Why a Small New York Town Is Banning New Restaurants: New at Reason

Skaneateles, a town of 7,000 that rests at the north end of Skaneateles Lake, one of New York State’s Finger Lakes, is considering a ban on new restaurants in the city’s historic district.

The Auburn Citizen reported last week that the measure would prohibit new sit-down restaurants from opening along Genesee Street, which runs along the lake. That’s despite the fact that the waterfront district that would be impacted is composed of approximately 60 buildings that are “predominantly of commercial” nature.

So, why the ban on restaurants? As Baylen Linnekin writes, the rationale appears to be a familiar mix of protectionism: protecting neighborhood character, protecting existing restaurants from competition, and protecting existing home prices.

View this article.