Syracuse Planning Commission Meeting – February 23, 2026
Syracuse Planning Commission Meeting – February 23, 2026
The Syracuse Planning Commission met on February 23, 2026, to address a procedural rescission, several resubdivision applications, a billboard proposal, and multiple major site plan reviews. All items were approved with conditions, and no public opposition was recorded for any agenda item.
Rescission of Prior Approvals
- The commission rescinded special use permit SP-25-29 and major site plan review MASPR-25-29 for 652 West Onondaga Street due to a procedural error: new zoning criteria adopted in October 2026 were not applied to the original staff report. The item will be brought back at a future meeting with corrected analysis.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michael Lehman (City of Syracuse, 233 East Washington Street) spoke in favor of resubdivision R-2026-9 (119-21 Warner Ave), stating the city is negotiating to acquire the western parcel for a new fire maintenance facility.
- No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition for any other item.
Discussion Items
- Resubdivision R‑25‑65 (104 Otto Street): Represented by Caitlin Wright (Greater Syracuse Land Bank). The land bank proposes to subdivide the parcel into two 50‑foot lots for single‑story manufactured homes under the NYS Move in New York program. The homes will be owner‑occupied, sold to households earning 60–120% of AMI, with prices ranging from $125,000 to $200,000. Approved with condition to file the subdivision map within 62 days.
- Resubdivision R‑25‑66 (108 Hartson Street): Also by the land bank, using the smallest of three home models (just over 1,000 sq ft). Approved with the same map‑filing condition.
- Resubdivision R‑25‑74 (1408 Park Street): Represented by Heather Lamondola (Barclay Damon) on behalf of St. John the Baptist Church. The church seeks to carve out a 54‑foot by 138‑foot lot housing a former convent, to be sold to an adjacent property owner. Approved with the map‑filing condition.
- Resubdivision R‑2026‑9 (119‑21 Warner Ave, 2648 South Salina St): Rod McDonald presented for Joe Bright. Three lots will become two; the western lot will be acquired by the city for a public safety facility. A new firewall must separate the one‑story showroom on lot B from the structure on lot C after title transfer. Approved with two conditions: map filing within 62 days and installation of the firewall.
- Billboard Application AS‑25‑03 (617‑19 North Geddes Street): Stephen Frank (Park Outdoor Advertising) proposes a 10‑ft‑6‑in by 40‑ft, V‑shaped, double‑sided static sign visible from I‑690, with controlled LED lighting from dusk to midnight. The sign is permitted as of right in the CM district. Extensive discussion occurred regarding sidewalk repairs on Geddes and Edison Streets, removal of overgrowth, and driveway improvements. The applicant agreed to complete those improvements. Approved with four conditions: (1) comply with general sign conditions; (2) obtain NYSDOT approvals; (3) repair sidewalks and clear the site per DPW standards; (4) 10‑year term, with maintenance required and potential revocation for non‑compliance.
- Major Site Plan Review MASPR‑25‑34 (908 Harrison Street): Brian Bouchard (CHA Consulting) for owner Norm Swanson. The existing Skylar Commons (80 studio apartments) will convert the bottom three floors to 16 hotel rooms, leaving 20 residential units on the fourth floor. No building exterior changes. The project triggers affordable housing requirements for the remaining apartments. Approved with seven conditions including designating 10% (2 units) as affordable for 30 years, restoring lawn areas, and upgrading bike racks.
- Major Site Plan Review MASPR‑2026‑2 (401 South Salina Street): Richard DeVito, partner in Days Commercial Property LLC. Proposal to add 9 apartment units on the second floor (bringing total second‑floor units to 19). No affordable housing threshold triggered. Approved with two conditions: comply with general site plan conditions and, if sanitary flows could exceed prior sewer unit, develop a one‑gallon‑to‑one‑gallon flow offset plan.
