DEERPARK TOWN BOARD AMENDS ZONING

DEERPARK TOWN BOARD AMENDS ZONING TO PROMOTE BUSINESS ATTRACTION
For Immediate Release – September 16, 2010

(HUGUENOT, NY) – Officials in the Town of Deerpark are continuing to make what they term “necessary changes” in order to attract new business and rateables into the town.  The town board passed Local Law 5 on Monday night, which makes some significant changes to the zoning regulations of the Interchange Business (IB) District within the town.  The zone is located right off of Exit 1 on Interstate 84.

“The current zoning was a major hindrance for any future economic development,” said Deerpark Supervisor Karl A. Brabenec.  “These amendments will make this particular zone more marketable to potential businesses looking to locate within the town and will help us to attract more rateables and jobs to our residents.”

“Businesses will not set up operations here if they have no guarantee that their one or two year special use permit will be renewed,” said Deerpark Councilman David M. Hoovler, referring to the special use permit regulation amendment. “Entrepreneurs need a long term commitment so they can secure financing for their projects.”

The new local law amends the current zoning to allow for more permitted uses rather than temporary special uses, which were renewable by the planning board.  All permitted uses still require planning board approval and a site plan.  In addition, the law has done away with any new special use permit renewals and moves site plan enforcement responsibility to the town’s building and code enforcement department.  All the changes were reviewed by the Orange County Planning Department and Deerpark Planning Board.

The town board has already been very active this year in promoting that particular zone in the town.  In February, the board applied for $12 million in grants to create a water and sewer district within the zone and this summer announced their first economic development project, Deerpark Exchange, a 24,000 square foot retail facility, which is scheduled to break ground later this year.