Meeting set on Maltaville zoning

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Williams

The Malta Town Board will hold a public information meeting Monday, Feb. 9, on proposed zoning changes for the Maltaville area.

A review committee has recommended the area along Route 67 east of Round Lake be kept rurally zoned, despite increased development in adjoining sections of Stillwater.

While recommending the open lands east of Round Lake remain rural, the study committee also recommended allowing more commercial development at the Route 67-Route 9 roundabout just north of the village.

The Town Board would need to approve any zoning changes. The board voted to hold the public information meeting to get feedback from residents, property owners and business operators before making any decisions.

The review committee was established early last year because neighboring Stillwater rezoned its portion of Route 67 for commercial development and is weighing plans for a large apartment complex near the towns’ border. Meanwhile, John Bove, owner of the former My Way Cafe property next to the roundabout, has asked for eased zoning restrictions as he seeks to sell that property.

The area between Northway Exit 11 and Stillwater is seeing increased vehicular traffic because of the GlobalFoundries computer chip plant entrance, as well as hundreds more large trucks per day traveling to the intermodal rail yard outside Mechanicville.

Separately, the Town Board has already approved plans for a Stewart’s Shop at the entrance to the Luther Forest Technology Campus and GlobalFoundries. The town is also developing a passive recreation park on the east side of Round Lake, an area that has remained undeveloped.

The review committee has recommended the mile of Route 67 between Round Lake and the Stillwater line be rezoned to increase lot sizes and make it easier to keep agricultural animals. The committee also recommended allowing an expanded list of commercial uses at the roundabout, where Bove says he has had trouble marketing the My Way Cafe property.

The committee made no recommendation on whether there should be zoning changes between the roundabout and the village of Round Lake. The committee was unable to reach a consensus on how that land should be zoned, though people who live there say it has become difficult to market those homes as residences.

The meeting will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Malta Town Hall on Route 9.