by Jay Lawson
The Town of Webb Planning Board recognized the 50th Anniversary of the Webb Zoning Ordinance as its last order of business during its meeting on Tuesday, December 15th.
Chairwoman Marcia Barker issued the acknowledgement, describing the Ordinance’s adoption in 1965 as a milestone.
“And I do believe it is one of the best things the town has done in the last 50 years,” she said.
Will Hollister, a second generation surveyor of lands in the Old Forge area, acknowledged his father, the late Dave Hollister’s contributions to the Ordinance effort.
“[He] was very instrumental to the inception of that,” he said.
Will said his father had a lot of stories about the planning of it, and what was involved for those who worked to bring the ordinance about.
“I use it every day,” Will said.
In fact, the Zoning Ordinance, since its adoption, has provided the basis for all development within the Town of Webb.
Not only did the document create the various residential and commercial zoning districts, it also established building allowances, including setback requirements.
Code Enforcement Officer Andy Getty spoke to the history of the Ordinance.
“Looking back on some of the old archives…the idea of zoning probably started in the late 1950s, because of overcrowding on Hollywood Hills and the mountain and other lakefront properties. The resorts were starting to stumble and not do well.
That trend worsened in the 1960s, according to Getty.
“The Higby Club at Big Moose went down, Glenmore went down… These places around all our lakes were failing because the visitors started buying property and creating second homes,” he said.
The result was that fewer people were using the resorts when they came up.
“So, overcrowding started to happen,” Getty said.
Then in the mid-1960s another problem began to worsen.
“There were plumes of raw sewage on the Fulton Chain to the point that it was making people’s boats dirty and in need of cleaning. There was simply no regulation,” Getty said.
It was understood that this problem needed addressing, but the answer didn’t come overnight, according to Getty.
“It took five or six years [to craft an ordinance]. And I’m sure the last couple years were hot and heavy: Some people simply did not want it. They saw it as too much government intervention,” Getty said.
Dave Hollister was a young surveyor at the time, having become licensed in 1953, according to son Will.
Fifty years after the zoning ordinance’s adoption, Will continues his father’s trade under the name Hollister Geomatics. He said a new Hollister generation is also involved, as his daughter Alexis, a tenth grader, enjoys helping in the field.
“She works with me and she’s actually really good. She has a great mind for it,” Will said.
Following the meeting, Planning Board members and members of the public enjoyed a social gathering with cake and beverages. Andy Getty also gave a tour of the Code Enforcement Office and its new efficiency upgrades.