Watertown wrapping up city rezoning work
Jan. 27—WATERTOWN — The big job of rewriting the city's zoning laws should be wrapped up this spring.
The final document is expected to be sent to City Council members in about three to four months for their consideration.
The city is updating its decades-old zoning laws to make them easier to use, to bring them in line with modern standards and practices, and to help implement the objectives identified in the city's Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted in 2019.
It will be the first time that the city's zoning laws have been overhauled since they were written in 1958.
Michael A. Lumbis, the city's planning and community development director, said city staff will be reviewing the draft before meeting with consultant Elan Planning, Saratoga Springs, next month to discuss the document. Elan is helping to write the new zoning laws.
"We'll meet internally to make sure about comments and concerns," Mr. Lumbis said.
A 10-member advisory committee also will peruse the document before it's sent to the council. The work began during the summer of 2020.
The process also includes meeting with stakeholders to see what they think about the revisions; going to the city and Jefferson County planning boards; and letting the public have input on the rewrite with possibly an open house and a public hearing.
It's the first time that the city is making major changes to its zoning laws since they were first written 64 years ago. The existing zoning has undergone numerous smaller amendments in the decades since it was originally adopted, usually precipitated by a particular section of the code presenting an obstacle to development.
The zoning project will be entirely funded with $148,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds.
The new zoning document will be the main tool to implement the city's first comprehensive plan.
