The last meeting of our Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) on Dec. 13 included a public hearing to amend the zoning regulations to allow floating zones. Thirty-six members of the public were present.

After asking for comments in favor, and hearing none, the chairperson for the day asked for comments opposed. After numerous hands went up, he told us to keep our comments to only one minute and to not repeat one another. This insulted most all of the town residents, including me, to no end. It made us feel as if our PZC was not interested in hearing anything that the public had to say. They were only interested in passing floating zones and seizing the power that came with it.

The meeting was eventually postponed because a larger room was needed and the auditorium was too noisy with rehearsals.

The floating zones would allow for new uses be approved in R-80-zoned neighborhoods for contractors and landscapers, as well as in CIP zones. So, if your readers live in an R-80 area (approximately two-acre lots, residential, as in Winthrop), how they would like for the PZC to put a contractor with his power equipment and materials right next to their house? It could very easily happen if this floating zone rule is passed.

I encourage your readers to come to the next PZC hearing on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. and speak out against floating zones.

Susan Huybensz

Deep River