Amenia officials prepare for impending Comprehensive Plan update

AMENIA — Town Board members began to discuss their duties in updating the town’s comprehensive plan in preparation for an update to the document that serves as a guide for officials.

The discussion began on Thursday, May 7, as volunteers work to complete the first update to the town’s comprehensive plan since 2007.

During public comment, Ken Topolsky, a member of the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, said that zoning code regulations relate to the Comprehensive Plan.

“The Comprehensive Plan is aspirational,” Topolsky said.

He cautioned against any changes to zoning laws while the Comprehensive Plan is being updated, a process due to be completed within a few months.

“Wait for the Comprehensive Plan,” Topolsky advised. Later in the meeting, Bill Flood, CPRC chairman, spoke in support of Topolsky’s viewpoint.

Topolsky also noted apparent confusion about the meaning of “workforce housing” and “affordable housing,” saying that the two seem to be used interchangeably in discussion, but in fact, they are different.

“The distinction needs to be worked out,” Topolsky told the Town Board.

During wide-ranging discussion regarding code enforcement relating to fences and outdoor storage of junk, including cars, Town Board Attorney Ian Lindars recommended that the Town Prosecutor be consulted. He had undertaken an evaluation of existing imprecise town code sections that have been difficult to enforce.

“You can’t do things magically,” Town Supervisor Rosanna Hamm said, regarding residents who have complaints about such things as junk stored in yards. “The Code Enforcement Officer cannot force removal of junk without a process.

“There is a process that people need to go through,” she explained.

Councilwoman Vicki Doyle pushed back, saying enforcement has been lacking in the town. “But there have been decades of yard junk infractions,” Doyle said.

Hamm cautioned that enforcement can be difficult without proper legal support. “The first step is to invest the time to tighten the codes,” Hamm responded.

Discussion continued, turning to the responsibilities of the Housing Board.

“The ultimate question is whether or not the Housing Board is responsible for administering the workforce housing code,” Lindars said, having conferred with the Planning Board attorney.

Lindars advised that the Town Board has the authority to hire a professional to oversee the implementation of the Housing Codes that the volunteer Housing Board is responsible for, if necessary.

In other business, the board voted unanimously to appoint Ericka Howard to the position of Secretary to the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. The appointment will be effective on June 1, upon the retirement of long-term Secretary Judy Westfall.