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Zoning board declares cease-fire at Friar Tuck
By William J. Kemble, Correspondent January 09, 2003
CATSKILL - The town Zoning Board of Appeals moved Wednesday to silence the shooting range at the Friar Tuck Inn.
In a 4-0 vote with member Regina Daly absent, the board declared that the recreational use of guns was not a permitted activity for the resort, which is on state Route 32 in Kiskatom. Neighbors of the resort had requested the ruling.
"No one understood how strong that sound is," said Lucia Cipriano, whose parents initiated a petition for a ruling in 1998. "We're more than 1,000 feet from the range and inside our house we could hear it."
She said family members haven't been able to use an outside porch because of the noise. "Even my dog didn't like going back there," she said.
Attorney Lanny Walter, representing the neighbors, said he was relieved by the formal town zoning decision, which followed a series of appearances in court before the town was told it had incorrectly handled complaints from neighbors.
"We're very pleased, but the shooting hasn't stopped," Walter said. "We don't know what they are going to do as far as appealing ... so the whole issue is still an open issue. They may apply to the (town) Planning Board for a special use permit."
Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Robert Jacobson said the vote means the resort must "cease and desist" shooting range operations.
Walter said a March 31 appearance is scheduled in state Supreme Court on a lawsuit seeking monetary damages from resort owners.
"Regardless of what the future holds, we are going to ask the court to rule that they've created a nuisance and to stop them from proceeding," he said.
Resort owners, who have said the range has been part of the 29.6-acre facility for 20 years, were not available for comment following Wednesday's meeting.
Dick Nelson, a resort consultant, said the ruling would lead to the elimination of up to six jobs associated with the shooting range.
"There will be two full-time employees and three or four part-timers put out of work," he said.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=6642897&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74969&rfi=8
By William J. Kemble, Correspondent January 09, 2003
CATSKILL - The town Zoning Board of Appeals moved Wednesday to silence the shooting range at the Friar Tuck Inn.
In a 4-0 vote with member Regina Daly absent, the board declared that the recreational use of guns was not a permitted activity for the resort, which is on state Route 32 in Kiskatom. Neighbors of the resort had requested the ruling.
"No one understood how strong that sound is," said Lucia Cipriano, whose parents initiated a petition for a ruling in 1998. "We're more than 1,000 feet from the range and inside our house we could hear it."
She said family members haven't been able to use an outside porch because of the noise. "Even my dog didn't like going back there," she said.
Attorney Lanny Walter, representing the neighbors, said he was relieved by the formal town zoning decision, which followed a series of appearances in court before the town was told it had incorrectly handled complaints from neighbors.
"We're very pleased, but the shooting hasn't stopped," Walter said. "We don't know what they are going to do as far as appealing ... so the whole issue is still an open issue. They may apply to the (town) Planning Board for a special use permit."
Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Robert Jacobson said the vote means the resort must "cease and desist" shooting range operations.
Walter said a March 31 appearance is scheduled in state Supreme Court on a lawsuit seeking monetary damages from resort owners.
"Regardless of what the future holds, we are going to ask the court to rule that they've created a nuisance and to stop them from proceeding," he said.
Resort owners, who have said the range has been part of the 29.6-acre facility for 20 years, were not available for comment following Wednesday's meeting.
Dick Nelson, a resort consultant, said the ruling would lead to the elimination of up to six jobs associated with the shooting range.
"There will be two full-time employees and three or four part-timers put out of work," he said.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=6642897&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74969&rfi=8
