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SE Planning Board Recap 3/22/10
Posted by: “Lynne Eckardt” lynne.eckardt@gmail.com
Date: Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:31 am ((PDT))
Hi All,
Even though I still attend almost every Planning Board meeting I haven’t
tackled a recap for quite a while but this one is really too good or bad
(depending on your bent) to pass up.
Chairman LaPerch was in fine form having the patience of a toddler at
a Toys-R-Us clearance. And long time Planning Board member, Dan
Armstrong, had the unmitigated gall to claim he had no idea what the term
‘spot zoning’ means. Really, Dan? Really?
Of course while much has changed since the days of Chairman George Rohrman
much has remained the same. In general the Board has still never met a new
warehouse or old auto/tractor dealer/service center- (oops, make that
‘General Business’) it didn’t like. In fact the complex contortions made to
accommodate Brewster Honda make Houdini look like a piker. More on that
later.
On item 1 (‘Palumbo Sand and Gravel’) Peder Scott appeared to have won his
engineering degree in a raffle and Chairman LaPerch gave him an appropriate
and much needed dressing down. Baroody (scaled back to one lot) is finally
[...]
The major issues with the current project are the drawing of 900 gallons per day from the stream and the segmentation of the environmental review. [...]
Board’s Denial of Access Road Needed for Senior Housing Development on Abutting Parcel Upheld
Petitioner, BBJ Associates, LLC, owns land that straddles the municipal border between the Towns of Kent and Carmel. It plans to build a multi-family senior citizens’ development on a portion of its land located in the Town of Carmel. To that end, it sought to build an access road running through both towns which would connect the development to State Route 52. This road would run through property located Kent which is zoned for commercial and single-family residential use. In October 2006, the Town of Kent Building Inspector issued a letter to the Town of Kent Planning Board noting that “the entranceway is an accessory use to a principal use and we do not have a principal use.” The Planning Board would not continue site plan review until the issue was resolved. In November 2006, petitioner applied to the Zoning Board for an interpretation of the October letter. Petitioner argued that the access road was not an “accessory use” but rather an “infrastructure improvement” pursuant to Town of Kent Zoning Code former §77-6(F). While the Zoning Board agreed with petitioner that the proposed road [...]
Planning Board Putnam Valley, April 20, 2009
I am one Planning Board meeting behind, but the April 20 meeting was noteworthy enough to go back to it.
There is a lot of noise on the tape, and in the meeting room. Would the Town Board please resolve this problem?
For me, there were three major issues at this meeting – 1) the interaction of this board with the public, 2) making decisions without having all the documentation in hand, and 3) the ever popular White Rock Road.
1)There were a couple of public hearings, and some members of the public trying to understand the projects. On most projects, the interested parties are not notified, and the public hearings are not held until after the board has gone through its full process, and has already made its determination, even though they have not made their formal decisions. The consultants say that their comments have been addressed, but do not specify what their concerns were. I would like to see earlier notification to neighbors. I also think there should be a format for presenting projects to the public that really informs them. Chairman Maskiell of the Zoning Board of [...]
Planning Board March 23, 2009 I got to the backroom at 5:40. The illegal meeting was already in progress, with planner, attorney, clerk, and a little later, the wetlands inspector. They were talking about a neg dec when I went in. Mr. Mike Raimondi announced in the backroom, that Adorno would be off the agenda and that their escrow balance was negative. They briefly discussed the “judgment” against Kaspar. It is my understanding that it was a consent order (agreed to by both sides). They discussed their ability to make reasonable requirements for farm applications – Adorno and Kaspar have been dealt with as farm operations. Mr. Raimondi also moved #7 to #3 on the agenda. Mr. Staudohar, engineer for #1, #2, and #7 requested it in the backroom. Can you move a review into the midst of public hearings? And they added a minor revision for Gunther at the end of the agenda. Still in the backroom, they discussed a memo that Councilwoman Whetsel had circulated requesting their attendance at next Wednesday’s meeting (April 1) about the Oregon Corners plan. They discussed the Padavano house built on the steam, and the applicant’s request for a CO before planting [...]
Putnam Valley Planning Board 3/9/09
There was no quorum for an illegal backroom meeting until 5:44. The PB Attorney was not present in the backroom. It was announced back there that “Adorno” would be off the agenda. They discussed the Gair application and the apartment above the garage.
There were three public hearings. No one from the public spoke at any of them.
Masotti on Shopis Drive is building a 2 story addition, with an accessory apartment, on a 1.09 acre lot in an R1 lot. This is a zone that should no longer exist in the zoning code. This would properly have been a non-conforming lot if the code conformed to the Comprehensive Plan.
