Town will set date for hearing on six-month moratorium on first floor uses
Chase Bank is not a permissible use of this first floor space in the BRP zone
July 18, 2008
by Christine Yeres
In furtherance of its plan to boost the vitality of the downtown hamlet, on July 22nd the town board will set September 9th as the date for the public to be heard before the board declares a six-month moratorium on first floor uses in the downtown BRP (“business-retail-parking”) district. Once they set the date, a “mini-moratorium” will be in effect. During the mini-moratorium, only clear retail uses will be allowed into first floor space, since the town code doesn’t allow the issuing of licenses or permits that might later be affected by the change in law governing bodies are contemplating. Businesses will have the ability, though, to ask for exceptions to be made.
The law that was passed 18 months ago prohibiting new “financial institutions and professional and business offices” in first floor space was changed last week to remove real estate offices from the prohibited category. The board said that its legislative intent had not been to constrain real estate offices.
The board is developing a study plan now as a guide to their deliberations during the autumn moratorium. Supervisor Barbara Gerrard has said that all uses – even financial institutions and real estate offices – will be reexamined during the moratorium.
Click here for a printable view of this article.
Click here to read more Government articles.Click here to read more Town articles.
Click here to send a copy of this article via email.
We're interested in your opinion. Click here to submit a comment on this article, or any other.
