Added: December 04, 2014
Agenda Item 1: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.
Roll Call: Chair: Donna Bernard
Present: JoAnn DeLong, Paul LaPierre, and Greg Kroyer
Absent: Marianne Romito
Agenda Item 2: Approval of the Minutes of November 5, 2014
Mr. Kroyer motioned to accept the minutes as corrected; Ms. DeLong seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: Report by Town Board Liaison Nathan Miles
Ms. Bernard said that Mr. Pellitteri attended the Mountaintop Supervisors meeting. She had emailed the Planning Board members copies of the 2014 Catskill Park Smart Growth grants application process. Grant monies are available for such ideas as establishing a Jewett Walking Trail. Hunter, Tannersville, and Windham all have them, and something similar would be a nice addition to the Town of Jewett. Someone had suggested repairing the old Beaches Corner Bridge near Mr. Miles as a walking bridge.
Ms. DeLong had seen available funds listed in the Windham Journal; Ms. Bernard said that referred to the email she had sent everyone. She suggested that anyone with growth ideas for Jewett suggest them to Mr. Miles. Mr. Kroyer said that if the Town of Jewett signs were replaced it would contribute to the beautification of the town. Mr. LaPierre suggested a Community Center. For a couple of years Jewett held a Community Center in the Municipal Building, and it would be nice to have something like that happen again.
Mr. Miles said the town has been considering these ideas recently. There are forty acres and a ramshackle house located close to the Municipal Building. The town has been trying to contact the owner of this dangerous building to condemn it, but the owner has not returned phone calls. Such a place would be ideal for the town to purchase and set up for recreational use.
Mrs. Epstein, who is now serving as the ZBA secretary, asked Mr. Miles if the Town maintains an “official map,” a term found within the NYS Zoning Board manual referring to plans the town makes for future improvements. Mr. Miles made a note of this. Mr. LaPierre recalled that Jewett used to have a “Derelict Building Ordinance.” Mr. Miles said that Mr. Muth has been working on a list of such buildings. One ongoing case is Shabby Ranch, which Jeff Prince is waiting to close on.
Mr. Miles said that he did not have too much to report. Mr. Richard Shippee is the new Building-Inspector-in-training. Mr. Muth is still acting as Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO) since Mr. Dwyer retired. An ad for applicants for this position has been posted on the Town of Jewett website, so the Planning Board assumes that Mr. Shippee will not be combining both positions as Mr. Muth has done.
Ms. Bernard asked if anyone else wanted the Chair position. No one did. She said this will be a matter for the public record if she gets nominated again.
Agenda Item 4: Lisa McGowan Boundary Lot Line Adjustment for property located at 95 Lawrence Road, East Jewett, NY from grantor Tax ID No. 130.00-3-64 in Rural Residential Zoning to Tax Map ID No. 130.00-3-65 owned by John and Candice Baranello, also Rural Residential Zoning.
Ms. Laurie Hanenberg, owner/broker of Hunter-Windham Real Estate, appeared before the Planning Board to represent Ms. McGowan as she had done before this Board in 2012 for a prior Boundary Lot Line Adjustment. Ms. Hanenberg provided a completed application, a plan of the property to be adjusted, and the fee for the application. In 2012, the Board approved a Boundary Lot Line Adjustment when Ms. McGowan wanted to sell the property west of her pond on a subdivision that already existed. This action served to bring the existing parcel into conformation with the Town of Jewett, placing the barn on the same parcel as her home.
Since then, Ms. McGowan sold her extra parcel (Tax Map ID No. 130.00-3-65) to the Baranellos, who also purchase the adjoining Tax Map ID No. 130.00-3-7.22. Ms. Hanenberg said they put up a log cabin close to 23C. Ms. McGowan’s circumstances have changed since 2012. She is getting divorced, and will sell the leg of her L-shaped parcel, Tax Map ID No. 130.00-3-64, to the Baranellos, who wish to buy it. Ms. Hanenberg said that area is slightly over one acre and lies south of their back patio.
