While the announcement of a tentative settlement between the City of Batavia and the City Centre Mall Merchants Association dominated Monday night's City Council meeting, the governing body voted on several resolutions, including a 5-4 decision to send a rezoning proposal for properties on East Main Street to the City Planning & Development Committee.
Council members Eugene Jankowski Jr., John Canale, Patti Pacino, Adam Tabelski and Rose Mary Christian voted in favor of letting the planning board make a determination on a zoning amendment pertaining to 661, 665 and 679 E. Main St., a move that could lead to the construction of an 80-unit multifamily and townhouse cluster by DePaul Properties Inc. in the vicinity of the current Batavia Gardens apartments.
Paul Viele, Al McGinnis, Kathleen Briggs and Robert Bialkowski voted against the measure, which calls for rezoning 661 E. Main St. (a house) and 665 E. Main St. (a small glass workshop) from I-1 Industrial to R-3 Residential and rezoning 679 E. Main St. (Batavia Gardens) from R-2 Residential to R-3 Residential. An R-3 designation would allow for the siting of an apartment complex.
Positive action by the Planning & Development Committee and, ultimately, City Council would enable DePaul to develop what would be called DePaul Batavia Square, a $25 million project that would provide housing to people with "various types of incomes ... a cross section of the community," accordilng to City Manager Jason Molino.
DePaul already has a presence in the city in the form of a 41-unit complex at 555 E. Main St., which features subsidized one- and two-bedroom apartments for those with mental health issues and low- to moderate-income.
Council members asked questions pertaining to who would be living there, police calls at the current DePaul site and whether the need for this type of housing exists. City Attorney George Van Nest explained that those topics would be covered down the road during the site plan and project reviews.
"There are three layers to this project, and this rezoning perspective is the initial step," he said. "Rezoning must be granted (before it can move forward)."
Molino said the DePaul project would represent a "significant upgrade to what is there now, and contributes to the growth concept we are trying to promote," and added that DePaul likely will seek tax abatements through the Genesee County Economic Development Center. The proposed complex would be divided into 57 one-bedroom, 20 two-bedroom and three three-bedroom apartments
As a result of the 5-4 vote, Council is expecting to hear back from city planners within 30 days.
In other action, Council:
-- Scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27 on the proposed 2017-18 city budget, a $24.2 million spending plan that calls for a 1.7-percent increase in the tax rate, with a projected tax levy of $5,263,942.
-- Set a public hearing at the same time on a local law to establish new water rates, meter fees and capital improvement fees. Water rates and meter fees would increase by about 3 1/2 percent, and the quarterly capital improvement fees for meters would increase by about 10 percent.
-- Passed a resolution to award the Falleti Ice Arena dehumidification equipment replacement project to the Leo J. Roth Corporation at a cost of $87,560.
-- Passed a resolution to amend the police department budget to reflect the receipt of a $24,681 STOP-DWI grant.
-- Presented a plaque to Brooks Hawley, who served as councilman-at-large for five years (including two as president), for his contributions to city government. Hawley resigned his post in December when he and his family moved to his late grandfather's home in the Town of Batavia.
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