To the Editor:

Like a large number of residents, I’m very upset about the village board’s decision to engage in spot zoning. This decision would allow Stewart’s to destroy a 1900s-era Victorian house and create a parking lot — an action totally out of sync with the pattern for village growth found in Altamont’s comprehensive plan.

Village residents have the right to determine what type of village they want and they spoke loudly and clearly when the comprehensive plan was developed around 2007, with village-wide participation. It was a wonderful exercise in grassroots democracy and, though a lot of work, refreshing and reassuring, a roadmap available to all eyeing future growth and expansion.

Trustees [Nicholas] Fahrenkopf and [Michelle] Ganance chose to vote for the spot-zoning change and ignore the people’s voice, saying in their recent Altamont Enterprise interviews that the comprehensive plan should be updated.

It would seem they have coronated themselves the chosen updaters. That does not make sense.

The comprehensive plan was created for citizens and government to consult on such matters as this very issue. The plan’s conclusions were reached due to the work of dozens of hard-working residents over time.

Nowhere does the plan indicate that it’s OK, at any time, for trustees to ignore this very important reflection of the wishes of the people of the village.

Such action on the part of trustees Fahrenkopf and Ganance, in my opinion, is misguided at the very least, and arrogant at the very worst and lacks the real leadership Altamont deserves.

Candidates Simon Litten and James Sullivan have pledged to uphold the full intent and purpose of the comprehensive plan and that is why they deserve your support at the polls on March 19.

Betty Head

Altamont