Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observed in Hudson

By DOUG LA ROCQUE

NEW LEBANON – To store or not to store, that is the question in front of the New Lebanon Town Board. There is currently a moratorium on any new or expansion of storage facilities in the town which expires in October. The town board members had before them at their July 11 meeting, a comprehensive local law that encompassed all the changes to zoning and codes the Zoning Re-write Committee (ZRC) has been working on for the past year and a half. There really was no opposition to any of the proposed changes except when it comes to self-storage facilities. The new statue as written would have banned any new sites or expansion to existing storage businesses. It only permitted facilities already constructed and in use to continue.

Public comment saw opinions expressed for and against the change. There are those who feel such facilities are unsightly and not needed in the town. One person mentioned there are several storage units available in neighboring towns. One of those who was opposed to a complete ban was Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling, who had the support of board members John Trainor and Norm Rasmussen. All three felt there is a need for self-storage, Supervisor Houghtling saying she herself rents just such a facility, but where they could be appropriately located, how large the building(s) should be and how to appropriately screen them needs to be spelled out in detail. Supervisor Houghtling suggested they go ahead with the introduction of the local law updating the zoning, only remove the paragraph that deals with self-storage and send it back to the ZRC for more work. The supervisor’s argument was persuasive enough that the entire board went along with the motion.

Two months ago, the owner/operators of Coon Self Storage, located on U.S. Route 20, appeared before the Town Board to request they be allowed to construct three more storage units on their site. At the July meeting, the council formally received their request for a waiver of the moratorium. It was previously sent to the planning board for a recommendation. The planners suggested it be denied, but if the council was inclined to approve it, a lengthy list of conditions be attached. One member of the Planning Board indicated he felt Mr. Coon did not comply with the spirit of their original site plan application, as far as using trees or shrubbery to help screen the structures from site. And while this meeting was not intended to be a discussion about the waiver, several members of the public did say they were in opposition.

Supervisor Houghtling reminded all that under New York State law, waivers to such moratoriums must be accepted for consideration. This consideration requires the issuing body, in this case the Town Board, to hold a public hearing before making any decision. That public hearing is set for 5 p.m. on August 8, the date of the board’s next regular monthly gathering. Ms. Houghtling repeatedly explained this waiver request was separate from the proposed zoning change and as such, had to be considered on its own merits.

There were three other local laws introduced that evening for consideration in August. They dealt with a minor zoning map change, providing rules and standards concerning mobile home parks and commercial event venues, in particular, the annual Memorial Day Parade.