in the building, there in the corner.

Right, okay. And The common area or the common room is where there's going to be bike storage, if I understand that correctly?

Correct.

Okay. So then my question with respect to that is right now, so far as I can tell, the only bike storage area that is designated is is in the residential housing. So I'm just wondering in terms of the office building for home headquarters, is there gonna be some bike racks outside for that, or is all of the bike storage space in the residential facility?

So we can have bike storage racks on our corporate office space for anybody that comes to visit us, but the one on the residential side is specifically set for the residents of that building.

Right, okay. Okay, so I just would recommend that it would be a good idea to have some outside bike parking. Okay. staple wraps in the in the home credit orders office and the office all the offices in home credit orders are offices are all going to be for your staff and partners or is there any other office space that's going to be rented out it's for our staff so it's for all our different departments right now that we house so it's just to give us more space because right now we have

four different arms, I guess, of the company. You want it to be between our development, construction, property management, our connect, and then we also have our admin team, so we're all going to be housed together in one building. Right. And we're kind of running out of space as it is. Okay.

Okay, great. Thank you.

You're welcome.

Further questions for the applicant? Okay. Thank you. So, Seeker was... did it it's all taken care of and did we close public comment on this too last time we didn't really have any public comment because we just did seeker so in that um i don't

Did we, I don't know if we did public comment or if we left it open so we could do that. And then after that, if there's no discussion, somebody wants to make a motion, I recommend we go in order within the packet. So it would be the first major site plan review followed by, sorry, I'm just going in order. Yeah, 14, 16, and then the resub last. Okay.

Okay.

Since they all have different, or could have different conditions or decisions. Exactly.

So with that update of what has happened since the last meeting, the update provided by the applicant right now, and the action of the VCA very recently, are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of any one of these three separate but related applications for housing visions? the major site plan reviews, or the resub division. Anyone wishing to speak in favor of any of those, please come forward, provide your name, address, and comments. Anyone wishing to speak in opposition to any one of those three related applications, please come forward, provide your name, address, and comments. I don't see anyone rising to speak for any of these three. We will close public comment and now turn our attention to action on the two site plan reviews and then the resubdivision associated with that. So first is MASPR 202614. Is there a motion for action on this?

I make a motion to approve application MASPR-2026-14 as presented with the following five conditions. One, the applicant shall comply with all general conditions of the City of Syracuse site plan approval. Two, full height curbing must be installed along the north and west frontages to prevent any vehicle encroachment into the public sidewalk. Three, snow storage shall be maintained on site in the designated area and shall not encroach into the public right-of-way or adjacent properties. Four, the applicant shall obtain a shared easement for the shared driveway and parking access for two parcels at 1201 East Fayette Street to be 211 Walnut Avenue and 210 Pine Street to be 1201 East Fayette Street. The easement shall be filled successfully at the Onondaga County Clerk's Office. And five, bike parking shall be supplied utilizing staple-style, no-wave-style racks in conspicuous and well-lit areas near the main entrance for the main office building. Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on the motion before us for the site plan review. If there's no discussion, then all in favor of the motion before us for MASPR 2026-14, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? That motion carries. Next is the Major Site Plan Review 2026-16. Is there a motion for action on this?

I make motion to approve application MESPR-202616 as presented with the following six conditions. The applicant shall comply with the general conditions for approval of the site plan application. As a condition of approval, all 144 residential units must be certified by the neighborhood and business department for designation as affordable housing. Three, the applicant shall obtain a shared easement for the shared driveway and parking access for two parcels at 1201 East Fayette Street to be 211 Walnut Avenue and 210 Pine Street to be 1201 East Fayette Street The easement shall be filed successfully at the Onondaga County Clerk's Office. Four, the applicant must complete the proposed curb restoration and sidewalk improvement plan along East Fayette and Pine Streets as shown on Sheet C-102. No vehicle encroachment or parking shall be permitted within the public sidewalk area. Five, snow storage must be maintained exclusively within the designated area at the northern perimeter of the site and shall not be pushed into adjacent properties or public streets. And six, the required 13 bike spaces for the residential facility shall be incorporated on the site plan on floor plan per DPW requirement utilizing staple style, no wave style racks in conspicuous and well lit areas near the main entrance.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on this motion before us for the site plan review, second site plan review at this site. If not, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? That site plan review is also approved. And we move now to the resubdivision R202627 for the resubdivision needed for this project. Is there a motion for that?

