To the Editor:

The Knox Town Board recently made excellent choices for the planning board, appointing two new members after advertising the positions and holding an open forum, so the board and the public could ask questions of the applicants.

The new members provide experience (Dan Driscoll) and technical expertise (Debra Nelson, who recently finished a master's degree in planning) to improve an already strong planning board.  As someone who had applied to be on the board, I feel sure that the best people were selected and that the town is lucky to have them.

As well as the planning board appointments, two proposed bylaws, regulating light and noise, were discussed, and these will be scheduled for a public hearing in the future.  After extensive questions by town Supervisor Vasilios Leftkaditis, these were sent back for revision.

The dark skies initiative (well worth Googling), points out that unrestricted lighting has an adverse impact on wildlife and humans as well as making it much more difficult to enjoy the night sky. The proposed lighting restrictions seem simple enough.

Basically, motion-sensitive security lights need to be on timers so they will turn themselves off, and lights have to be mounted lower on buildings and shielded so they don't create skyglow.  The bylaws would also restrict lights from shining into neighbors' houses, preventing conflicts.

The noise ordinance seems likewise straightforward, allowing only a level of noise that is considered to be bearable to the neighbors, or requiring mitigation to lower the sound level.  Having lived next to a construction site (a new housing development) for three years, I can tell you I was glad they weren't allowed to start earlier than 7 a.m.

Some restrictions on noise seem to be common sense and can protect the comfort and housing values of the people who currently live in Knox.

Questions from the gallery seemed to show that some people blame the planning board for "over-regulation" and as well as high taxes.  It would be interesting to know what regulations they were referring to, and I hope they can be specific at a future town meeting.  I doubt the planning board has anything to do with taxes.

Why would reducing regulation below that of the surrounding towns benefit Knox?  Would we want a business that came to Knox because it had fewer regulations than surrounding towns?  Residents should consider what they will gain from anything that is proposed.

I'd also suggest that, if they have businesses in mind that they would like to see in town, they should first imagine them on the property adjoining theirs.  Will they improve the town and be good neighbors?  Then we should welcome them.  In the survey taken to guide the creation of a comprehensive plan, residents praised the town's rural character and this needs to be kept in mind.

To be fair to new businesses that might want to locate in Knox, all the regulations should be spelled out clearly and should be applied equally to everyone.  If there are grandfathered businesses that don't comply to new regulations, perhaps something could be added so that, at some future date, or when they change owners, they could be brought into compliance.

It would be good to see the town boards and organizations working together to keep the town a wonderful place to live.

Dee Woessner

Knox