Chili · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Chili public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
O'Reilly Auto Parts at 3300 Chili Avenue
A proposed auto parts store at a congested corner drew pushback over front-yard parking, a big red corporate facade, delivery trucks on weight-restricted Rose Road, and cut-through traffic. The plan was tabled so the applicant can redesign.
Proposed group home at 105 Beaver Road
Lifetime Assistance wants to build a 3,800-square-foot residential group home on Beaver Road in an R-1-20 residential district. Neighbors may weigh in on traffic, character, and site design at the hearing.
Residential area variances for home improvements
Two homeowners needed variances to place sheds closer to lot lines than the R-1-15 zoning district's 8-foot setback allows. Both were approved unanimously, showing the board's flexibility for minor intrusions.
Library Board of Trustees Nominee
The board was scheduled to approve a nominee for the Library Board of Trustees, shaping the library's future governance.
Library Personnel Changes
The board was scheduled to approve staffing changes at the library. Staffing affects service levels at the front desk and programs.
Residential variance requests in the R-1-15 District
The town allowed a family to build a small attached suite so a mother can live next to her family in a new home in an R-1-20 neighborhood. The trade-off: it can never be rented out, keeping it strictly a family-living arrangement.
2027 Library Closed Dates
The board was scheduled to set which days the Chili Public Library will be closed in 2027. This affects when residents can visit and pick up holds.
2026 Supervisor Election Candidates
Chili’s 2026 supervisor race is about who runs your town—and that means real say over budgets, development, and everyday services. The candidates aren’t named in this snippet, but the race itself is the big deal: your vote picks the person steering local decisions for years.
2027 Preliminary Budget and District Assessments
The board president and director will present the preliminary 2027 budget to the Supervisor and Town Board on September 2 — the funding decision that shapes library services next year.
Neighborhood speeding and e-bike safety
A resident complained that garbage cans and brush block bike and walking lanes on Chestnut Ridge Road. The Supervisor confirmed an ordinance exists and asked residents to report violations.
Deputy Public Works Commissioner Resignation
Adam Cummings is leaving the town effective November 6. The board praised his work and wished him well.
Pit Bull Safety Advocacy
A dog-bite victims activist urged the board to act on what she called rising pit bull attacks in Monroe County, citing statistics and calling for stronger enforcement of dog laws.
Solar Farm Development Policy
A resident asked how many acres Chili plans for solar farms. The Supervisor explained the town doesn't build solar farms — private developers apply, the town requires host community agreements, and no tax incentives are offered.
Union Street industrial subdivision revival
SMATTL Holdings is reviving an eight-lot industrial park approved in 2023, now with a lot under contract to a buyer. The board re-granted preliminary approvals before the Army Corps wetland jurisdiction determination expires in November.
Hillside Children's Center campus expansion
Hillside is adding 930 square feet to its Valhalla Cottage at 2075 Scottsville Road, funded by philanthropy, following last year's successful new cottage construction. Same number of residents, just more space for them.
Ilze Bullwinkel memorial tree
A replacement October Glory red maple will be planted this fall on the south side of the Community Center to replace the memorial tree for Ilze Bullwinkel.
Open Space Inventory update
The town's Open Space Master Plan is due for an update, and board members are being asked to review the 2015 version as a starting point.
King Road flex-space expansion (Phase II)
A local developer is adding three flex buildings to a nearly full Phase I complex that houses small businesses like a plumber and a Zamboni refurbisher. It means more light industrial activity on King Road and continued growth of the town's small-business space.
Drainage easement restrictions on private property
McKay's shed sits over a 20-foot drainage easement containing a 48-inch main drainage pipe. The conditions show how restrictive building near town drainage infrastructure can be — no permanent foundation, and the homeowner pays if the town needs access.
Public Wi-Fi hotspots and connectivity access
A resident told the board the community needs public hotspots and Wi-Fi, and suggested a subcommittee to study options. Library internet access matters for residents without home connectivity.
Library strategic plan and five-year goals
The community survey closed in July and staff are analyzing the data to set the library's goals for the next five years, with mission and vision statements being revised.
Scam email targeting permit applicant
McKay reported an email demanding a $4,950 fee and purporting to come from the Chili ZBA. Staff said it was a scam and advised verifying senders use @chiliny.gov addresses.
Statewide library construction needs
The State Librarian's report found over $2.2 billion in library construction needs across New York — up 25% — covering accessibility, energy efficiency and building upgrades relevant to aging libraries like Chili's.
Senior and Youth Programming Shuttles
The town was scheduled to spend $8,043.50 in federal pandemic-relief money allocated by Monroe County on equipment for senior and youth programs. It's a boost for community programming with no local tax cost.
State-local relationship: AOT Bill of Rights
Chili formally endorsed the Association of Towns' Bill of Rights pushing back on state preemption of local zoning and unfunded mandates.
Community Center improvements
Grant money from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation is paying for new soccer goals and benches at town parks, with PEVO Sports winning the bid at $17,640.
2015 Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan status report
Supervisor Dunning reported the town has added 25,080 feet of sidewalks since 2015 for about $2.06 million, much of it grant-funded, but bike improvements are limited because most major roads belong to the county or state. Identified trouble spots remain largely unaddressed.
