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

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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.