Project Team - Ridgeline (Viewshed)
The Town of Canandaigua's Citizen's Implementation Committee (CIC) for years has been leading the effort to protect the Town of Canandaigua's Natural Resources with the support of the Town Board, the Planning Board, ZBA, and ECB. In particular thank you to the many residents who have participated in our project teams and the ECB to dig deeper into issues like Ridgeline protection.
In March 2017 a joint meeting was held of the Boards to discuss the concept of a Ridgeline Law. As noted in the ECB's 2017 annual report to the Town Board the ECB conducted a lengthy review of the proposed law and 2018 report. During the Town Board's meeting on June 2017, the Town Board authorized the Town of Canandaigua to hire Saratoga Associates to draft an update to the Town of Canandaigua's existing Ridgeline Guidelines for adoption into Town Code as an effort to protect the Town of Canandaigua's Ridgelines.
In 2020 and 2021 the Town of Canandaigua's Ordinance Committee debated a number of versions of a ridgeline viewshed law based on the draft Saratoga Associates law. In the end it was the intent of the Ordinance Committee to recommend a new Scenic ViewShed Overlay District which limits lot sizes to at least one acre in size in the Scenic ViewShed of Canandaigua Lake to protect the natural resources of the Town of Canandaigua in those environmentally sensitive areas.
In October 2021 the Ordinance Committee of the Town of Canandaigua proposed a Scenic ViewShed Overlay District law and accompanying map for consideration by the Town Board.
OLDER DOCUMENTS (Historical Considerations):
* Town Board Resolution June 2017 which authorized a proposal from Saratoga Associates.
** Saratoga Associates working draft (September 2017)
** Saratoga Associates working draft 2
** Comments from Watershed regarding working draft (September 2017)
* Draft Local Law pertaining to Ridgelines and/or Viewsheds
** December 2017 draft Viewshed Ridgeline Law
** August 2017 draft Ridgeline Law
** January 2018 draft Viewshed Ridgeline Law
** March 2017 draft Ridgeline Law
** In October 2017 a meeting was held to discuss status of Ridgeline Law
*** October 2017 Ridgeline Viewshed Map
*** Working draft of proposed law
*** Code Enforcement Draft Ridgeline Law
** June 2018 Ordinance Committee tabled Ridgeline/Viewshed Indefinely
** 2018 Visual Impact Assessment Questionnaire
** 2017 Canandaigua Prelim Viewshed Map
** 2017 Prelim Viewshed Map 02
** Ridgeline Map (over 1000 feet)
** Ridgeline Map (over 1100 feet)
** Ridgeline Map (over 1200 feet)
** Canandaigua Ridgeline Viewshed Map (25 feet)
** Canandaigua Ridgeline Viewshed Map (01)
** Canandaigua Ridgeline Viewshed Map (02)
** Canandaigua Ridgeline Viewshed Map (02 Topo)
** 2017 Ridgeline Viewshed Map (25ft)