There is, somewhere. Okay, this one's a little bit easier, guys. All right, just a resubdivision. I make a motion to approve application R-2026-27 as presented with the following conditions. Applicant shall successfully file the resubdivision map R-2026-27 in the on-county clerk's office within 62 days of resubdivision approval. That'd be tonight, assuming we approve it.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you. Discussion on this motion for the resubdivision? 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 resubdivision is approved. Thank you very much. We'll see you down the road at some point. And then as announced at the outset of this meeting, the project for the major site plan review on University Ave is not being heard tonight. That'll be rescheduled for a future commission meeting. And when that happens, notification will go out as usual through the postcard system. And that moves us down to a special use permit.

Yes, SP-25-35 at 220-22 Messina Street. This is in the MX2 zone district.

Can you give us a little overview or a little summary of what the project involves?

Can I have my book here to speak for me? Sure.

While he comes up, just for the board, this falls into the category like a bunch of others that this board has had that was existing prior to rezone, and now the zoning code mandates that it have a special use permit. So this is one of those existing neighborhood markets.

Getting into the new zoning ordinance.

Yes. Name's Andre Johnson. In regards to... So this project. There was a request for additional lighting as well as signage on the front of the building which all have been removed. There is no trash you guys requested a bike rack which is in place in front of the building. As this individual just mentioned this in this project should have been grandfathered in but due to the changing in your policies We are now here He has done everything possible To uphold to the letter what you're requiring including having the cameras with Syracuse PD has access to So we're just looking for a favorable response from this committee Thank you questions for the applicant or the applicants representative I

How many residential units are upstairs in the facility? Just curious.

Three apartments. Three apartments.

Three?

Yes, sir. Okay, thank you. Additional questions?

All set, thank you.

Okay, thank you very much. Thank you. Are there individuals who would like to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come forward, provide your name, your address, and your comments.

My name is Parrish Brooks. I live at 210 Merriman. I own a home there. I've been there 30-something years. That store there is a safe haven for some people around there. A lot of things happen. They can go to that store. He lets them in. Safe haven. I see in his wintertime, he makes coffee for the homeless. They come and get coffee just to keep them warm. He don't charge them. You don't find that in neighborhoods now. There's no violence at that store. But if it is violence around that store, you can go to that store. It's a safe place. It's not a troubled place. I've been there 30-something years. I own my own home. If there's anybody that don't like stores, it's me because of the trash. But as far as being a nuisance, no, that store is good for the neighborhood.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Sheltina Brooks, and I'm sure you guys know that they're building actually 10 to 20 homes in the Merriman area soon. I'm really, really, really looking forward to it. Not being bougie, but my house stands out on the street. So I'm looking forward to this project. And with that being said, we have a few corner stores. We all know how a lot of corner stores cause ruckus in the neighborhood. This is one of the stores I feel that the newer neighbors, the new homeowners that are coming will feel comfortable about allowing their children to go to. I'm not saying stuff don't happen, because it happens. We live on the west side. But a lot of things happen at another area and wind up, there's a big circle there by the store. So that's the spot. Like my husband said, if anything goes down, anything happens, Mo gonna make sure you good. He's gonna make sure that everything's okay and he's gonna call the police. So with that being said, I look forward to him staying open and prospering because I think it's gonna continue to be an asset in the area because I got corner stores, I got high schools, I get all the trash. So I appreciate the fact that he's trying to do and doing what he's doing for our neighborhoods.

Thank you. Thank you. Other individuals wishing to speak in favor, please come forward.

