Albany County Commissioners deny Morris zoning change after neighbors urge enforcement of long‑standing noncompliance

The Albany County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 1 denied a request by Keith and Renee Morris to change a 4.08‑acre parcel from Ranch‑A zoning to Small Lot Residential (ZDA‑6‑25), after residents said the property has long housed two dwellings that do not meet the Ranch‑A density standard.

The vote follows nearly an hour of public comment from North Fork area residents who said the property has been out of compliance for nine years and remains rented. "It will change the character of our neighborhood," said Michelle Tilly, who gave the board a packet of documents and an executive summary. "This isn't about Airbnb — this is about our neighbors not caring about our neighborhood."

Why it matters: County staff and the planning and zoning record show an open enforcement case on the Morris property for two dwellings on a parcel that does not meet Ranch‑A density requirements. By denying the rezoning application the…