Highland parking amendment completed

David Hulse
Posted 8/21/12

ELDRED, NY — After several months of debate, review and revision, the Highland Town Board on May 12 okayed a local law amending town zoning’s bulk regulations to ease commercial parking space …

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Highland parking amendment completed

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ELDRED, NY — After several months of debate, review and revision, the Highland Town Board on May 12 okayed a local law amending town zoning’s bulk regulations to ease commercial parking space requirements.

After a recessed public hearing was reconvened and completed, the local law was approved unanimously, 4 to 0.

Supervisor Andrew Boyar, who is dealing with health issues, did not attend.

Earlier this year, Boyar had opposed a proposed Dollar General store, which was to be built opposite his home and office in Eldred. The parking regs then proved to be central to the zoning board of appeals’ denial of a variance for that project.

But Boyar later supported making some change in the parking regulations. “…As far as parking is concerned, I want to vote for it… Parking needs to be relaxed. We’ve improved it and I’m going to vote for it.” Boyar said in March.

The law was ready for approval in April—until the county planning review appeared 15 minutes before the April meeting. The county recommended changes, which sent the law back to the planning board.

The planners incorporated the recommendations, which reduced the amount of allowable land for which a waiver could be sought on parking-space limits, from the original 50% percent of the tract to 30%.

They also added a provision for parking for each employee on the maximum staffed shift and included “some other language changes,” town attorney Michael Davidoff said.

The principal change in the law reduces the numbers of required parking spaces in relation to the square footage of the business. It changes from two spaces for each 200 square feet to one for each 250 square feet.

In its correspondence, the board received, but made no comment on a letter from Larry Richardson, chair of the Upper Delaware Council’s (UDC) project review committee, which sought a response to the UDC’s earlier inquiry about planning board oversight of the Reber Raft Trip launch site on the Delaware, behind the Carriage House Restaurant.

Davidoff also reported that the town’s civil action against the owners of the former Sokol Woodlands at 211 Mail Rd. is no longer needed, as the owners, who propose a restaurant, lounge and motel there, have since allowed town officials inspection access to the property.

The board also heard Debra Conway, the town’s delegate to the Scenic Byway Committee, recommend that the town send a formal complaint about the condition of State Route 97. She said that the state transportation department has no plans for resurfacing the valley’s main thoroughfare. DOT has placed an electric sign at the Orange County line warning of “rough road” over the next 20 miles.

Conway also noted that the town’s annual observance of the 1779 Battle of Minisink is scheduled to take place at the Battleground Park on July 18.

Deputy Supervisor Jim Gutekunst opened the May 12 meeting with a moment of silence in recognition of the recent death of former town clerk Maryann Barnes. Barnes served as clerk for 17 years before retiring in 2009. “She will be long remembered for her commitment to the citizens the Town of Highland… and her lifelong dedication to the community,” he said.

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