HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 03 16 Planning Board Minutes1
PLANNING BOARD DRAFT MINUTES
Town of Danby Planning Board
Minutes of Regular Meeting
March 16, 2021
DRAFT
PRESENT:
Ed Bergman
Scott Davis
Kathy Jett
Kelly Maher
Elana Maragni
Bruce Richards
Jody Scriber (Chair)
OTHER ATTENDEES:
Town Planner David West
Town Board Liaison Leslie Connors (Town Board member)
Recording Secretary Alyssa de Villiers
Public Ben Altman, Dana Berger, Marc Berger, Cynthia Bowman, Hayden Brainard, Nora
Brown, Sarah Brylinsky, Ted Crane, Theo Dean, Toby Dean, Annette Feeney,
Kevin Feeney, Joel Gagnon (Town Supervisor), Jeremy Holmes, Katharine
Hunter, Tamara Ingram, Arthur James, Nancy Medsker, Ted Melchen, Matt
Namer, Michael Nelson, Kim Nitchman, Russ Nitchman, Ronda Roaring, Barbara
Romano, Pete Romano, Ivan Ross, Corinne Rutzke, Linda Santos, Connie
Sczepanski, Adriel Shea, Mark Tucker, Chris W., Bill, Jenni, Anon1
This meeting was conducted virtually on the Zoom platform.
The meeting was opened at 7:05pm.
(1) CALL TO ORDER/AGENDA REVIEW
Planner West said he would report on the Town Board’s moratorium proposal and the open development
area (ODA) proposal during the “Planner’s Report.”
(2) PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
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PLANNING BOARD DRAFT MINUTES
Ronda Roaring said that NY State Town Law, Section 263, states that a town board’s “regulations shall be
made in accordance with a comprehensive plan,” and the NYS Department of State says, “the
comprehensive plan should provide the backbone for the local zoning law. The comprehensive plan is the
culmination of a planning process that establishes the official land use policy of a community and presents
goals and a vision for the future that guides official decision -making.” She cited Udell v. Hass (1968). She
said it is a permitted use of the zoning regulations to build in Danby, but they should also be following the
Comprehensive Plan, which says they should be preserving the rural character of the Town. In her opinion,
the recent subdivisions do not preserve the rural character, and the Planning Boa rd must follow the
Comprehensive Plan, even though the zoning regulations do not comply with it.
Ivan Ross said he and his partner are moving to Danby and planning to purchase the property at 88 E.
Miller Rd. (third case under “Development Review”). He explained they are requesting to take the current
parcel of about 102 acres and subdivide off the small portion that has the house and outbuildings on it,
which would allow them to seek a mortgage. Then they plan to purchase the remaining parcel in
conjunction with friends who own a neighboring property on Fieldstone Circle. He said they look forward to
continuing the existing collaboration with the Szcepanskis, who own the neighboring farm, and they are
excited to grow additional food crops in the greenhouses and high tunnel. They hope to continue the legacy
of working the land in a productive agricultural capacity as well as serve as stewards of the fields and
forests on the property.
Russ Nitchman responded to Ms. Roaring, saying that he wished the town would update its
Comprehensive Plan rather than taking people’s rights away to do what they want with their land within
reason. He said he wished the Town Board would do likewise rather than doing a moratorium and then
changing the rules of the game. If Roaring is right and the Comprehensive Plan takes precedent, maybe
they need to change some of the wording and adapt it. He added that large landowners are paying huge
taxes and paying for the view. He felt that small landowners did not have the right to tell large landowners
what to do. He made some personal comments to Ms. Roaring. He added that he thought the Town had
done the right thing with the tax proposal where people can put their land in a temporary conservation
easement (in exchange for a sliding scale of tax relief), which he thought would help.
Ted Crane said a planning board exists to make sure the zoning code is followed, and the zoning code
exists to strike a balance between individual property rights and the good of the community around it. He
thought it was important for new owners or people dividing their property to consider what the neighbor’s
needs are. Also, in regard to the proposal of making an open development area (ODA), he said the Town
should be considering whether it will benefit the Town and does the Town want development in a particular
area; that is the purpose of that section of law. He hoped the Planning Board would keep that in mind .
Hayden Brainard said the Zoning Ordinance is part of the Comprehensive Plan, even if they may be
disjointed. He disagreed with Mr. Crane about the ODA, s aying that it is specific to a particular piece of
property and is not a decision by the Town to have development widely in a particular area or the Town
more generally.
