Southtowns Record

Town Board minutes — March 9, 2026

Government
Town of Aurora
Board
Town Board
Meeting
Mar 9, 2026
Kind
Minutes
Topics
Zoning and land use, Public safety, Parks and recreation, Roads and traffic, Water, sewer and drainage, Budget and taxes, Energy and data center siting, Audits and oversight, Short-term rentals

Original document

Same meeting

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Town of Aurora | Town Board Meeting | March 9, 2026
  A meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Aurora took place on Monday, March 9, 2026,
beginning at 6:30 PM. The Board met in-person at the Aurora Municipal Center, 575 Oakwood
Avenue, East Aurora, New York. The meeting was streamed via YouTube.

  Present:  Joseph McCann  Councilmember
  Raymond M. Wrazen  Councilmember
  Luke Wochensky  Councilmember
  Charles D. Snyder  Supervisor

  Absent/Excused:  Jessica Armbrust  Councilmember
  Brigid Maloney  Town Attorney

  Others Present:  Rich Miga  Assistant Code Enforcement Officer
  Paul Ernst  Zoning Board Chairman
  Rod Simeone  Zoning Board Member
  Douglas Crow  Planning Board Chairman
  Patrick Welch  Chief of Police
  Christopher Musshafen  Recreation/Aquatics Director

  Supervisor Snyder opened the meeting at 6:30 PM with the recitation of the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag.

  The first item on the agenda was a public hearing on the 2025 Comprehensive Plan.
Supervisor Snyder opened the hearing at 6:30 PM. and asked if anyone wished to comment on the
plan.

Randy West, Village Planning Commission, Village Resident
  • Thanked the Town Board for allowing the village to participate in the comprehensive plan
  process and in a comment session with the consultant, though later than desired
  • Said he regrets the village was not involved earlier, but clarified that was not the Town
  Board’s fault and was their own decision

Jackie Hienrich, Town Resident
  • Praised the committee for the time and effort put into adapting a boilerplate
  comprehensive plan to fit Aurora
  • Said Snyder Road and Luther Road were left out of traffic calming discussions, despite
  heavy and growing traffic from early morning through evening, with cut-through traffic
  coming from multiple surrounding communities
  • Said road conditions have changed over time with widening, tree removal, and repeated
  stoning, making the roads feel unsafe for walking
  • Asked that Snyder and Luther be included alongside roads such as Mill, Center, and Davis in
  future traffic planning
  • Questioned what she sees as an inconsistency in the plan: preserving rural character,
  farmland, and agriculture while also discussing hamlet overlays that could allow uses such
  as restaurants and office buildings
  • Said additional development would strain existing infrastructure, including gas, water,
  electric, police, and fire services, and cited Boies Road and Underhill Road as examples of
  significant prior development

Ed Hutton, Town Resident
  • Complimented the plan and noted that different parts of Aurora have different needs.
  • Said Reed Hill is a well-developed part of town located very close to the village, but access
  to the village, Knox Park, and sidewalks is difficult because sidewalks end near Jewett
  Holmwood/Route 20A
  • Called that area a safety and access problem and said it should be addressed sooner
  rather than in the 3 to 5 year timeframe mentioned in the plan
  • Suggested improvements such as sidewalks, striping, or roadway reconfiguration to better
  connect Reed Hill residents to village amenities

Michele Bjella, Village Resident
  • Expressed general support for the comprehensive plan
  • Said comprehensive planning is a major undertaking and important given climate change,
  natural disasters, and future community needs
  • Congratulated the board on the work and said she is especially interested in how the plan’s
  ideas will be implemented

Douglas Crow, Planning Board Chairman, Town Resident
  • Said the Planning Board discussed the comprehensive plan extensively and unanimously
  supports adoption of the plan as written
  • Said the Planning Board submitted, or would soon submit, a letter with more detailed
  implementation recommendations
  • Highlighted priority implementation items:
  o expand Accessory Dwelling Units in appropriate parts of town through zoning
  changes

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