Newbold seeks residential parking revision in county ordinance

The Newbold town board has forwarded its recommendation to the Oneida County planning and zoning department regarding a revision to the county zoning ordinance’s residential parking regulations.

During the town board’s March 12 meeting, town chairman Dan Hess said the county wanted input.

“They sent a letter to all the town chairmen,” he said. “I brought this to the (town) plan commission and the change that the plan commission requested to be approved sent to Oneida County zoning.”

Currently, the ordinance allows two parking spaces for each “dwelling unit” plus one additional undesignated space “for common use per unit.”

“They wanted to change to one parking space for each bedroom for each dwelling unit plus one undesignated space for common use per unit,” Hess said. “So, for like a one bedroom, with the county ordinance as written, would get three parking spaces.”

He said the plan commission felt that was excessive. 

“They want it to read ‘One parking space per bedroom, per unit,’” Hess said. 

Town supervisor Mike McKenzie sought clarification. 

“So, you’re talking for houses?” he asked. “For apartments?”

“Residence, multi-family dwellings,” Hess said. “That’s the only thing the plan commission requested we send to the county for possible change.”

A motion was made and seconded and before Hess called for a vote, he reiterated the parking provision in the county ordinance pertained to residences and not something such as a tourist rooming house.

“If someone puts up a fourplex with two bedroom units in each one of them, we thought it was excessive to have all those parking spaces,” he  said.

The motion passed unanimously.

New rear axle

The town board also last week approved spending up to $10,000 for a rebuilt rear axle assembly for the town’s 2010 Kenworth single axle plow truck. 

“At first, I thought it was just a differential lock problem but a whole new rear end needs to be installed,” town road foreman Mark Fetzer said. “The cost for the whole process would be between $9,000 and $10,000.”

McKenzie made the motion to get the work done and Hess seconded. 

“Not to exceed $10,000,” Hess stressed. 

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].