Road funding boost via CHIPS and state programs
Last winter's snow cost $924,859.48 to plow state roads under the town's NYSDOT contract; the board amended the agreement to reflect it.
Strategic plan community survey
The library is collecting community input on its strategic plan through a survey distributed at Summerfest, on the website, in newsletters, and at a Community Center lobby table to reach non-users as well as regulars.
Possible loss of federal E-Rate broadband funding
The federal government may limit or sunset E-Rate, a program that has subsidized library internet costs since 1996 and pays up to 85-90 percent of broadband bills. If it disappears, it's unclear whether New York State would step in to cover the gap.
MCLS integrated library system replacement
The county library system is replacing its aging catalog software. Three vendors — Insignia, Clarivate, and SirsiDynix — are in the running, with a decision expected this fall and a full rollout through 2027. Costs and training impacts for Chili aren't known yet.
2027 Chili Public Library budget
The library's 2027 budget request keeps its ask of the town at a conservative 2 percent. Trustees approved it and it heads to a September 2 workshop with the Supervisor and Town Board, who will make final funding decisions.
XLI Manufacturing warehouse expansion at 50 Jetview Drive
XLI will add a 109,100-square-foot building, parking, loading docks, and stormwater facilities to its existing manufacturing campus. The approval hinges on Zoning Board variances and a structural analysis addressing a nearby monopole cell tower's fall zone.
Chili Fire Department staffing
Five firefighters — four new members and one moving up from the exempt list — were slated for addition to the department's active roster, strengthening local volunteer fire coverage.
Highway Department Equipment Upgrade
Vehicle #58 needs a fuel pump repair costing over $15,000 — more than the aging truck is worth, with known transmission issues looming. The board was scheduled to authorize scrapping it and recovering whatever value it can.
Full-time school crossing guards
Two new full-time crossing guards, Cristina Candelaria and Krista Derschug, were slated for appointment — a safety upgrade for students walking to school.
Office/flex development at 1204B Scottsville Road
South Pointe Landing LLC wants to build two office/flex buildings on Scottsville Road. The Conservation Board's role is checking that the landscaping plan meets the 1% cost rule — it can't confirm that yet.
Vista Villas Phase 2 letter of credit
The developer of 47 single-family lots sought second one-year extensions of its approvals while finalizing easements and mylars and pursuing a sale to a developer. Neighbors on nearby roads asked about the easement changes.
In-law apartments in Chili neighborhoods
Two families got approval to house aging parents or grandparents on their properties — one attached addition in Churchville and one small separate structure. The permits expire when the in-law no longer lives there and rentals are banned.
3-megawatt solar farm at 243 Archer Road
SolAmerica Energy's solar project got a one-year extension because RG&E utility upgrades won't be complete until 2028. Neighbors asked who maintains the panels and how the project will look; a host community benefit agreement worth over $800,000 to the town is in legal review.
Airport Memorial Plaza on former Scottsville Rd hangar site
The Rochester International Airport plans to remove the old hangars on Scottsville Road to build a Memorial Plaza, and the historic preservation board endorsed the concept design.
Stone Arch Bridge signage proposal
Chairman Widener proposed a smaller wooden sign or plaque for the Stone Arch Bridge, to be considered in the 2027 budget year.
Wehle Farm historical signage
The board finalized the wording for side 2 of the sign at the historic Wehle Farm stables, celebrating the Genesee Brewing Company's twelve-horse hitch.
Black Creek Watershed Coalition revival
Genesee RiverWatch is rebooting the Black Creek Watershed Coalition to improve water quality in the Genesee River and its tributaries — board members attended the June 16 kickoff.
Industrial park expansion at 15 Airline Drive
CMC Design Build is expanding a cold-storage warehouse at 15 Airline Drive with a 32,934 sq.ft. minus-10-degree freezer addition using climate-friendly CO2 refrigeration. The project needs a Zoning Board variance for the fire pump room and a complete stormwater plan before final approval.
Signage limits on commercial corner lots
Chili Family Dental wants a third wall sign, but the code allows corner-lot businesses only two — one per street frontage. The Board tabled the request while the applicant weighs shrinking or relocating the sign.
Ban on apartments above ground floor in business districts
Local Law #1 of 2026 closes the special-permit loophole that allowed apartments above retail in Neighborhood and General Business zones. Three North Chili residents backed it, saying it protects the town's suburban character — and Supervisor Dunning confirmed it would block the proposed Titan Rock mixed-use building on Berry Lane if adopted. Councilwoman DiFlorio noted incentive zoning remains a path for such projects elsewhere in town.
Indoor cannabis cultivation facility at 465 Paul Road
ROC Dispensary and Hydroponics is moving its cannabis growing and packaging operation from Henrietta into the Paul Road building. No extraction or chemicals, carbon filtration for odor, overnight security, and all state licenses already in hand.
Exact-Cash Tax Payments Starting September 2026
Since the U.S. Mint stopped making pennies, the tax office can't always make change. From September 1, 2026, cash tax payments must match your bill exactly.
Davis Park Parking Lot Expansion
Council asked when the new phase of the Davis Park parking lot will open — Public Works says by the end of the month — and clarified that tree clearing there restores the lot to its original size.