Tonight (2017-08-07) was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls Planning Board.
As sometimes happens, Agenda’s did not appear to be available. Which made the topics of discussion a surprise. Two of them where quick and pretty straightforward, the third was just sad.
The quick ones were an addition on Ontario St (197?) and looking for a Planning Board member to join a committee on the Village’s Zoning. Not much to say here, the addition was quickly approved and everyone wanted to be on the committee.
The long discussion item was a return from last meeting: Muffy’s subdividing (or the subdividing of Muffy?). To oversimplify, we went from last meetings vaguely defined uncertainty requiring additional research, to tonight’s incomplete application due to the applicants inability in predicting future actions of hypothetical third parties (that may or may not exist, someday). It was sad.
I’ve reached the conclusion that someone (either on the board or that has the ear of the board) does not want this subdivision. The publicly stated reason are nebulous at best. Don’t want to set a precedent with flag lots (it’s a rectangle). Need to know the future construction plans (for the foreseeable future, it remains vacant). Is inconsistent with the intent of the comprehensive plan (but not wording).
I found the Plan being brought up particularly disturbing. The applicant said the subdivision was consistent with the wording of the plan as written (and approved by elected officials). A number of board members said it was contrary to the intent (as recalled by unelected bureaucrats). Intents and feelings turn a plan into a weapon to use against the residents. Not what I would consider a happy situation.
With the attention to every minor detail, talking over the applicants (or their agents) comments, and outright denying of the ability to comment, the whole thing felt abusive to me. I don’t like lawsuits, as a general practice, but in this case I couldn’t fault the applicant for taking that approach. Not saying she will, from what I could see she is enduring the ‘death by a thousand cuts‘. There is something to be said for that.
And to top it all off, I’ll likely miss the (hopeful) conclusion of this saga as Planning moved their next meeting to 9/11, which conflicts other activities for me. As stated before, if you can’t stick to a regular schedule, postpone until the next regularly scheduled time.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the August 7th, 2017 meeting of the Honeoye Falls Planning Board.