This chapter, which includes both the zoning text and the zoning map, has been adopted in order to advance the goals, policies, and recommendations of the Town of Glenville Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan serves as the planning policy document for the Town of Glenville, while this chapter establishes land use regulations to advance these policies. It is the intent of the Town of Glenville Town Board that all planning and zoning decisions be made in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan and/or a comprehensive planning process.

In general terms, this chapter is adopted as a means to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the Town and its residents. It has been designed to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other dangers; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to make provision for, so far as conditions permit, the accommodation of solar energy systems and equipment and access to sunlight necessary therefor; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and other public amenities and infrastructure.

This chapter has also been crafted to encourage certain types of development in areas where the land is well suited for such development, and/or where such development has already occurred, and/or where infrastructure is available to support both the type and intensity of the proposed use. In encouraging development in designated areas, it is the intent that nearby properties and/or neighborhoods are not significantly impacted as a result, either through environmental impacts, visual effects, or through a reduction in property values.

Maintain the quality and quantity of the Town of Glenville and Village of Scotia's drinking water via protection of the underlying Schenectady (Great Flats) Aquifer. This is to be accomplished by preventing the siting of potentially harmful land uses over the recharge areas of the aquifer, and by minimizing pollution threats to streams and rivers that comprise the aquifer's watershed.

Protect various natural features throughout the Town, including state and federal wetlands, flood-prone areas, stream corridors, and view sheds known to be important to the community and/or region.

Encourage the establishment of additional parklands, open space, and recreational opportunities.

Maintain the rural character of those areas in western Glenville where public water has not been installed, and/or where soil conditions, slopes, and/or the presence of environmentally sensitive features pose limitations to development.

Preserve scenic vistas known to be important to local residents as well as passersby, particularly in western Glenville where the topography is visually appealing, and wherever unspoiled views of water bodies are present.

Preserve historic structures and maintain areas and buildings of distinctive character.

Minimize traffic congestion, particularly along arterials and collector roads that are meant to serve through traffic (i.e., NYS Route 50, NYS Route 5, NYS Route 147, Glenridge Road, Freemans Bridge Road, Maple Avenue, Alplaus Avenue, Swaggertown Road, etc.). This is to be accomplished via the minimization and/or consolidation of curb cuts, encouragement to build access roads, maximization of sight distance for new driveways along these roads, etc. as part of the review of planning and zoning-related applications.

Increase housing options so as to accommodate a broader spectrum of demographic groups, including senior citizens, single-parent households, minorities, young married couples, and other low- to moderate-income socioeconomic groups.

Decrease the property tax burden upon residents by increasing the nonresidential tax base through well-conceived and appropriately scaled and located commercial and industrial development.

Provide additional appropriately scaled and sited recreational and commercial development opportunities along the Mohawk River so that the public may benefit from improved access to this resource.

Foster community identity and character by focusing on the Route 50/Glenridge Road area known as the "Town Center." This is to be accomplished by encouraging a pedestrian-scale, downtown-type development scenario through the construction of sidewalks, access roads, bicyclist accommodations, public open space, increased landscaping, aesthetically pleasing building design standards, minimization and standardization of sign design and construction, the location of parking to the side and rear of buildings, etc.

Improve the appearance of the Town through the use of building design standards, particularly in the Town Center area, along commercial corridors, and in the gateway areas of the Town where motorists are exposed to a first impression of Glenville.

Encourage pedestrian and bicycle design features and structures throughout the commercial and higher density residential areas of Glenville.

Ensure that development and building activities on the border of other municipalities do not conflict with existing land use patterns of those adjacent municipalities. This is particularly true along the borders of the Village of Scotia.