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Business News
Herkimer, N.Y. —
The Herkimer village board may soon be updating the village’s building codes law.
Trustee Katherine Nichols raised the issue during Monday’s meeting of the board of trustees.
“In recent weeks we have seen building owners or their tenants, in my opinion, deface the buildings along North Main Street by painting the exteriors,” Nichols said in a memorandum to Mayor Mark Ainsworth and the village board of trustees. “The combinations of colors is offensive and does nothing to improve or perpetuate the historic nature of these buildings.”
Nichols noted while the village’s central business district and the buildings within it are not on the historic register, “they convey a great deal of history and what has happened in recent weeks is an insult to our historical figures that have put the village of Herkimer on the map.”
“This is an initiative that needs time to develop, but I feel it is critical we put in place some guidelines as to protecting the cultural and historical resources we have,” she concluded.
She also attached a rough draft of proposed changes to initiate discussion among board members.
She thanked Tina and Bryan Cirelli, of Herkimer Now, for obtaining copies of the Cooperstown building codes law. Nichols noted Cooperstown’s code takes in the entire village while she is interested in making changes to the code for the village’s business area.
She plans to take a look at the code for the village of Clinton as well.
Trustee Anthony Brindisi said he would like to see some legislation on the matter.
“I don’t know where to draw the line in village government,” he said and questioned whether the village should tell the owner of a building what color to paint it.
Nichols said she would like to see the matter addressed for the village’s business district.
Ainsworth noted when Wal-Mart came in the village was told it could have no say in the appearance of the building, but since then he has heard other communities have set forth requirements that were met. “We didn’t want to discourage a business from coming in,” he said.
Nichols said a building near the village’s Historic Four Corners is being painted in a manner that “takes away from the integrity of those buildings.”
She added the owner had received funding to put in apartments there.
In other matters dealing with village codes, Village Attorney Nick Macri said he is working on an ongoing codes violation issue in the village which is scheduled to come to pre-trial Dec. 5.
Bryan Cirelli, of Herkimer Now, noted forms are available for residents to fill out if they spot codes violations in the village. He said forms may be picked up at the village office or police department. These complaints can then be investigated by the village codes department.
The Herkimer village board may soon be updating the village’s building codes law.
Trustee Katherine Nichols raised the issue during Monday’s meeting of the board of trustees.
“In recent weeks we have seen building owners or their tenants, in my opinion, deface the buildings along North Main Street by painting the exteriors,” Nichols said in a memorandum to Mayor Mark Ainsworth and the village board of trustees. “The combinations of colors is offensive and does nothing to improve or perpetuate the historic nature of these buildings.”
Nichols noted while the village’s central business district and the buildings within it are not on the historic register, “they convey a great deal of history and what has happened in recent weeks is an insult to our historical figures that have put the village of Herkimer on the map.”
“This is an initiative that needs time to develop, but I feel it is critical we put in place some guidelines as to protecting the cultural and historical resources we have,” she concluded.
She also attached a rough draft of proposed changes to initiate discussion among board members.
She thanked Tina and Bryan Cirelli, of Herkimer Now, for obtaining copies of the Cooperstown building codes law. Nichols noted Cooperstown’s code takes in the entire village while she is interested in making changes to the code for the village’s business area.
She plans to take a look at the code for the village of Clinton as well.
Trustee Anthony Brindisi said he would like to see some legislation on the matter.
“I don’t know where to draw the line in village government,” he said and questioned whether the village should tell the owner of a building what color to paint it.
Nichols said she would like to see the matter addressed for the village’s business district.
Ainsworth noted when Wal-Mart came in the village was told it could have no say in the appearance of the building, but since then he has heard other communities have set forth requirements that were met. “We didn’t want to discourage a business from coming in,” he said.
Nichols said a building near the village’s Historic Four Corners is being painted in a manner that “takes away from the integrity of those buildings.”
She added the owner had received funding to put in apartments there.
In other matters dealing with village codes, Village Attorney Nick Macri said he is working on an ongoing codes violation issue in the village which is scheduled to come to pre-trial Dec. 5.
Bryan Cirelli, of Herkimer Now, noted forms are available for residents to fill out if they spot codes violations in the village. He said forms may be picked up at the village office or police department. These complaints can then be investigated by the village codes department.
