AURORA #- The village of Aurora planning board voted unanimously to grant a special permit to an application from the Aurora Foundation to turn Abbott House, located on Main Street, into a bed and breakfast.
Angela Kershner / The Citizen
Planning board member Pat Bianconi and temporary chair Ken Kabelac, right, look over plans for turning Abbott House into a bed and breakfast during a public hearing at the Aurora Fire House Wednesday..
Planning board member Pat Bianconi and temporary chair Ken Kabelac, right, look over plans for turning Abbott House into a bed and breakfast during a public hearing at the Aurora Fire House Wednesday..
“Personally, when I go through the village I see a lot of places turning into bed and breakfasts,” planning board member Grace Bates said. “I think it is changing the character of the village. But I can't say no if it fits into the requirements.”
Pleasant Rowland originally purchased the property in 2001 and submitted an application in 2003 to turn the 30-room lakeside mansion into a bed and breakfast, but the initial permits lapsed after a year.
“It is the same application we made in August (of 2001),” said Katie Waller, executive director of the Aurora Foundation. “It was voted on and approved on September 10, but we had to resubmit because we didn't act on it with in a year. We had many, many projects going on then.”
Recently the foundation turned over the management of five locally-owned businesses including the Aurora Inn, The Fargo and Village Market over to the college. This has allowed more time to get the bed-and-breakfast project going again.
Waller, who has been living in the house for the past five years, believes that this will be a fine addition to the community.
“I think it is a beautiful house,” Waller said. “I think it will make a lovely bed and breakfast. There is a big porch, a new dock. It is a lovely setting. I think it is something that would be very appealing to tourists.”
Based on current plans, Abbott House as a bed and breakfast would include five sleeping rooms. This is in compliance with New York law that allows a bed and breakfast to have no more than five sleeping rooms with no sleeping quarters above the second floor and must be run by a family member with no more than one other employee to differentiate between commercial and residential property.
Preliminary plans will include interior renovations, with no changes to the exterior of the structure as well as adequate parking.
These preliminary plans were enough to change the mind of one board member who had abstained from past votes.
“I'm going to give a yeah,” said Ken Kabelac, temporary chairman. “Previously I abstained. Things have changed personally and with the plans. So I am going to vote yea on this.”
This is just the first of many more meeting in the coming months, but for Waller it is a start and will allow her to start making more concrete plans for the project.
“I'm encouraged,” Waller said. “We have to meet with the CPP and see if there is anything else they have to sign off on pending more plans. This is the first time we've brought it back up. But we're going to follow the pattern of meetings and come with more information. But it is very encouraging.”
Pleasant Rowland originally purchased the property in 2001 and submitted an application in 2003 to turn the 30-room lakeside mansion into a bed and breakfast, but the initial permits lapsed after a year.
“It is the same application we made in August (of 2001),” said Katie Waller, executive director of the Aurora Foundation. “It was voted on and approved on September 10, but we had to resubmit because we didn't act on it with in a year. We had many, many projects going on then.”
Recently the foundation turned over the management of five locally-owned businesses including the Aurora Inn, The Fargo and Village Market over to the college. This has allowed more time to get the bed-and-breakfast project going again.
Waller, who has been living in the house for the past five years, believes that this will be a fine addition to the community.
“I think it is a beautiful house,” Waller said. “I think it will make a lovely bed and breakfast. There is a big porch, a new dock. It is a lovely setting. I think it is something that would be very appealing to tourists.”
Based on current plans, Abbott House as a bed and breakfast would include five sleeping rooms. This is in compliance with New York law that allows a bed and breakfast to have no more than five sleeping rooms with no sleeping quarters above the second floor and must be run by a family member with no more than one other employee to differentiate between commercial and residential property.
Preliminary plans will include interior renovations, with no changes to the exterior of the structure as well as adequate parking.
These preliminary plans were enough to change the mind of one board member who had abstained from past votes.
“I'm going to give a yeah,” said Ken Kabelac, temporary chairman. “Previously I abstained. Things have changed personally and with the plans. So I am going to vote yea on this.”
This is just the first of many more meeting in the coming months, but for Waller it is a start and will allow her to start making more concrete plans for the project.
“I'm encouraged,” Waller said. “We have to meet with the CPP and see if there is anything else they have to sign off on pending more plans. This is the first time we've brought it back up. But we're going to follow the pattern of meetings and come with more information. But it is very encouraging.”
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