The joint village/town meeting that occurred last week to discuss the requested annexation of 10 acres of land on Route 20 for redevelopment was an excellent discussion, both on the merits of the potential annexation (the reason for the meeting) and on the current plans for the construction of an Aldi grocery store and other commercial and residential buildings. While there were speakers who opposed the proposal simply to oppose it (as happens with every project) and those who support it because they favor new businesses, there were also some substantive comments and questions that can and should be taken into consideration before any approvals occur.
Some concerns we agree with: The plan seems to have an awful lot of blacktop parking space fronting on Route 20 (We thought the VES design guidelines required/suggested parking be behind buildings to prevent being an eyesore?); there should be consolidated and smart curb cuts and Route 20 access points so as to avoid confusion and multiple entrances to a busy road; the aesthetics of the buildings changing the character of the village.
But these all come later. Right now, the question is whether or not to approve annexation, as the developer requested (not the village).
As to whether annexation will benefit the village, it seems clear that it will. The land in question will be developed eventually — indisputably — so the question is what goes there and how it is conceived. The proposed redevelopment will remove the blight of a decaying, derelict motel and café. How is that not positive? The proposed businesses — any businesses really — will add vast amounts of tax income to the village coffers, which the current properties do not. How is that not a benefit? A wider choice of amenities for local residents and increased residential space will certainly make Cazenovia more attractive to potential home buyers, which we need. How is that not a benefit?
The issue is what businesses go on the site and how they are built. This is a legitimate concern and one that absolutely must be debated and discussed vociferously by everyone in Cazenovia. That is what the Comprehensive Plan and the VES design guidelines were created to regulate; that is what the village planning board will spend vast amounts of time considering. No one wants big concrete blocks of buildings on Route 20, and village officials certainly will not allow that to happen. That is what the entire approval process is for — to create plans that satisfy the builder, the village and the residents. And residents will have ample opportunity to comment on the proposed redevelopment plans as the approval process moves forward. For now, the question is about annexation approval and whether annexation will benefit the village. It seems obvious that it will, and the land in question has been targeted for annexation for more than 20 years. So why oppose it?
The next joint board meeting on annexation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, in the second floor auditorium of the village municipal building.