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PLANNING BOARD DRAFT MINUTES
(3) APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: Approve the February 16th minutes
Moved by Richards, seconded by Bergman
The motion passed.
In favor: Bergman, Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
(4) TOWN BOARD LIAISON REPORT
Leslie Connors (Town Board member) shared the following information:
• There would be three public hearings at the Town Board meeting the following day: one on
changing the residency requirement for the Deputy Highway Superintendent, one on approving the
West Danby water district operation policy, and one on a land use moratorium in the Low Density
Residential (LDR) zone.
• Regarding the Town’s agricultural districts, two properties have indicated they would like to be
included in an ag district: the Howland Rd. hemp farm and a cidery on 96B. The Town Board has
suggested not including the Howland Rd. hemp farm but would support the decision to include the
cidery on 96B. She cited the uncooperativeness of the hemp farm property owners and that
residents in their neighborhood do not know what is going on in that case as opposed to the cidery
where the neighboring property is in the ag district and the owners have been very cooperative in
figuring out what they are doing with the property.
(5) DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
SUB-2021-01 Hornbrook Rd. Subdivision Parcel: 6.-1- 18.25
Applicant: Edward Melchen
Anticipated Board action(s) this month: Application review, Public Hearing, SEQR Classification
& Determination, Preliminary Plat Approval
Proposal: Subdivide parcel into 3 pieces approximately 14, 4, and 11 acres in size
Planner West said Linda Santos was acting as a representative for the applicant in case the Board had any
questions. He explained that the subdivision is for three lots, which are already separated by Hornbrook
Rd. This makes it a little different than most subdivision reviews as many towns have an administrative
process for moving de facto subdivisions forward; Danby, however, does not. Because it is three lots, it is
considered a standard subdivision, which comes with some significant process in terms of mapping
resources and evaluating how the lots are drawn. In this case, the lots are already separate, so the Board
is not considering the location of lots. He noted it has been difficult for applicants and consu ltants to provide
the full suite of documents that the Town asks for in its Ordinance; he thought some of this had been
waived in the past and said the process is quite complicated once you get into a standard subdivision. He
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PLANNING BOARD DRAFT MINUTES
said the applicant has provided a lot of maps to try to get to all the requirements , and he reviewed the
anticipated actions on the project.
Board Member Davis pointed out that on the main subdivision plat, the 50’ front yard setback is measured
from the center of the road. He said that while usually this would not matter, in this case it is crucial
because they are trying to squeeze the house in between the wetlands and the road. He said he thought
the setback was from the road boundary rather than the center.
Linda Santos, speaking on behalf of Mr. Melchen, said that for at least one of the lots, the 14 -acre lot, they
would like to be approved as a future building lot. She said the potential buyer for that lot was present and
she believed he would be sensitive to the ecological features of the lot ; as it happens, he is a professional
in wastewater management and would know how to smartly approach design. She said they have tried to
put together a demonstration of the available space for a home, a driveway, a septic field, and a
replacement septic field. One of the other two lots has a buyer, but no requirements that it is a buildable lot,
and the other lot is not on the market.
Board Member Richards said he appreciated all the maps and information. He said the Board had had
some serious concerns, but he thought they had been addressed. He said they were deci ding whether to
allow a subdivision, not approving a building or a site plan. He felt it was a challenging lot, but he had seen
enough information showing where a proposed house could go. He said there are other regulations that
protect the wetlands and environment there, and in order to build, they will have to be in compliance with
them, so he did not think the Planning Board had to double regulate. He thought it was well-researched and
he was satisfied.
Davis clarified that they Board was only okaying the subdivision. He said he would like to specifically know
how the potential house plays into their deliberations, if at all. He felt these were two things going on that
were continually being conflated. He wanted to look at the house site issue separately if it was in their
purview. He would not want the buyer to infer that approving the subdivision was tantamount to approving
his plans for the house site. Ms. Santos said they anticipated the Board would want separation on these
two topics, and the seller and buyer have amended the purchase agreement so that after the subdivision,
the buyer will have sufficient time to apply for a septic design permit and building permit. Davis thought this
contingency was good for everybody.
Public Hearing
The public hearing was opened at 7:38 p.m.
Town Supervisor Gagnon said that it might be helpful for the Board if Planner West explained what kind of
discretion the Board has for subdivision approval. Unless there was some discretion, there would be no
need for it to be before the Board, so it is not only acting in an administrative capacity. West said he would
address this after the public hearing.
