Ballstoon Spa officials are calling on the public input to help re-draw the village’s zoning codes.
The first of two public educational sessions will be held in the Cornell Cooperative Extension Auditorium Thursday at 7 p.m.
The village’s comprehensive plan was redrawn last year, after going untouched for more almost 30 years. Now, the Zoning Advisory Committee is leading the charge to update the village’s codes.
Chair Mathew Ercoline says village leaders are well aware that Saratoga County is among the fastest-growing areas in New York, and that updates need to happen.
“It is very cumbersome, it is hard to navigate, it is hard to implement, and, frankly, it is holding the progress of the village back. We have a lot of growth in the area from the North in Saratoga, to the East in Malta. And we want to make sure not do we grow and we enable that growth, but we do it in a manner that is controlled and smart and exactly how the residents want the growth to occur. Growth is inevitable, and we want to make sure that we, as a village, are not passed by by the surrounding areas,” said Ercoline.
The committee knew from the start that productive public input would be vital to whatever edits would be made to the village’s codes.
“And these two sessions will hopefully orientate our residents to better understand the code if they have no basis already and what that’ll do is help them understand the type of inputs we are loking for. We are not looing for someone saying, ‘hey, my neighbor’s fence is on my year,’ things like that. We are more looking like rezoning efforts and the code that is nearly 30 years old,” said Ercoline.
ZAC member Marilyn Stephenson says these educational sessions and subsequent input are maintaining momentum from last year’s comprehensive plan updates.
“The comprehensive plan sought to continue to improve and enhance the economic viability of the community. Adapt to societal changes and trends, and retain the historic character of our community because we have a very deeply entrenched architectural character that the community has told us they want to retain,” said Stephenson.
Stephenson says without long-term planning, she finds the village’s current code to be reactive due to a lack of consistent updates.
“I believe also our consultant also indicated to us that it was pretty disorganized and the layout was not conducive to a typical citizen coming in to learn about what they needed to do for building opportunities. So, I think just the disorganization of the code was probably the biggest thing,” said Stephenson.
Stephenson says ultimately, any changes to Ballston Spa’s zoning codes will be up to the village board of trustees.
“So although we can do our best, as unpaid volunteers, and we all bring different skills to the table, you know, the village doesn’t have to accept or approve any of our recommendations. So, we’re completely advisory,” said Stephenson.
Before the public can be of any help, ZAC member and local business owner Darvin Bowie says they need to understand how the codes currently operate, and what changes can be made.
“One of the things that I learned when I first moved to our towns was the process to make changes was quite complex. And I thought I knew what I was doing and then I realized I actually did not. So getting educated is going to be the first step, but in the process we’re simplifying and making it more simple to be able to execute plans and goals or a vision for a project you have if it’s your business or residence,” said Bowie.
The next information session is August 15th.
