admin

The Ancram Town Board will be making appointments to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Board of Assessment Review at the annual Town Board organizational meeting to be held in early January, 2013. In addition, we are looking for volunteers to serve on the Financial Advisory Council, the Conservation Advisory Council and the Agricultural Advisory Council. Anyone interested in serving on these Boards or Councils, or in learning more about them, should contact Town Supervisor Art Bassin (abassin@aol.com) by email, phone (329-6512 x 6). Applicants may be asked to come in for interviews by the Boards you are interested in serving on, and by the Town Board.

The Ethics Board for the Town of Ancram is seeking candidates to be considered to fill one vacancy on its Board. Appointment to the Board of Ethics is made for a term of five years and is open to any Ancram resident. Nominees and interested individuals will be interviewed and are determined by a consensus of the current sitting Ethics Board members who present the selected candidate for formal appointment by Ancram’s Town Board. Additional information on Ancram’s Ethics Law, and on the responsibilities of Ethics Board members may be obtained from the Town’s Website (www.TownofAncram.org) or by contacting Monica Cleveland, Town Clerk, and recording archivist for the Board of Ethics at 518-329-6512 ext. 1. Interested parties, or anyone wishing to nominate someone for consideration should notify Monica Cleveland at the above website or by phone. Applications and nominations will be accepted until November 30th, 2012.

The Ancram Town Board will hold a public hearing on the Tentative 2013 Ancram Town Budget on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 6:30 pm at the Ancram Town Hall. There will be a second public hearing on the Preliminary 2013 Ancram Town Budget at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012, also at the Town Hall. The purpose of these public hearings will be to solicit public comments on the 2013 Town Budget. Copies of the Town Budget is available from the Town Clerk at the Ancram Town Hall.

The Ancram Town Board will hold a public hearing on the Tentative 2013 Ancram Town Budget on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 6:30 pm at the Ancram Town Hall. There will be a second public hearing on the Preliminary 2013 Ancram Town Budget at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012, also at the Town Hall. The purpose of these public hearings will be to solicit public comments on the 2013 Town Budget. Copies of the Town Budget is available from the Town Clerk at the Ancram Town Hall

The Ancram Town Board will conduct a public hearing on Monday, August 13 at 7 pm at the Ancram Town Hall, 1416 CR 7, Ancram NY to solicit public comments on Package 3 of the Proposed Zoning Revisions. Package 3 – Zoning Revisions proposes the following revisions to the identified sections of the Town of Ancram Zoning Ordinance: Section II: Establishment of Districts -The recommended amendments designate ten zoning districts (a Residential District in each hamlet, a Business/Residential District in each hamlet, Agricultural District, Lower Rhoda Residential District, Carson Road Residential District, and a Light Industrial District) and two special districts (Floating Business District, Area of Flood Concern), plus the Scenic Corridor Overlay Zone per LL#1/2003. The amendment states the purpose for each type of district and provides an updated zoning map defining the location of each district. Subsections II C and D, explaining how to interpret boundaries, remain the same as the current ordinance. Section III: Use Regulations – Use regulations identify structures and activities that may or may not occur in each zoning district; or may occur subject to review, approval, or certain conditions. The current use regulations identify 90 uses within five broad categories: residential, general, accessory, business, and industrial. Most are quite general and many require applicants and the Planning Board to interpret intent. Recommended amendments designate 263 uses, many of which did not exist when the current ordinance was adopted in 1972. Those uses are grouped within seven categories: residential, residential accessory, residential-commercial, commercial agricultural, ag-related commercial, business, industrial, and public/civic. Most amended uses are quite precise, thereby aiding applicants and the Planning Board by reducing the need for interpretation. Consistent with Comp Plan guidance, the amended use table underscores the role of home occupations: those with low impact upon neighbors and the community are broadly permitted. Concurrently, it nudges business uses toward the hamlet business/residential districts as the hubs of commercial enterprise in the community. While protecting Ancram’s precious water supplies and the town’s agricultural priorities, the recommended use table also recognizes the value of small businesses that prosper and provides an outlet for such growth via the Floating Business District. Section IV B: Area and Bulk Regulations: Density Control Schedule – The density control schedule in the current ordinance contains lot dimensions, setbacks, lot coverage, and building height for current zoning districts, but does not correlate with recommended districts. The revised tables implement the 3 ½ acre average density in the Ag District and allow ½ acre lots in the hamlet business/ residential districts subject to adequate water and septic. The revised tables also provide lot width dimensions, setbacks, building height, and maximum lot coverage appropriate for the recommended districts. In most cases, setbacks decrease somewhat in the recommended table, maximum building heights generally remain the same, and maximum lot coverage increases. Comp Plan 1.11 and other detailed strategies guided revisions.Section IV I: Density Bonuses – Guided by Comp Plan Detailed Strategy 8.4, this new subsection provides incentives for preserving more than 60% of a parcel as open space, providing public access to recreational lands or facilities, and for providing residential houses or lots to be used by qualified Ancram residents who meet Town Board criteria and procedures for affordable housing. The Town Board may approve up to a 20% aggregate increase to the total unit density for the proposed project. Included in the subsection are: an explanation of how to determine the total number of units or lots that may be approved, procedures and criteria for Town Board review of applications, information to be provided by the applicant, and actions by referral agencies. Section V J: Special Use Permits – The current ordinance contains only brief, general guidance about applications for special use permits, no description of review procedures, and only four broad considerations before an SUP is issued. The recommended revision authorizes the Planning Board to grant or deny special uses and establishes an application and review procedure, including decision criteria. Applications that require both site plan and special use approvals must be reviewed concurrently to facilitate coordination and avoid delays. The recommended revision also addresses fees, referrals, permit expiration, permit renewal, and other features. Section VI: Non-Conforming Uses, Buildings, and Lots – The current ordinance generally allows non-conforming lots, buildings, and uses to continue in their current status. The recommended amendment retains most features of this section, but clarifies and expands these tenets. One update allows lots existing before the 3 ½ acre average density requirement and that are 3.5 to 7 acres to be subdivided into two lots. This provision complies with Comp Plan guidance at 8.9.

Please take notice that the Town of Ancram Planning Board will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on Wednesday July 5th, 2012 at 6PM at the Town Hall, 1416 County Route 7. The public hearing is to discuss the Fiore lot line adjustment. The hearing is open to the public.