RENSSELAERVILLE — Residents here want to protect the town’s open spaces and support its farmers, according to the results of a recent survey.

Seventy-four percent supported the town providing special support for agricultural uses, and 70 percent supported zoning to protect the town’s open spaces.

Survey results also showed that nearly half (48 percent) of the town’s residents would sell land only after a developer agreed to restriction.

Well over a third of the households in town answered a survey composed by a committee charged with developing a new comprehensive land-use plan. A moratorium on large development is in place while the committee drafts its plan.

On Saturday, the results of the survey were presented at a public meeting by Nan Stolzenburg, the project manager of Community Planning and Environmental Associates, a consulting group that concentrates on small communities in rural areas. Stolzenburg has also helped with planning in nearby Berne and New Scotland.

The Laberge Group, an engineering, architecture, surveying, and planning firm based in Albany, has also been working with the committee.

Saturday, they updated residents and officials about their progress.

A comprehensive plan is a roadmap for future decision making; it is a document which defines a community’s goals and objectives toward land use, economic development, agriculture, open spaces, recreation, transportation, natural resources, housing, community resources, and infrastructure.

Vernon Husek, who chairs the land-use committee, told The Enterprise this week that the state recommends towns wait no longer than 10 years before revising their comprehensive plans.
"We’ve waited 16 years," Husek said.
"Saturday’s meeting was the third stage of a much longer process," Supervisor Jost Nickelsberg said.

Prior to Saturday’s meeting, surveys were mailed to all homeowners within the town, and visioning workshops were held on Aug. 17 at the three firehouses, where residents identified and discussed positive and negative aspects of the town.

Husek said the biggest surprise with the surveys was the substantial response. Sixteen years ago, 12 percent of the surveys were returned.
"This one, we had about 37 percent," he said.
"People are giving us direction to keep the community the same," he said. Husek added that the townspeople would like to see its population increase at a slow rate.

Throughout the process of creating the comprehensive plan, Husek said, he’s been communicating with Stolzenburg.
"Meetings aren’t necessary," he said. Husek explained that he has been communicating with Stolzenburg, and the 13 members of the land-use committee via e-mail and telephone.

Saturday, Stolzenburg gave a PowerPoint presentation, which revealed and analyzed the data from the surveys and workshops.

According to the data collected, Rensselaerville residents are concerned with the loss of farmland; they value the town’s farmers and want the town to support them. Also, residents are concerned with current development patterns, road conditions, and speed enforcement; townspeople value open space, want to protect the land, and provide incentives for keeping it open.

The draft plan says that residents value their community’s rural character, quality of life, natural areas, open spaces, scenic views, water and wildlife resources, recreation opportunities, safety, and historical and cultural assets.

The data also revealed that the town wants to see more local small businesses and health-care services.

Husek told The Enterprise that on April 27, 2007, the moratorium will be lifted. By that time, the committee will have a revised comprehensive plan, subdivision regulations, zoning laws, and a site-plan review process.

The land-use committee, formed five months ago, meets each Tuesday night at the town hall.

Nickelsberg told The Enterprise that members of the committee are all exceptional people, and added, "They’re doing a hell of a job."