Thirty-two residents of Holley Street in the Town of Sweden have signed a petition opposing a proposal to annex an undeveloped 5.6 acre parcel to the Village of Brockport. Developer Rich Miller has proposed the annexation, saying that it would improve his chances of receiving a federal grant to build assisted living units there. Miller’s plans call for a 32-unit building for residents age 62 and older on 2.5 acres of the property.

Additionally, Miller proposed developing the remaining 3.1 acres at a future date. His concept for the second parcel would be 18 ranch style duplexes for "mature living" – those 55 and older.

After receiving the petition at the January 16 meeting of the Brockport Village Board, Mayor Mary Ann Thorpe told the Holley Street residents that no meetings have been set between the town and village to discuss the possibility of annexation. Thorpe said that if any such meetings were set, Holley Street residents would be notified.

Miller had urged the village at its January 2 meeting to act quickly on his proposal, citing a February deadline for the federal grant application. Trustee Mort Wexler said that the village couldn’t possibly begin the process of studying an annexation by the February deadline.

"There’s no doubt," Thorpe said, "by this petition and phone calls I’ve received that the affected residents oppose the whole idea."

In other business: After no public comments were made during a hearing on a proposed cluster zoning ordinance, the board adopted the new zoning as Local Law Number One for 2001. Developer Don Hibsch is in the design phase of a cluster housing tract on the former Northrup Farm property on East Avenue. The new zoning will allow him to apply to the village’s planning board for development of the property under different guidelines. Cluster housing limits development of a property to the same number of units that would be permitted under traditional zoning, but allows flexibility in the layout of the tract with a goal of preserving one or more green spaces.

•Trustees approved a rate hike for ambulance services in the Brockport Fire Protection District which includes the towns of Clarkson and Sweden. A schedule of fees is available at the village hall.

•A public information meeting was scheduled for February 5 regarding the Harvester Park Phase II project. Plans, which are available for inspection at the village hall, include an amphitheater, two observation platforms, an information kiosk and new hook-ups for boaters. Parking in Water Street lot will be reconfigured with no lost spots, according to Thorpe. Pending a decision from the state about the repair of the leaking canal wall, the project may go forward in the spring.

•Grievance day was set for Tuesday, February 20 from 4 to 8 p.m.