Clay Planning Board Adjourns Its Entire July 8 Agenda, Including New Amazon Drone Case
The Town of Clay Planning Board worked through a packed July 8 agenda — including a newly filed Amazon drone delivery proposal, a Matthews Kia dealership expansion and several West Taft Road projects — but reached no final decisions, adjourning every case to a later meeting.
Syracuse skyline seen across Onondaga Lake from Willow Bay — photo:
Andre Carrotflower
(BY-SA 4.0)
▶Key Actions & Decisions
●• Board approved the June 10, 2026 meeting minutes, 6-0
●• Case #2026-051, Amazon Drone Implementation (7211 Morgan Road): adjourned to July 22, 2026 at the applicant's request; no project details were discussed, 6-0
●• Case #2026-053, Matthews Auto Group (Kia) dealership expansion (3893 State Route 31): board reviewed stormwater, fire department sign-off, car-carrier turning radius and parking layout issues; adjourned to July 22, 2026, 6-0
●• Cases #2025-003/#2025-004, John E. Fisher Construction's Fisher Yard site plan and special permit (4593 Wetzel Road): both adjourned to August 12, 2026 at the applicant's request, 6-0 each
●• Case #2025-037, Northern Credit Union expansion (5004-5008 West Taft Road): board sought documentation on a wetland delineation letter before allowing the project to proceed; adjourned to July 22, 2026, 6-0
●• Case #2025-050, Henry Clay Warehouse amended site plan (7245 Henry Clay Blvd.), and Case #2025-054, Black Creek Equestrian Center site plan (9605 Black Creek Road): both adjourned without discussion to September 16, 2026, 6-0 each
●• Case #2026-022, Hinerwadels Subdivision preliminary plat (5300 West Taft Road): board discussed drainage easements affecting buildable lot area and a state-required traffic signal on West Taft Road; adjourned to August 12, 2026, 6-0
●• Case #2026-025, Community Bank N.A. at R&F Plaza (4000 State Route 31): adjourned to July 22, 2026 at the applicant's request, 6-0
●• Case #2026-028, Summit Federal Credit Union (4955 West Taft Road): applicant presented plan revisions addressing labeling, fencing and lighting; adjourned to July 22, 2026, 6-0
●• Case #2026-031, West Herr Expansion (3687 State Route 31): applicant presented revised car-carrier drop-off and stormwater plans; adjourned to July 22, 2026, 6-0
●• Two Burger King sign applications (7589 Oswego Road and 4035 State Route 31) tabled to July 22, 2026 pending more information on a 2011 variance and code interpretation
The Town of Clay Planning Board worked through a full slate of development cases at its July 8 meeting but reached no final decisions, adjourning every item — including a newly filed Amazon drone proposal — to later dates while applicants gather outside approvals, revise drawings or answer board questions.
Chairwoman Michelle Borton called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Member Al McMahon was absent; the remaining members present — Deputy Chair Russ Mitchell and members Karen Guinup, Paul Graves, Jim Palumbo and Hal Henty — joined Borton in approving the June 10 meeting minutes, 6-0. Every vote taken during the meeting also carried 6-0.
The most novel case on the docket, Case #2026-051, Amazon Drone Implementation at 7211 Morgan Road, drew no discussion; the applicant simply requested an adjournment, and the board pushed it to July 22 without any project details entering the record.
The board spent the bulk of its time on Case #2026-053, an amended site plan for the Matthews Kia dealership at 3893 State Route 31. Ben Harrell of CHA, representing the applicant, said the 5.13-acre project would expand the dealership building, add parking, remove an existing stormwater pond and install an underground catch basin; the additional parking is meant to fix truck-turning movements for car-carrier deliveries. Borton said the Onondaga County Planning Board had raised stormwater and historic-preservation questions needing documentation, and that sign-offs from the county water authority and fire department were still pending. Board members flagged several drawing issues, including parking spaces shown too close to a fire and car-carrier access point and no shown location for snow storage. The case was adjourned to July 22.
Two related cases for John E. Fisher Construction Co.'s Fisher Yard project at 4593 Wetzel Road — a site plan and a special permit — were adjourned to August 12 at the applicant's request, without discussion.
For Case #2025-037, an expansion at the Northern Credit Union branch at 5004-5008 West Taft Road, representative Jim Ballantyne of Napierala Consulting said all changes requested at the last meeting had been made. Borton said the access agreement had been reviewed by the town's attorney and was all set with the easement. Borton questioned a wetland note referencing a May 5 delineation letter concluding no jurisdictional wetland exists on the site, and said documentation of that determination — or a DEC permit, if required — would be needed before the project could move forward. The case was adjourned to July 22.
The board also granted adjournment requests, without discussion, for an amended site plan at the Henry Clay Warehouse project on Henry Clay Boulevard (Ironhorn Enterprises/Troy Bullock), pushed to September 16, and for the Black Creek Equestrian Center site plan on Black Creek Road (Cheryl D. White/Clay Equestrian Center), also moved to September 16.
