We blinked our eyes, and it was already mid-October. That is how quickly it seems that the weather changed. Many around the area are watching for the brilliant fall colors, but they seems sparse. On a trip north, the colors in higher elevations became more vibrant, while some of the trees never changed. In the upcoming weeks we will have information on leaf pick up for residents that receive that municipal service.
One thing that concerns residents, each and every fall, are the drains around the village, and keeping them clear from debris so the storm drains don’t get backed up during a rain event. These are just little things we can all do to try and keep the water flowing properly.
In local government news, there’s an old adage – “Hurry up and wait!”
That seems to be the case with the proposed development on the south side of Owego, and bordering the Halstead Development, Montrose Turnpike, and Route 434.
Over the last month or two there have been public meetings regarding the proposed development by Two-Plus-Four Construction, which would build affordable housing units under Tioga County’s PILOT program. The owner and developer, Sue Kimmel, has also requested a zoning change that would allow them to build connected units versus sub-division of the 19-acres.
After being left open for several weeks, the Village Board in Owego has once again tabled any decision.
According to Owego’s Mayor, Mike Baratta, a vote on the zoning was tabled because of a petition received by surrounding residents that are against the build. Because of this petition, Baratta stated, the vote now changes from a simple majority to a 5-2-vote requirement to pass.
Baratta added on Thursday, “We had to research to determine if it [the petition] was valid since the laws say it has to be more than 20 percent of the property owners within 100-feet of the property line to be valid. It is valid it was almost 70 percent.”
Therefore, according to Baratta, the zoning change request will be on the agenda, once more, at the next Village Board meeting planned for Nov. 5. The location of the meeting was not posted at the time of this reporting, so check back next week to find out where the meeting will be held.
In other news, the Downtown Revitalization Initiative’s Local Planning Committee kicked off their process, and is now accepting proposals for projects, as well as public input.
To help out, the first public engagement event will take place on Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at Tioga Opportunities located at 9 Sheldon Blvd. in Owego. Visit www.ny.gov/DRI for more information on opportunities for public input, and to learn more about the planning process.
Also, with cooler weather arriving, and as we head towards the holidays, it’s also time to start thinking about Holiday Showcase and Light’s on the River, two annual events taking place in downtown Owego.
According to the Historic Owego Marketplace President, Bradley Crews, Holiday Showcase will take place on Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Lights on the River will be held on Friday, Dec. 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. in downtown Owego.
You can visit www.owego.org to learn more about these events. You can also keep an eye out for more information in our print edition of The Owego Pennysaver Press.
I would be remiss to not mention the elections coming up in November, and our newspaper’s political policy. To ensure fairness in upcoming elections, Letters to the Editor and anonymous comments regarding elections will not be published in our upcoming print editions leading to the general election.
The general election is taking place on Nov. 6, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Be sure to visit https://www.tiogacountyny.com/departments/board-of-elections/ or call Tioga County’s Board of Elections at (607) 687-8218 for more information.
Wendy Post is the editor of The Owego Pennysaver Press in Owego, N.Y. and The Troy Pennysaver Plus in Troy, Pa.
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