Clay Planning Board Splits 5-1 on Lawton Road Rezoning, Rejects Oversized Sign for Tully's Tenders
The Town of Clay Planning Board voted 5-1 to recommend rezoning land on Lawton Road from RA-100 to R7.5 for a proposed Cornerstone Homes subdivision over a resident's objection, and voted 6-0 to give a negative recommendation on an oversized sign package for Tully's Tenders. The board also recommended approval of a 114-foot AT&T cell tower near Moyers Corners and granted final plat approval for a 24-lot section of the Maple Road Associates subdivision.
Lock CS4 on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal at Fayette, part of the central NY canal system — photo:
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▶Key Actions & Decisions
●• 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.
The Town of Clay Planning Board split 5-1 on a recommendation to rezone land on Lawton Road for a proposed residential subdivision, and voted unanimously against a larger-than-code sign package for a Route 31 restaurant, during its June 10 regular meeting.
The board considered a zone change referral for Cornerstone Homes CNY LLC's proposed "Reserve at Clay" development on Lawton Road, changing the parcel from RA-100 to R7.5. Chairwoman Michelle Borton said the Town of Cicero had not responded to the referral. A resident, David Yates of Brisbane Trail, asked whether the board would hear further from Cicero and raised concerns about the project having only one entrance; Borton said the current review was limited to the zone change and that entrance and layout issues would be addressed later, at the preliminary plat stage. Board member Karen Guinup told neighbors with concerns to put them in writing to the Town Board or attend its meeting, since the Town Board makes the final zoning decision. Polling the board, Hal Henty, Guinup, Jim Palumbo and Deputy Chair Russ Mitchell voted in favor; Paul Graves voted no, saying he would side with the neighbors and suggesting the parcel remain RA-100. The board's motion, recommending R7.5 based on surrounding R7.5 zoning, carried 5-1, with Borton also advising the Town Board to work with Cicero on improvements to Lawton Road.
Separately, the board took up a referral from the Zoning Board of Appeals on an area variance requested by Allied Sign Company on behalf of Tully's Tenders at 3567 State Route 31. The applicant sought three internally lit wall signs, where two are allowed, and a 59-square-foot freestanding sign, where town code permits 32 square feet. Every board member who spoke opposed the request. Mitchell said the applicant had previously promised to be a good neighbor and that the proposed sign was not; he said it would obscure the neighboring Mauer Funeral Home and compared it to signage on Erie Boulevard, suggesting a monument sign instead. Borton agreed, saying the sign exceeded code and would set a precedent if approved. The board voted 6-0 to send a negative recommendation to the ZBA.
On infrastructure, the board recommended approval, 6-0, of a special permit for AT&T Mobility to build a 114-foot public utility cell tower on a 3.6-acre parcel between the Moyers Corners fire department and West Taft Road, to be leased from the Moyers Corner Volunteer Fire Department. Onondaga County Planning Board comments asked that construction avoid encroaching on OCWA easements and that existing trees and shrubs be retained where possible. Applicant representative Mark Fuentes said an FAA report had been submitted, and Commissioner of Planning & Development Brian Bender said the Town Board had reviewed the proposal on June 1 with no significant concerns raised. Hal Henty asked about the tower's fall zone, which Fuentes said is 135 feet. The board polled unanimously in favor before voting 6-0 to recommend approval to the Town Board.
The board also approved a SEQR negative declaration and an amended site plan, both 6-0, for the Goguen Service Yard on Goguen Drive, after engineer Caitlin Choberka said the applicant had exceeded what was requested during initial review. Later in the meeting, the board added and then approved, 6-0, final plat for an eighth, 24-lot section of the Maple Road Associates subdivision, based on a map from Ianuzi & Romans dated August 21, 2025.
Several other site plan and subdivision cases were adjourned to the board's July 8 meeting, each by 6-0 vote, at the applicants' request or pending further engineering and legal review: 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 long-pending Northern Credit Union project at 5004-5008 West Taft Road, where the board discussed generator screening, an ADA parking bollard and ongoing wetland delineation with the state Department of Environmental Conservation; the Henry Clay Warehouse project; the Hinerwadels subdivision on West Taft Road; and a Summit Federal Credit Union branch planned at 4955 West Taft Road, where Borton asked for clearer, more legible plans and Mitchell asked that fencing along the property line be eliminated.
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 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 Adjourns Its Entire July 8 Agenda, Including New Amazon Drone Case
●• 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
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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