Ted Crane commended Mr. Melchen and Ms. Santos for getting out front something that often gets lost —
the fact that there is no bar on the subdivision, but there is consideration about where a home might be
sighted. He thought that was wonderful to see.
The public hearing was opened at 7:40 p.m.
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PLANNING BOARD DRAFT MINUTES
Regarding Board discretion, Planner West said that usually the Planning Board would have discretion for
pushing the lot lines around, for example putting lots in one corner to avoid environmental impacts. The
second tool when talking about standard subdivisions is reviewing the area of disturbance, or where
construction is allowed. This includes the building as well as any clearing for septic. But frequently the
Board is in the situation where the applicant does not know. In that instance, the Board could approve
subdivision but require somebody to come back and amend the subdivision with a construction area
delineation before anything is built. The resource map is used to decide how to minimize the impacts. He
added that the Planning Board cannot reduce the amount of development or lots that can happen on the
site as that is set by the zoning.
Board Member Maragni clarified that they have the option to require that someone come back before the
Board when construction is proposed, at which time they could use the resource map to weigh in, and she
asked if that was the same as creating a no-build zone or restricted build area. West said the no-build
areas are where there is not supposed to be construction, and in the restricted build areas, there could be
construction, but the Board should work to minimize it; these guide the Board about analyzing the area for
construction disturbance.
Davis asked if the Board could vote to approve the subdivision boundaries and then vote again on the
house siting. West said this was a preliminary plat, and he explained the process of sketch plan review,
preliminary plat approval, and final plat approval. He said that in this case, the applicant does not know
what will happen for two of the three lots. He said the Board could require the applicant include limits of
construction areas on the final plat, based on the no-build and restricted-build parameters, or they could
approve a final plat with the condition that an application to amend the subdivision would be required before
a building permit could be granted. He added that that is the process for a normal lot, but this is a de facto
subdivision, which would mean him signing off on it if the Town had a process for that.
Ms. Santos said they would try to fulfill any further requirements the Board had of them. She explained
some of the difficulties that T.G. Miller had with making the maps and said there are hurdles in the process
that are challenging for applicants to meet.
SEQR Determination
Chair Scriber read aloud Part Two of the Short Environmental Assessment Form as per the State
Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act. It was agreed that the answer was “no or small impact may
occur” to all questions.
MOTION: Make a negative determination of environmental significance
Moved by Maher, seconded by Richards
The motion passed.
In favor: Bergman, Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
Preliminary Plat Approval
Kelly Maher noted that it should be today’s date for the public hearing under “whereas” number three.
Secretary de Villiers noted that the numbering of the “wherea s” clauses was incorrect. Planner West noted
that it should be preliminary rather than final plat approval under both “whereas” number tens.
MOTION: Pass Res. 2 of 2021 granting preliminary plat approval with suggested edits
Moved by Richards, seconded by Bergman
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The motion passed.
In favor: Bergman, Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
SUB-2021-02 319 Bald Hill Rd. Subdivision Parcel: 15.-1- 15.22
Applicant: Debbra Davis
Anticipated Board action(s) this month: Public hearing, SEQR Classification & Determination,
Final Plat Approval Decision
Proposal: Subdivide parcel into 2 pieces approximately 38 and 88 acres. Parcel is split by Bald Hill
Rd.
Hayden Brainard, representing the applicant, said this parcel is already divided by Bald Hill Rd. They are
looking to formally subdivide it as there is no mechanism for de facto subdivision. There are two parcels,
one on the east and one on the west, and they intend to sell the parcel between Bald Hill Rd. and Comfort
Rd.
Public Hearing
The public hearing was opened at 8:04 p.m.
Cynthia Bowman spoke for her and her husband, Ben Altman. She said they were the prospective
purchasers of the property, which runs adjacent to the property where their residence is. She said they
were purchasing it to preserve the forest and prevent logging and development.
The public hearing was opened at 8:05 p.m.
SEQR Determination
Chair Scriber read aloud Part Two of the Short Environmental Assessment Form as per the State
Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act. It was agreed that the answer was “no or small impact may
occur” to all questions.
MOTION: Make a negative determination of environmental significance
Moved by Bergman, seconded by Richards
The motion passed.
