Depew trustees hear presentation on joint Depew‑Lancaster comprehensive plan

The Village of Depew Board of Trustees opened a public hearing Tuesday on a draft joint comprehensive plan developed with the Village of Lancaster.

Catherine “Kate” Powers of La Bella and Associates presented an overview of the 130‑page draft, describing the process of collecting existing‑conditions data, stakeholder interviews, surveys, open houses and advisory‑committee deliberations. She said the plan sets a policy vision and priorities for future grant applications, capital planning and code updates.

"This is not zoning," Powers said, adding that the document is intended to be a policy‑level land‑use guide that helps the village apply for grants and coordinate with county and state agencies. She highlighted ten goals in the plan, including promoting smart growth, expanding parks and recreation, increasing housing options, improving multi‑modal connectivity, and protecting natural resources.

The draft recommends strategies such as evaluating zoning regulations and dimensional standards, encouraging infill and adaptive reuse of existing buildings, improving pedestrian and bicycle connections, and creating greenway links along Cayuga Creek. Powers noted the plan identifies short, medium and long‑term action items and that each village must complete its own environmental review before adoption.

Trustees and members of the advisory committee pressed for clarity on how the plan would interact with specific sites and grants. One trustee asked how the villages would split costs for pursuing larger grant applications. Another raised a hypothetical about redeveloping the St. Martha’s church or school parcel, noting that while it could provide a large tract for housing, the plan only recommends evaluating such sites rather than committing the village to a particular use.

Trustees also flagged constraints posed by small lot sizes in parts of Depew that may limit accessory‑dwelling opportunities. Powers said the plan directs the village to "evaluate zoning and consider" options, not to require immediate regulatory changes.

The public hearing was closed by motion at 7:51 p.m. The plan will be referred for environmental review and to the county planning board, and trustees may propose revisions during the public‑review period. Adoption will require a future public hearing and formal board vote.