Manlius · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Town of Manlius public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Stop Sign Installations at Two Intersections
Neighbors described speeding, blocked sight lines, near-miss crashes, and a dog killed by a delivery truck to win three-way stops at Coventry Rd South/Tilton Rd and Strawmount Trail/Quarter Horse Run. Both local laws were adopted unanimously.
2027 Fire Protection District Contracts
The town renews annual contracts with the Fayetteville, Minoa, and Manlius fire districts for fire and ambulance service. The Fayetteville contract alone costs about $2.4 million, paid through district property taxes. Votes were pushed to the next meeting.
Cannabis farm odors in Kirkville
Residents near a state-licensed cannabis farm on Hoag Road say the smell is overwhelming and worry about children nearby. The town is exploring zoning and legislative options but can't act retroactively against the existing farm; a proposal is expected in about a month.
Town Supervisor Election
Manlius voters are getting a direct compare-and-contrast between supervisor candidates Bollinger and Koch on taxes, data centers, and other big local development issues. The winner could influence your tax bill and what gets approved next door, so this race is more than local trivia.
Road paving and salt costs
Salt is up 16% and fuel is budgeted at $5 a gallon, and the board is deciding how many miles of road to pave next year. They want a specific paving plan before committing to a number between $430,000 and $790,000.
2027 Town Budget
The B-Fund is short because the Twin Ponds project hasn't started construction, so expected building permit fees haven't come in. Budget adjustments are coming.
Missing middle housing — county On Home LDC
County Legislator Denton presented a new $25 million county fund offering low- and zero-interest loans to build affordable 'missing middle' housing, which could benefit Manlius projects.
Unpermitted cannabis greenhouse odor complaints
Neighbors near Hoague and Poolsbrook say a cannabis grow operation built a greenhouse without permits and the smell is overwhelming their homes, with headaches and ruined outdoor activities. The town says enforcement is in motion but constrained by state appeal timelines.
Quarter Horse Run speed limit and stop sign
After a family's dog was hit by a delivery truck, residents asked for a 25 mph speed limit and a stop sign on the Quarter Horse Run straightaway where kids play and wait for the bus. The board is sending the speed request to the state and set an October 28 hearing on the stop sign.
Town health insurance switch to Tompkins County consortium
Manlius is leaving its current health plan because rising costs made it unsustainable, and only two insurers would quote the town. Joining the 78-member consortium gives Manlius the same pooled rate as other municipalities and slightly lowers 2027 premiums for singles and families.
Proposed Cedar Bay pocket community
The town board is talking with developers about small homes with shared common space behind the canal barn area — a housing style aimed at aging-friendly, diverse housing options. It's very early: no site layout, utility, or wetland work is done, and it would likely need a PUD or zoning changes.
2027 Tentative Budget
The first look at the 2027 budget shows no major staffing changes, 3% non-union raises, department supplies cut 10%, and big pending numbers for health insurance (over $2.5M) and a state-mandated retirement program (over $1.5M). Public hearing and vote come in October/November.
PUD zoning interpretation conflict
The Town Board and Planning Board disagree on how the PUD provisions in the zoning code work, stalling developer projects — including a mixed-use proposal on North Medical Center Drive. A joint workshop on September 28 aims to fix it.
Kinsella Quarry environmental review
The state DEC agreed the Town Board should lead the environmental review of the quarry zone change. A 30-day notice period begins, and a positive declaration requiring further study is likely.
Zoning Code Overhaul Underway
The new zoning advisory committee kicks off March 4, with a roughly two-year process: a year of review, then legal drafting of changes.
Fire/EMS District Consolidation Study
A year-long study found uneven staffing, response times and tax rates across the town's fire services. Officials want a unified fire district but tabled the public hearing to gather required data and brief the villages first.
Battery energy storage system regulations
The town is drafting rules for where and how battery storage systems can be built, with fire department safety and water supply as top concerns. A draft law is expected for board and public review around November.
