For the first time in about six months, the Cazenovia Village Board of Trustees monthly meeting had no controversial topics on the agenda, no public hearings and no crowds of concerned spectators filling the board meeting room. Instead, the board discussed much simpler local issues such as an update on the progress of the Creekside Planned Development District, water line extension requests, approving an inter-municipal agreement with the town over proposed fire department training, resident concerns about a poor street paving job and a resignation from the village zoning board of appeals.
The main item to be addressed was an update on the Creekside PD zone planning project — the proposal to analyze the Riverside Drive/Chittenango Creek corridor behind the Cazenovia Public Library for potential redevelopment.
The board hired planner Dan Kwasnowski, of Applied Planning, four months ago to assist with the analysis. A meeting was held on Thursday, June 19, for Kwasnowski to receive initial public input on the area from neighbors and other stakeholders. He made an initial presentation of his research and analysis to the board and public at the July 7 board meeting. His draft report was published on the village website in mid-August and another public input/information session held on Aug. 26. Kwasnowski then took that public feedback and revised his report.
At the board’s Oct. 6 regular monthly meeting, Mayor Kurt Wheeler said he expected to receive Kwasnowski’s semifinal report by the end of the week, at which time it would be posted on the village website. The board unanimously agreed to designate a portion of its regular November meeting as a public input/information session on Kwasnowski’s latest plan draft to get another round of feedback.
“I think with this report, with Dan’s observations, we can continue to use as a tool for our long-term planning,” Wheeler said.
Kwasnowski has suggested to the board that the Creekside area can either be totally revamped by the village, or the village could start the work with specific projects and then hand-off the rest of the work as outside development projects come in, Wheeler said.
“The good news is … it’s created this great discussion of, ‘What could it be?’” Wheeler said.
Kwasnowski will be present at the meeting and present his analysis formally to the board and the public, at which time the board will then discuss exactly what redevelopment actions may be possible from there, Wheeler said.
Also at the meeting, the board:
—Discussed the recent paving of Corwin Street, which many of the street residents complained was poorly done and needed to be improved. One particular complaint was that instead of curbs the project used asphalt “tip ups” along the road edge. Wheeler said the choice to use tip ups instead of curbs was a financial one, with asphalt curbs no longer considered stable, cement curbs costing about $35,000 for materials and granite curbs — which some neighbors wanted — costing $50,000 for materials, not including the extra work to install them.
Tip ups were also installed on the recent paving of Burton Street, but that street turned out much better aesthetically than Corwin Street, basically because Burton Street is straight but Corwin Street is curvy, said Village Department of Public Works Administrator Bill Carr. Despite the aesthetic differences, Corwin Street will function well and water runoff will not go into people’s homes, Carr said.
Wheeler said trustees looked at Corwin Street and agree that the job was poorly done, and they are withholding payment from the paving company until a solution is reached.
—Discussed water line extension requests from the 7 Pines neighborhood residents and the Ruddy family on Route 20. The Ruddy family request is related to the family’s proposed new distillery project to be built on their property. The property is located in the town of Cazenovia, and the project is currently in the beginning stages of receiving town review and approvals, but a water and sewer line must be approved by the village. Wheeler said there is no plan to annex the Ruddy parcel into the village. No votes were taken on either issue.
—Approved an inter-municipal agreement with the town of Cazenovia to allow the Cazenovia Volunteer Fire Department to create a new training facility at the town highway garage. The department’s plan is to build a structure out of four or five truck containers, anchored by concrete pillars, in which controlled burns will be created and training exercises completed.
—Approved a route and sign request from Project Café for the group’s CROP Hunger Walk, which will occur at 2 p.m. (with registration starting at 1 p.m.), Sunday, Oct. 19, starting at St. Peter’s church on Chenango Street. All proceeds go to fighting hunger — half of the funds will stay in the Cazenovia area and half will be distributed worldwide.
—Heard from Trustee Jim Joseph that CACDA’s bike rack design contest has ended but the CACDA board did not select any of the submitted designs. The contest will be held open longer in order to receive more submissions.
—Approved the resignation of Howard Hart from the village ZBA and the appointment of Lynn Hart (no relation) to fill the vacancy. The appointment term expires in spring 2016.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
