Keep Ashford Rural

March 17, 2025

Survey Results to be Shared:

The Ashford Plan of Conservation and Development subcommittee invites you to attend a Listening Session and Discussion on Friday, March 28, 6 - 8:00 p.m., at Knowlton Hall. Pizza and beverages will be served.

This is your opportunity to see results of the survey, to learn what's included in the POCD so far, and to make input on some of the issues and objectives.

Please let them know if you are coming so they have enough food. 

RSVP to landuseclerk@ashfordtownhall.org 

FYI- Link to current 2015 Plan of conservation and Development- Download here.

December 6, 2024 Updates

Important Survey 

for ALL residents to complete!

The Ashford Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) is in the process of updating Ashford's 10-year Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). They are asking all residents to complete a quick 17 question survey to help them in establishing priorities for the next 10 years. 

• How? Go to this link  https://ashfordtownhall.org/502/Plan-of-Conservation-and-Development-Sur  and click on the  POCD Community Survey  link in the center of the page.

• When? You must complete the survey by Dec. 31st 2024.

• Who? All town residents, property owners, business owners

• Why another survey? Yes, we recently completed a survey about similar issues but that one only pertained to the IID zone in northwest Ashford.  The POCD will cover ALL of Ashford.

More info on why this important:

• This survey will help guide the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) on updating the 10-year Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). 

• The previous POCD was instrumental in helping the PZC deny proposed changes that would have allowed for he possibility of a mega warehouse at Exit 72. 

• It is important that the new POCD emphasizes our desires to Keep Ashford Rural. 

• It was clear during the past year that the majority of the citizens in Ashford would like to Keep Ashford Rural but there are a variety of opinions on what that looks like. This survey will help clarify that for those writing the new POCD.

• Not all PZC members agree with the goal of Keeping Ashford Rural. Some even believe that ANY development is good. We need to again remind them that this is not what most residents want. Responses to this survey is the only way they will hear this.

• The committee needs to hear our clear mandate that the rural nature of our town is its strength. 

About the survey:

• It is 17 quick questions

• There are fields for you to elaborate and add additional information. These are important and you should use them to further expand your thoughts.

• Can I complete a paper survey instead of online? Yes, paper copies of the survey are available at Town Hall, the Babcock Library and the Senior Center.

If you have any questions about the form, you can contact the Land Use office at 860-487-4415

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May 2024 Updates

Interesting Read: Mega Warehouses and Diesel Emmissions - Bad for One's Health https://grist.org/climate/quarter-new-york-state-residents-live-near-mega-warehouse/ 

April  2024 Updates

• The PZC discussed changes to the zoning regulations in the IID. 

• Links to Letters submited to the PZC for the April 8th Meeting

  • Conservation Commission Letter

  • Economic Development Letter

  • KAR Letter (Keep Ashford Rural)

March 11, 2024 Ashford PZC Meeting - Minutes available here

The Economic Development Commission submitted a letter to the PZC including their recommendations for regulation changes in the IID zone. (Entire letter here) They met with Mr. Rodlakis (primary land owner and applicant behind the mega-warehouse) in January and crafted these recommendations. Margret Chatey EDC chairperson stated the numbers arrived at were based on a compromise between what we have now and what the land owner felt was needed flexibility. 

• Building size (whether in a single or multiple buildings) not to exceed 400,000 sq. ft.

• Impervious area not to exceed 40% of the parcel.

• Building height not to exceed 55 feet.

• Warehouse and distribution function to be allowed by special permit (Site to be a minimum of 75 contiguous acres).

These do not take into consideration the actual characteristics of the parcel and what can be safely built there. These also do not appear to take into consideration the results of the PZC survey.

February 12, 2024 Meeting Ashford PZC- Minutes available here

All land owners in the IID were invited to speak to the PZC and provide input on the changing of regulations in the IID. Mr. Rodalakis was the only land owner to respond and he shared his desires for the IID. He did not have any reports from consultants or studies of the land to share.

The PZC voted to not extend the moratorium on project in the IID beyond its current closing date.

Survey Results:

At the January 8th meeting of the PZC, Mike D'Amato (Ashford ZEO)  presented inital results to the PZC IID Survey. There were 318 respondents. He presented the following charts to summarize results.