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Town of Aurora | Town Board Meeting | April 13, 2026 titled the “Site Plan Review Code of the Town of Aurora, Erie County, and State of New York.” SECTION 2. PURPOSE AND INTENT. The purpose of this local law is to repeal and rescind Chapter 95 “Site Plan Review” and replace and enact a new Chapter 95 Site Plan Review. SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Chapter 95 of the Code of the Town of Aurora originally adopted on January 11, 1999, is hereby repealed and rescinded as follows: SECTION 1. INTENT. The intent of a site plan review is as follows: H. To evaluate the intended building design in its arrangement to and its suitability to natural site conditions and the compatibility with surrounding land uses. I. To permit the Town of Aurora to analyze development proposals in terms of their impacts on local growth and the need for facilities and services. J. To protect and provide for the public health, safety and general welfare of the Town. K. To conform with current zoning, the Official Map, and Comprehensive Plan, if any, now or in the future. L. To protect the value of land throughout the Municipality, to encourage orderly and beneficial development upon the land, and to minimize misunderstanding in the interpretation of intended land uses set forth in current zoning restrictions. M. To prevent the pollution of air and water, to assure the adequacy of proper drainage methods, and to safeguard the natural water table through responsible sewage removal/treatment. N. To provide for the preservation of open spaces through the most efficient design and layout of buildings, including but not limited to the use of cluster development of buildings on a parcel of land. SECTION 2. APPLICABILITY; EXCEPTIONS. D. All applications for building permits shall be accompanied by a site plan as approved by the Town Board, based on the review and recommendations of the Town Planning Board and, if appropriate, the Town’s Engineer, Highway Superintendent and/or Code Enforcement Officer and upon the opinions and concerns brought up at a required public hearing(s), if any. E. An approved site plan need not accompany an application for a building permit to construct any of the following: 5. A one-family or two-family dwelling and its permitted accessory uses or structures. 6. A commercial improvement, either in the form of an addition to an existing structure or the construction of a new structure, which upon completion, will be less than 2,500 square feet. Notwithstanding this exception, if an applicant, during any three-year period, has engaged in a series of small improvements on his, her, or its property which, in the opinion of the Code Enforcement Officer, are intended to circumvent the requirements for a site plan review, Code Enforcement Officer may, in his or her reasonable judgement view all of those improvements in the aggregate in determining whether or not any such improvement or improvements would be excluded from the requirement of a site plan because of the amount of improved square footage involved. 7. Improvements on agricultural properties or farms within the Town of Aurora which would either not otherwise be subject to the issuance of a building permit or which are located in the rear of existing improvements, provided that such improvements are located on a parcel of land of 10 acres or more. 8. Construction for the purposes of accessibility. F. Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this §95-2, a site plan review will be required for any commercial improvement constructed on a property which immediately adjoins or is directly across the street from or is within 500’ of a property which is zoned residential by the Town SECTION 3. REVIEW PROCEDURES. M. Upon applying for a building permit which requires a site plan review, the Code Enforcement Officer will advise the applicant of the specific materials which need to be submitted to the Planning Board and/or Town Board for review. This step is designed to save the applicant from possible future delays. The Code Enforcement Officer will review the basic site design concept and advise the applicant as to potential problems and concerns and will assist the applicant in determining the information needed to begin a preliminary site plan review. In order to accomplish these objectives, the applicant shall provide sketches of the proposed development, together with an area map showing the location of the site in relation to neighboring points of interest. N. At this time, the Town’s designated state environmental quality review (SEQR) officer will decide if an environmental review is necessary. O. All materials needed for a site plan review will be filed with the Code Enforcement Officer, together with a completed site plan review application to be developed by and obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer. A nonrefundable fee, the exact amount of which will be established from time to time by resolution by the Town Board, shall be paid at that time to the Town Clerk. Thereafter, the Code Enforcement Officer will distribute the application to the Town Board for referral to the Planning Board, as well as to any other individuals, agencies or bodies that may be appropriate for their review, report and recommendation. 9