Events law would not bring radical change

Dear Editor: I received a letter at my residence from unknown senders identifying themselves as marbletownpetition@gmail.com. The letter raises concerns about the events law that currently is being worked on by the town Planning Zoning Committee, on which I sit.

Among other errors, this letter claims that the law would be a “radical change,” when, in fact, commercial events previously were allowed in residential zones in Marbletown. The law is needed to clarify the conditions under which they are allowed. The letter fails to note that the law would only allow commercial events subject to a special-use permit. The law would codify the requirements for such a permit, including working with neighbors, limiting light and sound impacts on neighboring properties, and limiting the frequency of events.

The anonymous authors fail to comprehend that Marbletown’s R-1 zone might be better understood as “Rural” rather than “Residential Neighborhood.” R-1 zoning allows no more than one house per three acres, and allows such noisy activities as timber harvesting. It also allows churches and other houses of worship with only a site plan. Open-air wedding chapel, anyone?

The Mohonk Preserve’s Spring Farm Trail Head is in the R-1 zone, and it frequently holds events with hundreds of people, without the (distant) neighbors even knowing what is going on.

I am personally not at all concerned about this law allowing commercial events in my residential neighborhood because I know that sound and light would be limited at the edges of the property and that any of my specific concerns would be considered when the venue applied for its special-use permit. Tom Konrad, member Marbletown Planning and Zoning Committee