Pine Plains zoning: It was worth the wait

The town of Pine Plains needs to be commended for a job well done. It may have taken nine years to do it, but during that time townspeople managed to research and review, craft and tweak, discuss and redraft, present and reconsider and then finalize a zoning document that covers nearly all of the town’s needs in a fair and direct manner.

Kudos to everyone who worked on what is now the town’s zoning law, which was adopted Oct. 15. Those who contributed to getting the document drafted included everyone from the Comprehensive Plan Committee to the Zoning Commission to the Town Board and its consultants, Attorney to the Town Warren Replansky, planner Bonnie Franson and, earlier in the game, Nan Stolzenburg. There were also those who contributed from the public, whether they were private citizens or members of Pine Plains United or other groups keen on getting their thoughts expressed as to how zoning changes might impact the community.

All throughout the process the Town Board, led by Supervisor Gregg Pulver, listened closely. Although not always in agreement, the board took seriously every statement, every letter, every comment that suggested how the new laws could be better, stronger or more practical. Those remarks added to the end result, whether directly or indirectly. They also made a big statement about how the town of Pine Plains functions in general — like a well-oiled machine — and that its citizens could clearly work alongside one another and their government when faced with important decisions, whether in agreement or not. The key was that no one lost sight of the end result throughout those long nine years, and that was due to the good leadership of Pulver and the other committee heads who led with assurance, competence and vision. They are all owed high praise for their work and their determination to bring zoning into Pine Plains, which heretofore did not have any (in fact it was the only town in Dutchess County without, a fact that really needed to be amended and now finally has been).

Now we’re not claiming that the town’s new zoning is perfect, for no document could be, but it’s a very good first attempt and covers a lot of important ground that will protect Pine Plains now and in the future. In fact it has some aspects that are quite good and offer much-needed flexibility for a rural community like Pine Plains.

What allowed the town to provide zoning that suits the community was undoubtedly the fact that it held so many public hearings and follow-up meetings addressing the comments gathered as a result of those hearings. The town was extremely diligent about including the public and its concerns on the zoning ordinance, and it should be commended for those efforts. They were well rewarded in the end, with zoning laws that do a good job representing what the town needed, what it wanted (by-and-large) and what it now has for its own protection.

All in all, to everyone involved: Congratulations!  Pine Plains finally has zoning and zoning with some teeth. It was clearly a necessity in today’s age of rampant development, and one that needed to be addressed as carefully as it was.

Letters deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. each week.

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