To the Editor:
The Altamont Village Board has proposed a local law dissolving the zoning board of appeals and the planning board and creating a new ZBA to do both functions [“Objections raised to abolishing planning board,” The Altamont Enterprise, Feb. 4, 2022].

At the February village board meeting, several former village officials — Trustee Dean Whalen; ZBA Chairman Maurice McCormick; and myself, a former trustee — spoke out strongly in opposition to this plan. All three had been intimately involved in the creation of the comprehensive plan and all pointed out that this single-board creation was antithetical to the intent of the comp plan.

New York’s zoning enabling statutes (the state statutes that give cities, towns, and villages the power to enact local zoning laws) require that zoning laws be adopted in accordance with a comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan should provide the backbone for the local zoning law.

The same applies to the different functions of the planning board. Each board has its own function and serves as a system of checks and balances in preserving the unique character and charm of the village as stated in Altamont’s comprehensive plan.

The board members stated it would save the money. The question was asked, “How much?” And they could not state what it was. How can you undertake a dramatic restructuring without having such information at your fingertips?

The Enterprise found that it was about $4,000, a drop in the bucket and a very small price to pay for preserving the Victorian character of Altamont. Get on Google Earth and look at an aerial shot of the village. A rough estimate is that about only 30 to 35 percent of the village retains its Victorian heritage. We lose it a piece at a time.

Streamlining the process was also mentioned as a reason. Streamlining it for who? So what if someone wanting a variance or wanting to do something out of village character has to go back and forth a couple of times? The board is here to preserve the character of the village, not serve developers.

Lastly, the issue of transparency, or lack thereof, has continued to be brought up over the past several years and with various board vacancies in particular. Each time the administration has taken offense at the suggestion. This potential restructuring of the boards offers an excellent opportunity to put the issue to rest.

Even if the restructuring does not take place, a village law regarding the open and public process of filling of vacancies should be adopted. If the restructuring does take place, an open and public process should be incorporated. To that effect, I offered the following to the board at the February meeting.

When a vacancy occurs in any board position, village board, zoning board of appeals, or any other board, permanent or temporary, whose actions will materially affect the village such as the referral committee, all such positions shall be subject to public notice in all locally available media, including but not limited to The Enterprise, the village bulletin board on Main Street, the village website, and Nixle. Candidates may express their interest and submit résumés if so desired and the mayor and trustees will review and appoint a candidate(s) subject to a public village board vote.

Harvey Vlahos

Altamont