Officials seek to streamline planning approval process

Officials are making changes in the application process to make building and land use reviews less cumbersome.

RHINEBECK, N.Y. » Officials are already making changes in the application review process intended to make building and land use reviews less cumbersome.

The recommendations were discussed during a Town Board meeting last week, with Planning Board Chairman Michael Trimble saying the changes are needed to streamline regulations that often left applicants frustrated.

“It was taking an inordinate period of time for people to get through the review process for special use permits, site plan approvals and various things of that sort,” he said.

“We thought that if we had a committee working together, looking at the process, interviewing people who have gone through the process, lawyers, real estate developers ... to try and find out where the problems were we might be able to make some changes,” Trimble said. “There were a number of things that weren’t happening the way the law required them to happen.

“People were participating in some review procedures which they didn’t have to.”

Among changes that were implemented in advance of the report have been:

• Meeting with applicants without the town zoning enforcement officer during pre-submission sessions with the Planning Board chairman, vice chairman, and consultant.

• Not requiring the zoning enforcement officer to review final site plans in advance of the Planning Board chairman signing the documents.

• Preparing a handout that details the final steps of site plan submissions after Planning Board approval has been given.

• Updating application forms to require more information about proposed projects to keep applicants aware of the level of review that will be conducted.

• Adding four additional Planning Board meetings during the year and reducing Zoning Board of Appeals meetings from twice monthly to once a month.

Committee members also recommended that the role of the zoning enforcement officer be clarified so applicants receive notification of approval within five business days. They proposed that the position be updated to a full-time position.

“The demands of the ZEO position ... cannot be efficiently and effectively met with a part-time employee,” they wrote. “Until such time as this can occur the Town Board should move quickly to fill the part-time budgeted position for assistant ZEO.

“The duties of this position need to be independent of those of the ZEO and directed towards specific tasks and duties.”