Clarendon housing project gains ground

A proposal by the Urban League of Rochester to build a 20-unit housing complex in Clarendon has moved forward in the process by gaining variances for parking spaces and a side setback.

The project is planned for a 10 acre plot on Route 31A, north of the Hall Road intersection. It will include four town-house style rental buildings and a rental office. Tentative plans also call for a larger building that could include 20 one-unit apartments that would be targeted toward senior citizens.

Phase one of the project calls for 12 two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom apartments and will be 1,148 and 1,239 square feet, respectively. In addition to a rental office, there are plans for a laundry facility, a meeting room and a small kitchen.

Variances were sought by the Urban League for a 49-foot setback. The town requires a 100-foot side setback. It also requested a variance from the 68 parking spaces that the town would normally require for a building project of this size. The Urban League is only seeking parking spaces to accommodate 49 spaces.

The variances were approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals, subject to recommendations from the Orleans County Planning Board, however the county planning board said Clarendon committed a procedural error by approving the variances before coming before the county board.

The site plan must be approved before the project can proceed. Urban League officials wanted to begin construction, which is estimated to take 10 months, before year's end.