Five zoning areas were ammended as per last night’s (Thursday, Aug. 28) Town Board meeting.
The areas were ammended after a public hearing was held to discuss the areas, and Director of Planning and Economic Development Joe LaCivita explained to residents that the ammendments were needed as there were errors in the Town’s land use laws.
The most widely discussed ammendment of the evening was that of the property the Times Union sits on. As per a plan to expand their facility, the Times Union had wanted to work with the Town so that they could add a printing press to their building.
In doing so, according to recommendations made by LaCivita and his colleagues, the Town would need to rezone the area it is located in from a commercial office zone to an airport business area zone-a change that was not welcomed by the three Republican council members on the board.
Councilman Brian Hogan explained he was weary of the ammendment. Should the Times Union decide to pick up and leave the area, the new zoning would allow industrial businesses of a variety, including jails, amusement parks, trucking facilities and more, to move in there, he said.
LaCivita argued against Hogan’s rationale, stating that it would make no sense for the Times Union to make a $55 million investment and then pick up and leave. Supervisor Mahan also touted the Times Union as employing over 300 people in the Town, being a business that would be extremely beneficial to keep in Colonie.
The resolution which would change the Times Union property’s zoning, and the four others, was voted on along partisan lines, but passed last night.
For a complete recap of the Aug. 28 Town Board meeting, check out The Insighter at
https://www.spotlightnews.com/blogs/acohn/view_blog.php?blog_id=1220032389
For more on this story, check back at www.spotlightnews.com, or read the Sept. 3 print edition of the Colonie Spotlight.“