Fredonia trustees direct planning commission to review Grafton-based home-occupation draft

Trustee Van Roe introduced updates to the village’s home‑occupation ordinance and asked the board to move a draft forward for legal and planning review. “There was 1 or 2 updates from our last discussion. 1 of them being a employee limit… and hours of operation that might be helpful,” Trustee Van Roe said, urging a light regulatory approach that lets residents start small businesses from home.

Trustees debated the trade‑offs of a permissive “open use” model versus clearer limits that prevent nuisance activity. Trustee 10 said the Grafton model — which the board reviewed as an example — limits home business floor area to about 25 percent, disallows retail storefronts and generally permits one nonresident employee; Trustee 10 recommended submitting that text for attorney review. “If there was issues, residents could come voice them,” Trustee 10 said of the Grafton approach.

Other trustees raised concerns about enforcement and neighbor impacts — vehicle traffic, outdoor displays and noise — and asked whether businesses established under a prior code would be grandfathered. Village legal counsel said zoning precedent often allows established uses to continue as nonconforming uses but recommended a legal review to confirm local consequences.

After discussion, Trustee Van Roe moved to send a Grafton‑based ordinance to the planning commission for review and public hearing with comments that the commission should specifically examine employee limits, allowable floor area and hours of operation. Trustee Seward seconded the motion. The board voted to direct the planning commission to review and return recommendations; the motion passed and the commission will schedule the zoning public hearing and public notice required by the zoning code.

The planning commission’s review and a subsequent public hearing will provide residents an opportunity to comment before the board considers any ordinance adoption.