By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
After receiving approximately 80 comments from residents, the Van Buren Town Board has revised its proposed amendment to the town’s code governing the tidiness of yards and homes.
“The changes came about because of the public hearing and the public comments, both for and against,” Councilor Pat Dickman said at the Oct. 6 town board meeting.
Deputy Supervisor Mary Frances Sabin, who has spearheaded the effort to bring about the changes, said the revised draft of the local law and a list of substantive changes are on the town’s website.
Among those changes are:
• Extension of the grace period from a warning to a formal notification from 15 to 30 days
• Definitions of “junk,” “rubbish” and other related terms
• Allowance for minor vehicle repairs on a property performed by the property owner or occupant
• Clarification of junk vehicle regulations: “No more than one junk vehicle may be stored outdoors on a property for a period not to exceed six months … the junk vehicle must be fully covered by an appropriate motor vehicle covering.… A resident may ask for an extension for retaining a junk vehicle for an additional six months due to ‘extenuating circumstances.’”
Visit townofvanburen.com/public-hearing-notice-for-property-maint-law/ to read the full text of the revised local law.
Sabin noted that many of the properties featured in the town’s PowerPoint showing examples of potential code violations have been cleaned up.
“Many of those properties have been cleaned up, which is kind of surprising, and a lot of the junk cars have been covered up,” she said.
“It’s happening. People are listening,” Councilor Ron Dudzinski said.
Now that the Land Use Committee, chaired by Sabin, has spent over a year crafting the new property maintenance code, the committee’s next focus will be food truck registration, Sabin said.
The public hearing for the revised local law will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. In-person attendance will be limited, so residents may participate via Zoom as well. To join the Zoom meeting, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87421632047 and use meeting ID 874 2163 2047.
Send your comments on the property maintenance proposal by email to [email protected]; by mail to Town Clerk Lynn Precourt, Town of Van Buren, 7575 Van Buren Road, Baldwinsville, NY 13027; or by fax to 315-635-8247 by noon Oct. 20.
Also on the agenda
In addition to introducing the revised property maintenance law, the Van Buren Town Board addressed the following items at its Oct. 6 meeting:
• No parking: A public hearing on a local law prohibiting on-street parking on Higgins Drive from Village Boulevard North to the cul-de-sac will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20.
Also, Highway Superintendent Doug Foster reminded residents that the town’s ban on street parking overnight (2 to 6 a.m.) goes into effect Nov. 15.
• Help wanted: The town board approved the addition of six part-time civil service highway laborer positions to add to the pool of wing operators for snow removal season. Foster encouraged residents interested in the job to contact the highway department at 315-635-5124.
• Budget: The town board will hold budget workshops at 6 p.m. Oct. 14 and 15. The public hearing for the 2021 budget will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.
• Playground: Resident Amy Luke asked the board when the playground at Harbour Heights would reopen. Supervisor Claude Sykes explained that the town cannot afford the personnel or fogging equipment required to disinfect playground equipment throughout the town. He said discussions continue about what to do.