My name's Greg Mahoney. I live at 305 Merman Ave. I own the house. Mo is an awesome man. The store is like a safe haven, just like everybody just told you. My grandkids are 10 years old now. They know Mo, personally know Mo. They can go in the store. When I need a formula, I could go to that store. Price Shopper, Wegmans didn't have it. I could go to Moe and get it. When I was sick, I was battling cancer for seven years. When I was sick, that man made sure that people came to my house and gave me things that I needed. Food, whatever. I paid him, of course, but I didn't have to get out of bed and go get it. That man is a hell of a man. And I mean that. And that store is our hood. No matter where you go, there's crime in the world. No matter where you go. I don't care if you go to Oswego. People get shot and stabbed all the time. That's a safe haven right there. And like everybody said, he takes care of the homeless people. His sidewalk's shoveled. Everything is done. His trash is picked up. You don't see it like some other places. Thank you. Thank you.

Other individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application, please come forward.

Hello, my name is Sharif Zaran. Resigned at 622 North C Street. Mohammed purchased a store for one of my old friends. I kind of grew up in that store from being a teenager because my best friend's mother and father used to own it for over 30 years, the Hassans. Long story short, he purchased a business and the property from him to keep the generation and keep the store, which is a more community thing where a lot of people don't have a lot of convenience to go to supermarkets or wagons. They don't have too much transportation. They can walk to a local safe corner store where they can get grocery, hot food, cold food, pretty much what the community might need. The man is very compliant with the city, and the man is just trying to make a living for him and his family, and he will pretty much listen and do whatever you guys basically tell him. Simple as that, and I approve him all the way. You know, we need more good corner stores to help the community, not only to help the community, but to be with them not just for money. We look at a lot of people not just for business. We look at it as, like, family, and at the same time, not only that, as we like to help each other when we need it. The man gives credit to people when they don't have it, and not only that... He doesn't he does his role the store is very clean. He's very compliant with Syracuse police and He's up to code and pretty much whatever he needs and that's pretty much it.

Thank you. Yeah Other speakers wishing to speak in favor of this application, please come forward Good evening

My name is . I don't live in that area. I live in North Syracuse. But I know that store since 1982 from the old, old man. He used to be my best buddy. He sold it to his son. His son sold to Muhammad. My job is a businessman selling general merchandise, which is candy, snacks, you know, chips here and there. I go not every week, every two, three weeks there. But I know Muhammad. He trying to make a living. He's trying to make it clean. He's trying to work with the community. He's trying to work with the kids. He's trying to work whatever donation he could afford. He just worked by himself. He got a couple of guys sometimes help him out here and there. But for the safety, one thing, when I deliver my merchandise here, I get a nice van. When I deliver that stuff from my van to the store, my door open. Nobody touch it. In and out. And hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars I have, which is anybody could steal and run. is i cannot run like a kid but for the safety is beautiful for the store is beautiful for the personality for muhammad he is my friend and i know his dad he work on the north side he's my friend too i think one is the best kids i ever seen before he bought that store i know him he used to work here and there it's in the corner store that's that's what he does that corner store Way back in the 80s, in the 90s, we are in the 2000 and the 2020s. He's been in a corner store. He's been in a neighborhood store. It's a convenience. He didn't sell a lot of meat. He didn't sell a lot of produce. But here and there and there, it helps. But one thing is good, the bread, the milk, the eggs, the daily human being life. I recommend this community and give me the benefit of the doubt for this, his business, for his application. And thank you so much, guys.

Thank you. Are there other individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come to the podium, provide your name and address, and share your comments. Okay, I don't see anyone rising to speak for that. Are there individuals wishing to speak in opposition to the application? Please come forward and provide your name, address, and comments.

Was that for or against?

I don't know if that was a football joke or what.

I'm not sure.

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.

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 our seeker action on this application?

I make a motion to issue a negative seeker declaration.

Second. Thank you both. Discussion on the seeker motion? If there's no discussion, all in favor of that motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? That motion carries. And we may now turn our attention to the special use permit, SP 2535. And our action tonight will take the form of a recommendation going to the Common Council for final decision on this special use permit. Is there a motion for action on this application?

