PLANNING BOARD AGENDA
Common Council Chambers
October 15, 2026 – 4:30 PM
PUBLIC HEARING
PB Case No.: SUP-26-0002 Zone: Central Business District (CBD)
Address: 343-345 Bleecker Street Requested Action: Site Plan Review &
Applicant: Waleed Saleh Special Use Permit
Owner: Joel DeJesus Castro
Pursuant to City of Utica Zoning Code Section 2-29-125(b)(3), the applicant is requesting Site Plan approval along with approval of a Special Use Permit for a plan to establish a neighborhood convenience store within the downtown central business district.
According to the application, the applicant is proposing to locate in an existing ground-floor storefront previously home to the John Plado, Tailor shop on Bleecker Street. The store owner is proposing to sell pre-packaged snacks, confections and sealed beverages, adding that no on-site food preparation will be performed within the store. The proposed hours of operation are seven days a week from 8 AM to 10 PM.
As there are other existing convenience stores within a 2,00 linear foot radius of this proposed store, the applicant will need approval of an area variance for the 2,000 linear foot distance from the Zoning Board of Appeals prior to final approvals from the Planning Board. The Zoning Board of Appeals granted the required area variance at their September 2026 meeting.
As a Special Use Permit is required, the Planning Board must conduct a public hearing.
PB Case No.: SUP-26-0001 Zone: Urban Mixed Use (UMU)
Address: 1809 Genesee Street Requested Action: Site Plan Review &
Applicant: Raheeb Mutee Alammari Special Use Permit
Owner: Charles Del Monte
Pursuant to City of Utica Zoning Code Section 2-29-125(b)(3), the applicant is requesting Site Plan
approval along with approval of a Special Use Permit for a plan to establish a neighborhood convenience store within the South Utica Uptown district.
As a Special Use Permit is required, the Planning Board must conduct a public hearing.
NEW BUSINESS
PB Case No.: I-26-0001 Zone: Residential Single (RS)
Address: 1109 Memorial Parkway Requested Action: Site Plan Review &
Applicant: Walker Vreeland Special Use Permit
Owner: Seth Wainer
Pursuant to City of Utica Zoning Code Section 2-29-45(c), the applicant is requesting that a recent denial by the Scenic & Historic Preservation Commission relative to an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be overturned.
The applicant, acting as a contractor, proposes to install an 18.48 kW rooftop solar system consisting of 42 panels to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and utility companies. According to the application, the installation is expected to fit well with the neighborhood's character, as other homes nearby already have solar panels and there are no physical restrictions on the property for this project.
At its September meeting, the S&H Commission 2 to 1 vote opposed to the request resulted in a denial of the request as the vote failed to garner favorable votes from a quorum (3) of the Commission.
PB Case No.: SPR-26-0002 Zone: Residential Mixed (RM)
Address: 1321 Maple Street Requested Action: Site Plan Review
Applicant: Mirna Hidalgo
Owner: Mirna Hidalgo
Pursuant to City of Utica Zoning Code Section 2-29-125(b)(3), the applicant is requesting Site Plan approval in order to legitimize the addition of two (2) units to a historically single-family home.
According to the applicant, official City records identify the property as a single-family home. However, when the current owner purchased the home in 2019, it was a three-family home, implying that the additional units were constructed illegally sometime prior to 2019.
