On The Grounds /
Architectural and Land Use Study Group


As part of the ongoing oversight of Chautauqua Institution’s Architectural and Land Use Regulations by the Board of Trustees, chairman George Snyder assembled a study group to review the existing regulations and consider the underlying philosophy of the regulations to determine if both the regulations and the Architectural Review Board are serving the needs of Chautauqua Institution in 2011 and beyond.

The ALU Study Group held six meetings between January and October 2011, along with five public input sessions on the Institution grounds during the 2011 Season. A draft report was prepared and submitted to study group members in Oct. 2011.

Updated: Feb. 2012

ALU Study Group Chairman Bob Jeffrey presented the final report of the Architectural and Land Use Study Group to the board of trustees at its annual retreat on Friday, Feb. 3.

Click here to view the ALU Study Group Final Report

Board chairman George Snyder will commission a subgroup that includes several members of the original ALU Study Group and members of the board of trustees to review the report and prepare a draft of revised regulations.

The draft of revised regulations will be presented to the board and made available for public review during the 2012 Season. Following public review, the draft report will be reviewed again at the board’s August meeting in the hopes of having a final report to present at the November board meeting.

Study Group Members
Areas of Consideration
Public Input Summary
Current Architectural and Land Use Regulations (pdf)
Contact Information

Areas of Consideration

The final report from the Architectural and Land Use Study Group, delivered to the Board of Trustees in February, includes the following areas of focus regarding ALU regulations.
  • Historical Integrity and Preserving Architectural Legacy
  • Organization of the Architectural and Land Use Document
  • Architectural and Land Use Process
  • Architectural and Land Use Notification Process
  • Compliance
  • Institution Properties
  • Private Parking
  • Drainage and Stormwater
  • Tree Protection
  • Scale, Massing and Height
  • Geographical Districts of the Institution

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Public Input Process

During Weeks Two through Seven of the 2011 Season, members of the Architectural and Land Use Study Group held one-on-one interviews at the Main Gate Welcome Center with members of the public to discuss their thoughts, concerns and issues related to ALU regulations.Five sessions were held and 37 members of the community participated in the process. In addition, several ALU study group members collected interviews outside the appointed times due to scheduling conflicts. The comments of 55 total participants were summarized in two public presentations, which were attended by more than 100 members of the community.

Click here to download a summary of public input comments.


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ALU Study Group Members

  • Amelia Dean, property owner and interior designer
  • Bill Laubscher, property owner and architect
  • David Rosen,property owner and architect with involvement in land use, Zoning Boards of Adjustments and Historic Preservation Commissions.
  • Gayle Camden, property owner and professional designer
  • Jane Buch, property owner and BTG member
  • Jeffrey Simpson, author and editor, Architectural Digest
  • Jim Lynch, property owner
  • Jim Pardo, property owner, Trustee, member of the Architectural Review Board
  • Karen Goodell, property owner, realtor, real estate developer, and Foundation Director
  • Kathryn Lincoln, property owner, Trustee and Foundation Director
  • Markie McCarthy, property owner, CPOA Board member
  • Miles DeMott, property owner
  • Wendy Barensfeld, property owner
  • Susan Luehrs, property owner of a historic rooming house
  • Tom Small, property owner, officer of the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy
  • Bob Jeffrey, property owner, member of the Architectural Review Board, former manager of City of St. Petersburg’s Urban Design and Historic Preservation Division
  • Key Chautauqua Institution staff members


Architectural and Land Use Study Group Contact

Any questions regarding the work of the Architectural and Land Use Study Group may be directed to John Shedd, Architectural and Land Use Regulations Administrator and Capital Projects Manager, at (716) 357-6246 or jshedd@ciweb.org.


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