The New Scotland Town Board approved a motion to forward a draft zoning law with an 85,000 square-foot size cap on retail buildings for review, at a Wednesday, April 15, meeting.
The motion to adopt the law, primarily drafted by Councilman Rich Reilly, passed 5-0. The board voted to send the law to the Albany County and New Scotland Planning Boards, and will have a public meeting regarding it sometime in June.
Discussions about the town’s zoning laws were prompted by a proposal from by Sphere Development LLC to place a 137,000 square-foot anchor retail store at the corner of Routes 85 and 85A, and a desire for the town to upgrade the laws to coincide closer with its Comprehensive Plan.
Councilman Doug LaGrange Town Supervisor Tom Dolin supported, and presented to the public, an amended version of a zoning law featuring a 50,000 square-foot size cap to be sent along with Reilly’s draft, but it failed 2-3.
Some meeting attendees voiced support for forwarding both laws for review.
The public deserves the respect, and the opportunity to see two laws move forward, said Daniel Mackay, founder of the advocacy group New Scotlanders for Sound Economic Development. `Why would we not put two laws forward?`
He and his group have actively voiced support for a 50,000 square-foot cap.
Others at the meeting said sending two laws would have taken the power out of the hands of the board members, who ultimately should be working toward a law with its stamp of approval.
Several people spoke in front of the board during the meeting’s public comment period.
At one point during the meeting one attendee, Donald Eberle, asked the members of the board who did not support a 50,000 square foot size cap on retail buildings to publicly pledge they, and any relatives they have, would not financially gain anything if the former Bender Melon Farm were to be developed with a large, bog-box, retail store.
The question prompted Lou Neri, husband of Councilwomen Peg Neri, to stand and reply that that was an `idiot question,` and indicated it was out-of-line to insinuate foul play.
`The husband of Ms. Neri was acting like I was accusing his wife,` Eberle said in a later interview. `I was just trying to find information.`
All three members of the board who did not support the 50,000 square-foot cap `Deborah Baron, Peg Neri and Rich Reilly ` expressed they did not have any financial interests in the zoning law.
Some residents said the law restricted the commercial zone too much. Others pointed out that they purchased homes in the area for its scenic view, and more development would taint the rural nature of New Scotland.
Local business owner Rich Long said he feared his logging operation, which included retail, wholesale and manufacturing, would be limited by drafts of the zoning law that capped retail developments at 50,000 square feet. He said he opposed sending two versions of the law because it takes power away from the board.
`Maybe if that happens, we don’t need a board anymore,` he said.
He was hopeful for one law, agreed upon by the entire board.
Dolin expressed a willingness to amend his and LaGrange’s version of the zoning law so that it would not affect businesses like Fields’, however that draft was voted down.
`I’m disappointed that they weren’t agreeable to having both sent to the planning board,` Dolin said during a Friday, April 17, interview. He said the town would await the recommendations of the county and town planning boards.
Anne Brill, an officer with newly founded group Pride of New Scotland, said she and her group support responsible growth in the town, involving limited residential development, a negotiation process with developers, and do not support a 50,000 square foot cap on retail development.
`All commercial development brings with it problems and potential,` she said. She noted that limiting development is a bad idea, and keeping as many options on the table as possible is the best strategy.
“