Published: March 13, 2008 02:33 am      

ROYALTON: Residents share opinions on master plan

ROYALTON — Town residents gave master planners a lot to digest at the first public meeting on the Town of Royalton Comprehensive Plan on Wednesday at the town hall.

About 60 people attended, and there was 120 minutes of continuous input that was fielded by Andrew C. Reilly and Ellen Parker of Wendel-Duchscherer Architects and Engineers.

After an open house, where residents could review maps of the town to see where the town is, opinions were invited — and there were lots of them, virtually non-stop.

Issues ranged from agriculture to zoning.

“People can tell us much more than a map can tell us. They will tell us what’s actually going on here,” Reilly said.

Parker asked “Where do you want to be in the future?”

Other questions from residents included:

• How does Royalton fit in the Golden Horseshoe, a megalopolis stretching from Toronto around Lake Ontario to Rochester with Buffalo in the middle? Land is at a premium in Ontario around the lake, and Canadians are buying property on the southern shores.

• Where should there be commercial development and residential development?

Residents were told that change is inevitable, but there were some voices of resistance.

“This was excellent,” said Supervisor Richard Lang. “This was great for the town to have this much input from citizens. I think they want a rural atmosphere with an agriculture base, with a leaning to have businesses in the hamlets and villages. Residential is still to be determined.”

Reilly told of the importance of having a good plan. “You know the community better than we do,” he said. “You tell us. What are your issues. The state and federal government will help you. These are not things you can not do overnight. Change will happen whether you like it or not.”

Residents also stressed that Royalton is a canal community, an historic community, and that should be an asset. Other opinions voiced: Royalton needs a community center for families. Also, with more train traffic and railroad cars carrying ethanol, Royalton needs an emergency plan.

“I think that they want to make sure what they value most about Royalton, they get to maintain that,” Parker said. “The neighborhoods, the rural atmosphere, the farm land, the open space, the woodlands, they want to work to keep it.”

Al Wrobolewski, who owns 115 acres in the middle of the town, thought the master plan was a joke. “It’s my land — I can do what I want with it,” he said.

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott at 439-9222, Ext. 6246.