The Planning Board found no problem with approving this Boundary Lot Line Adjustment, but the membership had some issue with the fact that this is a sale: Is Ms. McGowan expecting the Planning Board to create the Boundary Lot Line Adjustment prior to the sale? Usually the Boundary Lot Line Adjustments are a gift of one neighbor to another to straighten out issues in the property lines. Ms. Hanenberg answered that the sale is being handled by Mr. Gardner, and is in a binder stage right now. Ms. Bernard surmised that the Board is being asked to approve this application contingent upon the sale, and Mr. Miles said that from the Planning Board’s perspective, that part of it falls between the persons and the lawyers.
Ms. Bernard reminded Ms. Hanenberg that the deed descriptions are still needed. The Planning Board requests that “before and after” deed descriptions be placed in legend on the plat to be filed with Greene County. Ms. Bernard said that she wanted to run this application by Mr. Rappleyea, and Ms. Hanenberg plans to ask Mr. Gardner and Mr. Vanucchi to get started on their part of this process. Ms. Hanenberg will be in touch with Mrs. Epstein as needed. Ms. Bernard expected the Board should be able to approve this at the January 8th meeting.
Agenda Item 5: Other business
The dates were set for the Planning Board meetings for 2015 legal notice to go into the Windham Journal as follows: January 8; February 5; March 5; April 2; May 7; June 4; July 2; August 6; September 3; October 1; November 5; and December 3.
Ms. Bernard asked Mrs. Epstein to remind Mrs. Romito to turn her training voucher in for next week.
Mr. LaPierre made the motion to adjourn the Planning Board meeting at 8:35 p.m. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kroyer, and carried unanimously.
Respectfully,
Susan H. Epstein, Secretary
(Signed)____________________________
Donna Bernard, Chair
Added: April 03, 2014
Agenda Item 1: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm.
Roll Call: Chair: Donna Bernard
Present: JoAnne DeLong, Dan Emel, Paul LaPierre, Marianne Romito and
Town Board Liaison Nathan Miles
Agenda Item 2: Approval of Minutes for March 6, 2014
Mr. LaPierre made the motion to accept the minutes as amended, Mr. Emel seconded the motion, and it carried.
Agenda Item 3: Report from Town Board Liaison Nathan Miles
Mr. Miles said that the Town Board had a really short meeting. Supervisor Carol Muth was able to get the Time Warner Cable cost down to fifty percent (50%) for the Fire Department. The Town Board reluctantly accepted Dan Emel’s resignation from the Planning Board. Mr. Emel found a job, but not one close to home as he hoped. Mr. Emel said he will be working in Richmond, VA, but once he has garnered the necessary work experience, he plans to return home again.
Mr. Miles also said that the Town Board is still looking for persons to fill the positions of County Board of Assessment Review (BAR) and the representative to the Greene County Planning Board. Mr. LaPierre’s wife is interested in the GCPB position, but wants to know more about what it entails. Ms. Bernard explained that meetings are held the fourth Wednesday of every month, that meetings start early, and are located in the Greene County Office Building at 411 Main Street in Catskill. If they don’t have a quorum or an agenda they cancel. Parking is right outside. Members are reimbursed for mileage from Greene County. Ms. Bernard promised to send Mr. LaPierre the email for Ed Diamonte, who is the person to ask for the appropriate questions. The interesting aspect of this job is one gets to sit down with persons from the entire county and learn about all the businesses that attend.
Agenda Item 4: C & C Excavating for Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage Facility for property of 2.5 acres located at 3563 Route 23C, Jewett, NY; Tax ID No. 130.00-4-45: Rural Residential Zoning District.
