Published: December 11, 2007 07:19 pm            

WHEATFIELD: Residents question part of rezoning

Land on Niagara Falls Boulevard focus of public session

Wheatfield residents don’t seem to be opposed to at least a portion of a proposed rezoning of 300 feet along Niagara Falls Boulevard. It’s the back part that abuts Nash Road they’re concerned about.

Vera Higbee, who owns the property at 3125 Niagara Falls Blvd., requested that it be rezoned to commercial from multi-family residential to make it more marketable. It currently is farmland.

“I just thought that if it was commercial it would be better than housing,” she said Monday night during a public hearing on the rezoning. “There’s enough housing in Wheatfield.”

Wheatfield’s Planning Board forwarded a favorable recommendation on the rezoning because it would be consistent with the town’s master plan and because it would be an extension of an existing commercial use.

“From a planning standpoint, this is where the town would like to see zoning changes in the future,” consultant Tim Walck said, adding, “There’s not a big call for multi-family housing (in that district).”

Residents asked the town board to consider rezoning only the front 300 to 400 feet in order to protect their homes. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable,” Supervisor Tim Demler said of the residents’ request.

Demler said the rezoning is not a Town Board initiative, that the Planning Board must at least entertain a property owner’s request to rezone land.

No action was taken following the public hearing.

Town OKs bonding of $4.1 million

The town board also approved bonding additional money for the water and sewer building and the youth center gymnasium on Monday.

Demler introduced a motion asking to bond $3.3 million, up from $2.3 million, but it failed because no other board members would second it. Board member Larry Helwig later reinstated the motion at $3.1 million.

Demler said the town initially budgeted spending $3 million for the project and threatened that if the board didn’t adopt the bond increase, “the gyms won’t open.”

The board also approved bonding $1 million, up from $500,000, to install electric water meters.

The board did not announce a public hearing for January regarding possible revisions of the town’s dog laws, which Demler said it would at an informational meeting last month.

        

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