The Hinerwadels Subdivision preliminary plat (Case #2026-022), a J. Alberici & Sons project at 5300 West Taft Road, drew questions from several members about drainage easements cutting through buildable lot area; Palumbo asked engineer Ben Harrell to show sample house footprints on the most constrained lots to demonstrate what could still be built without setback variances. Harrell said the state Department of Transportation is requiring a traffic signal on West Taft Road. Borton noted that the layout plan the Onondaga County Planning Board had reviewed no longer matches the current preliminary plan and will need to go back to the county for another look; Planner Amber Dillon said she would handle that referral. The case was adjourned to August 12.
Case #2026-025, a proposed Community Bank branch at the R&F Plaza on State Route 31, was adjourned to July 22 at the applicant's request, without discussion.
Two more West Taft Road-area projects returned with revisions. For the Summit Federal Credit Union branch at 4955 West Taft Road (Case #2026-028), surveyor Tim Coyer outlined changes made since a June 19 letter, including removing fencing not owned by the applicant, relocating a trash enclosure and adding dimensions showing a proposed freestanding sign falls outside the required sight-distance area at West Taft Road and Carriage Parkway. Board members asked for fixes to setback dimensions, and Graves asked whether ADA parking could be relocated closer to the entrance. The case was adjourned to July 22. For the West Herr Expansion at 3687 State Route 31 (Case #2026-031), engineer Joe Durand described changes to the car-carrier drop-off area and stormwater management; Guinup suggested removing one or two parking spaces for more turning clearance. That case was also adjourned to July 22.
Finally, the board tabled two Burger King sign applications, at 7589 Oswego Road and 4035 State Route 31, to July 22, saying it needs more information on a variance the properties were granted in 2011, a code interpretation, and photos of existing and proposed signage before it can act.
The meeting adjourned at 8:48 p.m. The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for July 22, 2026.
This article was drafted by AI (claude-sonnet-agent) from the official meeting transcript and reviewed by a human editor.
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Related Planning Board Meetings
Clay Planning Board Splits 5-1 on Lawton Road Rezoning, Rejects Oversized Sign for Tully's Tenders
●• Approved the minutes of the May 27, 2026 meeting, 6-0.
●• Recommended a zone change from RA-100 to R7.5 for Cornerstone Homes CNY LLC's proposed "Reserve at Clay" subdivision on Lawton Road, 5-1, with Mr. Graves dissenting in favor of keeping the RA-100 zoning that neighbors preferred; a resident, David Yates of Brisbane Trail, raised concerns about the project's single entrance and the Town of Cicero's lack of response to the referral.
●• Gave a negative recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals, 6-0, on an area variance for Tully's Tenders (Allied Sign Company) at 3567 State Route 31 that would have allowed three wall signs and a 59-square-foot freestanding sign, versus the two signs and 32 square feet allowed by code.
●• Recommended approval to the Town Board, 6-0, of a special permit for AT&T Mobility to build a 114-foot cell tower on a 3.6-acre parcel near the Moyers Corners fire department at 7200 Henry Clay Blvd.
●• Approved a SEQR negative declaration and granted an amended site plan, both 6-0, for the Goguen Service Yard on Goguen Drive, with the engineer noting the applicant exceeded what was requested at initial review.
●• Granted final plat approval, 6-0, for section 8 (24 lots) of the Maple Road Associates subdivision after adding the case to the agenda by a 6-0 vote.
●• Adjourned to July 8, all by 6-0 votes, site plan or plat cases for West Herr Automotive Group's dealership expansion on Route 31, the Amazon Drone facility on Morgan Road, the Fisher Service Yard on Wetzel Road, the Northern Credit Union project on West Taft Road, the Henry Clay Warehouse project on Henry Clay Blvd., the Hinerwadels subdivision on West Taft Road, and the W Taft Summit Federal Credit Union branch at 4955 West Taft Road.
Clay Planning Board Delays Vote on 61-Lot Lawton Road Subdivision, Debates Traffic at Proposed R&F Plaza Bank
●• Board approved the minutes of the May 13, 2026 meeting (7-0).
●• Community Bank N.A.'s proposed 2,717-sf branch with drive-thru and ATM lanes at the Raymour & Flanigan Plaza (4000 Route 31) was adjourned to July 8, 2026, for a revised plan addressing lighting, HVAC screening, and traffic-flow concerns (7-0).
●• West Herr Automotive Group's zone change referral (Route 31, .78 acres, NC-1 to HC-1) to expand dealership parking was recommended to the Town Board (7-0).
●• Cornerstone Homes CNY LLC's zone change referral for a 61-lot subdivision on Lawton Road (RA-100 to R-7.5) was adjourned to June 10, 2026, pending comment from the Town of Cicero; no vote was taken on the rezoning itself (7-0 to adjourn).
●• Gabor Subdivision Phase II (8150 Morgan Road): board adopted a SEQR negative declaration (7-0) and approved the final plat (6-0, one member opposed).
●• Summit Federal Credit Union's site plan for 4955 West Taft Road was adjourned to June 10, 2026, at the applicant's request (7-0).
●• Farmstead Subdivision (Maple Roads Associates) final plat was adjourned to July 8, 2026, at the applicant's request (7-0).
