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About 50 students from Batavia High School, Batavia Middle School, Byron-Bergen Central School, Albion Central School and Medina Central School took part in a recreational field trip this afternoon (Thursday) at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia. They participated in the Liberty Partnership Program, which is coordinated by Genesee Community College in conjunction with the NYS Department of Education.

Mary Ann Bowman, program director, said the outing provided an opportunity to "keep the students connected" while school is in recess. The students bowled two or three games and enjoyed pizza and pop during their time at the East Main Street facility.

The Liberty Partnership Program, in its 28th year, provides service to students in public and non-public schools grades five through 12 in an effort to maximize high school graduation and to encourage them to pursue higher education or post-secondary vocational training.

The Program promotes collaboration between colleges and universities, community based organizations, school districts, parents, volunteers, businesses and industry in providing comprehensive services for students to enter the workforce prepared with the necessary skills to be successful.

Liberty Partnership provides the following services: Academic/Personal Advisement, Homework Assistance, Career Awareness, Cultural and Enrichment Activities, Family Casework, Mentoring, Home Visits, Parental Involvement, Service Learning Projects/Civic Duty, Preparedness and College Tours and Summer Programming.

Photos -- From the top: Batavia High School students; Novalee Pocock, B-B fifth-grader; Batavia Middle School students with caseworker Kristen Calarco-Gomez; Jayden Doyle, B-B eighth-grader. 

Several bowlers cracked the 700 mark at area bowling centers during the week of Dec. 19.

To see who was hot on the lanes, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

On Saturday (Dec. 17), the curtain came down on the 70^th anniversary season of racing at Batavia Downs. America’s oldest lighted harness track’s meet that began on Monday (July 25), ran two days longer than originally scheduled after racing was extended for an extra weekend.

As usual, the stake season was highlighted by eight divisions of the New York Sire Stake series, which featured the best state bred horses and Grand Circuit horsemen. The series featured visits from the likes of John Campbell and Andy Miller and produced two new track records.

On Saturday (Sept. 3) Pointomygranson (Marcus Miller) toured the facility in 1:53.2 and set a new standard for 2-year-old pacing geldings and on Wednesday (Sept. 14) Zack’s Zoomer (Marcus Miller) trotted a mile in 1:58.1 and established a new track record for 2-year-old trotting colts.

Racing under saddle (RUS) made its debut at the Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 7) and that produced a new track record as well. Admirable Hanover who was ridden by Vanessa Karlewicz won the $4,000 event in 2:03.4.

On Saturday (Oct. 9), Batavia Downs signature stake, the $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial trot saw the $7 million man, Foiled Again (Kevin Cummings) come from well off the pace to win by a length in 1:52.2 on the strength of an exciting stretch drive at 9-1. That win marked the 90^th trip to the winner’s circle for the richest standardbred in the history of the sport.

For the first time ever, Batavia Downs offered a new claiming series that ran throughout the whole meet. Claimers of both gaits accrued points month to month in order to make finals worth between $15,000 and $20,000. On Saturday (Nov. 13) trotters Love U Forever and Chrome Finish, and pacers Outoftexas, War Front, Vals Jett, Big Unit and Can U Be Fun won the finals in their respective divisions.

In September, Batavia Downs hosted a new owners' seminar in conjunction with the United States Trotting Association and the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State. Twenty-six people took part in the workshop that took them from the classroom to the paddock and provided them with everything they needed to learn in order to make informed decisions about standardbred ownership.

On the track, one of the best driving colonies in some time put on quite a show. Perennial local favorite Jim Morrill Jr. put in another stellar effort that was highlighted by a seven-win night, two six-win nights and four five-win nights.

But it was 22-year-old Drew Monti who eventually won the dash driving title with 116 wins for the meet. Monti also registered a seven-win night and two five-win efforts as well. It was the first ever driving title won by Monti.

Jim Morrill Jr. did set a new single meet earnings record at the Downs after he banked $849,024 in purses from July to December.

JD Perrin “three-peated” his training crown, finishing first again this year with 47 wins. Perrin’s meet started off strong before many of his horses fell ill. But after a trying middle stretch, the stable got back on track over the last month and Perrin was able to defend his title again.

