Gaines has new zoning regulations!
After a little over a year of effort by the Town Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Zoning Update Steering Committee, and our consultant, LaBella Associates, the Town Board passed Local Law 2 of 2019 on December 9, 2019, which replaces the old zoning ordinance, which were originally adopted in the early 1980s, with a new set of regulations.
The new zoning regulations focus on enabling proper growth while protecting our agricultural and historical areas. The new regulations bring us up to current standards on zoning and ensure we are in alignment with relevant state laws and regulations. On of the largest changes to the zoning regulations is the re-establishment of the Planning Board.
The new zoning ordinance will go into effect upon filing with the New York State Department of State, and should be completed by December 20, 2019.
With the new regulations, the Town is seeking interested parties to volunteer to serve on the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals. We are taking letters or emails of interest until the end of the year, and will fill the boards during the Town Board 2020 Organizational Meeting on January 13, 2020.
A copy of the zoning regulations and zoning map are available on the “Forms, Applications, & Files” section of the website, with a link also below.
A big thank you to all of the people who volunteered their time and effort, as well as those who offered feedback and comments! Without the help from our residents, we would not have been successful in completing this important update.