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PETITIONERS LETTER OF INTENT AND RATIONAL August 20, 2026 Town of Aurora, NY Mr. Ernst, Members of the Town Board of Zoning Appeals. My name is Robert Bannister. I reside at 1776 Blakeley Corners Road in the Town of Aurora. I am proposing to erect two Faux Stone pillars/columns on either side of my entrance driveway. Those pillars/columns will measure 3 foot square by 62 inches high. The top of the pillars/columns will be reinforced concrete measuring 40 inches square by 3 inches thick. Each pillar/column have installed a “dawn to dusk” light fixture measuring 5 inches x 5 inches x 18 inches. Each light will emit a total of 60 lumens, equivalent to a 60 watt light bulb. A facsimile photo (Exhibit A). The foundation for these pillars/columns have been moved back 4 feet from their original location at the request of the Town of Aurora's zoning office (Exhibit B). This relocation cost $1,611.70. As you are aware, my request to install these pillars/columns was denied because they violated Section 116-28A of the Town's Building Code fence height requirement. I am seeking a variance to the code to be able to move forward with this project which I believe will improve, enhance and beautify our property and the neighborhood. This objective has been an ongoing practice for the properties I have owned since locating to the Town of Aurora in 1998. I have done this on the following properties: 1.) 272 Porterville Road: In addition to renovating and painting the home I added a fence similar to the one we are currently proposing on Blakeley Corners Road (Exhibit C). 2.) 66 Pain Street: In addition to renovating and painting the home I removed unsightly and dangerously high Fir trees (Exhibit D). 3.) 186 Elmwood Avenue: In addition to the renovation and painting the home I improved the landscaping. This included removing several large dead Ash trees, unsightly, unkempt overgrown bushes, scrubs and weeds (Exhibit E-1 & 2). I also installed an underground drainage system to alleviate the swampy conditions of the back yard. 4.) 1776 Blakekey Corners Road: First, at considerable expense, I had the unsightly and dangerous ditch running the length of the property filled, graded and planted to new lawn (Exhibit F-1). Second, I removed dozens of dead trees, overgrown bushes and underbrush (Exhibit G 1-2). Third, I removed several Fir trees, one of which was fastened to the overhead utility lines (Exhibit H). Fourth, I have been restoring the stone foundation of the orginal house built in 1860 (Exhibit I). And finally I am building a 3 rail fence with accompanying pillars/columns. Notwithstanding the fact this Zoning Board of Appeals has already graciously allowed me to exceed this height limit for my fence, I feel this requirement might be appropriate in the village, to require the same for country properties seems inapproporate. This observation was confirmed by the Town's zoning staff. Upon filling the original variance, I was informed that this request would “in all probably” be approved because the height requirement for country property was out dated and should be amended.I concur with that statement. ()