STANDING UP FOR CAZENOVIA

Cazenovia Heritage is comprised of citizens who advocate for the Village and Town of Cazenovia, its village shops and livable neighborhoods, its lakeside homes and recognizable farmhouses. We envision a community that honors, celebrates, and preserves its past to build a sustainable future where people and the economy can thrive.

At Cazenovia Heritage, this means:

Raising Awareness of Cazenovia's Rich Architectural and Cultural History:  Knowledge of the lives of those who came before us and the built environment they left to us contributes to a community's identity, pride, and caring.

Educating the Public on the Value and Importance of Conserving Historic Resources:   Historic resources provide a destination and attraction for visitors from across the state and country, contributing to our local economy and quality of life. 

Identifying Threats and Opportunities:  Cazenovia Heritage will identify historic resources that are in danger of being lost by neglect, demolition, radical alteration, or development.  By bringing such places to the public's attention, we seek to identify solutions, encourage adaptive reuse, and/or generate increased care of these important resources.  We also will identify opportunities for the creation of guidelines, practices, and legislation that would help to strengthen protection of our historic resources.

Planning for Change:   We believe that the goal of preservation is not to freeze properties in time, but to manage change in a way that preserves community character.  Preservation recognizes the evolving needs of the people who live and work here, while it advocates to maintain the elements that make Cazenovia special. 

Zoning, land use, and design play an integral role in ensuring that Cazenovia remains both a livable and special place for its residents.  Cazenovia Heritage will work with local governments, neighborhood groups, private citizens, relevant professionals, and other non-for-profits to offer and solicit guidance and expertise on a variety of topics and to promote a high standard of design and community planning.  It can provide research and evaluation of significance of properties to be significantly altered or demolished. 

STAND UP FOR CAZENOVIA

Learn About the Issues Affecting Cazenovia:  Cazenovia Heritage will bring issues of potential interest or concern to the attention of its members as they arise.  In the meantime, you can participate in local decision-making by attending regular and special meetings of the  Planning Boards, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Historic Preservation Review Committee.

Governing Boards & Committees:  The Town and Village Executive Boards each set land use control policy by creating zoning regulations, a comprehensive plan, and by adopting/amending laws. Each of their respective Planning Boards acts as the overall advisory body interpreting the land use laws and policies set forth by the Executive Boards.  The Planning Boards have authority to approve subdivisions, site plans, and various other permits. 

The Zoning Boards of Appeals for the Town and Village hear and decide appeals to decisions made by code officers or as the result of local ordinances; they are charged with interpreting the zoning ordinances of local law and to allow variances.

The Village has a Historic Preservation/Architecture Review Committee (HPC) that reviews proposed changes to properties located within the historic district for the purposes of issuing certificates of compatibility.  It provides recommendations to the Village Planning Board as part of the latter's architectural review responsibilities.

As our financial resources grow, we intend to offer financial grants and support to homeowners, businesses, and organizations to maintain architectural integrity when undertaking changes to historical structures.

Comprehensive Plan:  In 2007, the Town and Village jointly undertook the development of a comprehensive plan (92MB), published in 2008.  It assessed and provided recommendations on neighborhoods, housing, business development/growth, infrastructure, community services, agriculture, and other areas.  As part of these recommendations, the plan provided for changes to zoning existing at that time, subsequently adopted, and to designate areas for potential future development.  It is required reading for all!  (Note:  this is a large file and may take a minute to download) « LINK »