Old Town rezoning to undergo a review
Town of Tonawanda lawmakers will review proposals to rezone several lots in the Old Town neighborhood after learning that some existing businesses inadvertently were included.
Owners of two of those lots stepped forward Monday night during a public hearing on the proposals, which are intended to “clean up” zoning in an area where some formerly commercial structures have morphed into residences.
The zoning for the affected lots would change from general or restricted business to residential.
“We are doing this to protect the residents of this area, to rezone them where they should be — residential zones,” said Councilman John A. Bargnesi Jr., chairman of the Town Board’s Planning Board Committee.
Hours earlier, during the board’s work session, officials identified at least three properties that should not have been included in the proposals: 1256 and 1257 Tonawanda St., and 54 Riverdale Ave.
“We are not zoning out any businesses that are currently there,” Bargnesi said.
Carl Sciandra, who operates a small machine shop at 1256 Tonawanda, also asked that the zoning remain intact for an old house around the corner on Edgar Avenue. “I may knock down the house . . . down the road,” Sciandra said, indicating that he would create space for parking.
The owner of a 2,000- square-foot commercial building at 1257 Tonawanda also asked to have the zoning left alone.
In other business Monday, town officials joined the opposition to a proposal to shift reporting of vital statistics to the county level.
The proposal is part of the Pandemic Flu and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Law authored by the state Health Department. The idea is to bring New York in line with federal security requirements for standardized health statistics.
Town clerks are rallying the opposition.
During the board’s afternoon work session, Town Clerk Melissa M. Brinson said: “It would be a significant loss to the town — revenue loss.” The 2008 budget anticipates $55,000 in revenues from those services, which include issuing and providing certified copies of birth and death certificates.
“This is also a major inconvenience to residents,” Brinson added. “Everyone would have to travel downtown.”
In addition, the current proposal would triple the cost of certified copies of official documents from $10 to $30.
“I don’t understand the rationale for it,” Town Supervisor Anthony F. Caruana said. “We are fine where we are.”
