Events planned to gather input on Malta zoning law

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Williams

Consultants helping the town prepare a revised downtown zoning ordinance will hold a workshop Saturday and other public meetings next week.

Code Studio of Austin, Texas, is working on a rewrite of the current zoning to bring it into compliance with the new downtown master plan the Town Board adopted last year.

The $90,000 study is being funded by the Capital District Transportation Committee and the town and focuses on developing a “form-based code” — one that’s based on managing the designs of the buildings, rather than the uses in the buildings.

The downtown is defined as the approximately 1.8 miles along Route 9, from Cramer to Knabner roads. It also include parts of Route 67 and Dunning Street.

The town master plan calls for focusing growth in the downtown area in an effort to keep other parts of the town somewhat rural. The zoning changes will help manage the downtown growth.

“Facing tremendous growth opportunities related to Luther Forest Technology Campus, the GlobalFoundries chip manufacturing facility and continued Northway-related development patterns, the town has taken a proactive approach towards preserving its community character while simultaneously capitalizing on new community investments,” town officials said in announcing the upcoming meetings.

The goal, they said, is to create an attractive mixed-use neighborhood. The proposed changes would embrace “complete streets” principles, with improved pedestrian and bicycling facilities.

As part of preparing the plan, the town will hold a series of sessions called “charrettes,” intended to bring citizens, planners and other technical professionals together to collaborate.

An initial workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Malta Community Center.

Other public events are being scheduled through Wednesday, March 28.

Drop-in design studio sessions will take place from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday at the community center. There will also be a Monday open house from 6 to 8 p.m., and there will be a final public presentation at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

There will also be a walking tour of the downtown area with the consultants from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday. The tour will start at Town Hall.