Yeah, before making a motion, I just want to express my appreciation to the applicant for participation in response to the current, the CPTED report, the important tool that we have, that we use with the police department to determine the best environmental design to prevent crime in situations like this, and your responses were eager and well-placed, so thank you for that. And given that, I want to make a motion to find the Special Use Permit Application SP-25-35 in compliance with the special use criteria as demonstrated by the criteria analysis contained in the staff report pursuant to Syracuse Zoning Ordinance Section 5.4 , and to recommend approval by the Common Council with 10 conditions. 1. The applicant shall comply with general conditions for approval on the special use permit. 2. The applicant shall always possess a valid certificate of use issued by the City of Syracuse. 3. The business owner shall abide by the hours of operation that the Planning Commission decides upon, which currently are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Four, no neon signage or decorative lighting shall be permitted on the windows or building facade. Five, the applicant shall commit to maintaining compliance with the CPTED recommendations during the proposed business hours. Six, the applicant shall commit to upgrading the site through any necessary permits based on the revised site plan. And four, following approved conditions by the Department of Public Works. Those are seven. ADA-compliant sidewalk is required along the Messina Street frontage, including through driveways. Eight, the driveway on Messina Street is to conform to 12-foot max width and properly contained. The existing driveway is ambiguous and crushed stone is not an acceptable ground cover within the right-of-way. The area must be paved and provide appropriate plan for refuge, parking, etc. Main door points of egress are to be protected from the vehicle encroachment via concrete-filled ballards. Nine, bike parking is required in the form of a staple-style rack, no wave racks, located on private property in a conspicuous and well-lit area near the main entrance. And finally, ten, any encroaching features such as steps or items are to be removed or necessary approvals obtained from the permit office.

Thank you. Is there a second to that motion?

Second. Will the maker entertain just a slight change? If I heard you correctly, it was Monday through Saturday, and I believe the hours are Monday through Sunday.

Ah, correct. Thank you, Commissioner Murphy.

And let me also just add one quick thing. I'm sorry. It is very nice for an applicant to have such wonderful neighbors. Congratulations.

Hear, hear. So the maker of the motion accepts the adjustment?

It's a friendly amendment, to be sure.

Great. Discussion on this motion now for the recommendation for the special use permit? If there's no discussion, all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? It is approved, and it moves on to the Common Council for a final determination. Thank you, and thank your neighbors. Our next application, please.

All right. This is our last item. Special use permit SP-25-21 at 500 Oakwood Ave. This is in the MX2 zone district. Similar to the last one, this one also has been operational and in existence prior to rezone.

Is the applicant here or the representative? Is somebody here? Is someone here for the project on Oakwood Avenue, 500 Oakwood Ave?

Owner operator.

Yeah, if you're the... Good evening, guys.

My name is Abed Zoran, and I live at 104 Lorien Drive, North Syracuse. I moved to Syracuse actually in my date of birth, February 2nd, 1981, to Syracuse. I was living in Western Massachusetts. That's where I went to college there. And my job was there going to college, and I got a job at Dunkin' Donuts in North Syracuse, and started knowing the town here. I lived on the north side, west side, south side. You know, I was single and a lot of innovations. Anyway, to cut the long story short, I got a part-time job in a store in South Ave and Tolman. Now it's demolished as a house there. And I start knowing the community around. In 1986, actually in 1984, I bought a store at 235 Oakwood Avenue. It was a barber shop. I bought that store. I stayed for a couple of years. And I sold it in 1986. I bought a store at 500 Oakwood Avenue, which is that location right now. In 1987, the store got on fire. So the landlord, he's a nice guy. He fixed it up. He gave me a break. And I went back again. In 1989, I bought that building from him. He said he wanted to retire. He sold me the property. I run that store, me and my wife, actually with my son, he was speaking, he wasn't born even yet, for until 1999, about 12 years. In that 12 years, I know the neighborhood very well. I was communicate with them, I was treat them right, and they was treat me right, and just for example, I was stay there until two o'clock in the morning when they have a game in the dorm, people go there clean, and I work for them until 12, one o'clock, two o'clock, so they'll come down and cash the checks. They need the cash, which I used to cash checks in that time. Anyhow, when I sold that business in 1999, I kept the property. In 1984, in 1987, when I bought the business, it was King Market. When I bought the business, I changed it to Stokes Market. When I sold it to a guy, his name is Muhammad Hamoud, he changed it to Food King Market. And he stayed there for a few years, over 10, 15 years, and he sold it to my buddy, his name is Muhammad Hoshishi, and he changed the business name to Smart City Market. He kept and maintained very well, well stocked, neat, actually he did job better than I did, you know. And in the meantime, like I said earlier and before, my business, I do wholesale around the city, general merchandise. So I know most of the stores in this area, from east to north to west to south. That man, he spent a lot of money to renovate the business, to keep communicating with the business, to work with the community, to work with the church across the street, to work all... and there's a couple of stores down the street on Salina gas station, on State Street, on Oakwood Avenue. He kept it maintained. Maintained mean well stocked, treat the customers right. He get cameras 24 hours in and out, bent whatever need to be bent, new coolers, new kitchen, a new counter, a new system, digital system. So he kept it nice and neat. My recommendation for this community here to keep their store, plus to issue them a cigarette license and tobacco license by the city of Syracuse, because their store He always maintained to sell to over the age. If he didn't have no idea, you're not going to buy no cigarettes, no tobacco, no beer, no lard, whatever it is. He kept him maintained. I recommend all this community to look at his application. Issue him the special use permit application approval and approve the cigarette and the tobacco license for him. He get a three, four employees. You have to pay them. and he get a bit of rent, insurance tax, and this and this and that, that cost money. So to boost his business, to maintain his business, I really approve the community to approve his cigarette and tobacco license. Thank you. Thank you.

