Map of Lyons CDP, New York

Lyons is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,619 at the 2010 census. It is located in the southern half of the town of Lyons. The hamlet and the town are named after Lyon (sometimes spelled Lyons), France. Originally named “The Forks”, Lyons was renamed by land agent George Williamson.

Lyons is the county seat of Wayne County. It was an incorporated village from 1854 through 2015. The hamlet is east of the city of Rochester.

Government offices for the Town of Lyons are located in the hamlet.

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Lyons location map. Where is Lyons CDP?

History

The community was settled circa 1789 and incorporated as a village in 1854. The Erie Canal, which once went through the center of the village, was rerouted to the south when it was enlarged in the 1850s. Later, the canal conformed roughly to the bed of the Clyde River. On November 6, 2012, Lyons village residents passed a proposal to dissolve the village into the surrounding town by a 569–524 margin.

The H. G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Company Plant, Grace Episcopal Church Complex, Broad Street–Water Street Historic District, and U.S. Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1986, parts of two films were shot in Lyons. The Spanish film Slugs filmed in Lyons for its quaint American look and Lady in White, to take advantage of the historic, preserved atmosphere.

Lyons is part of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. Erie Canal Lock 27 is located below the bridge on Leach Road, just off N.Y. Route 31. It was built in approximately 1913, and has a lift of 12.5 feet (3.81 m) to the west.

Lyons celebrates Peppermint Days in mid-July to memorialize the region’s past fame in producing this crop.

Dissolution

In 2012, a coalition of bipartisan taxpayers formed OneLyons, a group seeking to dissolve the village. They circulated a petition to force a dissolution vote after the village did not follow up on a 2010 Center for Governmental Research Study showing that significant tax savings were possible and further efficiencies could be achieved. In November 2012, the village voted to dissolve, beginning a process under the 2009 NYS Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act pushed by Governor Cuomo and Championed by Senators Nozzolio and Robach as well as local Assemblyman Bob Oaks of North Rose.

In 2013, the Village of Lyons formed a dissolution committee and chose a consultant. Per NYS Law, the Village of Lyons had until June 25, 2013 to prepare and approve a dissolution plan, and until July 2 to present it to the village residents.

On June 28, 2013 the OneLyons group filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court requesting the court declare the village in violation of GML 17-A. Acting Supreme Court Judge Nesbitt held two hearings, and ordered the Village of Lyons to complete a dissolution plan by October 20, 2013.

OneLyons appealed Judge Nesbitt’s decision granting additional time to the village citing the New York State Law and asserting that the judge did not have a legal basis to grant time extensions, and that the judge exceeded the discretion he was allowed by law. The Village of Lyons responded to the appeal by asking the NYS Supreme Court Appellate Division, 4th Judicial Department out of Rochester NY to dismiss the Appeal as Moot. On December 6, 2013; five judges of the Appellate Division decided the case had enough grounds and merit to move forward, ordered the Village of Lyons to reply, but reserved the right to still dismiss the case as moot. In 2014 the Appellate Court 4th Department in Rochester dismissed the lawsuit noting that since the Village of Lyons had ultimately complied, then further challenge was not allowed regardless of the evidence.

‘Save the Village of Lyons’, an anti-dissolution group, organized and led by Police Chief Richard Bogan and Police Clerk Helen Weimer to force a second referendum on dissolution, succeeded with enough votes. However, the OneLyons pro-dissolution group initiated a second lawsuit under Article 78 proceedings challenging the validity of the Village Certification process and claiming gross irregularities, fraud, intimidation, and multiple conflicts of interest. The OneLyons group was presented extensive evidence in support of its positions that can be reviewed on their website at www.onelyons.com. Ultimately, Judge Nesbitt deferred his discretion to the Clerk of the Village who had personally signed and been involved in the anti-dissolution movement, ruling that since she used the proper criteria then there was no further reason to doubt the validity of her decisions. Further, Judge Nesbitt ruled that since none of the citizens appeared before the court willing to testify regarding fraud, intimidation, and conflicts of interest, then there was insufficient reason for the court to intervene.

A second vote on dissolution occurred in March 2014 resulted in a YES vote of 519–353.

The Village of Lyons officially dissolved on December 31, 2015. All government activities previously managed by the village are now handled by the Town of Lyons.

Lyons Road Map

Lyons city Satellite Map

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the hamlet has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.7 km), of which 4.1 square miles (10.5 km) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km) (2.17%) is water.

The hamlet is located on the Erie Canal and served by New York State Route 14 (NY 14), a north–south highway which intersects east–west NY 31 south of the hamlet center.

See also