The Planning Board had set the Public Hearing for 8:00 pm so that it could finish up the business of declaring itself Lead Agency and giving the SEQRA a Negative Declaration. Ms. Bernard said she had read last month’s minutes twice and was very pleased at the good job everyone did while she was away. Letters of acceptance were received from the DEP and the Greene County Planning Board in response to the letters Mrs. Epstein sent out declaring the Planning Board’s intent to act as Lead Agency. Ms. Cythia Garcia of the DEP had written a letter powerful in its content; Ms. Bernard asked Mrs. Epstein to copy it for the Board members to save for future reference.
Ms. Bernard requested a motion to declare the Jewett Planning Board Lead Agency for this SEQRA. Mr. LaPierre so moved, and Mrs. DeLong seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Ms. Bernard asked the Planning Board to review the SEQRA one more time, although it appeared to have been thoroughly reviewed last month. The first part was done by C&C Excavating, Inc. and the Board had no issues with their answers.
Ms. Bernard said she had read the discussion of last month over semantics with interest regarding question 5.a. of the SEQRA. She thought Mr. LaPierre had raised a good question and that it would be interesting to get Mr. Rappleyea’s interpretation of that question. However, the question is addressed by the new law which was passed last year stating that Storage is permitted in Rural Residential Zoning. Ms. Bernard said that the law has not made it into the Code yet, and she does not know when that will be updated.
The second part of the SEQRA as done by the Planning Board last month was very detailed in the minutes. Everything had been answered in the negative. Ms. Bernard wanted to entertain any questions or comments that may have arisen since last month. Hearing none, she asked for a motion to give this SEQRA a Negative Declaration and asked Mrs. Epstein to take a Roll Call vote. Mr. Emel so motioned and Mrs. Romito seconded the motion.
Roll Call vote: Ms. Bernard – aye; Mrs. DeLong – aye; Mr. Emel – aye; Mr. LaPierre – aye; and Mrs. Romito – aye. The motion carried unanimously. Ms. Bernard asked Mrs. Epstein to sign the SEQRA as she had chaired the meeting last month.
Agenda Item 5: Public Hearing for C & C Excavating for Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage Facility for property of 2.5 acres located at 3563 Route 23C, Jewett, NY; Tax ID No. 130.00-4-45: Rural Residential Zoning District.
The motion to open the Public Hearing at was made by Mrs. Romito, seconded by Mr. LaPierre, and carried. The Public Hearing opened at 7:58 pm. No public were present, but one letter of complaint had been received from Mr. Dan Peterson. His letter was read before the Planning Board, but it concerned the property on the very corner of Beech Ridge and 23C, which is not owned by C&C Excavating, Inc., and so was not germane to this application. However, his comments about that other property – its messiness – were already addressed by the Board in regard to this property, and they have agreed to repair the fence and neaten up the place.
The motion to close the Public Hearing was made by Ms. Bernard, seconded by Mr. Emel, and carried. The Public Hearing closed at 8:08 pm.
Mrs. Francine Barbet, a neighbor, came in for the Public Hearing after it had closed. Mrs. Barbet expressed the same concerns earlier expressed by the Planning Board, about hazardous material storage and the proximity to the creek. The Board explained that these questions had been asked and demonstrated what actions had been taken to gain acceptance from the DEP. Ms. Bernard commented that with the previous owner of this property there had been no disclosure of anything on the property, but that C&C Excavating, Inc. has given the Board full disclosure, and that the Town can feel good about this step in a positive direction.
Agenda Item 6: C & C Excavating for Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage Facility for property of 2.5 acres located at 3563 Route 23C, Jewett, NY; Tax ID No. 130.00-4-45: Rural Residential Zoning District.
Mrs. Benjamin gave Mrs. Epstein the certified mail receipts and Mrs. Epstein checked those against the abuttors’ list she had given Mrs. Benjamin last month. All neighbors had been notified.
The plat was spread out before the Planning Board for a final review, and all members were satisfied that all of the content previously asked for had been noted on the plat.