The winningest post position was post one with 231 wins followed by post two (151), post four (138) and post three (126). Post one also made the board 63 percent of the time.

Also, the favorites won the race 46 percent of the time during the course of the meet.

“We had a very exciting year at Batavia Downs this year. The product on the track was very competitive and having drivers like Jim Morrill Jr., Drew Monti, Shawn Gray and newcomer Larry Stalbaum joining the fray, the competition was fierce every night” said Todd Haight, GM/Director of Live Racing. “Despite our handle being down 5 percent for the meet, we paid out a record $5.9 million in purse money and we look forward to doing that again next year.”

Pending approval from the New York State Gaming Commission, the 2017 live racing meet at Batavia Downs will start on Wednesday (July 26).  

The management and horsemen of Batavia Downs would like to wish everyone in the industry a very happy Holiday Season and the best of luck in the upcoming new year. 

A Town of Batavia property owner told the municipality's Town Board on Wednesday night that he thinks the current version of its Comprehensive Plan Update contains rules and regulations that would prevent future development of his land.

"The plan is very restrictive," said Bruce Newton, owner of property next to the Tonawanda Creek near the Willow Bend Inn on West Main Street Road. "My dream (of expansion) is somewhat ... it has squelched my dream, and I feel that the value of the land will go down as well."

Speaking at a public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan Update, Newton said that the first draft of the plan makes it "virtually impossible" for him to build a house or do anything on the land that is zoned for commercial use.

"The regulations that are in place are on the depth of federal and state levels, restricting expansion opportunities," he said. "If I have to refer to your map, there is not a lot of wiggle room."

The Comprehensive Plan governs decisions on zoning, capital improvements and budgeting, addressing key issues such as land use, natural resources, agriculture and farmland, parks and recreation, housing, economic development, transportation and government services. It last was updated about seven years ago.

Newton asked if the town is expecting massive expansion in the area, to which Supervisor Gregory Post replied that they have seen a 100-percent increase in building permits over the past decade, and that projections call for "2,000 to 30,000 jobs over the next 10 years."

"A guide (to development and its impact on the environment) is needed," Post said. "I don't know if the Comprehensive Plan will prevent anybody (from building), but it gives the town the opportunity to help you through the process, and get a feel of what you can invest in."

Newton mentioned that his land is zoned for commercial use now, adding that "it would be quite a 180 to go from zoned commercial to a green area for parks and recreation."

Barbara Johnston of LaBella Associates Inc., a Rochester engineering, planning and consulting firm that has been assisting the town in this project, said the town is proposing an "overlay district" -- which does not affect the zoning but does add to the regulations.

It is not a deal-breaker for potential development, she said, unless the land is part of a wetland or in a flood zone where the Department of Environmental Conservation or Federal Emergency Management Agency would get involved.

"The DEC is your biggest worry," she said.

Newton asked if those updating the plan were basing their ideas off another plan in New York State or if they were "flying by the seat of their pants?"

Sheila Hess of CC Environment & Planning, of East Bethany, who also is assisting the town, said it is a science-based plan taking many elements found in an Ulster County pilot program and the Green Infrastructure Network, with a goal of marrying the town's natural resources with development to "sustain the overall quality of the town."

Johnston added that the Town of Batavia plan is "less strict than many models we have looked at, and is locally developed, which is better than one-size-fits-all."

Newton's father, George, suggested that the town should consider the Tonawanda Creek as an asset worth developing around.

"It should be greater than it is today," he said. "People who live around the river (creek) are not contaminating it. It's what's being pumped into it."

Earlier, Paul Kulczyk, a West Main Street Road resident for the past 25 years, said he wondered how areas of potential development near areas of natural resources as depicted on a Green Action Plan map "could sustain themselves wiithin such close proximity of each other."

Both Johnston and Hess acknowledged that these future residential areas would be subject to "special review" by the Town Board and Town Planning Board before any final determination could be made.

At the end of the 45-minute session, Post said the Town Board will review all comments and come up with a revised draft -- which likely will add the fiscal impact of development -- to present at another public meeting. He said he hopes to complete the process by early spring.

In other developments, the Town Board:

-- Approved shared services agreements with the towns of Pavilion and Alexander for code enforcement next year at a cost of $15,000 and $10,500, respectively, to those municipalities, and a similar agreement with the Town of Stafford for financial clerk services in 2017 that stipulates payment of $16,000 from the Town of Stafford.

