SKANEATELES - The site of the old firehouse on Fennell Street will be used to house a new police station and village office, the village Board of Trustees decided Monday.
Trustees voted unanimously to demolish the current structure and build a single, 8,700 square-foot facility that will house both units.
They also formed a project committee and authorized a request for architects to bid on the plan.
The project was one of four scenarios for the lot proposed last week by VIP Development Associates President Charlie Wallace.
Other possibilities included selling all the land to a private developer and leasing land for a police station; selling some of the land and keeping a lot for a new police station; or converting the entire parcel into a parking lot. The village will also sell its current office space on East Genesee Street as part of the plan.
In order to move forward, the village will have to renegotiate an easement held by the post office, which uses the current lot for loading and unloading its trucks, according to Michael Byrne, village attorney.
However, Byrne said at the meeting that it was important to decide initially how the space will be used first.
Negotiations could last a decent period of time, as they will involve the U.S. Postal Service.
“It may take longer than we plan,” Byrne said. “We may want to get going a little earlier than we may otherwise.”
In other news:
• Trustees approved a local law that will make it more difficult to sue the village for negligence.
The law requires a person to demonstrate that the village was given prior written notice and a reasonable opportunity to correct issues on village-owned properties before filing a lawsuit for negligence.
Although there is currently a similar state requirement for villages concerning such notice, there are loopholes in the law, Byrne said.
“I don't think there is a loser with (the new law), at least from the public perspective,” Byrne said.
The vote came after the board briefly opened the topic up for public feedback.
No one attended the hearing to argue either side.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.
They also formed a project committee and authorized a request for architects to bid on the plan.
The project was one of four scenarios for the lot proposed last week by VIP Development Associates President Charlie Wallace.
Other possibilities included selling all the land to a private developer and leasing land for a police station; selling some of the land and keeping a lot for a new police station; or converting the entire parcel into a parking lot. The village will also sell its current office space on East Genesee Street as part of the plan.
In order to move forward, the village will have to renegotiate an easement held by the post office, which uses the current lot for loading and unloading its trucks, according to Michael Byrne, village attorney.
However, Byrne said at the meeting that it was important to decide initially how the space will be used first.
Negotiations could last a decent period of time, as they will involve the U.S. Postal Service.
“It may take longer than we plan,” Byrne said. “We may want to get going a little earlier than we may otherwise.”
In other news:
• Trustees approved a local law that will make it more difficult to sue the village for negligence.
The law requires a person to demonstrate that the village was given prior written notice and a reasonable opportunity to correct issues on village-owned properties before filing a lawsuit for negligence.
Although there is currently a similar state requirement for villages concerning such notice, there are loopholes in the law, Byrne said.
“I don't think there is a loser with (the new law), at least from the public perspective,” Byrne said.
The vote came after the board briefly opened the topic up for public feedback.
No one attended the hearing to argue either side.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net.