Are there questions for the applicant's representative?

It's not really a question per se, but with respect to the tobacco license, I mean, it's a state issue. The facility is not eligible for a tobacco license because of its proximity to Martin Luther King School, and that's just a state issue, period. There's nothing that we can say about that other than that, no.

I understand. The state issued him a license. He got a license by New York State. But there is a license in Syracuse you're going to have to obtain to sell cigarettes and tobacco from the city of Syracuse. That's what I want the community to look at this application to.

It's just not eligible. So if I can just lay out some history. Syracuse police had some ongoing investigations where they found evidence of unlawful cannabis sales and sales of secondhand goods without appropriate licenses. Due to that, code enforcement denied the store's city tobacco license based on those violations from our own local law. There was a lawsuit over the matter via Article 78 procedure in which the court confirmed our ability to deny the license application and citing our Syracuse Property Conservation Code. So, I mean, they're not eligible. they've already been denied a city license and court upheld that ruling. They can, however, they are licensed to and proposed to continue selling beer, wine products, and cider, but they will not be able to obtain a tobacco license from the city.

For the city of Syracuse, or for delegation like here to present, the whole case dismissed in court. The case where he says is dismissed in court. Regarding.

I mean, I have the judgment right here.

Right, so he's saying the court said the city could deny the license, right? That's what the judge said.

Yeah, they upheld our. Yes. The city's decision.

Well, the court affirmed the city's denial of a tobacco license at that parcel.

And that's not part of the application before us tonight any nice correct right so to be clear action the owner sued the city The judge dismissed that lawsuit which was an article 78 against the city and upheld our actions as a city for processing voting on tonight is

This is just a special use permit. Special use permit to continue the store because, like the other store, we are moving forward with our current zoning and our burden.

Yes. The only thing that will be pointed out, and hopefully the applicant can agree, is that they won't sell any tobacco products. But the rest of it is good. Just just so everybody's clear like It would be a violation of special use permit if they were to sell tobacco unlawfully so that could jeopardize a special use permit in the future right and Nobody wants that. I'm just pointing it out.

That is a condition of the special needs permit. I do want to express my appreciation, again, for the participation in the crime prevention through a Venera design process. It's an important process, and it's much better when the applicant is willing and eager to go through that process and responds accordingly. So thank you for that.

Sounds good.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Are there individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application? If so, please come forward. And as before, just provide your name, your address, and then your comments for the record.

