To the Editor:

About a year ago, a committee of the New Scotland Historical Association that included broader representation of town residents began to develop a proposed Historic Preservation Law to be presented to the Voorheesville village and New Scotland town boards.

The law was partially based on a similar law in Clifton Park but was modified to fit the needs of the village of Voorheesville and town of New Scotland. The purpose of the law is to ensure that historic structures and sites in our communities are identified and preserved in such a way that enhance community character without impinging on property owners’ rights or requiring public expenditures.

The law establishes a joint Village and Town Historic Preservation Commission that would act in an advisory capacity and as a resource to the town and village.

The Historic Preservation Law is now being considered by both the village and town boards. The New Scotland Town Board will be holding a public hearing on the law at 6:45 p.m. on Oct. 9 in Town Hall. I encourage all residents of the town of New Scotland and village of Voorheesville who are interested in historic preservation or curious about the Historic Preservation Law to attend this hearing and support the law’s passage. 

The version of the law that will be considered by the town is entitled Proposed Local Law D of 2019. It is available on the town’s website or at: https://bit.ly/2nR4fnz

Alan S. Kowlowitz

President

New Scotland

Historical Association

Editor’s note: see editorial on page 2.