Town officials need to protect Historic District
To the Editor:
I love Honesdale.
One of the reasons I moved here was because of the  interesting architecture and the flavor of the town.
One of the things I am finding distasteful, at the  moment, is the lack of accountability of the town council, its apparent  blindness to violations of  zoning ordinances, and its ineptness to correct  them. Even the president of The United States is  responsible to the people he represents; sadly our town council feels they are  above this.
In August I attended our town council meeting with  a few other neighbors who were still upset about the modular monstrosity that  was allowed to be inserted (sideways) into the historical district (which we  have been told by a council member, never mind the posted signs, really isn't  one). We had protested when the building permit was issued, to save the last  piece of green, but we certainly weren't ready for the bomb that hit, which is  totally out of character with the other homes. Thankfully our concerns were  heard so that another modular home then being built by the same owner on East  St. had to take on a more fitting facade.
It is over a year now, and not only have the old  sidewalks on West St. not been replaced, a driveway which is shared by the same  absentee landlord of the adjacent property has been connected with this new  driveway, creating a street running from North Main to West Street. Most  unsightly is the gravel parking lot in the front of the house, and the blank  wall with a window and door that face the street.
But then, this isn't a historical district, is it?  Or is it only one when the town wants to keep it as one on the national register?
As I told the council in September, they wouldn't  have permitted this to be erected if they live next door. Having studied the  zoning ordinances and pointed out why the building permit never should have been  issued, and having requested an appeal with the zoning hearing board, I still  have had no answer from anyone as to how this could have happened, or had any communication as to what is being done on their part to correct the  violations.
Honesdale is a beautiful place in which to live,  and it is in our own interest to demand accountability from its officials for  keeping it historic.
Glenn Kawalek
.Honesdale