Tonight (2017-04-17) was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls Board of Trustees.
I was warned up front it was going to be a long meeting, and it was (by village board standards). Those of us in the audience got out about 9:45PM. The trustees continued in executive session until around 10:15PM (exact time uncertain).
The minutes for the March meeting were approved. As I was unable to attend that meeting, I’ll have to make sure to get a copy of the minutes. Wonder if they will be added to the website tomorrow…
There was discussion about ‘zombie‘ properties, and how the law was changing for how maintenance could be charged to them. Something about how the county would collect, but bill back. Didn’t really make sense to me. Gina (Clerk) was pretty sure it would have no impact on the village.
A public hearing was held for a code change. This change allows self storage to be built in the Traditional Village Zoning District, at least at the broad level. The details allow only one (1) lot to be developed. The restrictions deny all other lots to ever have self storage on them. I pointed out this apparent flaw, but was told that it was intentional. Seems like spot zoning to me. From a process standpoint I think it would have been better done as a zoning variance. The property owner had made a good case at a previous meeting.
Due to the technicalities of public hearings, they are announced for a set time, and have to be started at that time. As that often interrupts what was otherwise being discussed, it can cause confusion. Tonight Rick (Mayor) opted to do the bare minimum of interruption, then finish the item under discussion (fire department vehicles). I think this was a good way to handle things. Allowed the group to focus it’s attention on one thing, before moving on to another.
The most irritating part of the whole process was the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR). I believe it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, and is therefore unconstitutional per the 8th amendment. In this case it could have been more quickly gone over if they had spent a few minutes up front pointing out how the scenario for review was comparing the existing codes most impactful scenario (multi unit apartments) to the potential change (self storage). At which point every question becomes ‘on this topic does self storage have more impact then apartments’. Which should make for a quick list of ‘No’. Instead we get slow discussion on how self storage is more impact then empty field, but still so minor as to be ‘No or small’. For some situations, SEQR may have value. But so far I’ve only ever seen it used as abuse by bureaucracy. Cruel and all too usual.
The Waste Treatment plant is in the process of having an upgrade installed. As part of this upgrade a temporary bypass was installed. Tonight they approved the change order that will make that ‘temporary’ bypass permanent. Or put differently, leave the pipes in place instead of dig them back up. This would allow the bypass to potentially be used in the future, if a situation occurred where they would be useful. I’m not an expert plumber, but one thing I have learned is that the ability to isolate sections for work is very useful. On the small scale that means valves, but that doesn’t work so well when the sewage must flow. Leaving the pipes in place for a bypass seems prudent.
As part of the budgetary games that happen each year, the village committed to buy a piece of equipment (back-hoe?). But they won’t actually pay for it until next fiscal year. I find the juggling amusing more then anything else.
The Chamber of Commerce will be having Movies in the Park on 7/7, 7/28, and 8/11. I’m sure the exact times and movies will be available at some point. Judging from past years, movies will be family friendly and start at ~9PM (dusk).
The local Tractor Supply was asking for permission to hold a Farmer’s Market. This came to the village’s attention because it appeared to be a fundraiser, and therefore need approval from that section of code. Unfortunately, the request as presented is well in excess of the allowed activity. Which is a shame, as the idea sounded like it would be of benefit to the community. Or at least potentially beneficial enough to try out. The board appeared to agree, but their own code got in the way. So they went into a discussion about how to ignore or bend it to allow the activity, while still smothering it under restrictions. This was frustrating, because I pointed out this sort of thing being the negative side effect of creating this code in the first place.
The board was attempting to grant Tractor supply relief from the code, with conditions attached. As we operate under a separation of powers, that task is outside of the Trustees jurisdiction and falls on the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Trustees create the code (and amend it as needed). If an individual wants to appeal it’s use, they got to a different group. The maker of the law, should not also be the judge of the law. Overall it was sad. The Trustees tried to be both a Planning board and Zoning board, giving both site plan approval and variances.
There was also a proclamation for an Arbor Day celebration occuring next Saturday around noon outside the Town Office (Upper Falls). As I will be helping setup for this event, it was of interest to me. I will admit to being somewhat concerned about the Earth Day side of it. I see nothing wrong with planting trees, as they are a good source of the oxygen we breath. But Earth Day seems to get dangerously close to worshiping nature and/or the planet. Never a good idea.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the April 17th, 2017 meeting of the Honeoye Falls Board of Trustees.
Link to agenda on Village website.
Link to agenda stored on this site, should the village lose their copy.