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LAKEWOOD SIDEWALKS
Jamestown just celebrated a great week with the hosting of the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival at the Comedy Center. It surprises me that during the comedy fest nothing was mentioned about the sidewalk installation in Lakewood. Because the sidewalk issue is a comedy. In a recent NYSDOT letter to the mayor of Lakewood it said and I quote “Installing sidewalk segments between Chautauqua Ave and Green St are not currently included in the preferred alternative.” Since that letter was sent I have heard two different things that make me say, “What is the state doing”? The first thing I heard was that the state was talking to people along the Fairmount corridor about eminent domain on their property for the sidewalks. Now in the last couple of days I have heard that the state is asking people how many and what kind of trees do you want after the sidewalks are in. Today a lady told me they asked her where she wanted her garden transplanted. This is why I say it is a comedy act that nobody along Fairmount or in Lakewood is laughing at. Another question is does any of the Lakewood Village Board members have knowledge of this and if they do why have they not announced it. Hopefully the state will stick to the no that was in the letter. Also to the state, do not listen to the mayor and certain board members because they are not really representing their constituents with their thoughts.
TAXES
I decided to look into what Lakewood taxes have been doing the last couple of years. I looked into 17 villages and cities in Chautauqua County to see what each one was paying in Village, School, Town and County total taxes. I looked back a couple of years, 2024, and then the current 2026 costs. After looking at then it reminded me of the old George Jefferson song called “Moving On Up”. Two years ago Lakewood ranked number 5 of the lowest total taxes in the county. In Lakewood their has been moderate increases in the taxes from school, town and county. But then the village tax is different. When you see anywhere from 20 percent to 40 some percent increase a year you are paying much more. With that increase and what is happening to the rate in Lakewood we have moved up to number 10 lowest in the county. I guess if you are an individual or family having decent income it is no big deal, but there are a lot of residents in Lakewood that do not fit in that category and it becomes a real burden on them. When is it going to stop?
SHORT TERM RENTALS
I am writing this part after seeing the mobs of people in Lakewood this summer and especially the 4th of July week. Where are they all staying? As we know there are a number of people taking advantage of the many short term rentals within the Village of Lakewood. Back in 2024 the Lakewood Village Board made changes to the STR zoning laws. Under zoning law 25-35.1 amended that law. Under B.1 Permit required it says “Prior to establishing and STR, the owner and /or operator shall obtain a special use permit approved by the Lakewood Village Board in accordance with 25-88 of the chapter. The last time I asked at a board meeting how many STR’s were registered in the village I was told 3. Anyone who lives in Lakewood knows that is not even close to the number that are registered with AIRBNB, VERBO or just regular advertising. The village is losing thousands of dollars in application revenue. The thing we hear from the mayor, trustees or CEO is that it is really hard to enforce. I spoke to a zoning board member that attended a seminar at Houghton College and one of the big topics that was discussed was enforcement of STR’s This information was passed on to the Lakewood officials. Again these STR’s renters are costing the Lakewood village residents who pay taxes (see above) and vote here thousands of dollars every year.
I grew up in Lakewood and currently live here and I want to see the village stay as a residential area and not a resort.
Rich Fischer is a Lakewood resident.