In favor: Bergman, Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
Preliminary and Final Plat Approval
MOTION: Pass Res. 3 of 2021 granting preliminary and final plat approval
Moved by Richards, seconded by Maher
The motion passed.
In favor: Bergman, Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
SUB-2021-04 88 E. Miller Rd. Subdivision Parcel: 7.-1- 29
Applicant: Mathew Namer on behalf of Corinne Rutske
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Anticipated Board action(s) this month: Public hearing, SEQR Classification, Preliminary and
Final Approval
Proposal: Subdivide existing farmhouse to create conforming lot for house separate from the
remaining lands.
Sarah Brylinsky said she and Matthew Namer were the other family who, along with Ivan Ross, are
interested in purchasing the parcel. She said they are not proposing any new development. They want to
segment off the house so their good friends could move there and join the Danby community. They intend
to keep the rest of the property as agricultural use and preserve the forest. She said her family owns the
property directly behind this parcel and have an existing 26 acres of woods that is conservation protected.
Her job is as a sustainability manager, so their intent over time is to see the land used to its maximum
biodiversity and conservation potential.
Corinne Rutske said she is the current owner. She said she specifically wanted to work with this group
because they were interested in maintaining the land as agriculture and forest .
Bruce Richards asked if it was their intention to put a conservation easement on the property. M r. Namer
said they had not looked into it enough to commit yes or no , and Ms. Brylinsky said they were early in their
strategic planning.
Public Hearing
The public hearing was opened at 8:15 p.m.
Supervisor Gagnon commended the intention to steward the property and put in a plug for the ease by
which it can be protected by a conservation easement in Danby.
Ms. Brylinski said they were thrilled by the warm welcome in Danby.
Jeremy Holmes said he lives on E. Miller and he welcomed Sarah, Matt, and Ivan to the road and area. He
said he strongly encouraged a conservation easement on the land as it is a really beautiful place.
The public hearing was opened at 8:17 p.m.
SEQR Determination
Chair Scriber read aloud Part Two of the Short Environmental Assessment Form as per the State
Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act. It was agreed that the answer was “no or small impact may
occur” to all questions.
MOTION: Make a negative determination of environmental significance
Moved by Richards, seconded by Maragni
The motion passed.
In favor: Bergman, Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
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Preliminary and Final Plat Approval
Gagnon noted that it should be today’s date for the public hearing under “whereas” number three . Crane
said that in “whereas” number two it should be Section 804 rather than 904; West suggested striking “Town
of Danby Zoning Ordinance, Section 904” and replacing it with “Town of Danby subdivision regulations,
Section 211.” Secretary de Villiers noted that this same issue was on the last two resolutions.
MOTION: Pass Res. 4 of 2021 granting preliminary and final plat approval with suggested edits
Moved by Davis, seconded by Bergman
The motion passed.
In favor: Bergman, Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
(6 & 7) PLANNING GROUP UPDATE & PLANNER’S REPORT
Open Development Area (ODA)
Planner West said Supervisor Gagnon had asked him to draft a proposal for an ODA to the Town Board.
An ODA allows property owners to develop a parcel without having frontage on a road, i.e., it allows
development to happen with an easement. He said, in consideration of the proposal at 250 Marsh Rd., the
applicant has a variety of options. To move forward, he thought the simplest way was to do an ODA, which
would allow the use of the existing, abandoned portion of Deputron Hollow Rd. as a driveway, requiring
minimal if any adjustment to the road and minimizing impact. To get an ODA, the Town Board is required to
ask the Planning Board to review the ODA proposal and write a report about what requirements and
parameters should be used in evaluating an application for an ODA. The Town Board has asked the
Planning Board to include public outreach, even though no public hearing is required, to ensure there is a
venue for discussion. West said the phrase ODA sounds like you are throwing the doors open, but in this
case that is really not what is happening. The applicant has proposed a permanent conservation easement
allowing one house to be developed on 90 acres. West asked the Planning Board how they would like to go
about doing a review and whether they would like to schedule a special meeting.
Davis clarified that the applicant is proposing one house and the rest of the 90 acres will be a permanent
conservation easement. West said that is correct; there already two houses (on Parcel B), and there would
be one more (on Parcel C). He said the current owner would put the whole property under easement and
then approximately 40 acres would go with the proposed house (Parcel C), approximately 20 acres to sell
to a neighbor (Parcel A), and the remainder for the applicant to hold (Parcel B). Ted Crane added that the
proposal allows for two houses—a full house and one smaller accessory house. Supervisor Gagnon said
the allowance here would be for a principal and an accessory dwelling, which would have to be attached in
some way.
