PLANNING BOARD AGENDA
Common Council Chambers
May 16, 2024 – 4:30 PM
PB Case No.: 06-24 Zone: Urban Mixed Use (UMU)
Address: 1707 Oriskany Street West Requested Action: Site Plan Review &
Applicant: Air City Cannabis LLC Special Use Permit
Owner: Carbone Commercial Properties LLC
Pursuant to City of Utica Zoning Code Section 2-29-125(a) and (b), the applicant is seeking approval of a Special Use Permit and Site Plan approval for a proposal to operate a State-licensed cannabis dispensary at the above-noted property.
The applicant intends to lease space within the building, occupying the space previously occupied by Balanced Chef until December 2023. Aside from updating the vinyl lettering on the existing signs, there will be minimal changes to the space, interior or exterior. Anticipated hours of operation will be Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 9 PM; Friday and Saturday, 10 AM to 10 PM; and Sunday, 10 AM to 8 PM. The applicant anticipates employing 22 people.
As a Special Use Permit is required for this use, a public hearing is required.
PB Case No.: 07-24 Zone: Various districts
Address: Various city streets Requested Action: SEQRA
Applicant: City Engineering Department
Owner: City of Utica
Pursuant to a request by the State of New York, the Planning Board is being asked to act as Lead Agent for the purposes of review of a storm sewer installation project in east Utica, pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
The project will add new storm sewers in order to separate stormwater from entering into the sanitary sewers during wet weather to minimize the volume of stormwater generated during rain events to reduce combined sewer overflows. Currently, the city manages combined sewer overflows in accordance with a permit issued by the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. The city is required to eliminate or capture for treatment, or storage and subsequent treatment, at least 85% of the system-wide combined sewage during wet weather events. This project will greatly further the city’s compliance with this requirement.
The project area is on Poe Street; Lansing, Blandina, and Mary Streets between Ontario Street and Culver Avenue; and Bleecker Street between Turner Street and Florence Street. Currently, a system of 8-inch to 12-inch combined sewers collect stormwater runoff and sanitary sewer flows from the tributary areas and convey them to Oneida County’s Starch Factory Interceptor Sewer.
To remove the stormwater from the Starch Factory Interceptor Sewer and thereby improve downstream water quality, the proposed separation project will construct new storm sewers on Mary Street, Blandina Street, and Lansing Street that will connect to existing storm sewers in Culver Ave; and along Bleecker Street from approximately Turner Street to approximately 800-feet west of the
Masonic Home driveway where it will connect to an existing storm sewer that discharges to Starch Factory Creek where it crosses beneath Bleecker Street.
PB Case No.: 08-24 Zone: Various districts
Address: Various city streets Requested Action: SEQRA
Applicant: City Engineering Department
Owner: City of Utica
Pursuant to a request by the State of New York, the Planning Board is being asked to act as Lead Agent for the purposes of review of a storm sewer installation project in east Utica, pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
The project will add new storm sewers in order to separate stormwater from entering into the sanitary sewers during wet weather to minimize the volume of stormwater generated during rain events to reduce combined sewer overflows. Currently, the city manages combined sewer overflows in accordance with a permit issued by the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. The city is required to eliminate or capture for treatment, or storage and subsequent treatment, at least 85% of the system-wide combined sewage during wet weather events. This project will greatly further the city’s compliance with this requirement.
This project involves three separate smaller projects, including:
- A5 – State Street Separation
- A6 – Lincoln Avenue Separation
- 2 – Tracy Street and Plant Street Separation
A5 – State Street Separation
Currently, a system of 12-inch and 20-inch combined sewers collect stormwater runoff and sanitary sewer flows from the tributary area to the point of intersection of State Street and Court Street. The flow collected from this area contributes to combined sewer overflows into Nail Creek. To reduce overflows to Nail Creek and thereby increase downstream water quality, the proposed separation project would construct a new storm sewer along State Street from the intersection of State Street and Court Street to Plant Street.
A6 – Lincoln Avenue Separation
A system of existing 12-inch combined sewers collects flow from the tributary area to the intersection of Court Street and Lincoln Avenue. This flow joins with flows collected from the State Street separation area described above. Any overflow from this area would be conveyed to Nail Creek. This proposed separation project would entail construction of a new system of storm and sanitary sewers along Lincoln Avenue from Sunset Avenue to Court Street, and along collector streets from Lincoln Avenue to State Street, including Tracy Street, Plant Street, Kirkland Avenue, William Street, Henry Street, Cottage Street, Mandeville Street, Roberts Avenue, and Hart Street along with a portion of Francis Street.
A10.2 – Tracy Street and Plant Street Separation
A system of existing 10-inch to 18-inch diameter combined sewers collects flow from the tributary area defined by Genesee Street on the east, Plant Street on the north, the North-South Arterial on the west, and Tracy Street on the south. Currently all surface drainage flows to Lincoln Avenue with three primary locations where the existing storm sewers connect to the Nail Creek Conduit. Storm flows are conveyed from east of Genesee Street by a 42-inch storm sewer in Genesee Street to a 24-inch storm pipe on Noyes Street. Excess flow is diverted during peak storm runoff periods into the combined 3rd and 7th Ward Trunk Sewer. This portion of the separation project would construct a new system of storm and sanitary sewers on Tracy and Plant Streets. A new 42-inch storm sewer in Tracy Street will transfer the flow from the east side of Genesee Street and direct it to Nail Creek at the Lincoln Avenue/Sunset Avenue intersection, thereby removing the storm-to-sanitary connection to the 3rd and 7th Ward Trunk Sewer at Genesee Street and Noyes Street.
PB Case No.: 11-24 Zone: Mixed Use Campus
Address: 1203 Hilton Avenue Requested Action: Curb Cut Variance
Applicant: Alan Swierczek
Owner: Utica City School District
Pursuant to City of Utica Zoning Code Section 2-29-21(b)(4), the applicant is seeking approval of a curb cut variance for the above-noted property.
Section 2-23-123 of the City of Utica Zoning Code limits the width of non-residential curb cuts to no more than forty (40) feet. The applicant is proposing a two-lane drive measuring 24’ in width as a ‘Fire Lane’ from the rear of Proctor High School to Eagle Street. The applicant indicates that the considerable width is necessary to accommodate fire trucks, school buses and larger commercial vehicles. As such, the applicant is proposing a curb cut that measures 90’ in width.
PB Case No.: 13-23 Zone: Mixed Use Campus
Address: Tilden Avenue & Armory Drive Requested Action: Site Plan Review
Applicant: Bruce K. Adib-Yazdi
Owner: Utica Municipal Housing Authority
Pursuant to City of Utica Zoning Code Section 2-29-125(a) and (b), the applicant is seeking Site Plan approval for a proposal to demolish the existing public housing apartment buildings and construct new apartment buildings.
The current housing complexes known as Adrean Terrace, ND Peters and FX Matt roughly comprise 25 acres in the east Utica neighborhood along Tilden Avenue and Armory Drive. The Utica Municipal Housing Authority, d/b/a People First is proposing to demolish all of the existing buildings that comprise these three developments as they have reached a point of functional obsolescence and would not be cost-effective to rehabilitate.
The proposed replacement housing will include a variety of building and housing types, as well as larger indoor community spaces and outdoor amenities. The plan also calls for the consolidation of the three properties into a single tax parcel.
The Planning Board tabled further review of the proposed project in November 2023 until such time as the SEQRA process had been completed. The applicant has updated the plans for the project and only recently shared them with the City. As such, SEQRA review has not been completed. At this time, the applicant is merely looking to provide an update to the Planning Board on the project.
