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Johnstown Planning Board approves two site plans, tables banquet-hall proposal and refers fence variance to ZBA
Summary
At its April 7 meeting the Johnstown Planning Board approved site plans for Curtain Call Café and Breakthrough Equity Group, tabled a proposed Cayadutta Street banquet hall because of outstanding violations, and referred a fence variance for 2 Mason Street to the Zoning Board of Appeals; a public hearing was set for 314 W. Main Street.
The Johnstown Planning Board on April 7 approved two site plans, voted to table a proposed banquet hall and referred a fence variance request to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Chairman Peter Smith convened the meeting at 4:00 p.m. and the board first approved its March 3 minutes on a 4–0 vote with one member absent. The board then opened brief public hearings for two applicants. The record for Curtain Call Café, LLC shows the hearing opened and closed at 4:01 p.m.; no attendees or comments were recorded. The board approved the Curtain Call Café site plan 4–0 (Board Member Roberta Thomas absent). Staff reminded the applicant that Planning Board site-plan approvals expire one year after the decision if substantial work has not begun and that an extension may be necessary.
A separate public hearing for Breakthrough Equity Group, LLC opened at 4:02 p.m. and closed at 4:03 p.m. with no public comment. The board approved that site plan 4–0; the Fulton County Planning Board offered no recommendations on the proposal.
The board then reviewed an application for a small banquet hall on Cayadutta Street (the applicant called the proposal “Great Banquet Hall”). The applicant said the venue would host private events for about 50–100 people, would not include on-site food preparation and would make no structural changes. Code Enforcement and the City Engineer reported multiple outstanding violations at the property and an expired Planning Board approval on an adjacent parcel, and they advised the board to withhold action until the violations are resolved. Following that recommendation, the board voted to table the Cayadutta Street application until the applicant achieves compliance and reapplies.
On a separate matter, the board considered a fencing request tied to a parcel consolidation that would combine 237 N. Perry Street with 2 Mason Street. Because both frontages would be classified as front yards under the zoning code, the applicant requested variances to allow a six‑foot fence along North Perry Street and the rear property line and on Mason Street. Code Enforcement recommended allowing a six‑foot fence on the rear and side facing N. Perry Street and a four‑foot fence on the Mason Street frontage but noted that height, corner visibility and setback variances are required. The Planning Board clarified it cannot grant variances and denied the application for the fence as submitted, referring the matter to the Zoning Board of Appeals for final determination.
The board also heard a proposal to convert a former commercial space at 314 W. Main Street back to residential use, creating a total of three dwelling units. The application involves interior renovations only, the addition of an egress window and appears to have adequate parking; the property is zoned for multi‑family use. The board required a public hearing and referred the matter to the County Planning Board because the site is on a state highway.
The board discussed a late submission from the New York State Department of Transportation regarding the previously approved FAGE USA Dairy Industrial site plan; because the correspondence arrived after approval, the board took no action but asked the clerk to forward the DOT materials to the applicant for any necessary follow-up with NYSDOT.
The meeting adjourned at 4:36 p.m.
Actions at a glance • Approve minutes (March 3, 2026): Motion carried 4–0; mover: Board Member Betsy Camarra; second: Board Member Terri Easterly. • Curtain Call Café, LLC — Site plan approved 4–0; motion moved by Board Member Betsy Camarra and seconded by Board Member Terri Easterly. • Breakthrough Equity Group, LLC — Site plan approved 4–0; mover: Board Member Betsy Camarra; second: Board Member Chandra Cotter. Fulton County Planning Board offered no recommendations. • Cayadutta Street (Great Banquet Hall) — Application tabled pending compliance with outstanding violations; motion moved by Board Member Terri Easterly; seconded by Board Member Chandra Cotter. • 2 Mason Street — Fence application denied for variance consideration; referred to the Zoning Board of Appeals for variances (height, corner visibility, setback required). Motion carried 4–0. • 314 W. Main Street — Public hearing required; referred to County Planning Board due to state highway location.
Members and staff who participated included Chairman Peter Smith; Board Members Chandra Cotter, Terri Easterly and Betsy Camarra; City Attorney Michael M. Albanese; City Engineer Christopher J. Vose; Code Enforcement Scott DeNinno; and City Clerk Carrie M. Allen.
