Town of Niagara working on updated zoning code

By Benjamin Joe

The Town of Niagara adopted its municipal comprehensive plan in 2019. Now, after six years of delay – largely due to the COVID pandemic – the town’s zoning code is being updated along the lines of the plan that was created with the community’s input.

Andy Martin of Ingalls Design, the firm that did the planning work for the zoning code updates, spoke Thursday, March 27, to an audience of two residents and five city employees, including councilmen Marc Carpenter and Johnny Parks. He was joined by Town of Niagara Building Inspector Charles Haseley to answer questions regarding the zoning code’s reconfiguration.

Martin said the goal of the reconfiguration is to keep things similar to how they look today, but to make it easier for those applying for building permits by providing an updated list of uses allowed in each district in the straightforward manner shown at the open house.

“They are minor and they are strategic,” Martin said of the zoning changes. “The hope is that most of these districts look familiar, they look the same. …

“The two key things are that they align with the comprehensive plan, which was a community-led process, and what is there now.”

Martin did note the Planning and Zoning boards would still have to approve permits. The ease of developing doesn’t go that far, he said.

Of the residents who attended the open house, Paula Wojtowicz was the most vocal. Identifying herself as a resident along Tuscarora Road, she had several questions and expressed concern about potential flooding in the town.

Wojtowicz asked if a stormwater grant was being pursued by the town, to which Haseley said one of the reasons for finishing work on the zoning updates and comprehensive plan is to apply for those very funds.

“It specifically targets stormwater hazards,” he said. “So, if we want grant money, it’s on our comprehensive plan; we’ve checked that box; bang, we can apply now.”

After the meeting, Wojtowicz said the open house was a positive experience and she looks forward to more opportunities in the future for the public to have input in how the town combats flooding.

Carpenter noted the board had been discussing lot widths to up to 85 feet. Currently, the width size proposed is 60 feet, and whether that stays the same is in the balance, Martin said to Carpenter, and Haseley agreed.

“This is something we’ve pretty closely discussed,” Martin said. “So, at this point, we want to see what everyone’s thoughts are before we make final decisions on lot width or any of the dimensions.”

Martin said his firm will continue implementing all the comments and will have a draft code this spring.

“A lot of the work was already done by the town,” he said. “In 2020, a lot of work was done and they ‘loosened the pickle jar’ a lot, so they had gotten us to the point where most of this was thought about. We were, fortunately, able to take a lot of that work and adapt it minorly to these districts here.”

Further comments on the zoning code can be directed to Town Clerk Melissa Cerrillo.