The Genesee County Planning Board on Thursday will consider a referral from Paul Marchese, doing business as Just Chez Realty LLC, for a special use permit and downtown design review for improvements to the Main Street Pizza building at 206 E. Main St.
Documents submitted to the planning board reveal that the applicant wishes to create two apartments on the second floor and change the exterior of the building that is located in the Downtown Business Improvement District.
A letter dated Sept. 29 from Doug Randall, City of Batavia code enforcement officer, to county planners and the City Planning & Development Committee indicates exterior changes involve: adding an entrance door on the south side; replacing windows; and changing the nameplate on the north (front) of the building from MANCUSO to MARCHESE and installing “up lighting” on that side.
Additional enhancements include: removing existing awnings and exposing the original transom windows; installing a new aluminum-clad wooden door on the north side; and installing new aluminum-clad wood windows/door storefront in the center bay.
The special use permit is for “restricted residential use” to allow the two second-story apartments in an area currently used as office space.
Following a recommendation by county planners, the referral will go before the City Planning & Development Committee, likely at its Oct. 20 meeting.
The $489,000 project has been awarded $137,600 from the Batavia Development Corporation’s building improvement fund through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
BDC Executive Director Andrew Maguire said the project will be completed in two phases, with the second phase featuring the creation of three additional residential units upstairs.
Other referrals of note on this week’s Genesee County Planning Board agenda:
- Review of zoning text amendments from the Town of Byron for a local law governing solar energy systems as they relate to the town’s comprehensive plans.
Planning Director Felipe Oltramari said smaller solar projects such as those on building rooftops, on private property and that connect to the electric grid technically are not allowed unless a local law such as this is in place.
Large-scale solar energy systems, including those under Article 10 in New York State, are not bound by local solar energy laws, but generally attempt to follow those guidelines, Oltramari said.
Currently, the Town of Byron is engaged in negotiations with NextEra Energy Resources on the Excelsior Solar Project, a 280-megawatt, 1,700-acre venture being developed under Article 10 with oversight by the state Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board).
- A zoning map change request by James Barsaloux in order for him to add local craft beer, food and live entertainment, specifically music, to his farm market operation at 8041 E. Main Road, Le Roy.
He is seeking a change in zoning from R-1 (residential) to C-2 (commercial), noting that the farm market business is a “grandfathered use in its current R-1 zone.”
Oltramari said that while the business is in an R-1 zone, it is surrounded by commercial ventures along East Main Road. A large parcel in an industrial zone is located across the road from the farm market.
- A special use permit request from John Kula of Freedom Fellowship LLC, for a 3,200-square-foot three-bay auto repair garage and print shop at 254 Broadway Road (Route 20). This comes on the heels of the granting of an area variance for the project in August.
The public garage will be used for vocational training to support a ministry for those in recovery from substance use disorders, with work limited to light repair, tires, brakes and routine service.