Board Member Jett asked if the ODA would be applied throughout Danby or just on this particular property,
and West confirmed it was just for this property. Maragni said that after seeing so many options at their last
meeting, it was hard for her to visualize. She thought the Planning Board needed to consider the idea of
setting a precedent, and it did not seem like something that happens very often. She said she thought they
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would benefit from a special meeting, and Board Member Maher agreed. Maher asked if the Board of
Zoning Appeals (BZA) would be involved at all, to which West said no.
West said that the option to have an ODA is provided for in NYS law, similar to how the option to get a
variance through a BZA is provided for in NYS law. The Town gets to evaluate pr oposals, but the ability to
apply is a relief valve for 280-A, which requires that every parcel that gets a building permit has access; the
ODA allows that access to be a driveway that crosses the parcel rather than access on the road.
MOTION: Set a special meeting for March 31, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
Moved by Maher, seconded by Maragni
The motion passed.
In favor: Davis, Jett, Maher, Maragni, Richards, Scriber
Abstain: Bergman
Planning Group
Planner West said the Planning Group has been working on evaluating zoning and recommending
changes, and that group is open to everyone in the Town. He said members from all the Town’s boards are
specifically invited; it is getting to the point of making specific recommendations and more participation from
the Planning Board would be really useful in that process. He updated the Board as to when the working
groups are meeting.
Proposed Moratorium
Planner West said that Supervisor Gagnon had put forth a proposal to the Town Board to have a
moratorium that is a stop on all subdivisions in the Low Density Residential (LDR) zone through the end of
the year; it does not affect building permits or construction projects. There is a process for anyone who is
aggrieved by the limitation to appeal to the Town Board. The purpose would be to update the zoning to
more closely match the Comprehensive Plan and what the community wants to see. West said he thought
there was broad belief that the amount of de velopment allowed in some parts of the LDR is more than what
the Town wants to see, and the Town Board hopes to fast-track a zoning update to address that. The
moratorium would allow West more time to work on the update, more time for Planning Board member s to
be involved in a process of review, and the Town Board will take on a third meeting every month to prevent
it stretching into next year. He noted a lot has been needed for a long time, and all previous planners had
made lists of things that needed to change. He said the idea is that, while the Town is considering the
specifics of the zoning changes, it wants to pause subdivision s so there are not a bunch rushing in to get in
under the old rules if it is acknowledged there is a problem with the old rules. The Town Board will vote on
the moratorium at their meeting tomorrow after holding a public hearing.
Maragni said the moratorium is a big thing, and yet she only saw it four minutes before tonight’s meeting
when she looked at the Town’s calendar and saw the scheduled public hearing. She said she was caught
off guard and more of a heads up would have been great, although she was not sure who was in charge of
conveying that information. West addressed this saying that, while it is not his proposal, when towns are
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doing this kind of work, it does make sense to move quickly on enacting a moratorium; talking about doing
one for three months defeats the purpose. He said this discussion happened at the last Town Board
meeting and described the publicity they tried to do for the upcoming hearing. Maragni said she
understood, but it would be great to have something like an email list for important things that happened at
the last Town Board meeting. She said she has been feeling for a while that things sometimes d o not come
to their attention, and she noted that the minutes usually do not get posted for some time afterwards.
Gagnon apologized for not sharing the proposal with the Planning Board and said the sin was greater
because he had not shared it with the Planning Group either. He said a year ago, when the Planning Group
was first created, one of the first questions asked was whether the Town should do a moratorium, and the
sense was no. What has changed in the last year is the sharp focus brought by the subdi vision at 250
Marsh Rd., which brought the Town Board up to speed about how vulnerable the Town is to development
in places where people thought there was not potential, and how much development is enabled by right
with the current zoning. This is inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan, and they need to change the
laws to bring them in line with what the vision for the Town is. He thought a pause in the action made a lot
of sense. If you are going to do a moratorium, the proposal should be put forth and t he action should be
swift, which is why it was proposed a little over a week ago and will be decided tomorrow. Jett clarified that
this meant there would be a vote on whether to have a moratorium at tomorrow’s Town Board meeting.
