Dear Fellow Citizens: May, 2011 There are problems with Shandaken’s current zoning scheme. Briefly stated We have very little commercially zoned land in the Town of Shandaken, so little, in fact, that a new business often can find a legal location only if an existing business closes or moves away. Most of our commercially zoned land is in the center of Phoenicia or in the center of Pine Hill, where there is little area to expand or room to park. Our existing zoning dates from 1976, and was modified in 1987, with litte attention being paid to already existing uses of the land. As a result, many properties that had been used for businesses for decades were given residential zoning, creating large numbers of non-conforming uses, especially along the Route 28 corridor. In some parts of the Route 28 corridor, there are as many businesses in a residential zone as there are residences. Will changes to our zoning violate our Comprehensive Plan? The Shandaken Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2005 and called for establishing an economic development pattem that balances the goal of protecting the environment with the socio-economic needs of residents. It also called for business development wherever possible within the town’s several “designated hamlet areas.” At the time the Comprehensive Plan was being prepared, the Town of Shandaken designated an area of land along both sides of Route 28, east of its junction with Route 212, as the official “Mount Tremper Designated Hamlet Area.” Yet all of this area remains zoned as residential. Following adoption of the Comprehensive Plar 2005, at least some of this land should have been rezoned to permit business or commercial use. Rezoning this area now ‘would not violate the intentions of the Comprehensive Plan; rather, it would carry out those intentions. Last year the Town Board referred the farm stand controversy to the planning board. The planning board unanimously concluded that the best solution was to enact a zoning change which would need to be addressed by the Town Board. Thus, the Town Board has now scheduled a special board meeting to discuss zoning options in Mt. Tremper. Opponents to change argue that this is bending the law to meet an individual business's needs. The fact is, this is updating the law to meet our community's needs. With gasoline prices rising toward $5 per gallon, these are economically very difficult times for our community. Families seeking inexpensive, wholesome food can only wonder who speaks for them? We urge you to consider the future well-being of Shandaken and its residents, and to support the rezoning of the Mt. Tremper Designated Hamlet Area, Show your support by attending the Special Town Board Meeting scheduled for May 25 at 6:00 p.m. at the Shandaken Town Hi Let's keep valued businesses in town, not look for excuses to drive them out, Sincerely, Martie Guiles Martie Gailes, Chair Citizens for a Better Shandaken