-- Learned that Batavia Town Fire Chief Paul Barrett will be stepping down at the end of the year, and will be replaced by Deputy Chief Daniel Coffey, who is a sergeant on the City of Batavia police force. Barrett said he will continue on the department's board of directors.

In a related move, the board OK'd a contract with the Town of Batavia Fire Department for 2017 that calls for the town to pay $916,858 in 2017 for fire protection services within the established district.

-- Appointed Andrew Meier as town attorney for 2017 at the rate of $195 per hour and Theron Howard as town prosecutor for 2017 at an all-inclusive salary of $675 per week. Meier and Howard will be replacing Kevin Earl, who has accepted the position of Genesee County attorney.

Motorists wanting to travel south on River Street from Main Street or north from West Main Street -- other than residents on that stretch of the road -- have been forced to find alternate routes the past two days due to underground utility work, adjacent to Five Star Bank. The street reopened on Thursday (Dec. 22).

Photo by Mike Pettinella.

A new state law that goes into effect today is another tool for communities in their efforts to crack down on the number of bank-foreclosed (“zombie”) homes in New York, according to Batavia’s city manager.

“While the local law that we passed deals with development of these types of homes, this state law is more about monitoring (the banks that have interest in abandoned properties),” Jason Molino said this morning. “It’s a good tool, but it will take time for things to filter out to see the impact.”

The Foreclosure Relief Act is a new law that requires banks or mortgage lenders to maintain properties that have become vacant during the foreclosure period, and also requires that periodic inspections be made. Failure to comply with the law could result in fines up to $500 per day.

The law also includes a toll-free hotline for people to report zombie properties and a statewide registry to track them.

“Once rules are put in place by the state agencies involved, we will have a better understanding of the accountability piece,” Molino said. “The goal is to prevent foreclosures from happening and also as a tracking and enforcement tool to prevent lenders from letting the properties go under water.”

The push to get the law passed in Albany was led by South Buffalo Assemblyman Michael Kearns, who promoted a “shame the banks” campaign.

Prior to this law, it was up to cities and counties to fight the banks that created the zombie homes, usually through fines against the property owners for building code violations. But since banks aren’t taking legal control of the houses, they have been able to avoid paying additional fines or fees.

Under the Foreclosure Relief Act, the state Department of Financial Services – which issues the banks’ state licenses – also has enforcement authority.

To report zombie properties, contact New York's Department of Financial Services at (800) 342-3736.   

About a year and a half ago, City Council passed a local law that provides incentives to owners of highly distressed properties willing to spend the time and money to renovate their homes.

Council acted on a gap financing plan devised by Molino (with assistance from the New York Conference of Mayors) that offers exemptions for up to 25 years on the increase in the property’s assessed value after redevelopment.

Henry Wojtaszek, president of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., is hoping for a Christmas present in the form of the governor's signature on a bill that would "level the playing field" when it comes to the amount of revenue that Batavia Downs Gaming would be able to retain.

Currently, Batavia Downs Gaming gets to keep 35 percent of the net proceeds. If the bill -- which has passed through both houses of the State Legislature -- is signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, that figure would rise to 41 percent. A 6-percent increase translates to roughly $3 million in additional earnings.

"We're at a disadvantage now," Wojtaszek said following Thursday morning's board of directors meeting. "Other casinos in WNY -- Buffalo Raceway, Finger Lakes and the Senecas -- are at 41 percent, and more in some cases."

Wojtaszek said it's a matter of "being fair and competitive, and enabling us to retain and create jobs."

"The passage of this bill would definitely level the playing field," he said.

He said the bill is on the governor's desk.

In consideration of the ever-increasing competition, WROTB officials are anticipating operational earnings of $2,628,000 for 2017 -- down from the $3.3 million that was projected for 2016. The 2017 figure is based on a net revenue projection of $3,817,000 minus a $1,189,000 surcharge paid to municipalities.

"The corporation feels the opening of del Lago (in Seneca County) on February 1st will have some impact; of course, there will be a honeymoon period," said Comptroller Jacquelyne Leach. "But our advertising and marketing department is stepping up efforts to offset this."

