Canandaigua City Environmental and Ordinance Committees June 1, 2026

Kevin Olvany will provide an update on the completion and next steps of a $680,000 NYSDEC Source Water Protection Grant (administered by the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council). The goal of the grant is purchase and restore key landscapes in the watershed to help protect the lake. Three watershed protection properties are now ready for closing. Under NYSDEC requirements, the City must briefly take title to each property before transferring ownership back to the host municipality with permanent conservation restrictions. The first property to be purchases is a 12.9-acre Barnes Road/Barnes Gully property adjacent to Onanda Park in the Town of Canandaigua.

A resident has requested that the City remove or relax enforcement of §292-1 of the City Code, which limits vegetation, including grass, weeds, and dead brush, to a maximum height of eight (8) inches. Staff does not recommend amending the current regulations. The ordinance helps maintain neighborhood appearance, protects property values, reduces pest hazards, and promotes public health and safety. Consistent enforcement ensures that all property owners are held to the same standards and helps prevent neglected properties from negatively affecting surrounding residents and the community as a whole.

At the May 18, 2026 City Council meeting a Town resident requested that the Canandaigua Police Department provide a special detail to protect protests that he organizes. Councilmembers Van Laeken and Squires requested that the topic be discussed further at the Ordinance Committee. This item was added for said discussion.