ODEON HALL CONCERNS

It was interesting to read the story in last week's Citizen about the proposed development of Odeon Hall.

The only problem is that this would be in violation of the Town's Site Plan Review, which, because of the development of the meeting room of the town hall several years ago, the town is already in violation of.

In the late 1980's or perhaps early '90's the town voted to impose the Site Plan Review upon its citizens. Subsequently, when the town wanted to convert office space to a public meeting room it was determined this was a change of use and therefore subject to the Site Plan Review. Part of this review required the town to provide parking for said use, and since the town owns no parking with the town hall, to comply with this requirement it designated the fire station as parking for the town office employees and those using the meeting room. To my knowledge (as a neighbor for 30 years) this has never been enforced.

Obviously any further development of Odeon Hall would require it to once again comply with town ordinances. Before this can even be considered it would make sense that the town live up to its past obligations of using the fire station for parking. (P.S. Please do not waste thousands of dollars of taxpayer money for a study.)

Rick Whitney

Bethel Concerned Taxpayer