Leach said her net revenue projection of $3.8 million is based on overall revenues of $76.3 million minus payments to all state entities and operational expenses totaling $72.5 million.

In another development, WROTB directors extended farewell wishes to Fred Hamilton, of Batavia, who is retiring on Dec. 31 after nearly 11 years as the corporation's food services director.

"When we hired Fred, immediately the quality, service and product went skyward," said Michael Kane, former WROTB president and current consultant to the board. "He treats every customer like it's his brother. We'll all miss you. You've done a wonderful job for this corporation."

Hamilton said he is "going to miss a lot of people" and thanked all the "great people" who work at Batavia Downs, but said that "the timing is right" for retirement. He has been in the food service business for nearly 50 years.

Photo -- Fred Hamilton, center, is congratulated by Henry Wojtaszek and Jacquelyne Leach at today's WROTB board meeting. Hamilton, the Downs' food services director, is retiring at the end of the year. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

• The startup and/or expansion of seven Batavia-based businesses that capitalized on microenterprise grants;
• The imminent transformation of the former J.J. Newberry building on Main Street into a brewing company and “freshLAB” restaurant;
• And, of course, the $17 million renovation and redevelopment of the former Santy’s Tire Shop and Soccio & Della Penna Construction site on Ellicott Street into a retail/commercial/residential complex.

These projects, along with a handful of other grant-aided ventures, signal a continuing, successful effort by the Batavia Development Corp. to revitalize the city’s downtown and broaden the tax base throughout the municipality, said the president of the organization’s board of directors.

Speaking Monday night at the City Council meeting, Ray Chaya, a BDC board member for nine years who is “terming out” next month, said Batavia’s positive, can-do message has resonated with regional and state economic development agencies. As a result, grants have been awarded to initiatives to the tune of more than $2 million.

“We’ve come to be a community of believers,” Chaya said, noting that the passing of resolutions by government boards, phone calls from local leaders to regional executives and media coverage were key factors in last week’s awarding of the $1.9 million Consolidated Funding Application grant by the Finger Lakes Regional Development Council for the Ellicott Station project.

He added that the BDC also expects to receive a $500,000 Restore NY grant for environmental remediation of the Santy’s/Della Penna site, and the developer, Savarino Cos. of Buffalo, is in line to receive federal new market tax credits “to help close the gap” and make the project worthwhile.

City Manager Jason Molino said the BDC is looking into “multiple funding sources to offset the cost,” including Brownfield cleanup tax credits and the Batavia Pathway to Prosperity fund – a partnership of the City of Batavia, Genesee County, Batavia City School District and Genesee County Economic Development Center.

“The Pathways to Prosperity addresses the anti-poverty issue and is a feather in the cap,” Molino said. “The way we were able to transfer the property as an LLC to the BDC and then to the developer is the first of its kind on several different levels … and that’s what has drawn attention to it.”

Chaya named seven businesses that participated in the BDC’s microenterprise grant program, which empowered the agency to piecemeal the distribution of $200,000 to qualifying entrepreneurs who participated in the program.

Those businesses are Hidden Door, Batavia Brewing Co., Gams Sweet & Savory, Teddy Bear Day Care, T-Shirts Etc., Amy’s Fluffy Friends and Trash Away. All of the businesses’ expenditures are closely monitored by the BDC and the state’s Office of Community Renewal, with milestones and metrics having to be met per grant regulations.

The Batavia Brewery Co./freshLAB project also has been boosted by several performance-based grants, Chaya said, namely a $500,000 Main Street anchor grant, $60,785 from the United States Department of Agriculture and a $100,000 National Grid Revitalization grant.

Additional tax credits could come if the building – which also will house market-rate apartments on the upper floors -- is put onto the National Register of Historic Place as sought by owners Matthew Gray and Matt Boyd.  

Chaya said that bidding on construction is taking place through Jan. 6 and work is expected to begin in late winter. The overall cost of this project is estimated at $1.5 million.

The city also received two other FLREDC grants -- $25,000 for the Downtown Batavia Healthy Living Campus’ feasibility study and $12,500 to the Batavia Business Improvement District for a Downtown Batavia Public Market Study.

Chaya also reported that an Empire State Development grant in the amount of $15,000 is being used to develop a plan for the Harvester Park subdivision.

