Webster is considering a six-month moratorium on large-scale new developments, a move town officials say will give them time to recalibrate with updated planning.
“This gives us a chance to kind of take a pause, get through this comprehensive plan and ensure that what we’re doing aligns with what the community wants,” said Alex Scialdone, Webster town supervisor.
The proposed moratorium would only affect large-scale development in select zoning districts within the town. Projects with preliminary site plan approval by the time a potential moratorium goes into effect would continue.
The type of developments included in the moratorium include:
What’s not included in the moratorium includes:
The town is working through an update to its 2008 comprehensive plan, which it hopes to complete by the time the moratorium would be over. The proposed moratorium legislation would include the option for two three-month extensions. The intention is to prevent a project coming through the approval process that doesn’t align with the vision of the updated comprehensive plan, which will be rooted in smart growth principles.
What is smart growth? The state-administered program focuses on four key themes: equity, economy, environment and energy/climate. The principles of smart growth principles include prioritizing infill, encouraging compact neighborhood design and building on unique traits to create an attractive community with a sense of place.
Why town officials want a pause now
One example that stands out for the town’s director of community development, Josh Artuso, is parking regulations, which have not been updated since the 1960s. Those requirements for off-street parking are excessive, he said.
“We have a zoning code that is wildly out of date that we’re having to continue to administer against new projects coming in,” Artuso said.
Webster is growing quickly, said Scialdone, who was elected last November to his first term as supervisor. Slowing the town’s growth was a priority for his campaign, including concerns about diminishing green space.
“People want to live here,” Scialdone said. “And then we have Fairlife that’s coming in. Webster is changing significantly.”
Fairlife is constructing a new 754,000-square-foot facility to produce protein shakes, meal replacement shakes and milk. It’s expected to bring about 250 new jobs and has spurred infrastructure development that could bring other projects to life. That’s one reason industrial developments won’t be included in the proposed moratorium.
It’s not just the old zoning code that has the town pumping the brakes on development. There are concerns about traffic and the availability of electricity.
“A lot of our roads haven’t been upgraded or evaluated in a long time, yet we’ve continued adding residents, adding businesses. And during peak times in certain parts of the town, we have some significant traffic congestion issues that we’ve going to be looking to help resolve,” Artuso said.
The rate of growth has meant local energy infrastructure hasn’t kept pace, with some development projects not receiving approvals due to RG&E saying there isn’t enough capacity.
Those challenges, and the required zoning overhaul to follow, won’t be directly answered by the comprehensive plan update. It will include recommendations on corridors that need further traffic analysis and grant opportunities to address areas like Hard Road.
“The comprehensive plan is just going to give us a roadmap with a series of priorities, goals and recommendations,” Artuso said. “There’s a whole other additional effort that needs to take place once the plan is adopted and that is an overhaul of the town’s zoning code.”
What comes next for Webster’s zoning code
The update to the zoning code could take an additional six months to a year and the town will apply for further state funding to cover the costs.
The town has additional information on the proposed moratorium on its website at websterny.gov/moratorium.
There will be a public meeting on the comprehensive plan at 5:30 p.m. April 30 in the Webster town board meeting room.
— Steve Howe reports on suburban growth, development and environment for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Webster weighs pause on large developments amid growth
Reporting by Steve Howe, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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