STRANGE PERFORMANCE
AT THE ALBANY CITY BZA

Read :

 http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Warning-sounded-over-zoning-case-6129059.php

On December 8, 2014 the City
of Albany denied an application
by Bethany Church to rent out
the single family dwelling that
has served as the parsonage for
church pastors and their families
since the founding of Bethany
Church in 1953.

The single family dwelling is
in an R-1b single family
residential district pursuant
to the City of Albany Zoning
Code.

The tenant, Family Promise
of the Capital District, a
501 (C)3 Not for Profit
Corporation, now headquartered
at 533 Clinton Ave, Albany, wants
to use the single family dwelling
738 New Scotland Avenue as
a "hub" for operation of a
homeless social services program
in cooperation with Mater Christi
and St Sophia's, who would house
the homeless clients.

The City Department of Codes
correctly denied the Bethany-
Family Promise plan because
the arrangement is not a permitted
use of a single family dwelling in
an R-1b single family zone pursuant
to the City of Albany Zoning Code.

The  BZA hearing March 11, was
for the purpose of hearing an
appeal from Bethany-Family
Promise that the BZA  render
an "Interpretation"  contrary to
the denial isssued by City Codes
of the Bethany-Family Promise
arrangement.

Were the Albany City BZA to
render such an interpretation, it
would gut the City Zoning Code
with respect to the residential
integrity and quality of life in
single family residential districts
in the City of Albany.

Such an interpretation would
put the the City of Albany on a
fast track to becoming Detroit
on the Hudson.

Property values would fall
creating hardship for home
owners trying to sell, the
city property tax base would
collapse imperiling support
for city schools and city serivices
all compelling reasons for the
BZA to affirm City denial of
the Bethany-Family Promise
appeal.

Contrary to the threats of slip
and fall lawyers,  an over
the hill politician,  and a
gaggle of self sevrving clergy, to
invoke a Federal law (RLUIPA) 
in support
of the Bethany-Family Promise
plan, that law does not provide
for municiplaties to commit
Hari Kari.

The BZA , Mayor and Albany
Common Council  must uphold
the City Zoning Code as it now
stands.

Residents of the Towns of Albany
County- pay close attention to
the outcome of this appeal.

The implications for you, your
residential integrity, quality of life
home values, support for your
schools and the solvency
of your Town governments  
should be evident.

What does it tell you when you
read that the attorney for Family
Promise, is also chairman of a
Town BZA, and he threatens
invoking RLUIPA to force the
 Albany BZA to render an
"interpretation" which is contrary
to the existing City Zoning Code?


The Albany BZA, Mayor and
Common Council must take a
clear stand in denial of the
Bethany-Family Promise homeless
social services scheme.

This writer, and residents of
the Buckingham Pond Crestwood 
neighborhood, as well as residents
of adjacent single family zones
have submitted their views to
the hearing record in writing. 

There was no need to interrupt
our suppers to attend the March
11 dog and pony performance
that the BZA had to endure.

Read testimony submitted
for the record:

https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-us/suite

                              Joe Sullivan