The Cazenovia village board held a public hearing last week to discuss changes to the zoning code. The changes are intended to be in accordance with the town and village’s recently adopted comprehensive plan.
“Our goal will be to try to make improvements and answer concerns and have an updated product that would be available for subsequent public review and hearing for next month,” said Village Trustee Kurt Wheeler.
The amendment would enact new zoning districts and regulations in the eastern portion of the village. The new zoning would also eliminate service stations, convenience stores, car washes, post-secondary education uses, and drive-in facilities other than banks and bank branches closer to the center of the village. It would also establish adult businesses as permitted by special use within the existing light manufacturing district, and adds new wellhead protection regulations.
According to Village Trustee Russ Brownback, a goal of the new zoning is to maintain the character of the village.
“What we’re trying to avoid is the gateway that looks like many other suburban communities around this country where they settle for the easiest, cheapest way to build new buildings of a generic look and feel for the purposes of growth,” Brownback said. “All we’re saying is that if we need those units, we have an obligation to make a place for them, but we don’t want to settle for the same compromise that other communities have made and jeopardized their character.”
Former Village of Cazenovia Mayor Dennis Gregg raised several concerns at the public hearing.
“The proposed zoning regulations are too restrictive in terms of allowed uses as well as the dimensions of the proposed lots,” said Gregg. “The results will be monopoly instead of competition.”
Gregg also said that “adding 272 feet of road frontage to the retail side of Route 20 does not adequately allow for any meaningful future retail expansion,” and criticized aspects of the zoning changes as being unrealistic.
“It is equally hard to comprehend that we are choosing a district about 400 feet from our elementary school for our new adult district,” he added.
Village Trustee Kurt Wheeler responded to several mechanical concerns presented by Gregg.
“A number of the areas here where there are strictly factual, mathematical type issues that he pointed out, we’re very grateful for that. It’s very helpful,” Wheeler said. “We appreciate your input; particularly a lot of the number and technical issues were right on target and we’ll take those specifically for adjustment.”
The village board scheduled another public hearing for 6:45 p.m. Mar. 2. The hearing will be held in the village municipal building.