Hello, my name is . Like I said, I reside at 622 North State Street. I'm going to just get right to the point. I grew up in this store. I was not even two, three years old since I've been in this store, since I was not even 18, 20. I always loved this store because I grew up in it. It's like it has my childhood. I'm just going to be honest with you guys. And my majority of my life is just going to work with my dad. I always wanted to hang out with my dad because my dad's always working and was always in this business. I know this store better than anybody else inside and outside. Now, I would love this store to keep going on for generations. And I have kids myself. I obviously want to see my kids one day to take over the store. I mean, take over the property, manage the property. And we all as business owners do our best what we can to keep it going. And all I ask this committee is to give us a chance, if not a second chance, especially for my tenants. Now for the allegations that he's talking about, I'm very strong against cannabis sales. Even my own properties and all my leases. But having employees, a lot of employees nowadays, it's hard to keep track of what they do and what they not do. I know myself because I've had several businesses and One of my clothing stores, for example, and I've had a lot of different employees, some employees steal, some employees do stuff they shouldn't be doing, but long story short, as managing that process, you evaluate it, and you try to take care of it, and you try to move forward. Now, the owners of the business are right here, they're hanging out, and they can hear me very well, you know, and... I'm 37 years old. I never want to see this store go. I mean, I love this store. I even told my father any amount of money, I want to buy this store because I love this store. I want my kids to have this store. You know, I wanted to manage it. I always liked property, but the reason I like property, I like to manage my property where it's safe for the community. Obviously, for all the board and for the city of Syracuse, you know. I have kids myself, and I look at all the people's kids like my kids for their safety and to be compliant. Now, everybody... I would like this committee to think of a second chance, give this store the chance to get a tobacco license if it's for cigarettes and tobacco. Now, before I go a little bit more deeper on that is I don't want the store to get a stain on it where it affects a store owner because at the end of the day, A store needs every type of capacity to have a certain amount of sales where it can draw customers. Because some stores don't have tobacco. They'll go to that store, get their tobacco or their cigarettes, their daily needs, and then they'll get their grocery or whatever the case may be. Now, I don't smoke. I quit a while ago. I don't drink. But sometimes people need some type of cope to relieve their stress, if it may be. Long story short is I never want to see this store go. I'm 37 years old. I've been in the basement of the store. I used to be the little kid on the cash register where there's a little stool cashing people. I have a lot of memories in this store. And I'm a little obsessed with the location and the store because it's part of my childhood. And I want my kids to endure that, too. And it's right across the street from the school, which we do understand. But this store has been operating, running this type of business for over 35 years, before I was born. And me growing up in the store, seeing my dad managing it, the property, you know, we do as property owners, managing it the best way we can. We even let the property, the business, the owners of the business have a certain amount of liability just in case if something does happen. Also, to be compliant with the city as safety precautions of the railings or stops or anything that's loose on the roof. We are very compliant. Now, everybody makes mistakes. I don't know the case may be, but I spoke strongly to the stoners, even though it was my mom's property. It's just like my property. As growing up in the city of Syracuse, I always want to be compliant with the city so the city can understand us business owners or small business people to endure and to flourish. At the same time, for the amount of years this store has been operated, there hasn't been no crime. There hasn't been no hangout, no gang activity. having these stone owners managing these type of properties around the property is very is very good and not only that is

Can you kind of wrap up?

Long story short, I wish you guys would make the best choice possible. I respect any choice you make. But I would love to see this store to keep going, not even for me or for you, so my kids' kids can one day, you know, it's right down the street from SU. It's in the south side of Syracuse. And that's it pretty much. Thank you. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Other individuals wishing to speak in favor of this application, please provide your name, your address, and your comments.

My name is Warren Hurd. That store is a great place. The people that work in the store is very polite. They're very respectable. That's a nice store in the community, man. Everybody respects that store. They love that store. So I'm just saying, please let that store stay, and it got good food.

Thank you.

My name is Kelly Holmes.

I love that store. I go there.

Me and my kids, we go there, and we buy stuff out of the store. Whatever we need, it's always going to be there. I want the store to stay there in the same spot.

Thank you. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon.

Excuse me. You can pull the mic down.

