The town board is actively trying to push through a zoning law that will affect ALL landowners and residents in the Town of Caroline. We deserve time to debate and modify any such proposed law, which can be reviewed here.

If you are a Caroline resident and not registered to vote, please do so here.

PLEASE SIGN ONLY IF YOU ARE A REGISTERED VOTER OR TAXPAYER IN THE TOWN OF CAROLINE, NY. Signatures will be verified.

We, the undersigned eligible voters of the Town of Caroline,

Petition by the landowners, tax payers and residents of Caroline to table the proposed zoning law #xxxxx until the residents have had a fair opportunity to be educated on and to openly debate the need for zoning and if needed, debate the details within any proposed law. This is critical in that a town law of this magnitude will affect every current and future land owner in Caroline by removing freedoms that our community has enjoyed for over 200 years since our founding in 1811. A proposed law of such magnitude should not be taken lightly and should never be rushed through by the board under any circumstances, especially during a period when open public debate has been completely restricted and many residents do not have the means to be involved remotely due to availability and cost of internet access. Many of the residents of the Town of Caroline have lived here for generations, and chose to live here to have freedom of choice with their property and land. Zoning potentially deprives land owners of the full value of their interests in their land. No commission or board has the right to enact such changes without ample and meaningful input from the residents and taxpayers in the entire town.

This petition Specifically requests that ALL further meetings be hosted so that the public may attend in person and without restriction based on any individual's personal healthcare choices (ex: vaccination status). If current State or Federal laws prevent such meetings during a pandemic period then all further work and debate on said zoning law shall be immediately stopped until such a time that the residents can again participate in the democratic process unhindered by pandemic restrictions, available technology (high speed internet availability and means of accessing it), or any individuals personal expertise or comfort level that may hinder them from having their voices heard at remote access only meetings.

Furthermore, this petition specifically requests that a period of not less than 24 months of open in-person meetings ending no sooner than January 2024 be allocated to this process. This will encompass an education period for town residents, a debate period on the need for zoning in Caroline, and a debate period to address all details within a proposed zoning law and request and make adjustments per suggestions from the community residents and businesses. During this zoning awareness and debate period, we also request that Caroline end the moratorium on restricting new businesses and operate as an un-zoned community as we have done for over 200 years.

Finally, this petition formally requests that any law on zoning that will affect the freedoms of all landowners in Caroline to be put to a formal vote by all eligible voters in the Town of Caroline and under no circumstances be passed by a simple town board vote. The town belongs to ALL of its residents, landowners, and taxpayers and therefore it should be ALL of these stakeholders that decide if zoning is best for Caroline.