MONTICELLO — The Village Board of Monticello declined to move forward with a letter of support for RUPCO’s 2025 Main Street application during its meeting last week.

The proposed resolution would have authorized a letter backing RUPCO’s effort to secure a $500,000 grant for a project that includes the addition of 12 residential apartments on Broadway. Trustee John Barbarite pushed back, noting that the request essentially asked the Board to submit a letter on behalf of the applicant.

Barbarite raised concerns over how the Planning Board approved the project despite it not meeting several zoning requirements. He criticized the decision, pointing out that it bypassed the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), which he said was a violation of proper procedure.

“The Planning Board, in effect, acted as the ZBA and did what our code prohibit, which is beyond their involvement,” Barbarite stated.

He noted that successive Village Boards have long prioritized commercial development on Broadway, shaped by decades of planning and urban renewal efforts dating back to the 1970s.

“Several redevelopment funds were used to remove the upper stories of buildings on Broadway to prevent residential housing,” he explained. “Successive Village Boards have consistently opposed residential development on Broadway for several significant ongoing reasons.”

Among those reasons, Barbarite cited insufficient and non-compliant parking. The Village Code requires two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit or municipal parking within 300 feet. In this case, the only nearby municipal lot—located at 361 Broadway—is over 700 feet away from the proposed site.

“It’s completely unrealistic to expect residential tenants to walk several hundred feet, particularly during inclement weather or when carrying groceries,” he said. “The likelihood is that tenants and businesses will occupy on-street parking meant for shopping and business clients.”

He also raised concerns about the lack of outdoor space for children and pets, along with the potential impact on sanitation, liability for businesses, and conflicts between pets and pedestrians.

Barbarite pointed to an April 29 meeting he, Trustee Gordon Jenkins, and Village Manager James Snowden had with RUPCO representatives. While RUPCO had committed to finding solutions, Barbarite said no viable alternatives were presented.

“The only response they gave was May 16th, when they said, ‘As part of our development approach, we will assess potential impacts,’” he recalled. “Well, these impacts should have been assessed before they got involved in this project.”

Barbarite surmised that the proposal should not move forward unless it fully complies with the Village Code and considers real-world implications.

Trustee Theodore Hutchins suggested tabling the resolution to give RUPCO a chance to revise the plan.

“If they can make the correction and come up with some type of parking solution—which they probably can’t—then at least we gave them an opportunity,” said Hutchins.

Hutchins made the motion to table, seconded by Barbarite. The board unanimously approved.