Zoning Commission

Since the establishment of the Town of Pine Plains Zoning Commission, members of the Public have posed many questions to the Commission at its workshop and informational meeting, and in written communications and e-mails addressed to the Commission. Some of these questions are technical in nature and relate to specific aspects of provisions which may, or may not, be included in the proposed Zoning Law. Other questions are general or generic in nature and relate to zoning or planning issues. While it is impossible for the Zoning Commission to respond to every question posed to it, the Zoning Commission recognizes it is vital for the public to be as informed as it possibly can be during the Zoning Commission work. The Zoning Commission, therefore, is providing responses to certain Frequently Asked Questions. The Commission on advice of its consultants deems it advisable not to respond to certain questions relating to specific and technical aspects of the proposed Zoning Law because the first draft of the Zoning Law has not yet been completed by the Commission. The Commission has found that as its work progresses, its views, on certain aspects of the Zoning Law, change based upon input from the public and its consultants, its own investigations, and dialogue among Commission members during workshop meetings. Therefore, the Commission has deemed it advisable to wait until the Zoning Law is in draft form and ready for public review before responding to certain specific questions concerning the substance of the Law. The Zoning Commission believes that once the Law is in draft form, the public will better understand the various components of the Law, the various sections of the Law interrelate to each other and how the Law will work. Many of the questions now being asked will be answered by a reading of the Zoning Law. The Commission also does not deem it prudent to provide responses to questions about certain aspects of the Zoning Law which may not ultimately be part of the final version of the draft Law. Other questions which have been posed to the Commission are beyond the expertise of the Commission, and the Commission does not feel it is appropriate to respond to such questions. With all of this in mind, the following are the Commission's responses to some frequently asked questions:

All property in the Town will be subject to zoning.  Each parcel is included in a Zoning District and each District will have its own set of development standards.

Affordable housing has been defined in a variety of ways.  Affordable housing has been defined by the Federal government as housing available for rental or purchase to low or moderate income families at thirty (30%) percent of their income.  Low income persons are defined as those earning fifty (50%) percent of area median income, while moderate income families are classified as those earning less than one hundred (100%) percent of area median income.  Some Government subsidy programs define the term as housing affordable to households whose income do not exceed fifty (50%) percent or eighty (80%) percent of area median income.  The Commission has not yet defined the term "affordable housing" for purposes of the Pine Plains Zoning Law.

There is no current plan to restrict dwelling size.

The Zoning will endeavor to ensure compliance with New York State required erosion and sedimentation control standards.  Further, it will require setbacks from wetlands and streams, and an Overlay Zone for the Wellhead Protection Area to protect water quality and quantity around the Town.  Density standards are anticipated to allow sufficient aquifer recharge to maintain groundwater quality and quantity.

Development will be defined in the Zoning Law, but has been defined as the division of a parcel of land into two or more parcels; the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration relocation, or enlargement of any structure; and any mining, excavation, landfill or land disturbance.  Development can also be defined as "any activity other than normal agricultural conservation or forest management activity which materially affects the existing condition of land or improvements".

The Code Enforcement Officer or Zoning Enforcement Officer of the Town of Pine Plains.

The Hamlet District in Pulvers Corners is not designed to be an economic stimulus nor does having a hamlet there mean that there is necessarily an economic reason to develop in that area.  The reason for having the Hamlet District is to preserve and protect the character of that area over time.  It is designed to ensure that any new development in the Hamlet occurs in a way that is consistent with the existing nature of homes and development in Pulvers Corners.

The ½ mile circle indicates the general "walkable" portion of the Hamlet.  It does not have any specific zoning reference and was left on the map to indicate how the zoning boundaries were developed.