Ms. Bernard read aloud the five conditions on the Special Use Permit for C&C Excavating, Inc.: (1) the applicant will not begin any construction until Building Permit from Town of Jewett is approved; (2) compliance with Town of Jewett Noise Ordinance for Commercial Operation and vehicle maintenance; (3) no hazardous materials will be stored; (4) all major vehicle repairs to be done indoors whenever feasible; and (5) applicant will apply for and obtain DEC Petroleum Bulk Storage Permit and provide a copy of such permit to the Town CEO before any petroleum may be stored on the property.
Being satisfied that all conditions had been met, Ms. Bernard asked for a motion to approve this Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage for C&C Excavating, Inc. located at 3563 Route 23C in Jewett, NY 12444, Tax Map No. 130.00-4-45 in the Rural Residential Zoning District. Mr. Emel so moved, Mr. LaPierre seconded the motion, and it was subject to a Roll Call vote: Ms. Bernard – aye; Mrs. DeLong – aye; Mr. Emel – aye; Mr. LaPierre – aye; and Mrs. Romito – aye. The motion carried unanimously. Mrs. Epstein made copies of the permit for the file, Mr. Muth, and C&C Excavating, Inc. The Decision form was filled out and filed with Mrs. Carl, Mrs. Bower, and Mr. Muth.
Agenda Item 7: Other Business
Training was discussed. A day long course on GIS use and FEMA mapping will be held in Kingston on Wednesday, April 9th, which Mrs. Epstein will attend. The Cary Institute provided information on Sustainable Stewardship to be held April 12th from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm in Milbrook, NY. Mr. LaPierre has chosen to attend “The Woods in Your Backyard” which he is enjoying.
Next month’s meeting will be held May 1st at 7:30 pm.
The motion to adjourn tonight’s meeting was made by Mr. LaPierre, seconded by Mr. Emel, and carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm.
Respectfully,
Susan H. Epstein, Secretary
_____________________________
Donna Bernard, Chair
Added: March 06, 2014
Agenda Item 1: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm.
Roll Call: Acting Chair: Susan Hintz-Epstein
Present: JoAnne DeLong, Dan Emel, Paul LaPierre, and Marianne Romito
Town Board Liaison Nathan Miles
Agenda Item 2: Approval of Minutes for February 6, 2014
Mrs. Romito suggested an improvement in the wording of the minutes. Mrs. Romito motioned to approve the minutes after the correction was made. Mr. Emel seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: Report from Town Board Liaison Nathan Miles
Mr. Miles said that the Town Board had voted to appoint JoAnne DeLong to the Jewett Planning Board as of January 20, 2014 so that the training she has taken will count.
The position of the County Planning Board representative still needs filling. This position need not be held by a Planning Board or Town Board member, but can be filled by anyone from the Town of Jewett. The Town Board is considering putting an ad for this position up on the web site, and Mr. Miles asked anyone who knows anyone who might be interested to put word out.
Last month the Town Board created the position of Deputy ZEO to act in event that the regular ZEO is not available, and Don Muth was appointed to that position.
One interest point to all of us was the approval of the purchase of a new plow truck, and the timing of the payments will occur in such a way as to not burden the taxpayers. Mr. LaPierre asked if the truck was one of the Internationals, and Mr. Miles answered that it was, and the old truck will continue to serve in the same fleet. The Highway Department will continue to keep the same brand for the simplicity of having components that are interchangeable between vehicles, such as plows and replacement parts.
Mr. LaPierre noted that in the past there had been a “Good Neighbor Fund” from New York City and wondered if this was part of that. Mr. Miles did not know, but will ask.
Another fifteen years with Time Warner Cable Franchise has been agreed to and Mr. McCrary is researching upgrading the web site to in-house, which Town Clerk Carl will be trained to do.
Agenda Item 4: Public Hearing for Lorch Subdivision of property located at 10522 Route 23A, Hunter, NY: Tax ID No. 128.00-07-01, Rural Residential and Rural Conservation Zoning Districts; and Lexington Tax ID No. 128-00-03-02.
