Interview: Zoning appeals contest pits Barney against Cole

For Zoning Board of Appeals there is one contested race, with two construction industry professionals, Republican Duane Barney and Democrat Sky Cole, competing for a two-year vacancy. There are also uncontested candidates on the ballot for two five-year seats on the board and two ZBA alternate positions.

Mr. Barney, who has filled a vacancy on the board for the last year, is project executive with Brenner Builders of Bedford, N.Y., where he has worked since 1995, after 25 years in construction management. He is a graduate of the University of Florida.

Mr. Cole is a self-employed carpenter-contractor who graduated from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania and is a longtime member of the Democratic Town Committee.

Here are their answers to questions from The Press.

1. How do you view the balance the appeals board continually grapples with between the rights of private property owners to pursue their interests, and the rights of neighbors and the town to be protected from potentially intrusive or burdensome development?

BARNEY: Current zoning laws are in place to protect the rights of both the property owners and developers. The role of the appeals board is to make sure the rights of either party have not been unfairly impacted as a result of the zoning in place. The developer has the primary burden of following the current zoning; however, some consideration has to be made, as the town lots were created long before zoning, and unique situations can and do occur.

The first concerns are health, safety and welfare including the intent of the zoning in place and whether it will adversely impact the neighborhood. If these are satisfied and a true hardship exists, the board has the responsibility to review the merits of the proposal.

The key is the establishment of a true hardship, which in the case of the developer is a more difficult burden since their work is new and they have the benefit of working with a blank slate.

COLE: I start from the standpoint that the rights of the community at large are not necessarily in conflict with the rights of the individual. Sometimes what an individual sees as their “right” is actually license. Sometimes their rights are better protected in the long run by complying with the established rules and regulations.

That said, community rules and regulations are — by necessity — “one size fits all” and it is the job of the Zoning Board of Appeals to recognize where the rules can be altered, tailored to meet individual needs, and still not conflict with — and even benefit — the community’s needs.

2. What outlook and pertinent experience would you bring to the appeals board?

BARNEY: I bring over 25 years of experience in construction. We have made Ridgefield our home for seven years and look to maintain the quaint setting of the town. While here I served four years as president for the Twixt Hills Homeowners Association. Volunteering for a vacancy, I sat on the board over the past year gaining valuable experience regarding the process and by attending Connecticut state training as to the role of a ZBA member.

COLE: As a carpenter and general contractor, I have taken advantage of opportunities to learn from the building department the reasoning and reasons behind the rules and regulations. And from those positive experiences I’ve come to understand how best to fairly balance the overlap between the rights of the individual and the rights of the individuals that make up the community.