HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-21 Town Board Minutes, Zoning UpdateTown of Danby Town Board
Board Meeting for Zoning Update
Monday 21 June 2021 at 7:00 PM
via Zoom Video Conferencing
https://zoom.us/j/97940550763?pwd=V25xOUwrZ3Q3eWtiVjFVaFE2VlM 1UT09
Roll Call :
Meeting Minutes
Town Board Joel Gagnon, Supervisor
Leslie Connors
Jim Holahan
Sarah Schnabel
Matt Ulinski
Town Planner David West
Recording Secretary Janice R. Adelman, Town Clerk
1. Call to Order at 19:02 by Supervisor Gagnon
2. Additions/Deletions to the Agenda — none
3. Privilege of the Floor
3.1. Ted Crane put 2 cents in —matter-of-factly, but could treat it as matter of opinion —that
some of these discussions are losing track of their own past history. Crane gave the
example of the rural character goal with discussions that took place in the Friday night
meeting.
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 was
defined by open space.
Ulinski offered that we could use rural character as the marketing tool and not the
legislation tool.
4. Update on where we stand from Planner West
4.1. Outreach Completed
4.1.1. Currently twenty-six (26) hours of YouTube content from Working Group and Town
Board meetings
4.1.2. Twelve (12) Facebook postings
4.1.3. Dozens of emails sent to over 130 residents
4.1.4. Two walks led by West through the Hamlet
4.1.5. One table event at Something Special
4.1.6. One commercial use survey garnered 26 responses
4.2. Task List Progress
4.2.1. COMPLETED: Create sub -areas within the existing Low Density Residential (LDR)
zone that reflect and regulate different land conservation and development
priorities 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 current
Town Planners with the zoning subdivision ordinances that create confusion or
conflict with the Town's stated goals and policy positions.
Town of Danby Zoning Review Update Meeting 21 June 2021
4.2.4. Create a clear set of regulations and approval/review criteria that can be
understood, followed, and upheld by the public and Town Staff.
4.3. Schedule Progress
4.3.1. COMPLETE: Quarter 1 - pass moratorium and begin scoping for zoning update.
—Review past lists of zoning/subdivision regulation problems; gather data
4.3.2. COMPLETE: Quarter 2 (April, May, June) - begin public process of zoning changes
—April 6 held public meeting focused on teh the current zoning and subdivision
including 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. UPCOMING
Quarter 3 to Review Draft Zoning Changes
—July: present the draft to Town Board & Planning Group with three weeks for
review and comment
—August: public feedback to Town Board; Board decides what changes to make
or what elements need significant further consideration.
—September: present draft changes based on August direction; more feedback
from 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 on
any changes necessary prior to adoption.
—December: Adopt changes, if any; moratorium expires.
5. Feedback to the working groups from the TB
6.1. Councilperson Ulinski raised concerns that whatever the Town decides to do doesn't
make it so restrictive that nobody would come in to the Hamlet to develop when
developing the Hamlet is an important issue to us.
6.1.1. Supervisor Gagnon noted that making it as easy as possible and increasing enabling
the shared system to get us the density that would make a real Hamlet is an important
complement to the rezoning.
6.1.2. Planner West commented that the hallmark of the two zones in the Hamlet are
going 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 to
define what rural character means, so that we all know what is being considered and
everyone is on the same page as to what a business or commercial entity is. Although the
proposal is to keep commercial buildings under 6000 square feet to dissuade big box
retailers from coming in (who prefer 8000 to 10000 square feet), what would stop a
nationally 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 formula
retail". This is a gray area in the law.
6.3. A final suggestion regarding road use given previous scenarios with Deputron Hollow and
Marsh 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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Town of Danby Zoning Review Update Meeting 21 June 2021
6.4. How does the Town Board feel about the proposed schedule that has a draft proposal to
you in July, especially given the nature of the working groups as open to everyone with
vastly 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 the
consensus, e.g., 70% of this is agreed upon; 30% is uncertain and needs board input so
that 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 and
ability to put together a draft based on all input from the various working groups to
bring 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. Adelman
Town Clerk
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