The motion to open the Public Hearing was made by Mr. LaPierre, seconded by Mrs. Romito, and carried. The Public Hearing opened at 7:40 pm. No public were present.
The motion to close the Public Hearing was made by Mrs. Epstein, seconded by Mr. Emel, and carried. The Public Hearing closed at 7:55 pm.
Agenda Item 5: Lorch Subdivision of property located at 10522 Route 23A, Hunter, NY: Tax ID No. 128.00-07-01, Rural Residential and Rural Conservation Zoning Districts; and Lexington Tax ID No. 128-00-03-02.
The Lorch family and Joe Vanucchi were attending. Mrs. Epstein asked Mrs. Romito to check the Certified Mailing Receipts against the Abutters’ List previously provided by Ms. Bernard, and found everything to be accurate.
Mrs. Epstein asked Mr. Emel to read the letters from Mr. Bucca, the Surrogate’s Court, and an old letter Mr. Bucca had written to Mr. Stefan Lorch aloud for the minutes. These letters contained everything that the Planning Board has been asking for, and are now part of the file on this application.
Mrs. Epstein asked Joe Vanucchi if he had brought the plats plus the mylar for signing, but he had not brought them. He apologized, saying there had been an error in communication. His father had been off the mountain today, and had told him the Planning Board had everything. Mrs. Epstein asked Joe Vanucchi how soon he could have the plats to the Municipal Building, and he thought he could have them there by Friday at noon. Mrs. Epstein explained to the Lorch family that the Planning Board could vote to accept its application for Subdivision tonight, but that she would not submit the Planning Board decision until the plats had been signed, and this would take place tomorrow or early next week by the latest.
Mr. Vanucchi wondered if anyone wanted to review the plats one more time, but Mrs. Epstein asked the Planning Board, who agreed, that the plats had already been thoroughly reviewed. He promised to bring five copies plus the mylar to the Municipal Building by noon on Friday, Mrs. Epstein will get in to sign them, and then the Lorch family will have achieved this important step for them.
Mrs. Epstein moved to take a Roll Call Vote to approve this Minor Subdivision for the Estate of Stefan Lorch located at 10522 Route 23A, Hunter, NY: Susan Epstein – aye; JoAnne DeLong – aye; Dan Emel – aye; Paul LaPierre – aye; and Marianne Romito – aye. The Decision of the Planning Board was filled out, and all that remains are to sign the plats.
Agenda Item 6: Chad, Corey, and Erika Benjamin of C & C Excavating for Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage Facility for property of 2.5 acres located at 3563 Route 23C, Jewett, NY; Tax ID No. 130.00-4-45: Rural Residential Zoning District.
Corey and Erika Benjamin were present tonight. They had gotten the requested information on the Site Plan to Mrs. Epstein, who was able to get the information out to the DEP, DOT, and GCPB, well within the thirty (30) day window for declaring the Jewett Planning Board Lead Agent in this process.
The first area of concern tonight was to review the Site Plan against the checklist for what is required for the Special Use Permit. The check list for the Site Plan was also used for its greater detail.
The plan contains the name of the project, name and address of the applicant, the contact person and person responsible for preparation of the site plan.
The evidence of approval from applicable agencies: Mr. Benjamin said that although nothing more than heating oil is stored there now, they have illustrated the future area where they will store fuel for the trucks and they already have the DOT certification for the tank for that. The information of former hazardous materials storage areas are marked on the plan, as requested last month, to protect both the Benjamins and the Town of Jewett that it was a pre-existing, grandfathered condition.
The north arrow, scale and date are included, as are boundaries of parcel to a scale of one inch (1″) to sixty feet (60′). There are no easements or deed restrictions. Names and locations of adjacent streets and existing watercourses are illustrated.
Parking and truck loading areas showing access and egress and pedestrian access are shown. There is adequate access for police and fire emergency vehicles. There is adequate parking space.
