THE RE-ZONING of ATHENS

by R.C. and D. H.

The Re-zoning of the Athens Waterfront and Rt. 385 has to be considered in the framework of the impact that it will have on the people who currently own the properties which all together make up the Village of Athens and also the impact on those who rent or lease and are citizens of the Village who pay taxes indirectly as part of their rental price. The quality of Life for all citizens of Athens cannot be damaged in the pursuit of being able to charge more taxes on property opened up for Commercial Development by Re-Zoning the Private Homes of Citizens. Although there may be an influential few who hope to gain directly by the sale to developers of such re-zoned property the greater majority of Athens property owners, renters and citizens will need to consider the following article in order to make themselves heard before this zoning is voted into Law.

The proposed new Zoning Laws posted on planningbetterplaces.com are the outcome of months of meetings held by the Zoning Implementation Committee. 130 taxpayers who signed a petition for equal representation on this committee were denied this representation by the Mayor. ( Mayor Smallwood will try to say that she offered to have one person as a liaison ...but that was months after the ZIC meetings began and after the major zones had been discussed ) The Mayor preferred her close friend Denise Hartman to represent the Athens citizens. Ms. Hartman is an Assistant to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

Attorney General Cuomo is on a Campaign supported by Governor Patterson to dissolve as many Villages as possible across NY State ( see the article in this Newsletter “ To Dissolve or not Dissolve”).

The Courier has a special section “Your Government at Work “ by Kalzi. dedicated to comparing the cost of different part s of the local Villages and Town expenses and discusses the Salary of Village and Town officials, costs to run different departments in the Towns & Villages and much more. It mentions ways to Consolidate and “save money “ through dissolution. Are they trying to soften the blow.?

You may ask ....How does all this tie together ? If and when the Village government is dissolved, by having re-zoned the ATHENS Waterfront, it will be one step closer to being “ shovel ready” the Town will be in a position to encourage big business to locate here even use Eminent Domain. Since most of the combined Village /Town population do not live in the Village there will not be that much resistance to what will be seen as an opportunity to increase the tax base and decrease expenses through consolidation. After Dissolution of the Village those wishing to govern the Village need only run for Town or County office something which the Village rumor mill is already predicting…..Who is sure to benefit from the creation of more commercial property for sale….?...Real Estate agents and brokers, those who loan money to developers, those who create plans for development, Attorneys, and others in the Real Estate loop. Who will suffer a decline in Quality of Life in the Village….?.. those not able to directly benefit from the sale of commercial property but who will have to endure the over development of the Waterfront and Water-view area.