The Cazenovia Town Board last week acknowledged receipt of the 2017 tentative town budget from the supervisor and adopted that tentative budget as the preliminary town budget.
The $3.1 million budget includes $1.6 million to be raised by taxes, which is similar to the 2016 budget. The budget calls for a preliminary town tax rate of $1.55 per $1,000 of assessed value for town residents who live outside the village, and $1.43 per $1,000 of assessed value townwide. This is a potential 10 cent and 15 cent increase in tax rates, respectively, from 2016.
“These are just the working numbers for the town board for when we have our budget hearing,” said Supervisor Bill Zupan. “There’s a potential they could change because we’re still working on it.”
The budget will be available for public viewing at the town office and on the town website at townofcazenovia.org.
There will be a public hearing on the preliminary budget at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, at the town office.
Also during its Oct. 3 meeting, the board approved a new local law that will regulate the construction of solar energy systems within the town.
Local Law I of 2016 amends chapter 165 of the town code to permit and regulate the construction of solar energy systems within the town “in a manner that preserves the health, safety and welfare of the town while also facilitating the production of renewable energy,” according to the legislation. The law allows for the regulation of the placement and use of solar systems in the town through a coordinated special use permit and site plan review by both the town planning board and zoning board of appeals.
The board held a public hearing on the proposed law during its Oct. 3 regular monthly meeting, during which no members of the public commented.
The board also appointed C. James Wigge as an alternate to the zoning board of appeals to complete the unexpired term of Gary Mason, which ends Dec. 31, 2016.