Outdoor storage is shown. Improvements to fencing and signage are shown. Existing septic and leach field are shown and the well. Utility poles are illustrated as are existing buffer areas. There are two outdoor light fixtures down facing on a building, and no pole lights.
Last month the Planning Board had been concerned that the site might fall into a flood plain. Ms. Bernard had asked Mrs. Muth this question, who said it is not in a flood plain. Mr. Miles also recalled that land did not flood during the great flood of 2011.
Once the Planning Board was satisfied that the site plan was complete, Mr. Benjamin was asked to finish the short form SEQRA for this unlisted action with the help of the Board. Mrs. Epstein had been provided a partial SEQRA by Ms. Bernard as a guideline.
On Part I, to be filed out by the applicant, all the contact information is provided. Reason given for proposed action: “Garage for C&C Excavating to store and work on equipment and trucks. Keeping upper building as rental space.” Questions 1 and 2 are answered “No.” Question 3 regarding total acreage of the site of the proposed action, the answer is two and a half (2.5) acres, and this is also the total acreage controlled by the applicant. All land uses that occur on, adjoining, and near the proposed action under Question 4 are: Rural, Commercial, Residential, Forest, Aquatic (because of the stream), and Other – Municipal. Question 5.a. was answered “No” and 5.b. “Yes.” Question 6 answered “Yes.” Questions 7, 8.a., 8.b., 8.c., 9, and 10 were answered “No.” Question 11 regarding connection to a public water facility was answered “No” because the site has a drilled well. Questions 12.a and 12.b were answered “No.” Question 13.a. is “Yes” and 13.b. is “No.” The Board did not find the habitat types listed under Question 14 to be on the site. Questions 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 were answered “No.”
Reviewing the SEQRA generated a lot of discussion among the Board as to the language being used. Notable was Question 5 whether this was a permitted use under the zoning guidelines. Mr. Miles thought the language “permitted use” was confusing because of Jewett’s meaning of the term and whether the Board might be misconstruing a different meaning than the SEQRA intended. After discussion, the Board decided to leave the answer alone, because even though this use is not permitted until after the Special Use Permit is granted, it will be granted.
The Planning Board decided to complete the SEQRA tonight, but after the Benjamins had gone home as their part was done. The letters having gone out for the Lead Agency, things are opened to having a Public Hearing next month. Mr. LaPierre motioned to hold a Public Hearing at the April meeting. The motion was seconded by Mr. Emel, and carried. Since the Board will need time to vote on the Lead Agency and to give the SEQRA a Negative Declaration, the Public Hearing will be set for 8:00 pm on April 3, 2014. Mrs. Epstein gave the Benjamins the packet for Sign Posting and the mailing of receipts to the neighbors and explained what was needed, and the Benjamins left.
The Planning Board gave Questions 1 through 11 on Part II of the SEQRA the answer “No.”
Agenda Item 7: Other Business
Mrs. Epstein had provided the Board with copies of the DEP letter for Dr. Lurio’s project and just wanted to give the Board a chance to read it and feel comfortable with the issues on it.
The DEP recommends that: (1) Question #2 of the EAF should list the SSTS as requiring approval from the DEP and that the newly proposed on site well may require approval from the Department of Health; (2) that the proposed SSTS appears to be undersized, and a discussion on the projected wastewater flow should be provided, and (3) that qualifying “agricultural activity” as defined in Section 18-16(a)(6) of the Watershed Regulations may exempt the owner from the DEP’s SSTS requirement in accordance with Section 18-38(a)(1) of the Watershed Regulations.
Mrs. Epstein passed out the “Woods In Your Backyard” training information provided by Ms. Bernard. Mr. LaPierre wondered if this counted as training, Mrs. Epstein thought so, but promised to check. It does, per both Mrs. Muth and Ms. Bernard.
Next month’s meeting will be held April 3rd at 7:30 pm.
