Gallatin officials are weighing how to accommodate new development while preserving open space and keeping housing affordable as they continue a nearly two-year effort to revise the town’s zoning law.
At a Nov. 9 joint workshop, members of the Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Comprehensive Plan Review Committee discussed proposed changes addressing commercial development, solar projects, and short-term rentals.
In August, the Town Board hired planning consultant Nan Stolzenburg to help revise the draft zoning law after some members found an earlier version, prepared by Town Attorney Andy Howard, inconsistently formatted and difficult to follow.
Stolzenburg attended the workshop to review several of her proposed revisions, including the creation of a floating zoning district that would allow commercial and mixed-use development under certain conditions.
The proposal would replace three separate sections addressing planned industrial, development, and residential districts in Howard’s earlier draft, according to Town Board member Jeff Jorve.
Stolzenburg encouraged officials to focus less on how the district would be classified and more on the types of development the town wants to permit.
“What are the rules that you want to allow for flexibility?” Stolzenburg asked. “I wouldn’t get caught up on calling it a planned development or a floating district. What do you want to accomplish?”
Under the proposal, properties would need to be at least 25 acres to qualify for the floating district. Town Supervisor Tara Silberberg questioned whether that minimum would be too restrictive for residents hoping to establish businesses in town.
Stolzenburg said some businesses might require substantial acreage but suggested the minimum could be reduced to five or 10 acres.
The discussion also highlighted differing views on whether property owners in the proposed district should be required to preserve a portion of their land as open space.
Town Board member Ben Maron supported setting aside land to encourage conservation, while fellow board member Jack Gomm raised concerns that such requirements could limit opportunities for younger residents seeking affordable housing.
“I lean very hard on trying to figure out how we can have young people afford to live here,” Gomm said.
He argued that restricting development on portions of larger properties could make it more difficult for younger residents to purchase land and build homes.
“I understand the save-the-land stuff, but I think we’re falling very, very short when we can’t provide an area for the young people that we have to try to get their start,” Gomm said. “It’s another way of tightening the grip on that.”
Solar development was another focus of the workshop. Stolzenburg recommended that the town establish provisions for host community agreements with developers of future solar projects, allowing Gallatin to negotiate benefits in exchange for hosting such facilities.
Those benefits could include equipment for the fire department or funding for open space preservation, she said.
Stolzenburg warned that without such agreements, the town could miss opportunities to secure additional benefits, particularly if developers sought payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements, commonly known as PILOTs.
The revised draft also proposes new regulations for short-term rental properties, including permit requirements, annual inspections, designated local contacts, and enforcement procedures.
Stolzenburg suggested capping the number of short-term rentals at 5% of the town’s year-round housing stock or 40 units, whichever is less. Under the proposal, applicants would be placed on a waiting list once the limit was reached.
The proposed changes remain under review as town officials continue working toward a revised zoning law.