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| May 05, 2024 |
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General News: The Case of the Missing Map
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| Ex-mayor Moulton signed this proposed zoning map that was used by the building inspector. |
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| The map that mayor Gross signed has nice clear lines, but it's not official either. |
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| Zoning board chair Horst Hoffmann said the issue will be resolved at the next meeting. |
March 11, 2008
Is there an official zoning map of the village of Cornwall-on-Hudson? If so, the building inspector doesn’t have it. The zoning and planning boards certainly don’t have it. The village clerk doesn’t have it, either, although the clerk is the person who is supposed to sign off on any official map.
At Monday’s zoning board of appeals meeting where it was supposed to be decided whether a proposed expansion of The River Bank restaurant lays inside the central business district, no one could agree on the right map to use.
Bob Gilmore, the former building inspector, was there and he said that he always referred to the same map in his office. One map in the Department of Public Works office was signed by former mayor Moulton (see photo, top right). The only problem with that map is that it is clearly marked “Proposed” and is not the official map.
Last October, mayor Joseph Gross ordered a village map from Orange County. The paper it is printed on is clean and fresh, the lines are easy to read. There are a few apparent errors on the boundaries of some properties, but mayor Gross signed it and accepted it as the official village map, or so he thought. Turns out, he isn’t authorized to approve it with a signature.
Tony Missere, the owner of The River Bank restaurant, presented a copy of the official map that he says he got in Albany where it had been filed with the secretary of state. A second copy of this official map apparently exists in the village but no one could produce it at Monday’s meeting.
So for the fourth month in a row, the issue of determining whether or not the proposed restaurant is in the business district was put on hold.
Click on any image for a larger view.
Comments:
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i think that the town should spend at least 1/2 the time they have spent on this map on important decisions like wells and proposed buildings. the way i see it...the "river bank" was once a bank, right? the building next to it was once the police station? (please correct me if i am wrong) both clearly not residential building at one point or another. so, unless we are against successful business in the village why would we not let the river bank expand.
posted by carphappy on 03/12/08 at 8:09 AM
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Sadly, I think most of this stems from the fact that the Village Board did not honor an agreement that had previously been made. Now we have two business men that have both invested a great deal of money in our community and improved our Village at odds with each other. This is very unfortunate. In addition, parking may be adequate for now, but we MUST have some foresight here. If the Village wants to see certain types of business come to Cornwall on Hudson and thrive we have to have the parking to accomodate it. Mr Yannone has a huge building that houses a theatre and there has been talk of opening it again. What an asset that would be to our community, but we will need more parking! The man has a right to be upset. Personally I think that Mr. Yannone and Mr. Missere should shake hands and join together to force the Mayor to honor the original agreement that was made.
posted by Surfmom on 03/12/08 at 9:20 AM
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This whole map situation is an example of how sloppy the previous administration was - how little they valued fairness and accountability. It is unthinkable that a Zoning Board does not have a precise and official zoning map that is referred to on EVERY zoning application. Instead, the previous administration preferred to do whatever they pleased - without the constraint of clear lines and bounds. These things are not frivilous - they are the basis of fair and sound public policy. The quick "backroom" deals that are pushed through in haste often come back to bite you in the arse -- ending in conflicts that end up costing the community in many ways. I commend the Mayor and others who desire to put these things right and address issues fairly and above board - and an official zoning map is the basis on which this must be based.
posted by cpmomcat on 03/12/08 at 7:37 PM
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Don't you just love small-town politics???
posted by J. McKeever on 03/13/08 at 11:33 PM
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