To the Editor:

I write to The Enterprise to express my confusion over the rezoning decision by our village board.

I attended the Dec. 12 board meeting where public comment was received regarding the rezoning allowing Stewart’s to encroach into a residential neighborhood. Many village residents took the opportunity to speak.

It was mentioned by proponents of the rezoning that they had collected approximately 20 signatures on a petition supporting rezoning. A resident against the rezoning had stated that a petition against the rezoning had approximately 200 signatures.

A packet was provided at the meeting with letters from both sides of the issue. It appeared that there was a slight variable in the numbers for and against with more letters opposing rezoning. If you split the attendees in half to be fair (for and against), the total numbers presented against rezoning appeared to be greater than those for the rezone.

I ask that the village supply the residents of Altamont with the  numbers of opponents/proponents via The Enterprise publication so that we may see transparency with this village board vote. It is important that residents know that their voices are heard and that the village board votes the will of the residents on important matters.  

Jennifer Betancourt

Altamont

Editor’s note: The Enterprise submitted a Freedom of Information Law request and learned that three petitions were submitted to the village — two for the rezone and one against. A total of 303 people (at least 75 were not Altamont residents) signed in favor of the rezone. One of these petitions, with about 270 signatures, says that it supports a zoning change but does not say that the zoning change would be for 107-109 Helderberg Ave.; the second petition, with about 30 signatures, says explicitly that it supports the rezone of 107-109 Helderberg Ave.

The third petition was signed by 186 people (fewer than five were not Altamont residents), and says that it is against the rezone of  107-109 Helderberg Ave.

See related story.