SYRACUSE - A new Chinese restaurant will open in Syracuse soon thanks to the Board of Zoning Appeals granting a variance June 21 on the number of parking places needed.

China Star will feature mostly carryout from its location at 734 Huntington St., next door to the video store, just south of Lance's. It will have four tables for those few who wish to dine in.

When he built the building that now houses the video store, George Miller anticipated putting in a pizza parlor, but hasn't been able to find one that was interested in Syracuse. In looking for alternatives, he decided that Chinese food won't compete with local restaurants and will give Syracuse diversity.

The variance was granted on the condition that all employees of both businesses park behind the building.

Kheong Lee, who operates a Chinese restaurant in Goshen, has hired Zheng Kui Zheng and his family to operate the establishment.

The BZA also agreed to allow multi-family housing (five duplexes) to be built at 1004 Huntington St., just south of the Post Office. Curb cuts into Ind. 13 will be removed and access will be from Harrison Street.

The variance allows the condos to be built in a part-residential, part-commercial property with a 22.5-foot setback, the same as the existing structure now has. The town council will address the issue in July.

The condition for the variance and exception was that a drainage plan be presented to the plan commission and be approved by them.

In other action, the BZA denied petitioners the right to build a screened porch and pergola closer than 35 feet from Syracuse Lake, even though neighbors approved of the additions. The property is at Front and Medusa streets. [[In-content Ad]]