Willow Roots withdraws request for special use permit

PINE PLAINS — After much deliberation, Willow Roots food pantry co-founders Nelson and Lisa Zayas decided to withdraw their application from the Pine Plains Planning Board for a special use permit for a major home occupation at their property at 23 Main St.

Between the complaints they’ve received from their neighbors about the traffic caused by the pantry’s Saturday morning distributions and the search for and transition to their new space at 7730 South Main St., the past few months have been a time of both hope and frustration for the Zayases. 

Adding to their frustrations, the couple was at a standstill in their pursuit of a special use permit as the Planning Board considered whether the permit was still needed following Willow Roots’ move a few blocks away to South Main Street on Sunday, March 21.

Willow Roots submitted its application for a special use permit and site plan approval in December 2020, and a public hearing was held this past January. A copy of the Planning Board’s resolution for the application can now be read online on the town’s website, www.pineplains-ny.gov.

The Planning Board discussed the special use permit at its March 10 meeting. It was around that time that Nelson Zayas reported Willow Roots had been offered the space of former thrift store Pass It On from landlord Kyle Loughhead for the pantry’s Saturday distributions. 

Zayas explained they didn’t withdraw their application at that time as they thought they had a new site back in January but it fell through. If the new South Main space were to fall through in a few months, he said he didn’t want to go through the process again. Zayas said Willow Roots would continue to process its donations and paperwork at their home on North Main Street and do food distributions at the new location.

Planning Board Chairman Michael Stabile asked Attorney to the Town Warren Replansky whether it was OK to go ahead with the resolution as it stood. Replansky said his preference would be to hold the resolution for another 30 days to determine its status and if Willow Roots was going to move to another location. Though he recommended the application be withdrawn, Replansky said it was the board’s decision.

Planning Board members favored postponing the application and seeing what would result in the next 30 to 60 days. 

Replansky noted if Willow Roots moved to a new location, there would be no need for a special use permit. The board also took into consideration the Zayases’ reason for having the application in case the new commercial space fell through, while Nelson Zayas reminded the board that the pantry was still conducting business out of 23 North Main St. After further discussion, the resolution was tabled until the board’s next meeting.

In the meantime, the Zayases consulted with their attorney regarding next steps. Ultimately, Nelson Zayas said they decided withdrawing the application would be appropriate, and that it would alleviate the issue with the town and the Planning Board. The application was officially withdrawn March 29.

Looking ahead, Zayas said Willow Roots will distribute food from 7730 South Main St. and do its office work from 23 North Main St. 

As far as their neighbors’ complaints about the pantry’s operations, he said Willow Roots “will always continue to look for ways to improve what we do and look at what the needs are in the community.” 

He added Willow Roots is considering adding more programs this year to both benefit the community and make its operations more self-sufficient.

“We’re continuing to cast out the net and see what the community wants,” said Lisa Zayas. “This is definitely the home run.”