Tusten parking lot variances greenlighted

By LINDA DROLLINGER
Posted 4/15/20

NARROWSBURG, NY — Two variances were considered by the Tusten Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) on April 13 during a public hearing followed by a public meeting. Both hearing and meeting were …

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Tusten parking lot variances greenlighted

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NARROWSBURG, NY — Two variances were considered by the Tusten Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) on April 13 during a public hearing followed by a public meeting. Both the hearing and meeting were conducted via Zoom video/teleconference. Associated with a subdivision application pending before the town’s planning board, the variances are part of a catch-22: Approval of the subdivision application is dependent on conditional approval of the variances, and approval of the variances is conditioned on approval of the subdivision application.

The subdivision will accomplish two objectives concerning the parking lot located behind Wayne Bank at 93 Main St.: (1) convey ownership of the parking lot from the bank to the town, and (2) grant a right-of-way from Main Street to the parking lot, through the bank’s portion of the parcel. The variances are necessary because lot size and right-of-way width do not meet minimum standards set by the town’s zoning ordinance.

Participating for the ZBA were chair Nico Juarez, Stephen Weston, Stephen Stuart, Jim Agar, Pat Hawker, and town attorney Jacqueline Ricciani. Four members of the public and one media representative also participated.

Although five standard planning criteria were used to determine the viability of the right-of-way variance, each uncontested by roll call vote, the decision ultimately hinged on the fact that no alternative to the requested right-of-way is possible. The parcel is landlocked on all sides, save for the existing Main Street access.

Moreover, public comment favored approval of both variances. Upper Delaware Council (UDC) Executive Director Laurie Ramie, who noted that the UDC headquarters property is adjacent to the existing parking lot and connected to it via a public footpath, said the site is convenient to both Bridge Street and Main Street businesses and provides much-needed parking space. Narrowsburg resident and businessman Ed Kraus said most townspeople already think of the parking lot as municipal parking, adding that it is almost always filled to capacity.

As none of the public participants objected to either variance, both variances were approved, conditioned on planning board approval of the subdivision application.

Narrowsburg Main Street, parking, Wayne Bank, Bridge Street

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