Planning Commission OKs Six New Parking Spaces at Clayton Ave. Rental Property

The City of Cortland Planning Commission unanimously approved a site plan for six parking spaces at 52 Clayton Ave. during its meeting Monday. The proposed parking area, located at the rear of the property, is intended to eliminate vehicle-stacking issues, which city officials have been working to reduce. The building is used for student housing.

Prior to the vote, the commission held a public hearing on the proposal. Four nearby residents spoke, raising concerns about flooding, lighting, whether six parking spaces were necessary, and the lack of shrubbery separating neighboring properties.

Questions were also raised regarding city code requirements, particularly vehicle stacking and the maximum number of parking spaces allowed for the property. Jim Hokanson of 22 Stevenson St., whose backyard borders the property, argued that city code does not specifically reference vehicle stacking in residential housing regulations. City Counsel Randall Lewis later disputed that claim.

Carrie Hokanson said that because the property is located in an R-1 zoning district, city code limits parking to four spaces, not six. She explained that single-family dwellings that are non-owner-occupied rentals are required to have two parking spaces per dwelling, and that allowing 200% of that requirement would equal four spaces.

Lewis told the commission that the city has long interpreted the code to allow the required number of spaces plus an additional 200%, an interpretation dating back to a former code enforcement officer. He said the Planning Commission does not have the authority to overturn that interpretation, noting that only the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) can do so. Lewis added that the ZBA has previously upheld the city’s interpretation on multiple occasions.

Lewis also addressed the term “stacking,” explaining that while the word is not explicitly used in city code, the practice of parking multiple vehicles in a driveway is prohibited under existing regulations.

According to Lewis, the applicant, Marc Pace, has complied with all applicable city laws, including the code office’s interpretation of parking requirements. He added that the city’s new rental law regulates occupancy limits, not zoning.

Lewis advised the commission that it could impose reasonable conditions related to landscaping, lighting, and drainage. He noted that runoff concerns had been reviewed and mitigated through a plan approved by a licensed engineer.

As part of the approval, the commission required the applicant to installing 20-foot-tall arborvitae for screening, add a second drywell, and comply with all city lighting codes.