Essex Co. supervisors oppose conservation subdivision design bill

ELIZABETHTOWN | The Essex County Board of Supervisors began their meeting with a public hearing about adding parcels to the Agricultural District of Essex County, March 27. The property is about 63 acres in the Town of Essex and owned by the Champlain Peony Company. Agriculture Issue Leader and Representative of the Essex County Farmland Protection Board Carly Summers reported that the zoning officer said it was compatible with agriculture and the farmland protection board voted unanimously that it would work. Summers explained the agricultural district for the state is basically a right to farm. "There is protection so if the state wanted to put a water plant or a landfill on that land it would protect it, but it won't prohibit development," Summers said. No members of the public spoke. The board has not voted on the addition to the Agricultural District yet. During the Ways and Means Committee meeting the board passed resolutions from the public safety, economic development, human services, public works, personnel and finance reduction/mandate relief committees. One of the resolutions opposes the passage of conservation subdivision design Bill A4608, an assembly bill that "strengthens land use and development provisions in the Adirondack Park so as to curtail rural sprawl." The bill was sponsored by Deborah Glick, assemblymember for District 66 in New York City and co-sponsored by Anna Kelles, assemblymember for District 125 in Western New York. "It is broadly written, vaguely written to allow the APA to establish conservation subdivision nomenclature which only allows for buildings to be built in development envelopes," County Attorney Daniel Manning said. The board is going to do a written resolution and send it to all the towns so each can sign it. Board Chairman Shaun Gillilland said the goal of the resolution is to show how much local pushback there is. "It's not a popular bill," Minerva Supervisor Stephan McNally said. "This is one of those things the city is deciding for us what is best for us, again." Another resolution was brought forward by Keene Supervisor Joe Pete Wilson to declare April Child Abuse Prevention Month. Promotes the social and emotional well-being of children and families. Commissioner Angie Allen and DSS staff will be putting out pinwheels to acknowledge the month. After next week's meeting, those who want to participate will go outside and plant pinwheels around the Essex County Government buildings. The housing task force met to discuss the role of the group now that the land bank application has been submitted. "I don't feel that just because we submitted the land bank application, we are done," Essex Supervisor Ken Hughes said. "There are still other things that we really should be focusing on, and because there still is a housing crisis, I'd hate to see us put all of our eggs in one basket." They still want to work on senior housing and the availability of affordable rentals and transitional housing. After Housing, the board held a second public hearing about Local Law #2 of 2023: "Essex County Room Occupancy Tax Law" continuing the imposition of a hotel/motel occupancy tax. This is a law that is renewed every three years. The tax is 5 percent and hasn't been changed since the last time it was renewed. There were no comments from the public.

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Essex Co. supervisors oppose conservation subdivision design bill

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