The town of Otsego planning board held a special meeting last Thursday night in an effort to gauge public opinion about land use laws and the community's future.

At present, the town is divided into seven districts, according to planning board member Jonathan Bass. Fewer than twenty people were on hand to listen as chairman Tom Breiten suggested a look at the possible effects of development on the land use law, population projections, open spaces, historic preservation, traffic and transportation.

"Let's take a far reaching look at the town into the future," Breiten said.

Victor Salvatore, a part-time resident, said that the first step would be to attract year-round jobs.

"I realize it's a terribly difficult goal to achieve," Salvatore said, citing the "baseball camps" as an example of minimum wage, hourly and seasonal jobs.

"Every town in the country is looking to attract light industry," Breiten said. "No noise, no light, no pollution. Everybody wants the area to thrive but nobody wants development on their neighbor's parcel."

"Days only, no nights. We don't like lights," said farmer John Hurtubise, who, along with wife Judy, lost the opportunity to sell land to developers last year when the planning board determined that a proposed softball camp would be inconsistent with the town's comprehensive plan and zoning law.

"What do we have to offer industry except a winter that lasts six months?" asked Lori Harper, a citizen at the meeting.

"Should we be attracting industry that supports agriculture?" Bass asked.

"We all love to look at the agricultural land unviolated," Salvatore said, "but it doesn't pay the tax bills."

Bass said that in the early 1990's the land use law was changed to encourage new businesses, but it hasn't been promoted.

Breiten said that in the implementation phase of a comprehensive plan, "you look and say how do we attract businesses that will benefit the township, then solicit them."

Board member Kevin Grady suggested seeking tax abatements for farmers.

"I don't know why they call it agriculture if it's just growing weeds," said Hurtubise.

"The crux of the problem," said Breiten, "is that everyone gets the benefit of looking at the countryside, but the farmer who owns it is very limited. Should this town be a bedroom community? If this isn't a place for industry, should we go another way?"

Dora Cooke, planning board clerk, asked the question of the night.

"Well," she said to the small crowd, "how do you feel about tourism?"

"Instead of milking cows, we can milk people," Hurtubise said.

Fly Creek Cider Mill owner Bill Michaels said that as the land use law stands now, "it may just as well say no motels if only 32 units are allowed. Ten thousand square feet isn't much space at all. Maybe that needs to be changed first."

"That's why we're doing this," said Bass. "To get people's opinions about it."

"Are people in this town willing to put up with any inconvenience at all or is everyone going to come in and complain and fall apart because people plan to do more than just live on the land with their kids and a dog?" Cooke asked.

"As long as the dog doesn't bark," Hurtubise added.

Breiten said that part of the problem is that people living next to a parcel that might be developed come in front of the planning board "screaming bloody murder."

Tom Bouton, owner of the Fly Creek General Store, said, "People like to believe it's Sturbridge Village over here. But we're not walking around in peasant costumes. This isn't Stepford. I'm not saying make it a Woodstock here, but make it an alternative to Cooperstown with little shops. For the greater good, it's got to be done collectively."

Martha McGowan, a part-time resident, said that people are attracted to the area but there's a lack of living quarters. A discussion ensued about the possibility of building a retirement community complete with assisted living, and Michaels pointed out this project would face the same space limitations potential developers face when wanting to construct a motel.

The planning board intends to mail out a survey for residents, and the meeting was the first step, Bass said, in determining the sorts of questions that might be asked on a survey.

Former planning board chairman Adrian Kuzminski gave the board a copy of a survey done a decade back.

After the meeting, Breiten said he was happy with the turnout and the fact that citizens had been so vocal.

Town of Otsego supervisor Bill Gates said that the town is split.

"A lot of people want to see growth and a lot are happy with the way things are. That's not going to go away," Gates said. "But this is still a healthy process, this discussion about both sides."