I would like to see the size of the existing structure on the agenda description. These descriptions have improved tremendously. I would also like to see a full presentation at the public hearing instead of the consultants just saying that their comments have been addressed. It is also my belief that SEQRA requires a real presentation of the consideration of the environmental concerns that are addressed before there is a negative declaration of environmental significance. And if we could just get those signs, [...]
Summary Rose Hills Cemetery – this is an expansion of a use that does not conform to our zoning code. There have been numerous prior variances, and the environmental review did not include this expansion. That constitutes segmentation under state law – SEQRA – State Environmental Quality Review Act. This is the cemetery on Mill Street and Peekskill Hollow Road.
White Rock Road – this is a subdivision off Barger Street that has been ongoing for years under three different contractors, with drainage, wetlands, and blasting problems. The applicant failed to complete the road project within the Planning Board’s timetable, and so the project was referred to the Town Board.
There is still no Planning Board ad hoc member.
Putnam Valley Planning Board February 23, 2009
I arrived at 5:40, and three Planning Board members were already having their illegal pre-meeting in the backroom. It still says 6PM on the agenda. Other members and professionals came in at various times. They talked about Rose Hills Cemetery, with no attorney present. They talked about a bond reduction for Michener, and the project’s engineer came in to present a reworked bond calculation. The Town engineer mentioned White Rock Road. The applicant [...]
Planning Board, January 26, 2009 I had been told of a 5:15 closed meeting before the illegal Planning Board pre-meeting. I have no idea if there was anything like that. I didn’t arrive until 5:45. The ad hoc- less Board and consultants, minus Tom Carano were already ensconced in the backroom. Plus Bob Lusardi. It was standing room only.
Mr. Lusardi was present because he is representing the Planning Board in the application for the Rose Hills Cemetery to expand. It is a non-conforming use and there are questions about segmentation. Bill Zutt has recused himself in this application because he has recently represented the cemetery, but stayed in the room for the discussion. I’m sorry that this wasn’t a taped discussion. Mr. Lusardi is representing the town in other litigation matters, and I thought that his presentation of segmentation issues was impressive. I’m sure that there are those in the Town who would appreciate some familiarity with him.
As well as I understand it, he said that the intent to expand the cemetery in the future isn’t enough to justify a separate request for expansion, that the previous applications for variances and approvals should have included future plans. [...]
Putnam Valley Planning Board January 12, 2009
There was a short illegal pre-meeting to discuss the court order on the Simon application, the “minor amendment” on the Brazee site, and some amendments to the Warm resolution, as well as an announcement that there would be an executive session about litigation on White Rock Road, Adorno, and Kisslinger. I don’t know if there is litigation about White Rock Road. It would be better if the pre-discussion was legal and public.
The Board voted in officers – the Toms, Tom Patterson as Vice Chair and Tom Carano as Secretary.
First on the agenda was the Rennalls application, 78 Oscawana Lake Road, a 3 lot subdivision, on for sketch approval. This is an old application. It is an 8.91 acre parcel in an R1 (one acre) zone that would not exist in the new zoning code. It does not conform to the Comprehensive Plan. There is one house on this lot; there are steep slopes and wetlands. The septics would be higher than the houses (doesn’t that sound like fun when the septic backs up). There were two activities of concern on the parcel: filling in of wetlands, and a pipe from [...]
Putnam Valley Planning Board Year End Meeting, December 22, 2008 And Wordsmiths
It’s a Chanukah/Christmas miracle. The Oregon Corners clock no longer says noon/midnight. I was beginning to think that we needed the Putnam County Savings Bank clock tower.
Christmas, Putnam Valley style. There was a Monday night Planning Board meeting. A lot went on. It is worth watching.
There almost wasn’t an illegal meeting. By nine minutes of 6PM, there were only two planning board members, the engineer, and the planner. It was congenial and informal. But in the end, they did have their illegal meeting, and discussed 2 PHR, Adorno and Kisslinger, all litigations.
First up was a long executive session. It would have been nice if they had waited until later in the meeting. Applicants and engineers and attorneys were waiting.
Then, Rose Hills/ Beverly Hills Cemetery on Mill Street wants to expand and they have hired Keith Staudohar – engineer, and David Steinmetz – attorney, both of Emerald Ridge fame. A cemetery is not a permitted use in this town. They want to amend the site plan. Mr. Zutt was their attorney on the last go ‘round, so he has recused himself from [...]
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Putnam Valley Planning Board
The major issues with the current project are the drawing of 900 gallons per day from the stream and the segmentation of the environmental review. [...]