The Cazenovia Village Board last week unanimously approved a new law that will allow for the rezoning and redevelopment of the Riverside Drive/Chittenango Creek area that runs from Chenango Street, behind the library and up to Albany Street behind the Red Apple gas station.
The new law will change the zoning of certain parcels in the Riverside Drive/Chittenango Creek area from their existing R-10 Residential District designations to R-6 Residential Districts, and also change the existing R-10 and R-20 Residential District designations to CD Creekside Development District designations. The district will allow for specific special uses through special permit application in the area, such as office uses, multi-family dwellings, medical center or clinic, senior care facility, museum, community center, public outdoor recreation and conservation area, which may include public and/or privately owned walking trails and associated facilities.
The intent of this legislation to “anticipate and provide for the orderly future development of the premises in a manner envisioned by the Village Comprehensive Plan that is not adequately provided for under the existing zoning district classifications,” according to the legislation.
The board’s approval vote, at its Feb. 2 regular monthly meeting, came after eight months of work by the board, numerous public hearings and work sessions and the input of a professional planner hired by the village.
“Every art of this process has been educational for us,” said Mayor Kurt Wheeler. “Having this lets developers know exactly what the village wants or not in that area.”
The passage of the new law does not mean that the Riverside Drive/Chittenango Creek area will suddenly and immediately be under construction by numerous projects, Wheeler reminded the audience. Instead, what happens next is that the Creekside Area Planning Committee will continue to meet and consider various planning potential for the area, and any developers who decide they want to build something in that area must go through the village planning board process and apply for special permits as required under the new law.
Also at the meeting, the board:
—Discussed with interested residents a proposal to create a dog park in the village. About five local dog owners attended the meeting to promote the idea. Resident Pat Carmeli, who owns the Pewter Spoon, said the idea came up during a conversation at her café, after which she started a petition to gauge the public’s interest. She received multiple pages of signatures which she submitted to the village board.
Carmeli, who spoke during the meeting, said idea would be to have a fenced area where dogs can run and have fun.
“First of all, every cool town has a dog park … keep that in mind,” Carmeli said, referencing Cazenovia’s second place finish as the “Coolest Small Town in America” in 2014. But, most importantly, she said, “Let’s do it for the dogs; they are Cazenovia citizens also.”
The trustees asked numerous questions about where the park could go, who would use it, how would it be funded and built how would use be supervised. Wheeler said the village would start a file on the idea and, if dog park proponents organized a group leaders, the trustees would be happy to continue the dialogue.
—Scheduled its first two work sessions for the 2015-16 budget to be at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in the village board room of the village municipal office, and at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, also in the village board room. The work sessions are open to the public.
—Approved an application to allow the Cazenovia Triathlon to use Lakeside Park from 5 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 23.
—Scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. on Monday, March 2, to discuss a proposed local law to allow the village board to appoint alternate members to the planning board, zoning board of appeals and the historic preservation/architectural review board.
— Scheduled a public hearing for 7:05 p.m. on Monday, March 2, to discuss a proposed local law granting an exception to the prohibition of selling village water to outside users.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
