Garber Cadillac project wins approval as Canandaigua board wrestles with parking rules

A new Garber Cadillac dealership building won conditional approval from the Canandaigua Town Planning Board on Nov. 10, but the project still faces a question over whether existing parking along Route 332 needs a zoning variance.

The board approved the project at 5375 Thomas Road with 20 conditions covering engineering, stormwater controls, access between neighboring properties and other requirements. The roughly 20,000-square-foot building would replace an existing block building, while GMC operations would remain in the existing dealership building.

The board also approved a contractor storage yard, a 16-person short-term rental and a two-lot subdivision. A proposed home on the storage-yard property was delayed while the town’s attorney reviews whether the two uses can legally share the parcel.

Dealership parking raises a zoning question

Garber’s proposal would add landscaped green space and a stormwater treatment area while largely preserving the existing parking layout across three properties under common ownership.

Andrew Spencer of BME Associates, representing the applicant, said the stormwater design would meet a town requirement to reduce runoff by 10%. The plans show 311 parking spaces across the three properties.

The central zoning issue involves a required 10-foot buffer between parking and a road right of way. Spencer said state acquisition of land for Route 332 improvements shifted the property boundary into an existing parking area. Requiring the buffer now, he argued, would eliminate parking and force a broader redesign.

Planning Board Attorney Christian Nadler initially advised that a variance would be needed, but agreed to review whether the existing parking could qualify as a preexisting nonconforming condition.

The approval requires Garber to obtain a variance if the town’s zoning inspector and attorney determine one is necessary.

Garber must also provide easements governing access between the properties before the plans receive final signatures. Stormwater documents and engineering requirements remain part of the approval process.

The board added a condition requiring the applicant to make its best efforts to explore additional tree plantings within the state’s Route 332 right of way. Chair Charles Oyler said restoring trees along the corridor has been a longstanding town goal.

Storage yard approved, proposed home delayed

The board voted 3-1 to approve Phillip Heberle’s contractor storage yard at 2865 State Route 21, with conditions requiring landscaping along the road and paving at the entrance.

Heberle said Superior Plumbing uses the property to store equipment, trailers, pipe and other inventory. Employees report to the company’s office elsewhere on Route 21 before collecting equipment from the yard, he said, and customers do not visit the property.

The board questioned traffic, screening and the use of a roadside trailer for advertising. Heberle challenged the need for additional landscaping on a wooded property, while Oyler said the requirements came from town code rather than neighborhood complaints.

The permit allows operating hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Landscaping must be acceptable to the board chair, and pavement must extend from the road right of way to the point where the driveway branches. The board waived paving for the remaining storage area.

The permit remains effective for the current owner without renewal as long as its conditions are met. Changes to the approved operation would require further review.

A separate application to build a single-family home on the same parcel was continued to Nov. 24 after questions arose about combining a dwelling with the storage yard.

Board member Mark Tolbert questioned how the commercial activity would fit with residential use. Nadler said he needed to examine the code before offering a definitive answer.

Logan Lane rental gets a one-year permit

Dan Logan received a one-year special use permit allowing up to 16 overnight occupants at 5555 Logan Lane.

The eight-bedroom rental is managed through Finger Lakes Premier Properties. The board reviewed septic capacity, parking, fire safety, stairs, house rules and noise restrictions.

Town planning staff said a previous complaint involving staircase maintenance had been resolved and that no subsequent formal complaints had been received. An email raising concerns about the property prompted discussion about responding to future problems.

Tolbert said complaints reaching the town could factor into renewal.

Staff reported that a recent inspection found no fire-safety or stair issues. The approval incorporates the property’s house rules and quiet hours, along with the 16-person occupancy limit.

Subdivision approved; barn conversion remains on hold

The board approved dividing approximately 15 acres at 5071 Parrish Street Extension into parcels of 9.3 acres and 5.7 acres. The smaller parcel would retain the existing house and agricultural buildings.

No new development was proposed. The approval includes a 15-foot sidewalk easement along Parrish Street Extension across both lots. The vacant parcel must satisfy septic-testing requirements before it can be treated as buildable.

The board also approved renovations and drainage improvements at 3551 County Road 16, including replacing asphalt with grass-filled geocells that can support parking, modifying a carport and converting a deck to a screened porch.

Jeremy Miller received approval to replace a deteriorating sign at 4459 County Road 50 with a smaller, internally illuminated sign. The street number must be displayed on its pole.

A proposal to convert an agricultural barn at 4243 State Route 21 South into a home was tabled indefinitely. Staff said a driveway setback variance had been denied, and a revised driveway route passes through an area requiring state Department of Environmental Conservation permitting. The application will return when the necessary requirements are met.

Staff Report

FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.