Proposed East Fayetteville Quarry Zone Change
Kinsella wants to rezone about 276 acres near Route 5, Salt Springs Road and Gulf Road for a new quarry to eventually replace its Fayetteville operation. The town has hired its own lawyer and engineer, and residents will get a public hearing before any vote.
Battery Energy Storage Local Law
The town is drafting rules for where and how battery storage systems can be built, with fire department safety and water supply as top concerns. A draft law is expected for board and public review around November.
Hoag Lane Drainage Violations
The Hoag Lane developer's stormwater controls still don't meet its own plans, so the stop work order stays. A flooding incident clogged town drainage, and the town hopes to recover cleanup costs once the HOA is formed.
Police department building lease with Village of Fayetteville
The facilities study group heard from employees about space shortages, security, ADA issues and workspace problems. Short videos are planned to show the public the problems, and study group members will staff town tables at September's village festivals.
Hoag Lane Drainage District
The town is deciding whether to form a drainage district for the Woodland Hills subdivision — meaning the town, not an HOA, would own and maintain the drainage ponds and charge subdivision lot owners annually. Residents worry about flooding, liability, and whether the developer followed the approval's conditions.
Town Facility and Public Engagement Project
A resident urged the board to slow down the facilities project, saying six studies have described buildings but never answered what services the community actually needs. Materials are due to the architect Maxwell by Friday.
Muirfield Drive stormwater improvement project
The failing concrete vault at the end of Muirfield Drive — which collapsed once before and has no fence — will be dug up and replaced with a safer enclosed system for $372,000, finishing a project years in the making.
Medical Center Drive PUD rework
A developer proposes a four-story building with two retail tenants and about 36 apartments, including workforce housing, near Fayetteville's commercial core. It heads to advisory boards and an April 8 public hearing.
Bonadio forensic audit of town finances
An independent forensic accounting review, done after the change in town leadership, found no irregularities in the town's finances. Auditors did recommend strengthening internal controls, and the town is looking at how to implement those suggestions.
Zone change at 4555 Pompey Center Road
An 11.84-acre parcel along Limestone Creek could go from higher-density R-5 zoning to RA to allow a three-lot single-family subdivision. The site has wetlands, steep slopes, a waterfall, and floodplain, so the eventual subdivision will face close environmental scrutiny.
Town Hall and Police Station Facility Study
The board hired a facilitator for $2,000 to help work through the police department building issue, with a work session set for April 8 — the lease item itself was tabled.
Town PUD law overhaul and Burdick/East Genesee corridor study
The town is studying its main commercial corridor — traffic, pedestrian safety, and what businesses it wants there. A public meeting is planned for late February, an online survey is coming, and a vision document should be done by May to support a state funding application, possibly for sidewalks.
Vacant councilor seat
Supervisor John Deer resigned; board members' letters of interest are due April 3, with an appointment expected at the April 8 meeting.
Appeal of Huntwood Path privacy wall building permit
A resident challenged the permit for a 12-foot privacy wall between townhouse units, arguing it was issued without a variance, on incomplete information, and in violation of fire-rating rules. The board never reached those questions — the appeal was filed more than a year late and was rejected as untimely. A related lawsuit remains in state court.
Meadowbrook-Limestone Wastewater Treatment Plant Concerns
Councilor Nesci reported the county plant is in final design with construction now expected to start mid-fall — later than previously promised — with odors plaguing nearby residents in the meantime.
Northern Manlius Sanitary Sewer Project
The town is taking its first formal step toward sewers in northern Manlius, where about 190 homes and businesses rely on septic systems. The RFQ will bring engineering cost estimates and funding strategies — residents would then decide whether to proceed. It could also unlock development potential tied to the new zoning and Micron-related growth.
Planning Board vs. Supervisor over engineer hire
Supervisor John Deer texted the board chair saying he won't sign an agreement with engineer Doug Miller and the board won't authorize payments — right after the board voted to keep Miller. The board believes it can hire its own consultants and asked its new attorney to research town law. A real test of who controls planning board resources.