Town of Rochester’s Rural Character & Road Safety at Risk – STOP the Rav Tov Expansion on Cherrytown Rd
Update & Call To Action
Hello everyone,
We are writing with an important update and a clear next step where your voice can directly help shape what happens next.
It was confirmed today (12/5/2025) that this application IS on the Planning Board agenda for this coming Monday, 12/8. This is a critical meeting.
At this stage, the most important thing the community can do right now is to submit a written letter asking the Planning Board NOT to close the public hearing and public comment period.
Many residents are only just learning about the details of this proposal, and, in our opinion, the application materials remain incomplete. The community needs adequate time to review, understand and contribute their knowledge and facts to an issue that could permanently impact this town.
To make this easy, we’ve created a simple email and letter template that you can personalize and send in just a few minutes. You may edit it however you like, or send it as-is with your name.
PLEASE EMAIL: townofrochesteralliance@gmail.com to receive the template, info on how and who to send it to as well as other resources that you may find helpful!
DEADLINE: All letters must be submitted by 3:30 PM on Monday, 12/8
If you are able to attend in person, the meeting begins at 6:30 PM at the Harold Lipton Community Center, 15 Tobacco Rd, Accord.
It is truly amazing what happens when a community comes together. If you’ve been wondering how you can help, this is one of the MOST impactful things you can do right now.
With deep appreciation,
The Town of Rochester Alliance
A 42,000sq ft banquet hall threatens Rochester’s rural character, road safety, and water supply.
Now is the time to act. The Planning Board is sworn to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all residents — and they need strong public support to make the right decision for the entire community.
Say NO to this oversized development — sign the petition protect our town, our neighbors, and our future.
The Town of Rochester is facing a development proposal that would permanently alter the agricultural, scenic, and historic character of Cherrytown Road — and put the health, safety, and welfare of our community at risk.
The applicant seeks to construct a 42,000 square foot banquet and event hall at Pine Grove/Rav Tov. This massive commercial-style project is completely out of scale with our agricultural area, rural roads, and neighborhoods.
Here’s why you should care:
• It does not align with our Town’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code. The proposal does not align with standards for commercial design, landscaping, aquifer protection, parking, traffic, signage, or setbacks..
• It threatens our water. The project lies within the Aquifer Protection Overlay District. Town law requires a hydrogeological study when water use exceeds 1,000 gallons/day. We feel with dual kitchens, classrooms, and space for 500+ people, this threshold will be exceeded many times over — putting our wells and aquifer at risk of contamination.
• It endangers drivers and pedestrians. Cherrytown Road and adjoining roads cannot safely handle the traffic volume and bus congestion from large-scale events.
• It undermines our rural and agricultural identity. The R-5 Rural Conservation District was designed to preserve farmland and community character — not mega-sized banquet facilities.
• It repeats past harms. Neighbors have already experienced disruption from Rav Tov/Pine Grove’s activities, including noise, unsafe traffic for drivers and pedestrians, trespass, debris and damage to crops via helicopters. We feel this expansion will only make these impacts worse.
Why we must say NO to this expansion:
✅ First, sign this petition to show that residents stand united against this oversized development. Please include your mailing address (and email/phone if possible) so we can keep you informed of next steps.
✅ Attend the next Public Comment Planning Board Meeting: !!UPDATE!! the applicant HAS submitted new documents tot eh Planning Board and is TENTATIVELY on the agenda for December 8th at the Harold Lipton Community Center in Accord. PLEASE CHECK the TOR Planning Board’s Agenda & Minutes page HERE to stay up-to-date! We will update here as soon as we have confirmation via the Planning Board's site. If you would like to see the additional submitted docs, renderings, etc., you can follow this LINK.
✅ Submit your written comments to: PBZBA@townofrochester.ny.gov and kgundberg@townofrochester.ny.gov
This is our chance to protect Rochester’s rural character, water, and road safety — for ourselves, our neighbors, and generations to come.
This informal citizen action group has formed to share updates and coordinate efforts. Signing this petition ensures you’ll stay informed and have a voice in shaping the future of our town!
What You Can Do:
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
— Jane Goodall