Alley Cat Owner Re-Hangs Spiritual Flags and Challenges Code Violation

GENESEO — The owner of Alley Cat Purrfect Price re-hung the spiritual flags outside her business and is challenging the Village’s code violations, which ordered her to take them down.

Village Code Enforcement Officer Craig Wadsworth sent the owner of Alley Cat, Connie Saffan, three violation letters asking her to take down the flags in front of her business because they project across her property line and are in the sidewalk, which is a public right of way.

“My flags celebrate many cultures of the word causing people to feel immediately welcome in the store,” said Saffan. “They have a visual message of unity and peace.”

Deputy Mayor Sandra Brennan told Saffan that the board is ‘going through code revisions,’ with signs being next on the agenda.

The board said that they will look closer at the village code and the definition of a ‘sign’ to see if it can be made more clear in order to resolve the situation at their next meeting.

“We are going to review the sign structure the Village has and compare it to what the town uses,” said Brennan. “We are going to see how that fits with what we are looking for.”

Saffan had other complaints for the Village. She said that it hinders her business to close Center Street for the annual Summerfest and the Farmer’s Market on Thursdays.

Josh Williams, President of Geneseo Community Main Street, invited Saffan to use the Geneseo Community Main Street as a platform to voice her concerns.

“We try to find a variety of events that will benefit the different establishments that we have in our community,” said Williams. “We work very hard to do that and we welcome you to that conversation to find ways in which we can work with your business.”