KNOX — The town may change the process for getting a variance from the zoning board of appeals.

At a town board meeting Tuesday, Robert Price, chair of the planning board, asked the town board to consider a change to the zoning ordinance that would require those applying for a variance to inform their direct neighbors.

Currently, Price said, that is only required for an applicant to subdivide.
"It’s a serious omission from the ordinance and it ought to be fixed," Price said. "It should be part of the process of getting a variance from the zoning board. I think it’s serious enough that it should be acted on promptly."

Town attorney John Dorfman said that he has talked to other towns and found most have the requirement.
"It should be there," Dorfman said.

Such a requirement would only apply to properties that are direct neighbors.

The town board members agreed that just advertising a public hearing in the town’s official newspaper, The Enterprise, is not enough.
"Who reads that stuff anyway," Councilman Joseph Best said of legal advertising.

Dorfman said he would prepare the change to the ordinance and make copies for the town board members. It will have to go through the public hearing process, he said.
"It’s going to have to be the whole unfortunate rigamarole," Price said.

Conklin Field

The Knox Town Board voted unanimously to dedicate the new soccer field at the town park to Councilman Charles Conklin.

The last step, seeding, was just completed on the soccer field. Councilman Nicholas Viscio said Conklin was the driving force behind organizing volunteers to fund and construct the field for the children of the town.
"It’s really Chuck’s 10-year project on this board," Viscio said.

Conklin has been absent from the past few board meetings as he receives treatment for cancer.

The board charged the Knox Youth Council with holding a dedication ceremony in the next month or two to be attended by the town board members. According to Viscio’s motion, the field will be named the Chuck Conklin Youth Soccer Field.