Tonight (2019-08-19) was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls Board of Trustees.
Much like last week’s Town Board meeting, retirement was a significant topic. In particular, Mike Tobin is resigning as Village Attorney. For legal reasons, a replacement wasn’t appointed tonight, but they know who they want. Looks like there needs to be a public hearing first, which was set for next month, and I would expect the official appointment to follow.
The Village Zoning Code was replaced. The public hearing was tonight, and after going through that (and other required steps) the draft was approved. While I still have issues with the Code (mostly around the default stance of ‘all is denied’), those issues were in the previous code as well. So in that regard, I think it is a good improvement on the previous code. A job well done.
As part of this, the Village is planning to use eCode360 for hosting the code. This seems to be a common enough practice, as they aren’t the only ones in the area doing this. There is some logic to outsourcing things you don’t have someone in house ready to do.
To the dismay of some in the room, it was mentioned how we are about due for a review of the Comprehensive Plan. While no dates were mentioned, I wouldn’t be surprised if a committee were to be formed in the next few months to start looking at that.
As the SEQR was gone over for the Zoning Code, it reminded me of Muffy’s subdivision. Two cases were nothing is actually being done. No construction, no moving of dirt. All ‘action’ is occurring on paper (or computer) in offices. Yet she was denied, and this approved. Different boards, different details, but from a big picture point of view, two very similar situations. Yet another case where SEQR is a cruel, but all too usual, punishment.
A number of activities in the Village were approved. From parades, to festivals, prayer, and bicycling, there looks to be alot going on in the near future. And it was mentioned, this is only of those that made requests. While it isn’t technically legal, someone/group could just go off and do most of these things if they felt like it. And except for the parade (as it blocks the road), that seems appropriate to me. We shouldn’t need governmental approval for our every action.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the August 19, 2019 meeting of the Honeoye Falls Board of Trustees.