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City council approves sale of two former housing lots amid calls to revise side-lot policy
Summary
The Binghamton City Council voted to authorize the sale of 193 Matthew Street and 31 Travis Avenue under the city’s side-lot program, approving ordinances O25-31 and O25-32 after SEQR negative declarations; each ordinance passed 6-1.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The Binghamton City Council voted to authorize the sale of two vacant parcels created after demolition, approving ordinances O25-31 (193 Matthew Street) and O25-32 (31 Travis Avenue) following State Environmental Quality Review determinations. Both ordinances passed by 6-1 votes.
The sales were presented under the city’s side-lot program, which makes lots that formerly contained multi-unit structures available to adjacent property owners once buildings are demolished. The council first held SEQR motions and issued negative declarations before voting to adopt each ordinance.
Why it matters: Neighbors said the Matthew Street lot long posed safety and nuisance problems and welcomed the planned yard expansion. Several council members, however, urged the administration to develop a formal protocol for evaluating whether demolished residential sites could be redeveloped for housing before placing them in the side-lot program — a concern members said is heightened by the city's housing shortage.
Council member Rathmell introduced the motions to declare lead agency, identify the actions as unlisted under SEQR, and adopt the ordinances. The clerk’s roll-call votes on adoption recorded Rathmell voting No on both ordinances; the other six members present voted Aye. For O25-31 (193 Matthew Street) the roll call recorded: Madivetsky Aye; Hotchkiss Aye; Kavanaugh Aye; Middleton Aye; Murray Aye; Dunton Aye (6-1). For O25-32 (31 Travis Avenue) the roll call recorded the same result (6-1).
Public comment at the meeting included neighbors who urged approval of the Matthew Street sale. Resident Bobby Moreno said the couple seeking the lot are long-time neighbors and “we love the community,” and neighbor Julie Sauger read a letter describing repeated code, safety and drug-related problems at the condemned building that formerly stood at 193 Matthew Street. Sauger told the council: “The building that was condemned and now demolished at 193 Matthew Street was not only a long time eyesore, but a major source of fear, anxiety…The building had a long history of drugs, 2 meth lab fires, which ultimately was the final demise of the building.”
Several council members said they sympathized with neighbors and supported the immediate sales, but said they wanted a citywide policy change. One council member said there is currently no protocol for assessing whether demolished sites could be redeveloped, which risks reducing the city’s housing stock when lots are permanently converted to green space. Another council member noted state funding for infill development exists but said the city lacks an analysis showing where infill would be possible and affordable.
Council members asked the clerk to research what pausing the side-lot program would entail so the council can consider inserting a redevelopment-assessment protocol; multiple members said they have repeatedly requested a plan from the mayor’s office. Several speakers emphasized that their support for the individual sales does not mean they oppose revising the program going forward.
Votes at a glance: - O25-31 (ordinance to authorize sale of 193 Matthew Street) — Adopted 6-1 (No: Rathmell; Ayes: Madivetsky, Hotchkiss, Kavanaugh, Middleton, Murray, Dunton). - O25-32 (ordinance to authorize sale of 31 Travis Avenue) — Adopted 6-1 (No: Rathmell; Ayes: Madivetsky, Hotchkiss, Kavanaugh, Middleton, Murray, Dunton).
What happens next: Council members said they will continue to press the executive branch for a protocol that assesses redevelopment potential for lots made available under the side-lot program. Council member Murray said the clerk was asked to look into pausing the program’s advertising while that protocol is drafted.
Background: The side-lot program allows adjacent property owners to acquire lots created by demolition. At the meeting council members referenced prior demolitions and said the city has not consistently assessed whether a parcel could be redeveloped as housing before transferring it to an adjacent owner.
