The time has come to, once again, update the
Zoning Ordinance
The existing Zoning Ordinance has provided
a good set of guidelines for controlled growth that
maintains the rural character of the Town. However,
there are changes and revisions that could make the
Ordinance more in tune with changes that have occurred
in the Town since the last revisions.
In some cases the zoning changes needed
are straightforward and should be handled quickly, for
example, aligning them with changes in state and county
regulations or clarifying areas where the language is
confusing.
In other cases, more consensus needs
to evolve through the planning workshops before implementing
detailed code changes.
How Will We Develop Consensus
Needed for Pro-active Planning?
Our town, like every other, has a history
of heated controversy over proposed projects. Dr. Tischler's
project an Route 375 in 2005 and the Hidden Forest project
currently under review provide good examples.
Unless long term community goals have
been articulated, and methods for accomplishing them
incorporated into codes, the discussion about a particular
project risks domination by the loudest voices and/or
deepest pockets.
This plan articulates the community's
goals. The next step, planning workshops, will identify
the specific changes to the codes that will facilitate
implementation.
The workshops should be:
- Outcome focused - result in specific
code changes for the Town Board's action
- Time limited - preferably not longer
than three months
- Begin
with a review of the alternatives successfully implemented
in other communities
- Open to all residents
- Include
the full range of perspectives by purposefully including
both residents and representatives
of other stakeholder groups, e.g.. County Planning
Board, real estate developer, vacant landowners, architect.
- Facilitated by community planning
professionals
Specific workshops should address
- Planned residential districts (PRDs)
- Incorporating the use of 'Smart Growth' and Conservation
development
- Methodology for increasing 'accessible'
and 'affordable' housing Town-wide, and requiring
a percentage in all large development projects
- Protection for scenic views, roads,
and bluffs
- A pro-active planning and review process
that includes developer incentives for addressing
town goals
- Route 28 overlay district - to resolve
issues including traffic and access, appropriate usage,
design standards, and required lot size.
- Design standards for commercial, light
industrial and multi-residential development
In the meantime
We
believe that the community’s
intent is clear, however, and can be used as guidance
in the interim for decision-making regarding specific
projects.
We discuss the recommendations for zoning
changes in the relevant sections.
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Zoning Code
Recommendations
• Eliminate
any conflicts, inconsistencies and ambiguities in current
codes
• Revise Planned Residential
District regulations
• Incorporate design standards for
commercial and multi-residential development
• Add available uses: Bed and
Breakfasts, accessory apartments, scenic
preservation and roadway overlays, aquifer and bluff overlay districts
• Evaluate Ohayo Mountain residential density
in the context of water studies
• Revise zoning regulations to better define and support goals and needs
for the Main Street Historic District, the route
28 overlay district
• Revise the planning review process to
initiate discussion that will facilitate development that meets the Town's goals
• Revise
and publicize the regulations for home businesses.
• Make
all codes available
on-line for easy reference
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