Yeah. My name is Charles Hudson. I live at 420 Oakwood Ave. half a block away from the store. Me and my wife was going to that store for about four decades until she passed away a year and a half of cancer. These guys, if my wife need anything, they will call the house, ask her, do she need anything, and they'll bring it to her with no problem. I want to piggyback on somebody said, The crime in that area, it's not. It's maybe somewhere else, but not there. I go to that store, make sure everything is up to date and properly, and the outside clean up and all. It would be a big miss to lose that corner store. You know, we need it. You know, the people is great. I have a lot to say, but I'm not going to go through a lot of details because more people want to get up. But good people, very good people. Where is the men's restroom?

Down that hallway. Out the door to the right.

How you doing? I've been the owner for a long time. He's my best friend, you know what I mean? He's a really good guy for the community, you know what I mean? When I was working in the pharmacy, I always stopped by to the store. I see a lot there, you know what I'm saying? He help nice the community, even though the cross street from the church, he always go there. If they need any help, they need any donation, whatever, anything happen to the church, they go. It's cross street from the store. So I actually, I love that store. You know what I'm saying? He take care of the store really good. The store is so nice inside. You know, it's a beautiful inside. I just need... your help about this situation. They deserve help, second chance, about the tobacco license. You know what I mean? I hope you're going to take a look about that. I appreciate your time, guys, and thank you so much.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Mansour Abadi. I live in Camillus, but he's my neighbor. I got a store, and it's still 1,300 South State Street. These people are the good people. They're my neighbor. They're my neighbor for a long time, and they have a lot of bills to pay. And he spent a lot of money to renovate the store. He spent a lot of money, and he has a family, a big family. So tobacco, I say, means a lot to him. And he's only three blocks away from me. And so he never have no problem. He never have no problem. So please, guy, can you help him? Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Daniel Harleston.

I live in the area. I live in the neighborhood. I've been living there my whole life. I really don't know, you know, the specifics or whatever, but... He really is a good guy, and I think you guys should give him a chance. Like, really. I've been coming to the store since I was a kid. You know what I mean? So, you know, I mean, I really don't know what to say, but I really think that you guys should just give him a chance. Really. Thank you. Thank you.

My name is Momo. I live in a neighborhood. I've been living in a neighborhood for over 40 years. Amen. Abbott, when he still had black hair, about five, six years old, at his first store at 235, it was a point in time I won Steps Foot in 500 Oakwood Ave. It was like a little clothes, little smoke, little shed. You didn't want to, but over the years, people invested, and now it's a very beautiful little mini market. You get fresh mangoes, fresh oranges, whatever you can think of. Milk, eggs, it's like a little small mini grocery store. And I'm a big advocate in my community first, so a lot of people come to me for a lot of things. So you have a lot of people who's unable to go to the grocery store. But you know you can go here to Smart City Market, and you can get the things as if you were getting them from the grocery store. And if we go to one of the owners and say, hey, we think we need this in our community, they'll make sure they get that product in the community. My son's six years old. He goes to Dr. King's school over there. Take him to the store. I feel comfortable with my niece that's 12 years old walking him up to the store. You know, you see the little kids going there with their little certificates, and you got the owner that gives incentives if they got perfect attendance. Whatever it is, they try to make themselves a part of an extended family, of our community that is so diverse in our area where we live at. So I just ask you to give them a second chance. Granted, because it's definitely a staple in our community, and it would be a devastation if they were no longer there because you don't feel comfortable going into some of the other stores. You're a woman like myself. Would you feel comfortable getting out your car, going to a store where you've got a lot of people standing out there? Well, this is one of the stores in our neighborhood that you don't got to worry about that. You know you can get out your car and go straight into the store. So give them some consideration, a little leniency. Appreciate your time. Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Sidney Williams, and one thing I can say, I am a smoker. And the stores, I live right down the street from the store, and I hate having to go away somewhere else to go get my smokes. I don't know. I got a... I smoke. So I'm just saying... I would appreciate if he could get his license back. I don't know what happened, but, I mean, that's the store I go to all the time because it's right up the street from my house. And I would appreciate if you can give him his license back. Thank you. He's a good man. When I don't have stuff, he let me get it on credit and all of that stuff. He's a good dude. So that's all I got to say, though.

