Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Watertown Daily Times Reports On the Town of Cape Vincent's Zoning Fiasco and ZBA Ruling.


http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20131008/NEWS03/710089864

Gee, I guess we have a new official zoning standard operating procedure in Cape Vincent.  It is out of bizarro world but I guess this is how we do business now.

First get a permit and make sure the town "zoning experts" really screw it up in numerous places.

The next step is they will fully admit on VIDEO that they screwed up the permit BUT better yet they will actually admit that what was done won't even hold up in court!!!  hey now we are on a roll!!!

Next step is your permit will be granted...well there might be one pesky town ZBA officer who creates a little stink and won't go along since she believes there actually should be some integrity in the zoning law...but don't worry the "boys" will put her in her place and keep her under control.

And BINGO  you get a permit to build whatever illegal project you want!!!  In fact this works so well we might even give the town supervisor one of these permits!!!

It's funny I can't find this process in any official NYS guides on zoning...but hey... here in Cape Vincent we like to live on the cutting edge of zoning and try something a little different!!!  Not only that we paid an expensive lawyer real good tax payer money so we could administer our new law this way!!!

But maybe that money is not completely wasted.   I believe this new system is interrelated to the town's economic and tourism plan.  At least this way Cape Vincent gets in the paper a lot and on the map...even though we have been the zoning run amuck embarrassment capital of NYS for 8 years.

And just like the slogan in Clayton...The Tradition Continues"!!!

4 comments:

  1. I would only like to ask one major question here. I would like to know what Mary Grogan's problem with renewable energy is. She plainly likes to complain and I am sure some digging into whom she is, whos behind her and all that would turn some heads. I am also sure that someone like this that has nothing better to do is nothing but trouble for trying to move CV or anywhere else ahead in things. Maybe shes simply stuck in the 1940's frame of mind, maybe she owns stock in big oil, or maybe she has other dealings and other plans. While I appreciate your willingness to stand behind her in this or at least on the same side of the street and you also have nothing to forcing you to look at it from all sides, you should. I would welcome knowing both sides of this story, even with your spin on it I would still like to know more. I agree that the Times refuses to do it either, but someone with their finger on the pulse of all this would be super grand to be able to get all sides of it and let us all know more then just the trash in the paper.

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    1. Calvin, you misjudge Mary Grogans complaint. She is not opposed to renewable energy, that is not even the substance of her appeal. She owns a residence in the riverfront district, where ,under the previous zoning law any application for a commercial venture requires site plan review, and a subsequent public hearing. This is to ensure that neighboring property owners are made aware of any potential negative impacts to the value of their investment,that a commercial project made pose. In the case of both of the proposed projects by Mr. Alexander, site plan review was not conducted, rather the ZEO issued improper permits, giving the neighboring owners no representation as afforded by the law.

      Have you visited her property on Cty.rt7? The illegal turbine that looms over her home is a disaster waiting to happen. It is totally inappropriate for that residential area, whether it is renewable energy or not, and stands as a testament to the failure of the town to protect its residents.

      When Mary received notification that a solar project,15 times larger than the new zoning law allowed in the rivefront district was being proposed next to her and improperly reviewed by the planning board, she was simply agahst.
      Imagine her chagrin when she learned the review was cancelled and the project simply permitted.

      This is not about Mary's attitude towards renewable energy. It is a simple appeal for proper administration of the zoning process to ensure her, and her neighbors rights are considered. This is the basic function of zoning and it has been badly mishandled in both of these cases.

      The residents of Cape Vincent should be appalled at the manner in which their zoning officials have conducted themselves. If anything needs some further looking into, it is the improper actions of these officials, not Mary Grogan.

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  2. Ms. Chase, the lone dissenting vote, makes a commendable recommendation that revoking the improper permit would help the town save face.

    from Wickopedia- Face is the respectability and/or deference which a person can claim for himself from others, by virtue of the relative position he occupies in his social network and the degree to which he is judged to have functioned adequately in that position as well as acceptably in his general conduct.

    The ZBA was more concerned with saving their asses ,than their face.

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  3. Calvin...5:27 sums it up perfectly on the renewable issue and how absurd your comment is on that ground so I don't need to address that much more

    . Unlike you Calvin the only thing Mary is stuck, if she is "stuck" on anything, is the fact that she has been denied several times as an American and CV citizen her rights to due process to protect her health, safety, and welfare, and her property, and to see the zoning LAW is administered.

    To bad our zonings official and the town govt. that backs them aren't "stuck" on that fundamental principle.

    Your whole argument is dripping with the absurd implication that renewable energy should trump the law, and anyone who might dare challenge a zoning screw up that by chance involves a renewable project is some how some idiot with a conspiracy that is living in a past century. Only a ill informed renewable zealot could produce that stance!

    And talking about rights...that is the beauty of America. Some moron like yourself with a staggering lack of intellectual capacity has the right to free speech to demonstrate that fact like you have done here!!!

    You say you would like to get all the sides of the story. Where the hell have you been? The story has been going on for 4 years...and frankly I doubt seriously you have the intellectual capacity to sort out the facts regardless of how they are presented.

    You want facts...well stay tuned because this story is not done and more facts are going to come out and it stinks. Then once again you can demonstrate for the world with your comments what an "intellectual genius" you are.

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