Public hearing on proposed ordinance

To the editor:
    An ordinance review committee authorized by both the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board has been working on an ordinance draft for the town of Oakfield since early October. The Committee has worked hard over the past few months to work out a document that best fits the needs of the town and respects the rights of individual property owners.
    The Committee would like to present their findings to the town at a public hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at the Community Center at 6 p.m. We encourage all citizens to attend the public hearing, where a brief presentation will be made; the remaining time will be open to questions and discussion. We also encourage everyone to review the ordinance, which will be distributed at the hearing, keep an open mind and remember that it is just a draft, not a final document.
    Some people reading this article may be asking themselves why this and why now? The purpose of this ordinance as stated in the document is to set a minimum standard for the maintenance of the ground of property in order to protect public health, public safety, property values, and to prevent nuisance conditions. There has been an alarming increase in the number of properties in our town that have fallen below this minimum standard. These places in question not only impact the value of our town but they pose grave threats to our health and safety.
    The Committee took great care to respect the individual rights of property owners and the document has been watered down a great deal from its original format to ensure that the ordinance is as lenient as possible while still providing the means to enforce certain regulations.
    There are a few provisions within the document that must be stressed. First, the document can only be amended at a town meeting by a majority vote. This ensures the people will always be in control. Second, there are some laws that cannot be relaxed any further because they are the minimum state standard. Third, a special extension may be given to an individual, up to 180 days, for certain hardships or extenuating circumstances. Finally, if a person is in possession of any material deemed “junk” by definition, they may still have it, as long as it is screened from the public way and abutting properties.
    This document is intended to benefit our town. Property conditions have been a longstanding issue with many citizens and this is an attempt to address those complaints. But this is not an attempt to shut out those who oppose this document. The beauty of small town government is that everyone can have a voice if they so choose.
    We welcome constructive criticism and we look forward to working with everyone to create an ordinance that we can all agree on. This letter is written on behalf of the Ordinance Review Committee.
Taylor Locke
Oakfield