Makes no sense

      As opposed to other types of roofs, a shed roof has a single slope that can vary in steepness depending on its design. That is the type of roof chosen by the architects for the proposed Comeau addition.

     Woodstock annually gets about 48 inches of rain and 51 inches of snow; 10 inches of melted snow or one inch of rain equates to .64 of a gallon of water per square foot of roof, so that the runoff from a 2,800-square-foot roof would amount to approximately 1,800 gallons of water. What do you think would be the overall effect of the rain and snow runoff since the addition is only 10 feet away from the Comeau building and the roofs slant towards each other?

 

Comeau Building Renovation

           Based upon the article in last week’s issue of HV1, it appears that the Comeau building has a good chance of qualifying for National Historic Register status. A status “which would give the town a lot of money to handle the renovation.” Which would save us taxpayers approximately $840,000 as well as the cost of maintenance and upkeep. However, the Comeau addition project as proposed “will kill any chance of our qualifying” for the funding. If you have any questions / comments please respond.

ADA Consciousness

Jacqueline Manganaro, an ADA advocate is quoted in HV1 as saying “The Town of Woodstock seems to be ignoring a large community of people with disabilities. I’ve made attempts for three years on an advocate level. ……I took many pictures of broken, dangerous and/or lack of sidewalks in our town. These are dangerous obstacles for the community of people with disabilities. I’ve spoken to our town supervisor….. What I’m told is, “The town is only responsible for certain sidewalks and the store-owners are responsible for their own sidewalks.” Is there a plan in the works to correct this condition.

On another note, what about the Comeau addition whose current design, it appears, is not in compliance with ADA regulations ,will that be addressed prior to its construction. What is currently being foisted upon us, aside from CCD issues, are 48 inch wide hallways/corridors that according to the following source and an ADA attorney does not comply with ADA regulations.

https://legalbeagle.com/7829693-ada-hallway-requirements

...

Housing

 

Our Zoning Law -  Obey it - Change it - Enforce it - but don't violate it

Are you concerned that there are not enough buildable lots?  

Woodstock's 1965 Zoning Law allowed, in the R-A and R-1 districts which covered the majority of the town, “one family per 2 acres. “

A possible solution would be to change the current Zoning Law to allow the subdividing of a property to create an undersized lot . There would be a minimum required size of the lot as well as compliance with other standards, and restrictions so as not to diminish the character of the neighborhood.  This would not only provide buildable lots but also increase the Town’s tax base.

Stay tuned for more . . .

EMPLOYMENT

Hamlet and Neighborhood Commercial Districts, as well as Home Occupations, should be looked into as potential locations to create additional jobs. This would require participation of the public and the business communities and changes in our Zoning Law. My thought is to increase the allowed uses in the Hamlet Commercial and Residential Districts, increase the type of Home Occupations, and add additional Neighborhood Commercial Districts, all of which would increase employment opportunities. In addition to requiring a Special Use Permit, the changes would have to meet other standards so as to maintain the integrity and character of Woodstock.

ENVIRONMENT

Thanks to the achievement of Woodstock’s Environmental Committee in completing NYSERDA requirements Woodstock has become a Climate-Smart Community.  In addition, an analysis of Woodstock’s energy use, etc., by Ken Panza indicates that the Town has offset its carbon-dioxide output and is now considered to be carbon neutral.

The next step would be for Woodstock to become carbon negative. This could be done through incentives such as waiving all building/review fees for new construction that use Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) products and sustainable initiatives. On the mandate side, the Town could adopt a green building code specifying that construction over a certain threshold require energy alternatives/green building techniques, etc.

Big and Little Deep

The majority of the problems (people littering, barbecuing, and playing loud music) that faced Peekamoose Blue Hole’s swimming area were solved. What Peekamoose did can be used as a blueprint to solve Woodstock’s Big and Little Deep’s problems. For starters, regulate parking with signage, place a sufficient number of receptacles in the area for trash, and remove the rusted 55-gallon drum that is preventing ingress to the Big Deep, replacing it with a gate that is more in tune with the Colony of the Arts.

MOUNTAINVIEW PARKING LOT - LOST REVENUE

According to recent budgets, the estimated annual revenue for parking fees from the Rock City Road parking lot is about 70 Thousand Dollars.  In 2015, the late Jay Wenk, as a member of the Town Board, proposed charging for parking at the Mountain View parking lot. In January of 2020 I pointed out that “way before the 2019 tourist season ended, the parking spots were painted, the handicap parking spots were marked and blacktopped, the fences were installed, and the shrubbery was planted in the parking lot.” To date Mountain View is still not a pay-for-parking lot, that has to change.

WHO AM I?

From time to time I think about what Woodstock was like in the 80’s and 90’s and wonder what Woodstock was like in the 60’s and 70’s

I am running for Councilman on Woodstock’s Town Board in the upcoming (June 22) Democratic Primary

 I have lived in Woodstock for approximately 30 years

I am a member of the Democratic Party.

I was a volunteer on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for 15 years as a board member and Chairman. During my tenure along with initiating needed changes to the Zoning Law, it was the ZBA’s decisions that cleared the way for:

* The construction of the MUNICIPAL CELL TOWER that provides the Town’s cell service

*The HIGHWAY GARAGE and the KTD MONASTERY to be constructed

* The FARMERS MARKET to exist

* Home owners, especially with undersized lots , to be able to build storage sheds, garages or home additions 

I was the Chair of the First Responder Task Force that analyzed and made recommendations regarding policies and procedures 

I am a retired NYC Detective

I graduated from Stuyvesant High School in NYC and Brooklyn College

Transparency/facts/truth to me are not just words but rather requirements

It should not take forever to accomplish goals