Batavia City Council set a public hearing on its amended sign code Monday night, but not before President Eugene Jankowski Jr. made sure three key changes had been made to the regulations.

"They added the 10 seconds like we asked, and also the nonconforming provision and removed the whole section about charging (an annual) fee," Jankowski said prior to the unanimous vote to schedule the public hearing for 7 p.m. Jan. 9 -- the date of Council's next Business meeting.

The revised sign code reduces the amount of time that the message on an electronic digital sign could be changed -- from once every hour to once every 10 seconds. It also eliminates an annual $25 fee that would have been imposed upon a business owner to operate a digital sign, and "grandfather's" in digital signs that currently are located in zoning districts (such as residential and/or Industrial) not authorized to have electronic message boards.

Another important revision is the elimination of county and city planning board reviews and special permits for those seeking area variances (example, changing the size of a sign). Upon passage of the amended code, an applicant would be able to go directly before the Zoning Board of Appeals, thus cutting the time frame of the approval process considerably.

In other action, Council:

-- Approved a resolution authorizing an agreement with the state Department of Transportation for preliminary engineering and design for preventive maintenance of six city streets: Clinton Street, East Avenue, Liberty Street, South Liberty Street, Swan Street and Vine Street.

Council appropriated $60,050 toward this phase of the milling and resurfacing project, which is expected to cost $2.5 million. Eighty percent of the work will be funded through Federal Transportation Funds, with the remaining 20 percent to be provided through a local match. 

Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian inquired why Harvester Avenue wasn't included on list, stating that it is "one of the worst streets in the City of Batavia."

City Manager Jason Molino responded that the street's Paving Condition Index did not warrant it to be placed at or near the top of the list, while Councilman John Canale added that the problem is with the "manhole covers that are so sunken in that it's like hitting a pothole -- and you can't avoid them."

-- Authorized renewing the Inter-Municipal City Court Prosecutorial Service Agreement with Genesee County. The contract was set to expire at the end of this year.

-- Agreed to consider a two-year extension of the city's lease and sublease agreement with the Rochester Red Wings and Genesee County Baseball Club for the management of Dwyer Stadium and the Batavia Muckdogs. The current lease terminates on April 2.

Molno said there would be no change in terms and conditions. The agreement also involves the Batavia Regional Recreation Corp. and the Rochester Community Baseball Inc., with day-to-day operations the responsibility of the Red Wings organization and GCBC, and capital improvements the responsibility of the City of Batavia. 

The pact also calls for the GCBC to sumbit a capital project plan and budget for next year, to be approved by City Council. Molino said all parties have had preliminary talks about what improvements need to be made for the 2017 season.

Brooks Hawley bid farewell to his fellow (and lady) City Council members Monday night, ending a five-year run that saw him advance to president of the board, but left stating that his interest in politics and local government is as keen as ever.

"I'm not leaving and going away to never be heard from again," Hawley said following the meeting at City Centre Council Chambers. "I'm looking forward to staying inovlved and helping out in areas that need working on."

Hawley is relinquishing his Councilman-At-Large seat due to the relocation of his family from the city into his late grandfather's house in the Town of Batavia, thus making him ineligible to serve on City Council. So far, three people have emerged as possible candidates to replace him (subject to a recommendation by the City Republican Committee).

"It has been amazing," Hawley said after receiving well-wishes from the other council members and city employees.

The Batavia Development Corp. and Buffalo developer Samuel Savarino received the news they have been waiting for today when the Finger Lakes Regional Development Council announced the release of $1.9 million in funding for the Ellicott Station project on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia.

“This is fantastic for Ellicott Station, phenomenal for the City of Batavia, but what is really great is that the governor (Andrew Cuomo) and the regional leaders believe that we can transform Batavia, and they’re ready to help us do that,” said Julie Pacatte, BDC coordinator.

The $1.9 million Consolidated Funding Application grant is the second-largest award of this round of funding in the Finger Lakes Region – surpassed only by the $2 million awarded to the Sibley’s project in Rochester.

Gov. Cuomo announced that more than $700 million in economic and community development funding was awarded today to the state’s 10 regional councils through Round VI of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

In the press release from the governor’s office, he said that “through the Regional Economic Development Councils, we have replaced the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to economic growth with a ‘ground-up’ strategy that focuses on cooperation and investing in regional assets to generate opportunity.

