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Public and ZAC members press trustees for transparency after chair disbands committee; draft zoning to be posted March 17
Summary
Members of the zoning advisory committee (ZAC) and multiple residents told trustees they had a right to continue meeting and to be involved in drafting the new zoning code. Trustees said the draft code will post March 17 and a public workshop is scheduled for April 3; several speakers called for reinstatement and clearer process.
Multiple members of the Village of Ballston Spa’s Zoning Advisory Committee and residents criticized the committee’s chair and the mayor at the March 10 Board of Trustees meeting after committee meetings were curtailed.
Marilyn Stevenson, speaking as a ZAC member, told trustees the committee had met March 6 with a majority present and had voted unanimously on several items, including recommending a proposed model landmark ordinance and changes to planned development district (PDD) lot-size minimums. She said the ZAC intends to continue meeting and asked for clearer public notice and posting of ZAC schedules and workshop signs.
Jared Aglucci said the committee’s majority voted to continue meeting and expressed concerns that the process of drafting zoning was becoming opaque. He and others said they feared that work was proceeding without the committee’s participation and asked trustees to restore transparency.
Speakers repeatedly asked that the draft zoning code be made public and that the committee’s materials and minutes be available; trustees replied the draft would be posted March 17 with a Google form for public comment and that a public workshop is scheduled for April 3 at 7 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension conference room on West High Street.
Trustees acknowledged procedural friction between the ZAC, the historic district commission, and the consultant who drafted the code. The mayor and staff said they were coordinating legal and programmatic reviews with county planning and had asked staff to compile a timeline so the board and public can track the remainder of the code process. The board did not vote at the March 10 meeting to disband or reinstate the ZAC; rather, trustees emphasized transitioning to the public-facing phase of the zoning project after approximately a year and a half of work.
Speakers who addressed the board included ZAC members and residents who raised specific requests: post the draft zoning code and the ZAC schedule online, update public signage for workshops, and ensure the ZAC helps organize the April 3 forum. Several speakers referenced the ZAC charter adopted Aug. 28, 2023, which they said empowers the committee to meet roughly every two weeks and provide recommendations to the consultant.
Trustees said they intend to publish the draft and set deadlines for comment. The board also agreed to continue conversations with the historic district commission and to invite state Office of Historic Preservation representatives to brief the board on options for historic-district protections and potential tax-credit programs.
No formal disciplinary action or removal of committee members was taken at the March 10 meeting. Several members of the public indicated they will continue to engage in upcoming ZAC meetings and the April 3 public forum.
