County planners OK Hounsfield's zoning changes
The Jefferson County Planning Board on Tuesday approved Hounsfield's proposed zoning law amendment to loosen development restrictions along Route 3.
The town made changes to the amendments after the county Planning Board in February sent the proposal back to the town for revisions.
Andrew R. Nevin, county senior planner, said the changes followed more of the steps proposed in two studies done on town zoning, in 2001 and 2006.
"It looks like they're not attending to every step but they're not disobeying or disallowing them," said Chairwoman Elizabeth R. Lanpher.
Under a provision of General Municipal Law, zoning changes that are within 500 feet of a state or county highway, state or county property or a municipal boundary must be reviewed by the county Planning Board.
Mr. Nevin said one benefit of the amendment is all state routes, including routes 3, 12F and 180, would follow the same rules as part of an overlay district.
The overlay district was reduced from the earlier proposed 2,000 feet from the roadway to 1,000 feet.
The proposal also would add site plan review standards back into the law for parking, signage and some setbacks and frontage that the first proposal would have removed. It also defines and gives guidelines for businesses not mentioned in the current zoning law, such as nightclubs, shopping centers, flea markets and child-care centers.
Under the new proposal, the road frontage requirements for commercial uses would shrink from existing requirements, but not as drastically as they would have under the first proposed zoning amendment. The existing law requires 600 feet of road frontage for commercial uses and 300 feet for residential uses; the first proposal would have shrunk both to 200 feet. The latest proposal requires 300 feet of road frontage for commercial uses and 200 feet for residential.
One Planning Board member questioned whether the revisions gave enough encouragement to placing businesses and development near road intersections and each other.
"I suggest we come up to speed on the standard operating procedures the state encourages now," said Kevin J. Smith. "We need to understand the implications for what it means if towns are doing things wrong and examples of towns that have done it right."
He suggested the county take a more active role in helping towns guide development along main arteries.
Mr. Smith, who lives on Route 3 in Hounsfield, abstained from the vote on the matter. Support of the zoning changes passed 7-0.
The town will continue its review of the revisions and must call public hearings on the matter.
The county Planning Board also approved a comprehensive plan for the village of Carthage during its meeting.
The village and three other municipalities developed similar comprehensive plans through the River Area Council of Governments. The plans will lead to a unified zoning code. The four municipalities share a Zoning Board of Appeals, so one zoning law would simplify zoning questions.
Jennifer L. Voss, community development coordinator, said, "They would like to be seen as one community even though there are four municipalities."