Gabor Subdivision Hits Snag Over Non-Conforming Setback, Uncertain Timeline for Removing Old House
●• Board approved the April 22, 2026 minutes, 6-0 (Mr. Henty abstained)
●• Case #2026-028, West Taft Summit Credit Union (4955 West Taft Road) site plan adjourned to May 27, 2026 pending resolution of a county WEP easement issue and other plan corrections, 7-0
●• Case #2025-037, W Taft Northern Credit Union (5004-5008 West Taft Road) site plan adjourned to June 10, 2026 for a generator enclosure detail and a driveway/property-line item, 7-0
●• Case #2025-44, Chad Mutter/EV Charging Stations (7293 Buckley Road) amended site plan granted a SEQR negative declaration and site plan approval, both 7-0, conditioned on the engineer adding a required state expiration date to the PE stamp
●• Case #2025-054, Black Creek Equestrian Center (9605 Black Creek Road) adjourned to July 8, 2026 at the applicant's request, 7-0
●• Cases #2026-009/#2026-046, Gabor Subdivision Phase II and Final Plan (8150 Morgan Road) adjourned to May 27, 2026, 7-0, after Mr. Palumbo raised concern that shifting a lot line would leave a solar farm setback at roughly 25 feet instead of the previously approved 50 feet, and Ms. Guinup objected that a long-standing house on the new Lot 2A does not meet setbacks and said she would vote against the plan as discussed
●• Cases #2026-017/#2026-018, The Learning Experience (8233 Park Ridge Path) special permit and amended site plan granted SEQR negative declarations and approvals, all 7-0, with the site plan approval noting signage is not included
●• Sign permit for Allied Sign Company/Tully's Tenders (3567 State Route 31) for two wall signs approved, 7-0
●• Sign permit for Kassis Superior Signs/ASA American Steel and Aluminum (4522 Wetzel Road) for one wall sign and one freestanding sign approved, 7-0
Clay Planning Board Clears Just One of Nine Cases at April 22 Meeting, Holds 91-Lot Hinerwadels Project for June
●• Board approved the minutes of the April 8, 2026 meeting, 6-0.
●• Case #2026-022 Hinerwadels Subdivision (J. Alberici & Sons, 5300 West Taft Road): preliminary-plat hearing on a 91-lot subdivision (single-family homes plus two office parcels, one planned as a day care) on 29 acres; DOT's initial traffic review pointed toward a signal at West Taft Road/Rockland Drive at the developer's expense; adjourned to June 10, 6-0.
●• Case #2026-026 Buckley Two-Family Conversion (Steven Calocerinis, 4793 Buckley Road): not referred to the Planning Board by the Town Board; no action taken.
●• Cases #2025-003/004 Wetzel Service Yard (John E. Fisher Construction Co., 4593 Wetzel Road): still in litigation over wetland issues; adjourned to June 10, 6-0.
●• Case #2025-044 Chad Mutter EV Charging Stations (7293 Buckley Road): board identified an ADA-accessibility gap between the charging-station parking and the building entrance; adjourned to May 13, 6-0.
●• Case #2026-009 Gabor Subdivision Phase II (8150 Morgan Road): no one present to represent the applicant; adjourned to May 13, 6-0.
●• Case #2026-013 Mauro Subdivision (Scott Merle Builders, 4095 & 4101 Elmcrest Road): board adopted a negative SEQR declaration and granted final plat approval splitting two lots into four, in a series of 6-0 votes, conditioned on a license agreement already filed with the county covering a driveway encroachment between the properties.
●• Case #2026-015 VFW Post 951 (5366 Caughdenoy Road): withdrawn due to wetland issues.
●• Cases #2026-017/018 The Learning Experience (Park Ridge Path): board requested cleaner drawings, a marked HVAC location, and more legible planting and elevation plans; adjourned to May 13, 6-0.
●• Case #2026-019 Goguen Service Yard (7835 Goguen Drive): board found the stormwater pond's topographic survey lacked a licensed surveyor's seal and required a new survey to confirm 2022 compliance before further approval; adjourned to June 10, 6-0.
●• Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m., 6-0; next meeting May 13, 2026.
Redevelopment Planned for Beloved "Sweetheart Corner" in Clay
●Recommended approval of a zone change from residential to regional commercial (RC-1) for 102 ½ Wally Road (Sweetheart Corner) in a 7-0 vote.
●Issued a Negative Declaration under SEQR for the Ironhorn Enterprises warehouse project on Henry Clay Blvd, determining no significant environmental impact.
●Adjourned the Northern Credit Union site plan review to May 13, 2026, due to ongoing wetland issues.
●Adjourned the EV Charging Stations site plan review on Buckley Road to April 22, 2026.
●Adjourned the Donald Gabor subdivision preliminary plat on Morgan Road to April 22, 2026.
●Adjourned the Mauro Subdivision preliminary plat on Elmcrest Road to April 22, 2026 to resolve fence and drainage easement issues.
VFW Pavilion Plan Advances; Child Care Center Proposed for Park Ridge
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