Common Council approves budget, discusses zoning

Dec. 7—The Oneonta Common Council approved the city's 2023 budget and water and sewer rates, historic preservation and discussed zoning during its Dec. 6, meeting.

The council approved the budget 7-0-1 with Council Member Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward abstaining. Harrington said he abstained because the budget includes the wage scale information of all city employees, which includes his wife, City Clerk Kerriann Harrington.

The $17 million budget set the real property tax rate per $1,000 of taxable assessed value to $10.2921 for city general purposes and $1.0741 for library purposes, the resolution said.

The council approved the 2023 sewer rates 7-1 and water rates 7-1 with Harrington opposed. Harrington said he voted against the rate increase after listening to his constituents who are frustrated with the rate hikes. "I will be voting no on resolutions 21 and 22 to be their voices," he said.

Council Member Emily Falco, D-Eighth Ward, said "I really don't like that it's the solution every year to raise the rates," but voted for the rate increases. She said she hoped it would not be the case in the future.

Council Member David Rissberger, D-Third Ward said he has heard some concerns about the rate hikes in his ward as well. "I want to remind people that Oneonta has some of the lowest rates in the state," he said. He said the city is raising the rates so more of the infrastructure can be replaced.

In other business, after several minutes of discussion and asking questions about what the benefits of creating Chapter 160 of the Code of the City of Oneonta, titled "Historic Preservation," the council unanimously approved the resolution.

Code Enforcement Officer Stephen Yerly answered several questions from council members about the program.

Falco asked if it would be up to the Common Council to approve additional historic districts. Yerly said yes. She said she also had concerns about forming another body of government that would oversee property owners' renovations in the historic districts.

Yerly said the current zoning code already has ordinances within the two historic districts — downtown and Walnut Street — that oversee renovations.

He said if the resolution was passed, those homeowners could get tax exemptions for renovating their homes. Before residents could get the tax exemptions, the city has to pass the resolution and create a certified local government status through the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation .

An Architectural Review Board will have to be formed to oversee work done in the historic districts.

"It's a way to help landlords maintain their property," Yerly said.

Council Member Len Carson, R-Fifth Ward, raised some concerns about the program after Springbrook couldn't replace the windows on the Ford Block building and put storm windows on instead.

Yerly said because Springbrook received a state grant, it had to comply with the SHPO regulations, but there are energy efficient windows people can buy to replace single-pane windows. "I did it in my own house," Yerly said.

He said the city's Architectural Review Board would be able to set its own criteria for building materials and there is a section on economic hardship homeowners can apply for, as long as they can demonstrate the hardship exists.

Yerly was also on hand at the meeting to discuss university zone zoning modifications. He gave a presentation outlining the current U-Zone areas and proposed incorporating some areas of the city into the U-Zone, as well as and creating criteria for the zones.

Yerly proposed putting the apartment complexes next to SUNY Oneonta, parts of Blodget Drive and all of Clinton and West streets into the U Zone. Currently the apartment complexes and area around Blodget Drive are in the R-3 or high-density residential zone, while West Street is in the MU-2 zone, which is called Gateway Mixed-Use. He said the MU-2 zone would allow commercial development, such as a Starbucks, on any property. He proposed keeping properties facing Chestnut Street in the MU-2 zone as it is a commercial street.

Yerly said the city could change what is expected in the U Zone so a 10-story dorm couldn't be built next to a single family home.

Council members agreed that Yerly should come up with a zoning regulation about the U Zone and present it to the Legislative Committee in the future.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.