- Major Site Plan Review MASPR‑2026‑7 (100‑36 South Salina Street): Jim Niddle and Rob O’Connor (Elite Gaming) for the Atrium building. Change of use for an existing office space to entertainment and recreation indoor use (gaming with accessory food/beverage). No beer‑taps or fryers; limited to heating food. Approved with four conditions: (1) comply with general site plan conditions; (2) obtain and maintain certificate of use for food service; (3) accessory food service hours same as primary use (Wed‑Fri 5‑10 PM, Sat 11‑10 PM); (4) no amplified outdoor music and interior volume must comply with city noise ordinance.
- Three‑Mile Limit 3S‑2026‑1 (6111 South Salina Street): Aldi, represented by Vincent Ryan. The city engineer signed off. Approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All votes were unanimous with no abstentions. Every application was approved with specific conditions as noted above.
- The billboard applicant agreed to complete sidewalk and site improvements, and the approval includes a 10‑year renewable term with maintenance obligations.
- The hotel conversion at 908 Harrison Street includes a binding 30‑year affordability covenant for 2 of the 20 remaining apartment units.
- The rescinded items (652 West Onondaga) will return to the commission at a future meeting after corrected staff reports are prepared.
Meeting Transcript
Of the Syracuse Planning Commission. We will begin our public hearings in just a moment. Typically, at this time, we take action upon the minute minutes of our previous meeting, which was held in this case, February second, and it's have been distributed in draft form to the commission members. We will hold those minutes to our next meeting and move to the public hearing uh portion of our meeting. Before we start that, let me just give a few ground rules for those who might be unfamiliar with our process. As each application is announced, we will ask the applicant or the representative to come to the podium in the middle of the room, provide their name and address for the record, and a brief summary of the application involved. Following questions from the commission members, we will invite members of the public who wish to speak in favor of the application to do so. And then we will offer an opportunity for members of the public who wish to speak in opposition to the application to do that as well. We ask that all speakers keep their comments to uh just a few minutes, three minutes so that everyone has a chance to speak. And where comments are offered in opposition, we will encourage the applicant to return to address those comments in opposition. With that, I will defer to my colleague who I think has a little update on our agenda for this evening. Yes, thank you. Um Jake Dishhaw, Deputy Commissioner of Code Enforcement and Zoning Administration as the zoning administrator. I have two announcements. First, regarding a new business item on the agenda. Uh the Syracuse Utility Thermal Energy Network Project. Uh there are two companion pieces at 7751 Van Rensselaer Street and North Gettys, SP-25-36, the special use permit and the major site plan review. I'm a SPR 25-35. Um that uh project has been postponed currently by the applicant and um uh will be on a future meeting, most likely. Uh so that's the first one. Second announcement is uh an addition to uh order, so old business item that we're bringing back uh to this body um to uh reexamine uh procedural um error that was made. So uh this is for 652 West on a doggus street uh renovation project. It was a special use permit with companion major site plan review um to just summarize there were new criteria adopted in the zoning code in October of 2026. Uh around the same time when this project was heard. Uh those there was new special use permit criteria uh adopted, which was not applied to this. Um so procedurally and legally, we need to kind of back this up, rescind it, and bring it back before you at a future meeting, possibly three weeks from tonight. Um the applicant is aware, but we can't move this forward to uh the common counsel for a final decision with wrong and inaccurate um facts and um findings in the previous application that was before you. So we'll plan on bringing it back, but uh current recommendation is to rescind both the special use permit and the major site plan review for now so we can get the corrected staff report correct criteria analysis before you to appropriately uh recommend and vote. Okay, thank you for the clarification on that. In light of that information, is there a motion to rescind the special use permit recommendation SP 2529? Um based on the information provided this evening and the recommendation of the zoning administrator. I make a motion to rescind SP-25-29. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Discussion on this motion to rescind. If there's no discussion, all in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Those opposed, please say nay. Any abstentions? So that is has been rescinded. And now for the major site plan review, MASPR 2529. Is there a similar motion for this? Uh based on the information received this evening and the recommendation of the zoning administrator. I can motion to rescind MASPR-25-29. Thank you. Second. Second.
openpublica.com