At the city of Oneonta Planning Commission meeting Wednesday, Nov. 15, Chairperson Danny Lapin said that the number of attendees, which reached more than 30, was the biggest crowd at a planning meeting since the Dietz Street Lofts application two years ago.
The application that drew the more than two dozen people was the proposal from Cooperstown-based Stagecoach Coffee to expand its business to 31 Walnut St., a residential property in the city’s historic district, in a renovated and expanded garage behind a two-story house on the site.
Stagecoach Coffee owners and brothers Chris and Matt Grady own the property, which consists of a two-story house and four-bay garage, and they plan to serve coffee, other beverages and food onsite, offer indoor and outdoor seating and sell retail items.
Matt Grady said that they chose the house for its proximity to the street and that it’s in a walkable neighborhood, with space for outdoor seating in a garden-like area.
“We’ve purchased this property,” Chris Grady said, “so obviously our goal is to continue to get approval for this project.”
If they are denied, it would be “back to the drawing board” and explore an alternate site, Chris Grady said.
“Sounds like there’s lots of options coming our way,” he said.
As public comment opened, Lapin clarified what the commission was charged with.
The Planning Commission is the entity that reviews the site plan, approves or denies it and if approved consider granting a special use permit since the property is in a residential zone.
The city’s Zoning Board of Appeals would need to grant a variance for proposed setbacks — the distance measured from the property line to any structure.
Of the 16 people who spoke on the application, all were opposed to the location but none outright objected to bringing a Stagecoach location to Oneonta.
The concerns from the crowd, which were overlapping, included the perceived clash with the nature of the historic district, consistency with the city’s comprehensive plan, quality of life issues around increased noise and light, availability of parking, fire and emergency access and garbage attracting nuisance animals, but also people, rooting through the trash for food.
Carolyn Marks, 18 Ravine Parkway N., said that the additional noise, odor, light and traffic creates a “slippery slope.”
“The Planning Commission must be able to answer the question, how the creation of a commercial business within the Walnut Street’s historic neighborhood at 31 Walnut Street will benefit the neighbors and be a positive change,” Marks said. “The answer in my opinion is simply, it will not be of benefit to the neighbors in the Walnut Street historic area and residents at all, and only a financial gain possibly and win for Stagecoach. That’s if it succeeds.”{
After public comments, the Gradys answered questions from the commission members. The meeting was ongoing at press time.
The commission extended the public comment window to Dec. 6. The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Dec. 20, at which the commission plans to further discuss the Stagecoach application.
The Zoning and Housing Board of Appeals is scheduled to meet Dec. 27.