FALCONER - A can-and-bottle redemption center is now allowed in the town of Ellicott.
On Monday, local law number 4-2012 was successfully passed by the Ellicott Town Board, paving the way for a can-and-bottle redemption center in the municipality.
"This was as recommendation from the Planning Board," said William Wright, town attorney. "The proposed law calls for changes in two sections of the zoning code. The first one is ... an addition to mercantile uses (in the town) by a special-use permit, so it would have an addition to that which would allow can-and-bottle redemption centers. This section of the code is labeled as miscellaneous, but it refers to specific restrictions for special permit uses, so it fits in perfectly there."
Wright continued by saying that, in the event of a redemption center is built, according to town law, no outside storage, redemption, sorting or transactions could be permitted. Additionally, no inside storage would be allowed to be visible from the street, and no overhead doors facing the street are permitted. These regulations are to ensure that the bottle redemption center would not bring down the natural beauty of the community it surrounds.
"Since hypothetically, a redemption center would now be allowed next door to a Wegmans, say, these regulations are to ensure that a (redemption center) would not drag down the aesthetic value of its surroundings," said Wright.
A motion to approve the new local law was made by boardmember Lisa Vanstrom and seconded by boardmember George Beckerink. The law was then passed with a unanimous vote.