Rochester City Council is asking residents for feedback this fall on the city's proposed zoning overhaul.
The public review includes district-specific community-based meetings with neighbors, official public hearings with the Evans administration, additional hearings seeking input from residents as required by law and an open-to-the-public work session with a land-use consultant.
According to the city's Zoning Alignment Project, a comprehensive look at the zoning code is necessary in order to align with the Rochester 2034 Comprehensive Plan, a 15-year comprehensive plan to improve the community.
City Council President Miguel Meléndez Jr said he is excited to work with residents and his council colleagues to make the zoning code reflective of the ways
folks actually live in Rochester.
“The City of Rochester’s Zoning Alignment Project has been in the works for five years and now it’s time for us to engage our citizens as the ball moves to city council’s court,” Meléndez said. “Zoning overhauls like this only happen about once every 20 years, so it is crucial that we collectively get this right."
Each Rochester City Council district representative will host an initial district meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the proposed legislation. These meetings will be held in each respective council member’s district. Registration is not required to attend any of the hearings.
Following the meetings, City Council will host official public hearings with the Evans administration on Oct. 21 and 22 from 5-8 p.m. in chambers.
Specific dates and times for the initial district meetings are as follows:
- Northwest – Sept. 28 from 6-8 p.m. at the Edgerton R-Center (41 Backus St.)
- Northeast – Sept. 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Public Market (280 N. Union St.)
- South – Oct. 5 from 6-8 p.m. at New Life Fellowship (330 Wellington Ave.)
- East – Oct. 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ryan R-Center (530 Webster Ave.)
City residents who are unable to make any of the public meetings can fill out this Public Input Survey, email Council@CityofRochester.Gov, fax (585) 428-6347 or attend city council’s regular Speak to Council and Public Hearing session on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. The work session will be held on Oct. 8 in city hall room 208A.
— Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County. Get in touch at kweaver@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: City Council seeks public input on Rochester zoning overhaul
