Keep businesses out of residential zones

Dear Editor: As has been noted in several letters to the Freeman, Marbletown officials, against the wishes of hundreds of residents who have spoken out or written in opposition, are trying to change the law and allow commercial event spaces in residential areas.

In their effort, they have suppressed data, refused to survey residents and have ignored those who have spoken out against commercial events.

In addition, officials repeatedly have tried to confuse the issue by making false claims about agricultural and zoning laws. (To be clear, I strongly support the existing New York state agricultural regulations and would love to see more good businesses in the commercial areas of Marbletown).

The latest line of gobbledygook is that, if the zoning law describes a zone as a “Residence District,” for example R-1 Residence District, it doesn’t actually mean that it is a residence district. Huh??

To help clear up the confusion, let me point to this definition from Marbletown zoning laws:

Residence District: “The purpose of the residence districts is to provide a setting for residential uses and customary accessory uses, free from the adverse effects of incompatible nonresidential uses, at various densities based on the natural features and existing development patterns in each district.”

It’s a really simple issue. Residential zones are for residential purposes, and commercial zones are for commercial purposes. Commercial events have no place in residential zones. Declan Denehan

Marbletown