Mary Bodem continued from page 1

Mary began focusing her efforts on the Planning and Zoning Boards, helping establish strict standards for all areas of the Village-residential, commercial, and industrial. She took county-sponsored courses in planning and zoning, and became first a member and then chair of the Monroe County Planning Council and Planning Board.

In 1992, Mary was appointed chair of the Village's Planning and Zoning Boards by then-Mayor Jack Holzworth. She knew, she says, that tougher standards were needed or "we'd lose this Village." She also knew that her tough stance "was not going to make me a popular lady."

Mary began inviting planners from other towns and villages to share their successes and their failures with board members. "I knew we couldn't cave in [to commercial development] the way Brighton and Penfield had. On the other hand, Honeoye Falls and Fairport were great models." As a board member of the Pittsford Greenbelt Association, she worked with town colleagues designing strategies to protect the hundreds of acres of open farmland that ring the community.

Mary credits the 1976 passage of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) with being key to Pittsford's success in protecting a strong residential core and an historic architectural presence.

She also praises the hard work of a network of dedicated community volunteers. "Ginny Searl and others on the Architectural Preservation and Review Board have held seminars for realtors explaining our standards for the Village and the importance of upholding those standards. And Historic Pittsford has done a wonderful job of defining our historical assets and educating the community to the importance of preserving our Village heritage."

"I have considered it a privilege to work under Mayor Bob Corby and trustees, including recently retired Dick Dennison," she continued.

Few, if any, of our neighbors rate higher praise than Mary Bodem. As Mayor Corby says, "She has worked harder than any volunteer could be expected to work--and she does that work thoroughly, thoughtfully and painstakingly. Over the years Mary has developed a process to guide and control change. We expect that process is here to stay."