East Aurora officials cool to expanding rule for project hearings
East Aurora’s reputation for tough scrutiny on development proposals doesn’t seem to be mellowing.
At Monday’s work session of the Village Board, Trustee Libby Weberg proposed requiring public hearings on all development plans — not only those in the Mid-Main Historic District, which usually gets an even closer look by village officials.
As quickly as she raised the idea, Weberg began backing away from making it quite so restrictive for all projects. Some village trustees said mandating public hearings for commercial projects, instead of including residential ones, would be preferable. Some officials indicated the process could be too cumbersome — especially for residents considering modest home improvements.
Asked afterward for a copy of her proposal, Weberg said she had none and insisted she had no specific guideline in mind. The board agenda item, however, highlighted its application to making “public hearings mandatory for all development plans [not just in Mid-Main district).” It suggested amending the village code to do so.
During the meeting, Weberg noted that the village already requires public hearings for the Mid-Main district.
“It would just make everything more consistent,” she said, adding that public hearings could be scheduled during board work sessions.
Village Attorney Robert Pierce noted that the village is not required to hold public hearings for all projects. Village Administrator Kimberly Reichert noted that under Weberg’s proposal, a resident looking to expand a porch or add to a home could fall under such scrutiny. That, Reichert said, could lead to a feeling of overkill.
Initially, Trustee Peter Mercurio praised Weberg’s idea but later suggested the village consider the additional requirements only for commercial projects, not residential ones. Trustees Ernest Scheer and Kevin Biggs also agreed to limit it to commercial proposals.
After some board discussion, Weberg seemed to back away from the perceived intent of her plan. She said she wasn’t looking for anything specific, but was leaning — along with the board — toward the additional requirement applying to commercial projects and larger developments. She also said the village should adopt new design guidelines — still being crafted — before her proposal moved forward.
Trustee Ernest Scheer questioned how much such additional public hearings would cost the village, specifically for required advertising and mailings to residents.
Mayor Clark Crook recommended the village complete work on its design guidelines before going further. Those guidelines are expected to give developers a clearer idea of what the village desires in restorations and new structures.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments