HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-21 Town Board Minutes, Zoning UpdateTown of Danby Town BoardBoard Meeting for Zoning UpdateMonday 21 June 2021 at 7:00 PMvia Zoom Video Conferencinghttps://zoom.us/j/97940550763?pwd=V25xOUwrZ3Q3eWtiVjFVaFE2V1M1UT09
Meeting MinutesRoll Call :Town Board Joel Gagnon, SupervisorLeslie ConnorsJim HolahanSarah SchnabelMatt UlinskiTown Planner David WestRecording Secretary Janice R. Adelman, Town Clerk
1. Call to Order at 19:02 by Supervisor Gagnon2.Additions/Deletions to the Agenda — none3.Privilege of the Floor3.1. Ted Crane put 2 cents in—matter-of-factly, but could treat it as matter of opinion—thatsome of these discussions are losing track of their own past history. Crane gave theexample of the rural character goal with discussions that took place in the Friday nightmeeting.3.2. Councilmember Ulinski noted that there is not a good definition of what “rural character”means.Crane responded that it was debated a year ago and had settled upon the idea that it wasdefined by open space.Ulinski offered that we could use rural character as the marketing tool and not thelegislation tool.4.Update on where we stand from Planner West4.1. Outreach Completed4.1.1. Currently twenty-six (26) hours of YouTube content from Working Group and TownBoard meetings4.1.2. Twelve (12) Facebook postings4.1.3. Dozens of emails sent to over 130 residents4.1.4. Two walks led by West through the Hamlet4.1.5. One table event at Something Special4.1.6. One commercial use survey garnered 26 responses4.2. Task List Progress4.2.1. COMPLETED: Create sub-areas within the existing Low Density Residential (LDR)zone that reflect and regulate different land conservation and developmentpriorities in the variety of contexts that exist throughout the current LDR zone.4.2.2. IN PROGRESS: Adopt public and private roadway and driveway specifications.4.2.3. Open: Fix legal inconsistencies and other problems as identified by past and currentTown Planners with the zoning subdivision ordinances that create confusion orconflict with the Town’s stated goals and policy positions.
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4.2.4. Create a clear set of regulations and approval/review criteria that can beunderstood, followed, and upheld by the public and Town Staff.4.3. Schedule Progress4.3.1. COMPLETE: Quarter 1 - pass moratorium and begin scoping for zoning update.—Review past lists of zoning/subdivision regulation problems; gather data4.3.2. COMPLETE: Quarter 2 (April, May, June) - begin public process of zoning changes—April 6 held public meeting focused on teh the current zoning and subdivisionincluding the development review process, what they already do, what’s working,and what’s not working.—April identified new zones that will be added and the purpose of each new zone—May & June drafted new zone requirements.4.3.3. UPCOMINGQuarter 3 to Review Draft Zoning Changes—July: present the draft to Town Board & Planning Group with three weeks forreview and comment—August: public feedback to Town Board; Board decides what changes to makeor what elements need significant further consideration.—September: present draft changes based on August direction; more feedbackfrom the public.Quarter 4 to Finalize and Adopt—October: working sessions on areas of disagreement—November: Town Board will hear from the public and give final direction onany changes necessary prior to adoption.—December: Adopt changes, if any; moratorium expires.5. Feedback to the working groups from the TB6.1. Councilperson Ulinski raised concerns that whatever the Town decides to do doesn’tmake it so restrictive that nobody would come in to the Hamlet to develop whendeveloping the Hamlet is an important issue to us.6.1.1. Supervisor Gagnon noted that making it as easy as possible and increasing enablingthe shared system to get us the density that would make a real Hamlet is an importantcomplement to the rezoning.6.1.2. Planner West commented that the hallmark of the two zones in the Hamlet aregoing to be some of the most flexible and progressive zones in the county.6.2. One suggestion was to define what commercial means in the same way that we need todefine what rural character means, so that we all know what is being considered andeveryone is on the same page as to what a business or commercial entity is. Although theproposal is to keep commercial buildings under 6000 square feet to dissuade big boxretailers from coming in (who prefer 8000 to 10000 square feet), what would stop anationally known commercial entity to set up shop in a 1000 square feet space?6.2.1. Planner West offered that this may be what some call “limitations on formularetail”. This is a gray area in the law.6.3. A final suggestion regarding road use given previous scenarios with Deputron Hollow andMarsh Road, that it is important to enforce Town zoning in areas where it’s questionable.With the idea to have several different road standards.
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6.4. How does the Town Board feel about the proposed schedule that has a draft proposal toyou in July, especially given the nature of the working groups as open to everyone withvastly different opinions and the potential inability to reach consensus in these groups?6.4.1. Councilperson Holahan replied that being able to provide information around theconsensus, e.g., 70% of this is agreed upon; 30% is uncertain and needs board input sothat some of it might go back to the group to re-work, and go from there.6.4.2. Councilpersons Schnabel and Ulinski voiced their trust in West’s judgment andability to put together a draft based on all input from the various working groups tobring to the Board for Board review.6.4.3. Schnabel added that it may be useful to highlight only large points of contention.6.Adjourn at 20:23 _________________________________________Submitted by Janice R. AdelmanTown Clerk