Thank you. Any other individuals wishing to speak in favor of the application, please come forward.

Oh, really quick. Real quick. I made it clear to my father, and I made it clear to my tenants, if anything is not compliant with the study, any sale of illegal tobacco, any sale of any cannabis would automatically be a termination of his lease. Hammond knows that, the owners know that, so they have a lot more to risk than just that. So, because at the end of the day, When there's no special use permit, the value of the building is nothing. You have to pay insurance. You have to pay maintenance on it. And me and my father had a long conversation. We had a long conversation with the tenant. He has a lot more to risk. The store, they put hundreds of thousands of dollars in fixing it. The store is beautiful inside and out. And I don't think, and I'm pretty sure, and I'm very confident in the conversation that we had with each other, If any sale of cannabis, any sale of underage tobacco, any sale of underage beer, 100% termination of the lease, they get evicted and I take back the store personally. I had a conversation with the owners. I had a conversation with my father. So this way, we can stay compliant with the city. And this way, this store can flourish. And I'm very confident with the owners of the business for them to maintain it and to do the duty that the city advises them. And that's it.

That was a good conversation to have.

I just wanted to make that very clear. And they got a lot to lose. And they don't want to lose nothing. Everybody makes mistakes. And I had a long conversation with them. And I don't want to make this too long, but... they have a lot to lose they spend over two hundred thousand dollars on this business and i will take it right back the next day and i will keep everything the way it is and i'll personally run it myself because i want this store to flourish and i wanted to be safe for the community at the same time i wanted to keep going for my kids and kids kids that's it thank you so much thank you are there individuals wishing to speak in opposition to the application if so please come to the podium provide your name your address and your comments

I don't see anyone else rising to speak, so we will close the public comment on this application and ask for assistance in completing our secret review for this project.

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 EAF Part 3 accordingly.

Thank you. Is there a motion for a SECRA determination on this project, SP 2521?

I make a motion to issue a negative SECRA declaration.

Second. Thank you both. Discussion on this motion? If there's no discussion, all in favor of the motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? The seeker motion carries, and we may now entertain a motion for action on the special use permit itself. This is SP 25-11 at 500 Oakwood Avenue. Is there a motion for action?

I MAKE A MOTION TO FIND THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION SP-25-21 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 EIGHT CONDITIONS. THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE, ONE, THE APPLICANT SHALL COMPLY WITH THE GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT. TWO, THE APPLICANT SHALL ALWAYS POSSESS A VALID CERTIFICATE OF USE ISSUED BY THE CITY OF SYRACUSE. THREE, THE BUSINESS OWNER SHALL ABIDE BY THE HOURS OF OPERATION THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECIDES listed as 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Five, the neon signage and decorative lighting shall be permitted, I'm sorry, no neon signage and decorative lighting shall be permitted on the windows or building facade. Five, the applicant shall reduce asphalt within the city right-of-way and reestablish an ADA-compliant sidewalk along Oakwood Avenue and install landscaping. Six, the subject property is prohibited from selling tobacco products due to its proximity to the adjacent Dr. King Elementary School. Seven, the applicant shall commit to upgrading the site through any necessary permits based on the revised site plan and the approval conditions imposed by the Department of Public Works. And eight, the applicant shall commit to maintaining the compliance of the CPTED recommendations during the proposed business operation. Thank you.

Is there a second? Thank you now discussion on this motion for a special use permit If there's no discussion then all in favor of this motion, please indicate by saying aye aye Those opposed please say nay any abstentions That motion carries and that now moves to the Common Council And the council will make a final determination on the special use permit So thank you all very much. Lastly, I think this was indicated at the outset of the meeting, but I hope you haven't been sitting here all this time for the resubdivision on Emerson Ave. That has been postponed by the applicant. It'll reappear on a subsequent commission meeting agenda, and notification of that will also happen in the traditional method of postcard mailing to individuals living in the vicinity.

Any other business to come before the commission tonight?

In that case, is there a motion to adjourn? So moved. A second? Discussion? Go Knicks. All in favor of the motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Nay. Abstentions? We are adjourned to reconvene on the 29th of June.