by Thaddeus Flint
The monthly meeting of the New Lebanon Town Board started off with two public hearings June 9, one which most in attendance supported and another which many didn’t really support at all in the current context.
The proposed “Local Law Establishing Income Levels for Real Property Tax Exemptions for Citizens Sixty-Five Years of Age or Over” was the one that was hard for anyone to argue with.[private] The age of 65 was not all that far away for most of the people at the Town Hall. One rarely sees anyone younger than 40 at Town Board meetings. So the new law establishing real property tax income levels for senior citizens based on a sliding schedule could be looked upon by many as good future planning. When it came up to vote, it was approved with all in favor.
The proposed local law called Zoning Amendment 2015 was, however, not met so receptively. A section on allowing Small Business Operations to manufacture goods in the Commercial Zones and not just the Industrial Zone of the Town had some residents concerned that a good part of New Lebanon could someday become an endless industrial strip. This was not what the Zoning Re-Write Committee, chaired by Ted Salem, had in mind when the need for a possible re-write came about. What they had in mind was soap.
Apparently a small business owner wanted to manufacture and sell artisanal soaps out of the Midtown Mall. New Lebanon is always happy to have another business in Town—the Board has been discussing on and off for years various ways to get the so called “Miracle Mile” out of the downward spiral it had sort of downward spiraled into—but manufacturing was manufacturing and that’s not allowed in the commercial zone. The process to be allowed to make a bar of artisanal soap seemed rather draconian for a Town that was in fact trying to encourage new business. Thus Zoning Amendment 2015 which Salem told the Town Board, would enable “small manufacturing of an artisanal nature.”
But what was “small” and what was “artisanal,” some residents wondered. Exact definitions were bereft from the proposed amendment, while examples seemed to include pretty much everything.
“An example of an SBO includes but is not limited to a craft shop where artisans engage primarily in handcraft manufacture of small items, such as pottery, jewelry, weaving, custom woodwork, baskets, ceramics, clothing, flower arrangements, metalwork, musical instruments, paintings, sculpture, toys, soaps, candies and baked goods,” reads the amendment.
Joan Phelps of the Theatre Barn wondered if the guys who used to work late into the night, loudly building car ports behind her theatre, would have been considered artisans. “They weren’t very good neighbors,” she said, worrying that more might appear to take their place should this amendment go through. “We have plenty of acreage in the Industrial District.” Other residents voiced similar objections, worrying that the amendment lacked exact wording which might open the Town up to future industrial creep.
“I think, as written, we have addressed those concerns,” responded Salem.
Not all on the Board were so sure. Town Supervisor Mike Benson and Councilman Chuck Geraldi voted for the amendment. Councilmen Dan Evans and Matt Larabee were against. It all came down to the newest member of the Board, Councilwoman Irene Hanna, who abstained. With a tied vote the amendment did not pass. “Maybe we should take another look at it,” said Benson, who noted that “this is why we have public hearings.”
Noise concerns might also soon warrant a second look. A group of residents from New Lebanon and surrounding towns are once again asking the Board to consider a noise ordinance. This was brought up before on several occasions and it went away on those several occasions, but this occasion might be different. Resident John Dax, previously the chair of NL Zoning Board of Appeals (somebody, then, who knows his way around a zoning law or two) stated that a petition calling for the ordinance has been signed by 168 people.
“This grows out of the Comprehensive Plan,” pointed out Dax, for “improving the quality of life in New Lebanon.”
Everyone who is within listening distance of New Lebanon knows, however, that the only reason anyone is calling for a noise ordinance is because they are within listening distance of Lebanon Valley Speedway. The idea is very divisive in the Town. Some residents feel that the Speedway has been here since before most of the people complaining about the Speedway’s noise. They should have known better than to move near a speedway if they don’t like speedway noise, is that argument. The other argument is that the Speedway noise isn’t the same Speedway noise that those people accepted years ago when they decided to move near a speedway. It’s louder, happens more often, and travels farther than before.
Once again the decision was made to study the matter further. The same thing happened in May 2014, with Benson saying then: “I’m concerned about enforcement, I’m concerned about being able to operate my weed-eater, I’m concerned about a particular business in the Town. It’s the largest business in Town and I’m told one of the largest businesses in Columbia County.”
The Conservation Advisory Council in the meantime is pursuing improvements of a quieter nature. According to Cynthia Creech, the CAC is looking toward having the Wyomanock Creek designated an “inland waterway.” This would allow grants to be applied for that might fund cleanup and maintenance of the stream, a portion of which meanders along the new Corkscrew Rail Trail which just opened in Stephentown. Benson agreed to write a letter beginning the process.
Those residents who want a second chance at putting in a bid on the Town’s old land-locked gravel pit are in luck. At the request of Larry Benson, the helicopter-only accessible property will be once again put back up to bid, and this time with no minimum. The previous asking prices led to no interest the first two times it came up. According to Supervisor Benson, “the appraisal is flawed.” Flawed as it may be, the Town retains the right to reject any or all bids.
Upcoming Town Dates
Town Clean Up day is Saturday June 20 from 8 am to 2 pm.
The Community Picnic is Saturday July 25 from 11 am to 3 pm. [/private]