Archive: Opinions

Who needs a publicly approved Comprehensive Plan when members of the Town Board have decided what zoning changes to make for Lansing's residents – and are planning to make them the law?

The resolution to approve and adopt this law (Local Law #6) states that 'the vast majority of these changes were to eliminate outdated or incomplete special conditions and permits in favor of the more comprehensive process of site plan review'  Site plan review is comprehensive only in the sense that everything is permitted. Planning professionals and legal authorities agree that a site plan review is completely powerless to stop any permitted use.

In the Town Board's Resolution for Amending the Land Use Ordinance they state, in response to the County Planning Department's expressed concerns about the creation of allowed uses through amendments, and the number of non-agricultural uses allowed in the RA zones that 'the Town responded and now again responds by noting, again, that such uses were previously allowed.' This is an obfuscation designed to cover a completely untenable and irresponsible position.

There has never been a greater need to protect Lansing's 'green spaces' from destruction by unchecked commercial and industrial development. This amended Land Use Ordinance permits a total of thirty-four separate Business Uses in the Rural Agricultural zone, by far the largest permitted in any of Lansing's zoning districts, and more than 50% greater than the number allowed in the Commercial—General Business zone itself. And this is from the same zoning document which doesn't even mention the words 'commercial' or 'business' in its description of intent for the RA district.

The Rural zone's Industrial/Research permitted uses will be six times that of the any other Residential or Mixed Use Residential district and only one less than Lansing's Industrial/Research zone. And contrary to our Supervisor's publicly stated opposition to 'residential sprawl,' more Residential Uses will be permitted in rural Lansing than anywhere else in town. The Town Board's resolution to approve and adopt this law still asserts that 'these amendments, while numerous, are not of a character as materially overhaul or change the nature or function of existing zones.'

How does this new zoning law compare with our neighbors?

The Town of Dryden has two rural designations: Rural Agricultural and Rural Residential. Only six business uses are permitted in their Agricultural District, including Agriculture-Related Enterprises, and in the Rural Residential District, the Permitted business uses are limited to three (Artist Studio/Craft Workshop, Bed-and-Breakfast and Car Wash.)  No warehouses, shopping plazas, gas stations, industrial and manufacturing businesses or drive-throughs are allowed in either of their rural zones. Dryden residents would need to open and operate such things in rural Lansing.

How about Ithaca's zoning? Their rural land is divided between Agricultural and Conservation districts. The Conservation district's permitted uses consist of one and two-family dwellings, garden or nursery farms or small roadside stands. Even a large roadside stand or a Bed-and-Breakfast needs a special permit. Their Ag district zoning is the same, with the addition of agricultural and agricultural related businesses.

A responsible Town Board should feel the need to increase restrictions and deny conflicting uses until a Comprehensive Plan can be approved by Lansing residents. It's troubling that these unilaterally prescribed amendments will actually remove what little existing protection we have from 44 large-scale commercial and industrial development uses in rural Lansing, especially with the complete prohibition of these uses in so many surrounding communities. Large commercial firms in those towns can just move their destructive activities to our community. Once established under Lansing's new permissive zoning regulations, there will be no way to stop them.

With the required public information and discussion meetings having taken place on Sept. 3rd (two days after Labor Day and two days before the start of the school year) and December 17th (a week before Christmas) - these changes will become effective immediately upon approval by the Town Board at the scheduled January 21, 2015 meeting. It's a vote that can remake Lansing.

Sincerely,

Doug Baird
Lansing, NY
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