To the Editor:

I am writing in response to your recent coverage of the Guilderland Town Board’s split vote to advance the Dutch Mill Acres rezoning proposal at 3633 Carman Road for planning board review [“Dutch Mill Acres allowed to proceed after town board split vote,” The Altamont Enterprise, Nov. 21, 2025].

While the vote allowed the application to move forward, it was not final approval, and many residents who will be directly affected were unaware the proposal was being considered until late in the process. That is why broader community engagement now is so important.

The current proposal would allow 107 apartment units across 16 buildings, all accessed from Carman Road, a corridor many residents already experience as congested and unsafe. For those who travel this road daily, concerns about traffic and safety are not abstract; they are lived realities.

Rezoning this property to a Planned Unit Development would permanently change what is allowed on the site, reducing the town’s leverage and shifting uncertainty and long-term impacts onto residents and local infrastructure. Once such a rezoning occurs, future decisions become far less constrained than what neighbors see today.

Many neighbors are also frustrated that land long designated for business use could become yet another large apartment complex, rather than something that serves the broader community, such as neighborhood-scale businesses, restaurants, or local gathering places that add activity without overwhelming Carman Road.

At a recent planning board meeting, many residents expressed frustration about having had little or no awareness that this proposal was moving forward. Several noted how difficult it can be to navigate the town’s website or to know when and where issues affecting their neighborhoods will be discussed. This experience has underscored how important it is for neighbors to share information and stay connected.

The planning board is now reviewing this proposal, and public input matters. This is the stage where traffic, access, environmental constraints, and neighborhood impacts are examined in detail. Residents who have concerns, especially about traffic and safety, should consider attending meetings and sharing their perspectives.

As someone who has lived in this neighborhood for more than 45 years, I have seen Carman Road change over time. I believe it is important that decisions about its future are made thoughtfully and with broad community involvement.

Neighbors who wish to learn more, sign the neighborhood petition, and receive updates about future town board and planning board meetings can visit: https://forms.gle/J7YRW75q3PD5d3GW8 ot the Guilderland Coalition for Responsible Growth Facebook page.

Mark Pirri

Guilderland