The Zoning Board of Appeals will be holding their regular monthly meeting this evening at 7:30 PM. The topic for discussion will be commercial horse boarding codes according to the agenda, which can be viewed here.
The 48-page ePacket agenda (seen here) contains a number of historical documents, most of which have been published in these pages over the many years this topic has been discussed. One new item to be found in the file, however, is a recent letter from Trustee Fritz Gohl who cautions the members of the Zoning Board of opening “Pan Dora Door’s Box” should they consider revising our current commercial horse boarding codes.
Gohl’s thoughts on the matter of commercial horse boarding can be read here.
I am a 15 year resident of VBH and member of ZBA.
Fritz says: “I feel that present home occupation use is correct on horse boarding at this time”.
This is astonishing a sitting member of the VBH Board would say this in light of the fact that Anderson II Horse Boarding Amendment repealed the “Home Occupation” portion of VBH Code and placed commercial boarding in the definition section of VBH Code under Agriculture where there is no regulation or oversight by VBH government. By doing this, VBH has gone where no municipality has gone before. . . .
The question must be asked, If Fritz was a big supporter of VBH Home Occupation Ordinance relating to horse boarding, why did Fritz vote for Anderson II which repealed home occupation portion of VBH code relating to horse boarding? Perhaps Fritz will explain this inconsistency at the next VBH Board meeting.
Fritz further says “Remember that this is an equestrian community” yet when I analyze VBH Zoning Code it says VBH is zoned residential estate R1 – R5 and nwohere does it say VBH is zoned equestrian.
The issue is not that of “equestrian” but rather “equestrian as a big business” in VBH which prior to adoption of Anderson II was never authorized under VBH Code or acceptable until the inexplicable “Schuman Letter” prepared and released by former VBH President 35 days after the campaign donation of $15,000 to “Save 5 Acres” VBH politiical candidates forTrustee, Messer, Meroni and Selman by a large boarding operator embroiled in private litigatiion over his boarding operation with an adjacent neighbor.
“Feel” has no place when determining objective zoning matters, rather one undertaking this exercise should “study the matter” and “think” rather than “feel” .
Revise the current commercial boarding before the deterioration to our property values accelerates. Enough is enough for those of us who continue to wait for the right thing to be done.
I am being charitable when I say that perhaps Fritz doesn’t fully understanding what he is espousing or the ominous repercussions of his ill covcieved actions.
If I were a more cynical person, I might believe that Fritz was being influenced by outside forces.
Just a thought!