August 10, 2009
There has been a change in the Planning Clerk, and a change in the Planning Board agenda. I don’t know if those two changes are interrelated. “Communications” is on the agenda again for 5:30. That means that the Planning Board’s backroom meetings are legally noticed. That is an improvement. However, it does not satisfy the legal requirement that the public be accommodated.
At these backroom meetings, the public is generally me, although in the last few months, I haven’t been able to get there. I arrived at 5:45 for this meeting…. and I was not accommodated. If you’ve never been in there, go in and look at the conference room. There are lots of file cabinets, and a large table with 5 chairs. There are 6 members of the Planning Board. There is a planner; there is an engineer; there is a wetlands inspector; there is a clerk; normally, there is an attorney, although not at this meeting. On this agenda, HYH was being discussed, so there was an additional engineer, and an additional planner. The Code Enforcement Officer was present.
Does that sound crowded?
It was.
Isn’t this a little ridiculous? Why do they do this? Is the point to evade public observation?
There was a review of Warex – the expansion of the gas station on Bryant Pond Road. Gas stations are prohibited in the ground and surface water protection overlay district. The Town Board just changed the non-conforming use law. That means that the zoning board interpretation of this application is in conflict with the new local law, and there is no approved plan. So it was referred back to the zoning board.
Oh, and the DEC monitors the water there because of MTBE contamination from the old Getty station.
HYH – A popular topic, a large project in Roaring Brook. The Planning Board declared themselves lead agent for SEQRA – environmental review. Their representative said that most of the impacts – steep slopes, wetlands – cannot be mitigated. The planner disagreed. There is a great deal of public opposition to this project.
And last, but definitely not least, was a fascinating discussion of Pine Brook Farm. This property got an ag district designation, despite some notable opposition. The Town ended up in court due to the owner’s violations of wetlands buffers, etc. There was an agreement to settle by both parties – a stipulation of settlement. To date, many provisions of the settlement have not been met.
Mr. Keith Staudohar is now the engineer for the project. He has been the engineer for Marsh Hill Road (Emerald Ridge), for the cemetery, and for the gas station.
It seems that they (Pine Brook Farm reps) have met with the Supervisor, and, as I understand it, have been led to believe that if they have a subdivision, they will not have to abide by the stipulation, or that the stipulation will be changed. This legal meandering has been brought to you at taxpayer expense.
There was more public participation than usual at the last two meetings. I was happy to see the public presence. I do not find this to be a public friendly board.
Next Planning Board meeting is Monday August 24, 2009. 5:30 in the backroom.
DP
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