The motion to adjourn tonight’s meeting was made by Mr. LaPierre, seconded by Mr. Emel, and carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 pm.
Respectfully,
Susan H. Epstein, Secretary
_____________________________
Donna Bernard, Chair
Added: February 06, 2014
Agenda Item 1: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm.
Roll Call: Chair: Donna Bernard
Present: JoAnne DeLong, Dan Emel, Paul LaPierre, Marianne Romito
Agenda Item 2: Approval of Minutes for January 9, 2014
Chair Bernard took a moment to recognize new Planning Board member JoAnne DeLong. She said that former Planning Board member Nathan Miles, who has now become a Town Board member, will be replacing Jim Pellitteri as the Planning Board Liaison for 2014, and that Mr. Pellitteri’s hard work of the past year was much appreciated.
Ms. DeLong will not vote tonight as she has not been sworn in, but she will take care of that with Mrs. Carl next week.
Mrs. Romito noted a spelling error in the minutes, which was corrected. Mr. LaPierre motioned to approve the minutes as corrected. This motion was seconded by Mrs. Romito, and carried.
Agenda Item 3: Report from Town Board Liaison Nathan Miles
Mr. Miles did not attend tonight as the Planning Board anticipated a short agenda.
Agenda Item 4: Lorch Subdivision of property located at 10522 Route 23A, Hunter, NY: Tax ID No. Tax Map ID No. 128.00-07-01, Rural Residential and Rural Conservation Zoning Districts; and Lexington Tax ID No. 128-00-03-02.
Neither Joe Vanucchi nor Larry Vanucchi was able to attend tonight, but the Lorch family was present.
Ms. Bernard reviewed the process of this application thus far. On December 5, 2013 the Planning Board was provided with the corrected plats and the school tax bill, so Mrs. Epstein sent out the letters stating the Town of Jewett’s intention to declare itself Lead Agency for this Application for Subdivision for the Lorch estate. The Planning Board then had all that it needed to complete this application with the exception of a letter of intention or proof of agreement between the heirs of this estate.
Mr. Bucca confirmed with Mr. Rappleyea that a letter dated January 27, 2014 explaining the necessity for this subdivision to be filed with the Surrogate’s Court would be acceptable for what the Town of Jewett Planning Board had requested of the applicants in December 2013. He has provided copies of these letters to the Board and also enclosed an earlier letter he had written to the deceased. Mr. Rappleyea advised the Board to wait at least thirty (30) days to hear from the Surrogate’s Court.
However, Mr. Bucca has already provided the Board with a copy of the letter he received from Ed Maurer, Chief Clerk of the Greene County Surrogate’s Court, dated February 5, 2014, which states, “Enclosed herewith is a date stamped copy of your letter of February 3, 2014 filed in the above referenced matter, along with a copy of your correspondence of January 27, 2014 addressed to the Town of Jewett Planning Board. Copies of both have been put in the estate file. As there is no proceeding regarding the division of the property presently pending before this Court, no action will be taken by the Surrogate regarding the subject matter of your correspondence.”
At this point no other party seeks to be Lead Agency. The Town of Jewett Planning Board can vote to declare itself Lead Agency and conduct the SEQRA review tonight, Ms. Bernard said. The Public Hearing can be set for next month.
The correct plat was spread for Planning Board review. Ms. Bernard explained to new member JoAnne DeLong that this revised sketch is very close to the original one, but what it does is to update the parcel of land to current Zoning Law as this subdivision will make what is a non-conforming parcel (two houses on one parcel) into a conforming parcel that is also good environmentally. The new subdivision line also basically divides the property more equally between the Town of Jewett and the Town of Lexington. The Board had already reviewed the accuracy of the plat; that work has been finished and recorded in the December minutes. What the Board did not do, was to vote to approve the Subdivision in order to give the Lorch family time to obtain the information the Board had asked for.
Ms. Bernard wondered if any Planning Board members had questions or anything to add. No one did, so she asked for a motion to approve the Application for Subdivision of the Lorch property. Mr. Emel so motioned; the motion was seconded by Mr. LaPierre, and approved.
