Opinions mixed over zoning in Fillmore

FILLMORE -- A suggestion last month that the town look into a zoning ordinance is getting mixed reviews from Fillmore residents.

On Thursday, councilor Tami Van Rensselaer presented information she has learned about the process of adopting planning and zoning since the February meeting.

It is a long process that would begin with the town drafting and adopting a comprehensive plan, Van Rensselaer explained.

From that point, town officials would have to decide exactly how specific and far-reaching they would want any planning and zoning regulations to be.

Van Rensselaer said she has spoken to Bainbridge Clerk-Treasurer Jason Hartman about that town's zoning policies, as well as to Putnam County Planner Sandy Amers.

It is likely that any zoning measures adopted by the town would utilize county resources as well.

The councilor added that she will be getting a copy of the Bainbridge regulations for review by Fillmore officials. Another learning opportunity could come from the Town of Roachdale, which is currently going through the process of adopting zoning.

However, three residents in attendance expressed their opposition to zoning measures in the town.

Howard and Anne Breeden said they worry about future community leaders using planning and zoning measures to push their own agendas. They also do not want to see added permit costs or the town telling residents what the can and cannot do with private property.

Longtime resident Steve Bunten said this is not the first time zoning has come up as a possibility in Fillmore. He said the last time a committee was formed, but it ended up getting bogged down in the details and disagreements of interested parties.

He also questioned the town's ability to afford the added cost of a building inspector and an appeals process. He pointed to bumpy streets, bad sidewalks, a struggling water fund and abandoned houses as reasons zoning could actually hurt the town financially.

"Appeals will get costly, very, very costly," Bunten said. "I don't think this town is ready to absorb that expense."

One concern expressed by those on both sides of the issue is the community involvement required in appointing a plan commission and a board of zoning appeals. The question has been asked by both sides if 12 interested people would want to get involved with such a process.

While both Bunten and the Breedens said residents they've talked to are opposed to zoning, councilor Curt Leonard, who first broached the zoning issue last month, said he has heard otherwise.

"The reason I brought it up is because I've heard several people ask me about it and they are for it," Leonard said.

The councilman added that battles like the one over a motocross track on the town's west side three years ago could be easily answered by such measures.

No decision has been reached, but the council will continue to explore the issue.

In other business:

* The council adopted a new water disconnection policy in hopes of boosting the town's struggling water fund.

Disconnections will now take place 30 days after an unpaid bill, compared to the old policy of 60 days.

Van Rensselaer made the motion for the new policy, saying an alternative proposal of 10 days was likely too extreme of a change.

Clerk-Treasurer Wanda Seidler also brought up the possibility of a rate study as a potential boon to the water fund. She has been working with a funding specialist who recommended such a study.

If a certified study is required, it would cost approximately $2,000, but could be a long-term gain for the town.

* Town Marshal Darrel Bunten announced that Fillmore resident Scott Fredrick has been hired as a new reserve deputy.

Fredrick works a full-time job with Cummins Mental Health and is also a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. He has no prior law enforcement experience, but has completed the state-required Pre-Basic Course.

Bunten asked that residents and council members respect the new officer's privacy when he is not on duty. He said Fredrick's appointment marked only the second time he was aware of that a Fillmore resident served as a town officer.

He emphasized that Fredrick is a volunteer, so his time off duty should be respected.

* Town clean-up day was tentatively approved for 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 11.

While past clean-up days have coincided with Tox-away Day, this year's proposal is one week earlier than the county-wide event.

Councilors expressed their hope that the proposed date will make the day less hectic than years past, with people trying to clean up their property as well as scrambling to get to the fairgrounds in Greencastle to turn in toxic materials.

An official decision on town clean-up is expected at the Thursday, April 4 council meeting.