by Bea Peterson
On Tuesday evening, March 3, the Town of Hoosick Board met for a workshop to review the Town of Hoosick Land Use proposal. They began at 6:30 pm and reviewed the document page by page, clarifying passages among themselves and making minor changes until 8 o’clock. They then moved on to other Town business until 9:15.
Seven people, unhappy with the entire proposal, occasionally offered comments. They felt residents had not been properly informed of the proposal and they wondered why it was not going to a vote of residents. Supervisor Douglas responded that the Land Use Proposal has been underway for two and a half years. Well attended public hearings have been held on it, and meetings regarding land
designation areas were conducted in each of the Town’s hamlets. The Town has met every legal obligation in regard to procedure, said Douglas, and the law does not require a public vote. If this is so wrong, she said, then why are we one of only three Towns in the entire County that do not have Land Use regulations.
All the members of the Board want to see the document be as user friendly as possible. “This should be a changing document,” said Supervisor Douglas. “Not every situation is covered in the Proposal, but it can be changed.” She believes it supports economic growth and the Town’s Master Plan yet retains the rural character of the area.
The process will begin when a person applies for a building permit. The purpose of the structure and its location will determine if all that is required is the building permit. Following the regulations, the Building Inspector will determine whether the project needs to go before the Planning Board or the Zoning Board.
10 Days
The Board believes a policy should be initiated to simplify an appearance before the Planning Board. All Planning Board requests and information pertaining to a permit should be submitted to the Town ten days before the Planning Board meeting. The request will be reviewed, and the submitter will be advised if anything is missing from the application. In this way the submitter can put together the missing data, lessening the number of times a person has to come before the Planning Board.
Land Use Vote
The Board will vote on the Land Use Regulations at its regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 9. The meeting begins at 7 pm.