Yates approves Jerusalem townhouse project

JERUSALEM—Members of Yates County Planning board approved a referral from the Town of Jerusalem for a townhouse development at their Oct. 28 meeting.
The structures will have lake views. Harbor View Townhomes, LLC representative George Sproule said the project has been in the planning stages for more than three years. It includes two townhouse groups of five units each. The site is at the head of the west branch of Keuka Lake near the dock where the Esperanza Rose is moored.
Sproule spoke about the townhouses following the meeting. He said the next step will be septic system and superstructure work. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health as well as the town of Jerusalem are involved. Sproule said the permit process will begin soon. The site plan for the project has already been approved.
Sproule said they want to do as much as possible locally. This would help keep the local economy growing and keep transportation costs lower. Sproule said $5 million in sales are expected for the two five-unit groups.
In other business: Planners approved a referral for establishing a family cemetery on private property in the town of Italy. On the opposite side of the county, the former Carpenter’s Body Shop in Bellona will have new uses. Tractor restoration, lawnmower repair and storage are the uses approved the planners.
All applicants are encouraged to attend the planning board meetings when referral of their project is on the  agenda. Recently more applicants have been in attendance. This allows questions about projects to be answered during the planning board meeting. In the past, without input from applicants, some referrals were delayed until information needed for a decision was made available.
Planners may soon have a needed tool. One of the requirements for consideration of referrals is that of countywide impact of projects. A more concise definition has been distributed to board members.