Tom Nowak, our long-standing, appointed Chairman to the Town’s Planning Board, has disappointed us again. It is forgivable that he once referred to UB students as professionals (no sir, they are students--you are supposed to be the professional), and we were even a little encouraged to know that he “learned so much from the students.’ But his most recent offense comes in the form of blame--blaming Mr. John Lexo, candidate for Supervisor, for misrepresenting the role of the Planning Board. In fact, the responsibility for that rests squarely with Tom Nowak himself.

Please note:

Tom Nowak ‘clarifies’ “...the Planning Board does not have the authority to rewrite or adopt.. is strictly advisory and only has the authority to recommend.. .The Town Board alone, through the public process, has authority to rewrite or adopt legislation or zoning changes.” Since this has been the source of so much unnecessary discussion, we can only pray he means it...because...

When asked by Mr. Lexo if the Planning Board has the full power and authority to formulate new zoning policies, Ton Nowak replied. “Yes, and the Town Board has. no authority to infringe.” And in the

Tom Nowak states, “The Planning Board has the authority to do this (rewrite. zoning), and the Town Board has no authority to infringe on our actions.’ Perhaps the reason we are confused is because these are completely contradictor)’ statements!

We are also concerned about the Planning Board’s creation of a revised set of zoning ordinances, under the leadership of Tom Nowak, when, by his own admission, they have no authority to do so and were not charged to do so by either the Supervisor or the Town Board. Most professionals agree that it is wise to establish a Town Center Plan chat works, then develop new zoning ordinances based upon that plan--not pull regulations out of the air and try to retrofit designs to preconceived codes. But again, by his own admission, The Planning Board is “shelving’ the Town Center Plan for now. Thus it becomes fanfare, just as Councilman Jim Sharpe and others tried to warn us.

Lexo’s call for term limits, training requirements, timetables:

for projects and clarification of board duties and responsibilities makes sense. In addition, consideration given to the Comprehensive Master Plan, and meaningful discussion with plenty of the public input Mr. Nowak successfully managed to limit in the process. would be time well spent and an investment in the future-success of the Island.