Politics & Government

Council Pursues Helipad Ordinance

Despite planning board's decision not to draft an ordinance limiting helipads in the city, Councilman Michael Vernotico has taken up the charge.

Councilman Michael Vernotico is urging council to pursue a helipad ordinance despite the planning board's decision two months ago to not draft an ordinance limiting their placement within Summit.

However, Vernotico says the planning board got "caught up in the details" and he has an alternate approach to an ordinance.

The idea, he says, is to draft an ordinance designating helipads' primary uses, therefore removing the possibility of considering them for variances as an accessory use, a question being dealt with now as the Zoning Board considers Overlook Hospital's request for variances to build a helipad on the roof of the hospital's C-wing.

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Designating helipads primary uses would automatically make a variance application for one a D-variance and would then require the 5-affirmative super majority vote to be approved. Considering a helipad a primary use instead of an accessory use makes the burden of proof more difficult to balance the positive and negative criteria needed for approval.

Vernotico said if the Zoning Board approves Overlook's application and the city then passes this ordinance, Overlook Hospital would have to reapply for the variances.

Find out what's happening in Summitwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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