“By bringing together ideas from local government and community leaders with state resources, we are giving these councils the tools to create jobs and drive economic activity in their communities for generations to come.”

Rachael Tabelski, marketing director for the Genesee County Economic Development Center, applauded the news, adding that the support of FLREDC Co-Chairs Anne Kress and Danny Wegman gives the city a strategic edge.

“It’s a major, major project for downtown Batavia that is going to transform everything, and the backing of the regional co-chairs ensures that this project will happen, and happen on its full scale,” she said.

Other project awards coming to Genesee County include:

-- $150,000 to Sysco (Western NY Depot) to clear land and build a facility to house delivery management for distribution services;
-- $96,000 to Genesee County Chamber of Commerce (Haunted History Trail of NYS, 2017 initiatives) to conduct a conversion/economic impact study for the haunted history trail, the first and only statewide paranormal tourism trail in the United States;
-- $47,500 to Genesee County (Genesee County Housing Needs Assessment) to complete a housing needs study;
-- $50,000 to City of Batavia to complete a stormwater capital plan;
-- $25,000 to the City of Batavia (Downtown Batavia Healthy Living Campus) for a feasibility study for a comprehensive, multipurpose health campus downtown;
-- $12,500 to the Batavia Business Improvement District (Downtown Batavia Public Market Study) for an assessment and conceptual market master plan for sites in downtown Batavia.

Pacatte noted that the Healthy Living and Public Market grants are for areas within the Batavia Opportunity Area that her agency has been focusing on for redevelopment.

“Both initiatives are BOA-centric, and will improve the core – the civic center – of our county,” she said.

As far as Ellicott Station is concerned, three weeks ago Savarino provided an update to City Council, and specifically mentioned that the CFA grant that came through today along with a $500,000 Restore NY grant and new market tax credits were essential to making the project work.

Savarino’s plan is to convert the former Santy's Tire Sales and Soccio & Della Penna Construction sites a mixed-use, commercial/retail/residential complex.

The project is expected to cost around $17 million. 

Updating the Town of Batavia’s Comprehensive Plan that will guide its decisions on zoning, capital improvements and budgeting has turned into a balancing act – a lengthy process that pits the desire to promote commercial development against the need to protect its valuable natural resources.

That was the viewpoint of Town Engineer Steven Mountain as he spoke to about 25 people who attended a public informational meeting on Wednesday night at Town Hall on West Main Street Road.

Mountain, responding to an impassioned plea by town resident Mary Martha Webster to keep the “rural” feel of the community, said town officials – in conjunction with independent environmental planners – are “trying to take a harder look at that (preserving natural resources and the land).”

“The development pressure is there; we’re trying to balance it,” Mountain said. “This is really the first time we’ve taken that approach.”

Webster apparently took exception to a segment of the presentation by Barbara Johnston of LaBella Associates Inc., a Rochester engineering, planning and consulting firm, who has been assisting the Town in its Comprehensive Plan update and with the Green Genesee/Smart Genesee initiative – the latter a grant-funded scientific approach that connects the natural environment and business growth.

“All I have heard is development, development. I moved to a rural area. This is not what I want, this is what you want, Greg,” Webster said, directing her comments to Town Supervisor Gregory Post. “You’re making the Town of Batavia into the City of Batavia.”

Following Mountain’s response, Johnston added that the team charged with updating the Comprehensive Plan is “trying to build it with a natural resource base and agricultural base.”

Daniel Lang, the Town’s code enforcement officer, said the goal is not to expand the amount of land available for commercial development but to “place stricter guidelines for developers (by) looking at consequences to natural resources.”

“We will be setting more limitations … criteria (that developers would have to follow) that would be sent to the planning board for complete review,” he added. “It will add an extra step of protection for the environment … and will keep it rural.”

Mountain agreed, stating that the Town “wants to be on the forefront, (able) to dictate to developers that if you want to come here, you will build to these standards.”

Johnston, in her PowerPoint presentation, explained that the Comprehensive Plan -- a blueprint for zoning and code design for the next 15 years or more -- addresses key issues such as land use, natural resources, agriculture and farmland, parks and recreation, housing and residential neighborhoods, business and economic development, transportation and energy, and government services and budgeting.

