by Kristina Gabalski
Sweden Town Board members have unanimously decided to deny the rezoning of vacant land on Sweden Walker Road for the purpose of hosting “mud runs” three or four times a year.
Board members voted during their regular meeting April 9. Mike and Janice Waeghe, owners of the land, had requested a change in zoning from split-zoned Residential (R-1) and Heavy Industrial (I-1) to Recreation-Commercial (B-3) to facilitate the runs which consist of the recreational racing of off-road 4X4 trucks through a large mud pit.
A public hearing on the zoning change was held March 27 and drew many people on both sides of the issue.
One resident who attended the April 9 meeting told the Board she realized it had not been an easy decision, but thanked them for listening to concerns of neighbors.
At present, town leaders are uncertain if the mud runs will be allowed to continue now that the change of zoning has been denied.
Sweden Town Attorney James Bell told the Suburban News and Hamlin-Clarkson Herald that if there are questions, the town will look into them. He also mentioned that based on what he heard from residents during the March 27 public hearing, there may be issues regarding the mud runs and the town’s noise ordinance that “need to be looked into much further.”
Bell emphasized that was his opinion, and that he was not speaking for members of the Town Board.
In another action during the April 9 meeting, council members awarded a general contracting bid for the construction of a public safety facility on Owens Road to Allied Builders of Brockport for the bid price of $375,000.
The facility will be constructed by the town and turned over to the Brockport Fire District upon completion. To facilitate the creation of the Brockport Fire District, the Town of Sweden agreed via a memorandum of understanding with the Village of Brockport and the Town of Clarkson to construct a public safety facility in Sweden.