Russ Nitchman said Maragni is a fairly connected person and a leader in the community being on the
Planning Board and she did not know about the moratorium; he did not think a lot of landowners knew
about it. He said he was sorry it was being rammed through, and Gagnon and W est have revealed their
cards by saying they do not want people having a right to do what the current law allows so they are going
to stop them and then change the rules of the game. He reiterated his concern about those owning a few
acres imposing on those owning many and said that the Comprehensive Plan should be looked at. He said
they need to welcome people to Danby and he also does not like hodgepodge development, but maybe
they can find a way to let landowners sell their land and still have it look more like Danby looks now. He did
not think taking away owners’ rights was right and thought the Town should move slower on this—it came
from nowhere.
West said it is up to the Town Board if they want to do the moratorium, and everyone could come make
comments at tomorrow’s meeting. He said it is very common for towns to institute a moratorium while doing
both a comprehensive plan and zoning updates. The power to do a moratorium is limited by having a
specific plan for what will be done and having it be limited; it is common for towns to do a three-year
moratorium, but in this case the Town is looking at a very short timeline. He added that if someone is
impacted, they can appeal to the Town Board for a waiver.
Maher said she imagined that the Planning Board would have much less to review without subdivisions,
and Gagnon said the Planning Board might decide to carve out part of the process to deal with. He added
that both West and the Planning Board would have more time to address the frustrations around the
amount of subdivision that is currently allowed and the fact that they do not have a lot of say about whether
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something happens or not. He thought it would be a process of discerning a balance between property
rights and the community’s desire to limit development in the outlying parts of the Town. He added that the
Comprehensive Plan says the Town should minimize development in the outlying areas and focus
development in the hamlets, which are both important parts of the planning process. He said the Town
neither can nor wants to completely take away people’s property rights. He talked about the process and
said that, given the fast-tracking, it will be more proposal driven.
Chair Scriber asked about openings on the Town Board, and Gagnon said there are two people who have
decided not to run for reelection. He thought they would like to get this done while they are in office, which
is part of the motivation. Scriber asked how Gagnon and West planned to involve and include people who
live in the Town while they are coming up with ideas. She said she understood some of the issues, but on
the other hand, it feels like a small group is going to decide. Gagnon said the small group is expandable
and anyone with an interest can just show up at the Plann ing Group. West said that right now they do not
have broad participation in the Planning Group, but there would now be a specific set of changes they
would be evaluating, and there would be more outreach about what they are doing and how to join, as well
as an additional Town Board meeting to get that feedback. Scriber said that personally she felt it would
have been helpful if more people knew that a moratorium was coming; she did not think that was public
knowledge. Leslie Connors, a Town Board member, sa id that it is a very recent thing.
Katharine Hunter said no laws get changed without public hearings. This is a whole plan for pulling people
together, which has been happening, and the fact that the word moratorium was not brought up does not
mean that the goal of the planning has not been to look at everything that is going on in Danby. She
thought there had been a fair amount of contact, and the normal flow of something like this is going towards
how can we make these changes; it does not mean anyone is ramming anything down someone’s throat.
She said it is a method to bring the ideas together, work up some firm proposals, and bring them to the
people in the Town as it goes along.
Jett said it is a matter of trust. If the moratorium is passed, if a landowner really needs to make a
subdivision, will there be a clear protocol as to how they can bring forth their proposals? West said there
would be. Anyone who is aggrieved and cannot wait nine months can appeal. He added that this is only a
pause while the Town reassesses what they want to allow. Jett said it does appear the moratorium
supports the concept of maintaining rural character, and West agreed that is the purpose. He said there
may or not be a consensus on changing what is allowed, but pushing pause to focus on that is the
intention.
Ted Crane asked if they wanted to start from scratch or if could they follow a process of identifying the
problems they know of and doing changes that close those loopholes and then removing the moratorium.
West said that no one was proposing throwing out the zoning code, it would be revisions to known
problems. Gagnon said that the revisions might be substantial however.
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Richards said the issue was how they define rural character, and whether people agreed with the definition
would be decided when they vote for Town officials. Gagnon said they had spent almost a year talking
about rural character, and Richards said they need it in writing and documents to look at. He felt they hear
the same things in long meetings and need something in writing they can vote on. He added that he did not
want to have to use social media to get his information about the Town.
Chair Scriber said it was clear that those interested should attend the upcoming Town Board meeting.
(8) ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:19 p.m. (moved by Jett, seconded by Maragni)
___________________________________________
Alyssa de Villiers – Recording Secretary