The Comprehensive Plan team, which also includes Sheila Hess of CC Environment & Planning, of East Bethany, and Matt Ingalls of Ingalls Planning & Design, of Fairport, has reviewed existing studies in these areas, and has set the following goal: Balancing natural, agricultural and rural landscapes with residential, commercial, industrial and institutional development.

“The keystone of the entire plan in general is the land use map (which defines the different zones and shows areas that are best suited for development),” Johnston said.

She noted that their research has led to a projection that the Town has another 1.5 million square feet of land that lends itself well to future development (currently 2.7 million square feet has been developed in that manner). She also said their model calls for an additional 500 or so housing units.

The Comprehensive Plan committee also is analyzing the Town’s budget, Johnston said, to gauge the plan’s financial impact. She showed a slide that revealed that 62 percent of the Town’s revenue is derived from taxes paid by homeowners.

Post said he expects that number to decrease in a couple years when some of the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOTS) granted to large commercial ventures start to come off the books, and those businesses begin to pay more in taxes.

All involved stated that Wednesday’s meeting is a step in the process, which could go on for another few months.

A public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at Town Hall. Depending upon the feedback, changes could be made, pushing the plan’s adoption to the spring.

“This is not the first or the last of these meetings and this is not a slam dunk,” Post said. “But if you don’t have a plan, change occurs anyway. It’s our kids and our grandkids that we’re looking out for.”

Photo -- Barbara Johnston, left, and Daniel Lang address some of Mary Martha Webster's concerns following Wednesday night's Comprehensive Plan Update presentation at Batavia Town Hall. Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Community members, young and old, are eligible to participate in the Ellicott Trail project logo competition that has been set up by the bicycle/pedestrian path’s steering committee.

Three cash prizes -- $100 for first place, $75 for second and $25 for third -- are being offered to those who submit the logos that are judged the best to represent the 4.6-mile trail that will run from Seven Springs Road to Pearl Street Road (Route 33).

A story about Tuesday night’s public information meeting can be found below.

The new logo will be used in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, all-weather exterior signs, way-finding maps, stainless steel sidewalk emblems and, eventually, banners, stickers and fliers.

The contest calls for submissions to be simple, single-color designs that can be converted into stainless steel emblems. Every entry must include the trail’s official name or initials (or both), and include a graphic element or design. Entries should be approximately 8-inches by 8-inches.

“We’re looking for the logo to be fairly simplistic – not overly intricate,” said Thomas Lichtenthal Jr., project coordinator.

Submission guidelines are as follows:

-- Send hard copies to Lisa Casey, City of Batavia, One Batavia City Centre, Batavia, NY 14020;
-- Electronic submittals to lcasey@batavianewyork.com, emailed as JPG files, no smaller than 500KB and no larger than 3MB;
-- No limit to the number of entries one person or team can submit;
-- No entries will be returned, and winning entry becomes the exclusive property of the City and Town of Batavia for its unlimited use;
-- All entries must include the designer’s name, address, phone number, email and age;
-- Questions should be directed to Donna Rae Sutherland, at 585-343-0055, ext. 6616, or dsutherland@genesee.edu.

Deadline for all entries is Jan. 30.

Graphic above depicts possible logos -- example, the E and T on each side of railroad tracks.

A 4.6-mile, east-west pedestrian and bicycle path known as the Ellicott Trail is at the halfway point to completion, according to the coordinator of the $1.7-million venture that will traverse through roads, parks, wetlands and abandoned railway beds in the Town and City of Batavia.

Speaking at a public information meeting on Tuesday night at the City Centre Council Chambers, Thomas Lichtenthal Jr., Town of Batavia highway superintendent and assistant engineer, said the project is on schedule.

“We hope to be on the path (pun intended) by late summer or early fall of next year,” Lichtenthal (in photo at top) said to about two dozen people in attendance. “And we’d like to see it finished before Christmas, hopefully by Thanksgiving.”

Lichtenthal’s presentation took the audience from one end of the trail to the other, pointing out specific tasks that need to be done at various points. The trail’s eastern entrance will be on Seven Springs Road, near the new Oakwood Hills subdivision, and its western entrance will be on Pearl Street Road, in the vicinity of River Street.

