Liberty

To the editor:

“Crowd shows up in support of Devany Rd. project’s builder”

Derek Kirk’s report on the Town of Liberty Board Meeting on April 1 which I attended is a little misleading, because the Devany Rd development under discussion has nothing to do with the developer’s character or how many people vouch for him or what other investments he has made in the town. Rather, the key issue is whether building permits were properly issued and whether the development violates the Liberty Town Code. Following this code is a legal requirement, not a popularity contest, and no-one should be granted favors by the Town Board to circumvent the laws and regulations that are put in place to protect our communities. There is no “grandfathering” of buildings that are out of compliance.

The Democrat’s coverage also neglected to say that many members of the Swan Lake Fire Department attended the meeting. Fire Chief Tim Eronimous was clear that the Devany Rd development poses significant risks to public safety because of issues with the placement of driveways, increased traffic, improper operation of machinery, the close spacing of the homes together and the absence of fire suppression systems. The development also has no approved water supply. I suggest the developer should focus on fixing these things rather than trying to wring concessions from the Town Board to which noone is entitled, and which have been denied to many others in the past.