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Wheatfield seeks comment on possible zoning changes

Fri, Jun 26th 2015 08:40 pm

Meeting: The public has a chance Monday to examine Niagara Falls Boulevard possibilities, comment.

By Jill Keppeler

Tribune Editor

Possible zoning changes are coming up along Niagara Falls Boulevard in the Town of Wheatfield - and town officials want to know what the public thinks of them.

The town will host a meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Wheatfield Town Hall, 2800 Church Road, to allow residents and business owners the opportunity to see the possibilities being considered for the route and to give people a chance to have their comments taken into account as part of the process.

Town officials will be available
to show the potential changes and to listen to concerns. At 7 p.m., there will be a presentation of the background and where the process will go from here.

Town Supervisor Robert Cliffe said there are a number of changes under consideration for the roadway. For example, years ago, the zoning of 250 feet from the center of Niagara Falls Boulevard out was set as commercial, with land beyond that set as something else, he said.

"It has been many years since anyone took a good look at that," he said.

The proposed changes have been examined by a consultant, the town Planning Board and the comprehensive plan task force.

"Now it's coming to the people," Cliffe said. "We're holding this meeting so anyone on the boulevard, anyone who lives there or owns a business there, anyone who rents there - anyone else for that matter - can come in and ask questions."

One possible change would involve making the aforementioned split properties entirely commercial. Other changes would involve rezoning some residential areas as commercial for future purposes, Cliffe said.

"Any time you're dealing with somebody's property, you want to make sure they're fully informed," he said. "Zoning can be a very ticklish issue, because everyone has their own ideas of where they're going to be in 25 years. If they're part of the process, that's good for us."

After this meeting, any changes would still have to go back through the Planning Board and the task force, after which a public hearing would take place before any official rezoning.

"There is a long way to go and this is a very important part of it," Cliffe said. "If you want to do a process this large, you want to have as much input as possible."

For more information, call the town supervisor's office at 716-694-6680.

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