VALATIE–The village Zoning Board of Appeals plans to hold an informational meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 23 on a proposal from Habitat for Humanity to renovate a house on the corner of New and Main streets. The meeting will be at the Martin H. Glynn Building on Church Street.
Columbia County Habitat for Humanity started discussing the possible project in late 2013. The village had to change its zoning laws covering that part of the Main Street to accommodate the request from Habitat to make the building residential.
The buildings in the business overlay district, which included the property on corner of New Street, formerly needed to have a commercial activity on the first floor if major renovations were made to the structure. But the Village Board changed the law in September 2014 after village trustees asked the Planning Board to review the laws and a public hearing was held.
The county chapter of Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1993. Volunteers have built affordable housing for 16 families. They make home ownership possible for lower-income working families through no-interest mortgages. The properties remain on the tax rolls.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.