In between, it will pass over a refurbished existing bridge over the CSX railway off of East Main Street Road, wind its way through DeWitt Park off Cedar Street (where a “boardwalk” will move bikers and walkers over wetlands there), move on to Lions Park and Elmwood Cemetery, travel down Ellicott Street Road, behind the proposed Ellicott Station development, across a new trail bridge on Walnut Street over the Tonawanda Creek, and past Williams Park to Pearl Street Road.

But before all that can happen, construction crews have much dirt to move and concrete to pour as plans include the construction of a 10-foot wide stone dust trail on the off-road sections and a 10-foot wide sidewalk on the road sections.

Furthermore, right-of-way agreements (easements) with owners of about 16 private properties that are affected by the trail need to be signed, Lichtenthal noted.

“We are talking to property owners, and letting them know what needs to be done,” he said. “All right-of-way owners (and several of them were at the meeting) are on board with the project at this point.”

The Town of Batavia is acting as lead agency for the project, which is being funded for the most part – 80 percent -- by a New York State Department of Transportation grant. The Town of Batavia and City of Batavia are contributing 10 percent each.

A Municipal Facility Grant of $250,000 acquired through the efforts of Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer will pay for the new bridge on Walnut Street, Lichtenthal said, while a portion of funds from a Genesee County Parks Department capital project will pay for the boardwalk at DeWitt Park.

Lichtenthal said the trail will be populated by sidewalk way-finding signs and bicycle route signs, and will be open only during daylight hours – dawn to dusk.

He said providing clear directions and making sure those who use the trail are safe are priorities. He and Matthew Worth, director of public works for the City of Batavia, are working together on the signage details.

“With the on-road segments, the big thing with that is going to be way-finding – to let the people know that if you’re on the trail, you’re on the trail, and to be able to follow that trail all the way through the city so that you don’t get lost as you’re making your way from one end to the other,” he said.

City Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian said she was in favor of the project but was concerned about the safety of pedestrians and bikers, especially those who may be in need of help.

Lichtenthal and Worth responded by stating that fire, medical and police vehicles will be able to drive on the trail – except over the Walnut Street bridge – and that city police will employ their bicycle patrols during the spring and summer months. Otherwise, no motor vehicles will be allowed on the trail.

An Edward Street resident said parking and traffic in his neighborhood when Batavia Youth Football League games are being played at Lions Park would make it tough on those using the trail. Worth said city and football officials are talking about relocating the games to a “more suitable” location.

The trail’s main purpose, in Lichtenthal’s view, is to provide an alternative mode of transportation for those wanting to go shopping or enjoy time at city parks.

“Or you can use this as a physical exercise trail … you’ve got 4.6 miles,” he said. “If you go from one end to the other, you’ve got nine miles available for walking and physical fitness.”

He said the primary challenges deal with the off-road sections.

“They’re old, abandoned railroads that haven’t been maintained (and) there’s a lot of tree growth, culverts; there’s all kinds of stuff on those off-road sections that we need to improve those to make this … an off-road experience that’s pleasurable,” he noted.

For Jacob Bodway, a city resident affiliated with the WNY Mountain Biking Association, the Ellicott Trail project is a key tool in attracting Millennials to Batavia.

“If you want to draw young professionals to a community, this is a way to do it,” he said, adding that future plans to extend the trail to Le Roy and also further west will result in people from outside the area coming to use it.

With two of eight milestones on the project timetable in the books (stakeholder meeting and public meeting), the next steps are the submission of the trail’s reevaluation statement by Dec. 9 and advanced detail plans by Jan. 6. Final plans are scheduled to be submitted by February and right-of-way acquisitions completed by March. Bidding on construction is set to take place in April, with work starting in June.

The South team, comprised mostly of Batavia-area bowlers, won the annual Karl Marth Cup bowling match on Saturday at Medina Lanes, ending the North squad's five-year winning streak.

From left are Brett Van Duser, Matt Slocum, Joe Trigilio, Dean Cadieux Jr., Geoff Harloff, Paul Spiotta, Ed Doody, Fred Gravanda, Rick Saunders, Jim Pursel, Gregg Wolff and Mike Pettinella.

Click on the Pin Points link at the top of this page for more details on the match, and for high scores from league play last week.