Resolutions: Legislator Mills demands implementation of performance based budgeting Legislator Mills seeks to open Emery and Chestnut Ridge parks to snowboarders Legislator Mills co-sponsors resolution to end the exploitation of children via the Internet Legislator Mills seeks to save taxpayer money by utilizing GPS technology Mills joins Christ the King Seminary in celebrating 150 years!

John J. Mills - District 13 Mills Keeps Billboards out of Orchard Park A RESOLUTION SUBMITTED BY LEGISLATORS MILLS & KONST Re: Opposing Construction of Billboards on County Owned Property in Orchard Park WHEREAS, Request for Proposal #RFPA7049VF (RFP) to lease county owned property for the purpose of hosting billboards was issued by the Erie County Division of Budget, Management and Finance on March 5, 2007, seeking proposals by March 19, 2007, and WHEREAS, the RFP lists three properties for which it is seeking to place billboards, namely: SBL# 103.19-1-16 (Broadway, Buffalo), SBL# 126.09-1-4 (French Road, Buffalo), and SBL# 161.07-1-22 (Delaware Avenue, Orchard Park), which it purports to be feasible properties for outdoor advertising signs, and WHEREAS, SBL# 161.07-1-22 (Delaware Avenue, Orchard Park) is a parcel of land, located in a wooded area running along New York State Route 219, and WHEREAS, the Town of Orchard Park has adopted Orchard Park Local Law No. 4 in 2004, which states in relevant part: § 144-36. Prohibited signs. A. The following signs are prohibited in the Town of Orchard Park: (8) Billboards, except that the Town may establish and off-premises identification signs for businesses, pursuant to §144-38(I) of this chapter. WHEREAS, the Town of Orchard Park has spent, to date, over $300,000 litigating in support of the prohibition of billboards in the Town of Orchard Park, and WHEREAS, four political parties (Conservative, Democrat, Independence and Republican) in the Town of Orchard Park have acknowledged the community standards of minimizing signage in the Town of Orchard Park by entering into an agreement to not post lawn signs during political campaigns, stating "that the beauty, character and aesthetics of our community should be preserved," and WHEREAS, Orchard Park resident Robert Lennartz successfully petitioned the State of New York to name the portion of New York State Route 219 running from Orchard Park to Springville as "Erie County Veterans Memorial Highway" in honor of Erie County residents who have served in the United States military, and WHEREAS, the Western New York Scenic Byways Committee has submitted a proposal to have New York State declare New York State Route 219 a scenic byway, and WHEREAS, one of the purposes of a scenic byway designation is to preserve the natural beauty of an area, which it accomplishes in part by preventing the erection of billboards, and WHEREAS, the County of Erie funded the Western New York Scenic Byways Committee with approximately $12,000 to pursue scenic byway designation for New York State Route 219, and WHEREAS, application of the Western New York Scenic Byways Committee has been submitted and reviewed, has received positive feedback from New York State officials, and is believed to be near approval, and WHEREAS, the erection of a billboard along New York State Route 219 would not serve the purpose of honoring Erie County Veterans and would be directly contrary to preserving the scenic beauty along New York State Route 219, as well as being contrary to the community standards of the Town of Orchard Park as evidenced by 2004 Local Law No. 4, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Erie County Legislature opposes any proposal which would result in the erection of a billboard on SBL# 161.07-1-22 (Delaware Avenue, Orchard Park), and be it further RESOLVED, that certified copies of this resolution be distributed to the County Executive and Director of Budget, Management and Finance. Fiscal Impact: None Back to District 13 Homepage