Town Extends Draft Zoning Law Public Comment Period
The Town of Tonawanda has announced an extension of the public comment period on the draft zoning law through Oct. 31, to account for the environmental review period and additional public hearings. The town is in the process of updating its 1940’s era zoning law which has been added to many times over the years by various consulting projects and is currently a patchwork of contrarian code language that leads to inefficiency and many questions about what is allowed to happen in the town of regarding development proposals. The revised law will be clear and concise, streamlining the process for future development projects and eliminates the question: “What can I do with my property?”
The proposed law contains new protections for residential neighborhoods such as home occupation regulations and a short-term rental ban in the single-family residential district. There are also new requirements for a minimum lot size and accessory structure sizes.
The River Road corridor is receiving an expanded mixed-use zone that promotes water-dependent uses and is promoting cleaner and greener uses that will move the Town away from the heavy industrial land uses of the past. The General Industrial Zoning District protections remain for the town’s major manufacturing employers such as General Motors, Dupont, and Sumitomo Rubber USA.
Two new districts were created to protect the town’s remaining open spaces and community facilities. There are no longer any un-zoned parcels in the Tonawanda. All of the zoning recommendations that were put forth in the Town’s Comprehensive Plan Update in 2015 are included in the draft.
The Town Office of Planning and Development is available to answer questions and receive comments on what is being proposed. Comments can be submitted by calling 716-871-8847, Ext.1, or email the office: