Aaron Myer challenges Steve Snyder’s petition to build a fourth boat storage unit. Photo by Marissa Sweatland.

By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — A compromise involving the town of Syracuse’s Tree Board, was requested by the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals Thursday, June 15. While the exception was approved, the compromise came after a resident objected to a variance due to aesthetic  reasons.

Steve Snyder, appearing on WSLCC Properties’ behalf, better known as the Main Channel Marine, presented a request for an exception to modify a previous exception in allowing construction of a 172-feet by 72-feet boat storage building in a residential district. The property is on the east side of Harkless Drive, north of Palm Drive. This would be the fourth boat storage on the property.

Aaron Myer, 807 Harkless Drive, stressed that he was not opposed to the structure, he just did not like the planned location due to the aesthetic value from across the road. He suggested the building be moved east, next to the other buildings “so it not be visible from Harkless.”

Snyder explained Myer’s idea would not work, saying, “There is a reason for it, and it’s the accessibility to the buildings from the east side of the new building and the west side of the existing buildings. We have to have that space because we are moving forklifts with boats on them in and out of the buildings, and if we put them too close, we lose the ability to do that. We won’t have any access from the south side from this building, because we are only 10 feet from the south line, so we have to have that access on the east side of this building, the new building and the west side of the existing ones.”

As a compromise, the board suggested the city could plant native trees to offset the amount of the building that could be seen by the neighbors, but would also make the nearby trail appealing. The board made it clear the trees would be the responsibility of the city, and not the neighborhood’s responsibility.

The board also heard from Brandon Bigler, a hobbyist mechanic. Bigler came to the board asking for an exception to allow the sales of automobiles in a commercial district. The property is on the east side of Huntington Street, north of Lynwood.

Although Bigler likes to fix cars “just for fun,” Bigler wanted to be sure he would not be breaking any laws or codes if he were to sell some of his fixed-up cars.

Bigler told a story of how a woman’s car broke down in front of their shop, and they were able to fix her alternator and get her back on the road. Bigler explained, with a big smile on his face, “we just like to fix things.”

The exception was granted, with the stipulations no vehicles are to be displayed closer to the Frontage Road than the front of Bigler’s building, cars for sale are to be in saleable condition, he can have no more than six cars or watercrafts on his lot, and if they do exceed 12 transactions a year they will take the step to obtain the Auto Dealer’s License, which is Indiana law.

The last case that went in front of the board was presented by Chad Jonsson, on behalf of the Syracuse Parks Department. The variance was requested to allow a new pavilion and restrooms be constructed at Henry Ward Park.

“We have some dilapidated restrooms at the boat ramp, and in order to replace that, we would like to replace the pavilion that is currently there. In fact, the pavilion that is there probably would not pass the board of zoning if it were built today,” Jonsson explained.

The old pavilion will come down once the new one is up, Jonsson is hoping next fall or spring.

The board granted the variance.

The board was supposed to hear a petition made by Jason Metz, however the board decided to continue it for one month, July 20, due to Metz’s absence from the meeting.

The next Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals’ meeting is 6 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at the Syracuse Town Hall, 310 N Huntington St.