By JIM AUSTIN
Cooperstown Crier
The board of trustees
voted Monday evening to
have the Sustainability
Committee continue its investigation
into the possibility
of having a hydroelectric
generator installed on
the Mill Street dam.
Last month the board
received a report on Chuck
Hage’s research that indicates
``hydro power from
the dam is technically feasible,
financially attractive
and environmentally
friendly,’’ he wrote in his
outline.
According to Hage, the
up-front cost of a hydroelectric
generator installed at
the 70-foot dam would be
$300,000. The system
would be capable of generating
as much as 790,000
kilowatt-hours per year,
but is more likely to produce
a little less than
500,000 kilowatt-hours.
The annual value of the
energy produced would be
approximately $63,000, according
to Hage.
``My biggest concern is
the $300,000 in start up
costs,’’ said Mayor Carol
Waller.
Hage said those start up
costs would not necessarily
be costs to the village.
There may be different
sources and avenues for financing
the project, he
said.
``The question is, is this
a project the village could
get behind,’’ said Sustainability
Committee Chair
Neil Weiller. ``We need direction.’’
Trustee Lynne Mebust
said the village is currently
in the middle of a number
of projects and this may not
be the right time to take on
another.
Hage recommended that
for the moment the best
thing would be to look at
the big picture and the possible
avenues available to
develop and manage a hydroelectric
project.
The board adopted a motion
from Deputy Mayor
Jeff Katz calling for the
Sustainability Committee
to investigate the financing
the management options
for such a project.
In other business, the
board
scheduled a public
hearing for July 20 at 8:30
p.m. in regard to a special
use permit for the Lakefront
Motel. According to
Village Attorney Martin
Tillapaugh, Paula Wikoff
wants to add a second story
to the east side of the motel
and expand the restaurant.
The motel is located in a
residential zone and is considered
a pre-existing, nonconforming
entity. The zoning
law prohibits the
expansion of a non-conforming
use, but a motel is
allowed in the R-2 zone
with a special permit. Tillapaugh
said that by granting
a special use permit all
the board would be doing is
granting the existence of
the motel already on the
site. Wikoff would still have
to get the approval of the
planning board, architectural
review board and, if
necessary, the zoning board
of appeals. Any new construction
would have to
comply with all of the provisions
of the zoning law.
Wikoff said during the
meeting that she would actually
loose two rooms for a
total of 42 and the seating
capacity of the restaurant
would not change.
amended the special
use permit for the Landmark
Inn on Chestnut
Street. Owner Ed Landers
had requested that the
board remove the condition
that the permit must renewed
each year. Landers
addressed the concerns expressed
by his neighbors
during a public hearing last
month and told the board
his was the only hotel in
the village whose permit
had to be renewed annually.
Landers also commented
that the annual renewal
created problems with lending
institutions.
``Why can’t we have parity?
Is there any other hotel
with a one-year renewal? I
still question why this is
the only property with a
one-year renewal,’’ Landers
said.
Deputy Mayor Jeff Katz
said the difference is that
the Landmark is a hotel in
a residential zone.
``We’ve done nothing
wrong,’’ Lander replied.
Trustee Eric Hage said
he was concerned about a
change in ownership.
Zoning Enforcement Officer
Al Keck said B&Bs;
have been required to undergo
annual review for the
last four years.
The board adopted a motion
from Katz to remove
the annual renewal requirement
and replace it
with a review of the permit
following a change in ownership.
