Zoning advisors face daunting to-do list

By: Kristin Shaw IndeNews February 22, 2006

SCHODACK-The Zoning Advisory Committee is gearing up for a second year of examining the town's code and recommending revisions to it.
The Town Board has appointed the following people to the committee: Supervisor Beth Secor and Town Board member Frank Curtis, Planning Board members Joseph Visalli, Wayne Johnson, Peter Goold and Paul Puccio, Planning and Zoning Board Attorney Timothy Nugent, School Board member George warner, agriculture representative Edward Miller, Zoning Board member David Calarco, Building Inspector Jeff Conlin and Zoning Enforcement Officer Nadine Fuda.
One charge to the committee is to formally propose and recommend zone changes and delineate allowed uses within zones to implement the Route 9 Corridor Strategic Development Plan completed last year.
"The committee will also review allowed uses in all current zones and recommend changes, simplification and or additional uses as well as review zoning maps and recommend zone changes as may be appropriate for any area of the town, as well as in conjunction with the Route 9 Corridor Study," said Mrs. Secor.
Mr. Curtis, who was appointed to the committee shortly after his appointment to the Town Board last year, said the committee will basically be continuing its efforts of last year.
"We'll conduct a broad overview of current zoning in town and go through the code book to see if there is the need for changes, which there probably is," he said. "We'll look at the Route 9 Corridor Study and seek if some or all of it should be incorporated into our overall plan and if so, determine what changes the Town Board must enact."
Mr. Curtis said the existing zoning code dates back to the 1960s and is in great need of being updated. Some changes have already been made as various projects or proposals are introduced.
"Things don't stay constant," he said. "We need to adapt our code to the changes being made at every other level of government."
Mr. Curtis said the group has not met this year, but plans to get together soon. He said there is no timetable as to when the committee must report back to the Town Board.
"And unless we met 24 hours a day for an entire month, it's probably going to take a while," he added.
Mr. Curtis, also the Director for Real Property in Rensselaer County, said the group is well rounded and he expects some good recommendations to be made.
"Planning and Zoning affect many things throughout the town," he said. "We need to look at the big picture. Any recommendations made will also help in getting to work on a comprehensive master plan for the town."
Last year, the committee submitted a nine-page report to the Town Board, outlining a number of possible changes to the zoning code.
The committee's charge last year was to identify how the town's zoning code and law and related codes needed to be revised to conform with town law, International Building Code, definitions of applicable terms and best planning practices.
The committee focused its attention especially on definitions and the administrative process. The committee determined the administrative procedures are confusing and problematic and that many definitions are either confusing or missing altogether.
The committee recommended reworking 16 definitions and adding others to the town code, including, but not limited to, distribution center, general contractor, mining, outdoor sales, outdoor storage, restaurants, retail, self-service storage facility, independent living/no assistance, elderly housing, assisted living facility, two-family or duplex dwellings, and warehouses.
The committee noted that several uses are not permitted in any zone or in certain areas of zones and recommended changes, which would move various uses to appropriate zones.
Other recommended code changes involved permitted accessory parking, parking spaces, swimming pools, signs and billboards and timber harvesting.
The committee also wanted the duties of the Zoning Enforcement Officer better outlined so she the law can be enforced more often.
The committee also suggested changes to the code to make it easier to read and interpret.
They looked at where specific types of projects could be located and upon its recommendation, the discretion to interpret the zoning code in relation to various proposals was returned to the Planning Board.
The group also recommended eliminating the need for special permits for certain projects in an effort to reduce the Planning Board's workload.

AREA NEWSPAPER
CONTACT INFORMATION

ULSTER/ DUTCHESS

Poughkeepsie Journal
PO Box 1231
Poughkeepsie, NY 12602
(845) 454-2000
For an on line letter to the editor. Fill out this form

ULSTER COUNTY

Saugerties Times
Monday deadline
P.O.Box
Phone:334- 8200
FAX your letter 334-8202
saugertiestimes@ulsterpublishing
(Attention Erica Freudenberger, editor)
P.O.Box 3329
Kingston, NY 12402

Albany Times Union
Times Union
90 State Street
Albany, NY 12207
(518) 454-5091
For an on line letter to the editor. Fill out this form

COLUMBIA COUNTY
The Independent
Indenews (online)

P.O. Box 360
Hillsdale, NY 12529
Phone (518) 325-4400
FAX (518) 325-4497
Parry Teasdale, editor

letters to editor require form through website

***NOTE: Our websites make an effort to glean info for our readers from local papers. This is no way a substitute for subscribing or picking up a local paper. We gratefully acknowledge the efforts local newspapers and publications make to our community.