Cazenovia — Cazenovia Lake is becoming even more kayak and canoe friendly thanks to two projects currently underway in both Lakeland and Lakeside parks in the village. Last week, the village board approved the use fees and policies for the incoming kayak racks to be erected in Lakeside Park this year, and chose a company to perform the construction of the new hand launch and wall repair at the canal behind Carpenter’s Barn.

The two new storage racks, which can hold a total of 12 kayaks and/or canoes, will be placed near the water along the southern boundary of the park inside the L shape of the public boat launch, said Trustee Fritz Koennecke, who also serves as village board liaison for parks and recreation. Use of the racks will be authorized the same way boat launch permits are now: permits will be available through the village clerk and boats may be stored on the racks from the last weekend in April through Columbus Day, which is the same schedule as the boat launch.

Koennecke proposed that permits for one season of boat storage on the racks will cost $40 for village and town residents and $50 for non-residents. Boat launch stewards will monitor the racks to ensure that only permitted boats are on the racks, those without permits will be removed by the village. Under the storage policy, boat owners would be responsible to secure their own boats and the village would not be liable for any kayaks or canoes that are lost or stolen.

“There’s been a lot of requests and a lot of positive response for putting racks there,” Koennecke told the board during its Feb. 1 regular monthly meeting. “We can add more racks if the program is a success.”

Trustee Amy Mann asked if the presence of the boat racks and stored boats would increase or otherwise impact parking at Lakeside Park. Koennecke said he thinks the presence of the boat racks would actually reduce parking congestion in the park because people who currently live in the village but drive to the park with their kayaks or canoes can now store them on site and simply walk to the park when going out on the lake.

continued — The board unanimously approved Koennecke’s proposals for the boat racks fees and use policies, minus Trustee Jim Joseph, who was absent.

Also at the meeting, Mann said the village can begin the process to build a new hand boat launch and repair the canal wall behind Carpenter’s Barn and suggested the village hire Saratoga Associates to draw up the building plans for the projects. Saratoga Associates is currently working with the village on its Lakeland Park Master Plan to enhance the park, and has already worked with the village on the boat launch and wall repair projects by preparing conceptual drawings, Mann said.

The board voted unanimously to allow the mayor to sign a contract with Saratoga Associates for the work at a cost not to exceed $12,000.

The hand launch and wall repair will be paid for through a $70,000 state grant the village received in December as part of Round V of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative and the Upstate Revitalization Initiative.

Also at the meeting, the board:

—Scheduled budget work sessions for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, and 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, in the board meeting room of village hall. Both meetings are open to the public. Mayor Kurt Wheeler said the board will update the public on where the board is in the budget process at its March 7 regular monthly meeting and hope to have a tentative village budget proposed by the April meeting.

—Unanimously voted to “recognize and adopt” the Creekside Park and Creekside Nature Trail development plans as written by Applied Planning, which the village has been working on for more than a year. The plans offer a strategic plan on how best to “facilitate action, recruit resources, and set an overall vision and policies” for the establishment of the Creekside area behind the library and along Chittenango Creek.

continued — —Heard proposed edits to Chapter 180 of the village code which would redefine the word “kennel” in the code to allow for dog grooming businesses to open in the village. Currently, the village code does not distinguish between dog grooming and day care facilities from overnight boarding kennels. The intent of the code change is to separate those activities to keep the overnight practice prohibited but allow day facilities. A public hearing on the local law to change the code was scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, March 7, in the village office.

—Unanimously approved a contract with L.L. Bean to allow the company to continue running its Outdoor Discovery School out of Lakeland Park in 2016.

—Unanimously appointed Cazenovia resident and local attorney Chris Fischer to be the new acting village justice. Fischer will succeed former acting village justice Patrick O’Sullivan, who was elected to the Madison County Court last November. Fischer’s appointment is effective immediately, although he must undergo state training and certification before he can officially take the bench.

—Approved a resolution to declare the Cazenovia American Legion on Chenango Street as the official polling place for the June 21 Cazenovia village election. This is a resolution the board makes every year.