PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING - PUBLIC COMMENTS SUMMARY
Town of Royalton Comprehensive Plan:
Meeting Date: March 12, 2008
- The Canal is a community asset (Marina, bike path)
- Any County interest in purchasing lands along the Canal?
- (Wruck Road parcel owned by County: Plans?)
- Gasport: a Canal Community; a Historic Community
- Gasport is a walkable community- develop this further
- Extend Canal Wall; provide more canal- related facilities in Gasport
- Open Spaces in Royalton are important to character
- Protect Farmland
- Town has adopted right-to-farm provisions-support these in Comp Plan document
- Concerns about windmills were raised-Article X may affect local control
- Check wind maps - map where strongest winds are
- Pros and Cons to ethanol plant in Medina- increased train traffic, higher corn prices
- Want an agricultural and farmland protection plan
- Vineyards: promote wine trail, wineries
- Issues of waste: electronics, recycling, other waste
- Sportsmen clubs
- Business development:
- Where? How big? What type?
- Business development most appropriate along major routes (Route 31; Route 77; Route 93)
- NOT on prime soils, agriculture lands
- Airport - protect glide path; consider potential for reliever airport status (in future)
- Centralized Community Center- youths & adults: social center/ recreation center/ health & wellness
- Consider light industrial development at Route 31/ Route 77 (near airport)
- Open space & Agricultural protection is important
- Escarpment is a valuable asset
- Possible conflicts between escarpment as scenic resource, wind energy
- There are Indian burial grounds in Gasport area
- Waterlines: along Route 31
- Sewers: in Middleport & Gasport
- Bridges- where can you cross Canal?
- How does Royalton fit in with ‘Golden Horseshoe'- Toronto to Rochester regional development - pressure from the east from Lockport; pressure from west from Rochester; future pressure from Toronto? (many lakeshore lands owned by Canadians)
- Issues of transportation- Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) plans- particularly for bike, transit- non-automotive uses
- Historic buildings: take note of locally significant buildings; place controls to avoid demolitions of significant buildings
- Utility lines- bury?
- Tourism potential-Canal, Gasport
- No casinos!
- Policies conducive to agriculture
- Agri-tourism
- Policies conducive to small businesses
- Assets: low crime rate; town has sex offender law; adult use law
- Residential- Minimum lot sizes?
- Example: Elma- allows NO subdivisions-maximum split is two to three lots off parent parcel
- Under County law, any lot larger than 5 acres is not considered a subdivision
- Drainage: Lots of poor draining soils in Town; areas with poor drainage-in many cases due to development from adjoining towns
- Clay mining- are local controls adequate? (ACR notes NYS DEC controls mining issues)
- Tourism- tourism train from Medina to Lockport- add a Gasport station?
- Support for Commercial development in focused areas (Gasport/ Route 31, airport)
- Residential: increase minimum frontage to keep rural atmosphere (200'?)
- Support more creative lot design - rural design standards to maintain rural atmosphere
- Mobile home parks
- Farm development- allows one lot /per year split for housing
- Tourism - Rural Atmosphere is a tourism asset: "Sense of Place"
- Gasport- how to encourage investment in the hamlet/ Hamlet Revitalization strategies
- Farms: Many farmlands are rented - this may be a risk factor. Example: 180 acres being farmed in western portion of Town, but out-of-town owners interested in subdividing into development lots
- Aging population- how to handle inheritance/ retirement issue for farmers
- Benefits of Farming to Royalton:
- Cultural
- Aesthetics
- Economic
- Character
- Disaster planning:
- Rail (potential derailment- more frequent usage; longer trains)
- Fire protection - does fire department have enough equipment?
- Police
- EMS
- Evacuation plans
- Medical facilities?
- Flooding is an issue-especially at southern end of Town
- Tonawanda Creek flooding- flood gates aggravate the problem
- Hamlets - contribute to rural atmosphere, community character
- B&B near canal- has been very popular "Royalton doesn't always appreciate how nice it is"
- Residential - not a large demand; vacancy not a huge problem
- Truck Routes
- Tax Base - economic development: Gasport only part of Town with both water and sewer
- Billboard regulations?
- Scenic Byways (Seaway Trail crosses Town)
- Underground Railroad-
- Erie Canalway plans through Parks & Trails NY - extends from Lockport to Palmyra- they are developing a lot of tourism programs; opportunity for Royalton
- Woodlands/ Forested lands- economic benefit & ecological value
Right to Hunt
