Lewiston Officials Address Property Reassessment, Zoning Changes, and NYPA Agreement

     Lewiston town officials covered several major topics during a recent board meeting, including property reassessments, proposed zoning updates, and a renewed agreement with the New York Power Authority.

     One of the main discussions focused on the town’s ongoing reassessment project, which is nearing completion in coordination with the Town of Porter. Town Assessor Nicholas Fiutko addressed confusion among residents, particularly around paperwork they recently received.

     “I just wanted to clear up some misgivings” in the paperwork town residents received earlier, Fiutko said. He explained that many residents are mistakenly comparing market value to assessed value.

     “The market value has always been the same. It's the higher number the level of assessment the state gives us on a yearly basis. This year, we were dropped to 40%. That's why the reassessment was so important, the assessed value. The small number is the amount [of] your tax dollars, but that number has not been your assessment for the last 20 years.”

     Fiutko emphasized that reassessment does not mean the town is increasing taxes, but instead is meant to distribute the tax burden more fairly.

     “Number two: The [purpose of] the reassessment is not to generate more tax revenue for the municipality. It's to make sure that the state gives us a 100% rating, [and] the tax burden is shared, where it is supposed to among the residents.”

     He also outlined the process for residents who want to challenge their new assessments, including informal reviews and formal grievance procedures.

     “One, you have to get the startup [soon] it’s by March 31st by going to the Town of Lewiston prosgar.com website. That will put in an informal review with GAR Associates in which a human [] will sit down [and] look at your assessment if a mistake was made. They'll make a quick adjustment-end of story.”

“If you still don't agree with your assessment afterwards, on May 1, I will start accepting applications for what's called a grievance on May 26. We have a board of Lewiston residents that are going to meet right here. You will state your case (and provide) reasons why (you think your) assessment should be what you think it is. And the review board will make a decision based on what you submit.”

     “Lastly, if anybody has any questions, problems, concerns, you can't handle filling it out on the internet, see me. I will help you. I will walk you through it. I will help you fill out the application. We want everybody to make sure your properties are properly assessed.”

     During public comments, Planning Board member Dr. Mark Gallo raised concerns about how different types of land are valued under the reassessment.

     “Lewiston is a robust community with multiple land uses and all land is not created equal,” Gallo said. “This should be reflective in the assessments.”

     He pointed to farmland and natural areas as examples that should be considered differently.

     “I understand about residential and business land over things like that, but there's other sorts of lands that we need to consider here. So, we need farmland. I think our community is more robust when we have those sorts of things, and if it helps our community and its structure, but it doesn't just end with farmland. We also need marshland, wetland, grasslands and [] forestland. We need all of those things. Those are all really important because diversity and land really adds to our resilience as a community. That’s a really important point that we need to make,” said Gallo.

     In addition to reassessment discussions, town officials also introduced proposed updates to the local zoning code. Supervisor Steve Broderick announced a public hearing scheduled for April 13th to review Local Law No. 2 of 2026.

     “It modifies several codes within the Town of Lewiston,” he said.

     The proposed changes would impact a wide range of zoning rules including permitting processes, development standards, and definitions tied to land use and construction.

     A second public hearing will also be held that evening to consider a separate proposal that would temporarily halt the development of certain high-tech facilities in the town.

     “It would be a local law imposing a moratorium on the establishment, construction, expansion or operation of data centers, artificial processing facilities and cryptocurrency mining operations within the Town of Lewiston,” said Town Board member Sarah Waechter.

     Town officials also approved a renewed agreement with the New York Power Authority, which will continue to provide benefits to Lewiston as a host community. The agreement includes provisions related to low-cost power, financial compensation, and land use as part of a long-term arrangement tied to NYPA’s operations.

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Lewiston Officials Address Property Reassessment, Zoning Changes, and NYPA Agreement