Ms. Bernard asked for a motion to declare the Town of Jewett Planning Board Lead Agency for this unlisted action. Mr. LaPierre so motioned; the motion was seconded by Mrs. Romito, and approved. Ms. Bernard noted that all applicable agencies – the DEP, the DOT, the Town of Lexington, and the Greene County Planning Board (because of the 239 form) – had all previously been notified, so this Planning Board can proceed with this Application for a Minor Subdivision.
The Planning Board decided the Public Hearing for the Lorch Subdivision will be held on March 6, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. Mrs. Epstein will deliver the necessary materials for the Public Hearing to Mr. Vanucchi’s office when she is in town next week. All abuttors within five hundred feet need to be notified of the upcoming Public Hearing. Ms. Bernard offered the Lorchs the option to leave on this cold night, saying the Board could review the SEQRA at the end of the meeting since Mr. Vanucchi was not present to answer any questions that might arise.
The SEQRA for this unlisted action was read aloud by Mrs. Epstein to the Planning Board as filled out by Mr. Vanucchi. Project and Sponsor information was complete. Proposed action was described, questions 1 and 2 answered in the negative; question 3.a. claimed 143.443 total acres of the proposed action, question 3.b. no acreage to be disturbed, question 3.c. 143.443 acres are owned by the applicant or project sponsor; question 4 land uses occurring on, adjoining, or near the proposed action are rural (non-agricultural), forest, and residential (suburban); questions 5.a. and 5.b. and 6 were answered in the affirmative; questions 7, 8.a, 8.b, and 8.c were answered in the negative; question 9 not applicable; questions 10 and 11 answered in the affirmative; questions 12.a, 12.b, and 13.b were answered in the negative; question 13.a was left unanswered and will be filled in by Vanucchi next month, but the character of the question is likely to be a negative; question 14 identified forest and agricultural grasslands as habitat types that occur on or likely to be found on the site; questions 15 and 16 were answered in the negative; question 17.a was answered in the negative, and 17.b states that all runoff and storm drains should be completely unaffected by this action; and questions 18, 19, and 20 were answered in the negative. Mr. Vanucchi has signed that the information above is true and accurate according to his knowledge.
The Planning Board then did its job of filling out Part 2 of the SEQRA. Questions 1 through 11 were answered in the negative. Part 3 was not applicable. The Planning Board determined that based upon the information and analysis provided that the proposed action would not result in any significant adverse environmental impact, and to give the SEQRA a Negative Declaration. The motion to give the SEQRA a Negative Declaration was made by Mr. LaPierre and seconded by Mrs. Romito. The motion carried.
Agenda Item 5: Chad, Corey, and Erika Benjamin of C & C Excavating for Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage Facility for property of 2.5 acres located at 3563 Route 23C, Jewett, NY; Tax ID No. 130.00-4-45: Rural Residential Zoning District.
Chad, Corey, and Erika Benjamin presented their application for a Special Use Permit and Sign Application (to follow as Agenda Item 6). The applications had earlier been left off at the Municipal Building with Mr. Muth and paid for. Mr. Benjamin provided some nice aerial photographs of the buildings to illustrate what he would like to do, but lacks a Sketch Plan which he said has not been finished yet. He said they will take the front fence down and put a new one up, painting it to match the buildings, and that he has been in touch with his tenants that they are not to have anything stored outside the buildings, keeping all storage indoors. These are all things the Planning Board asked them to consider doing. Mr. Benjamin said many boards are missing and much of the existing fence is falling down. They are going to install the new one of six inch by six inch (6″ x 6″) boards in concrete so that it will be nice and sturdy.
Ms. Bernard explained that the process for the Special Use Permit requires the Board to declare itself Lead Agency. This application requires it to notify the Greene County Planning Board and DEP. The Planning Board can accept this application tonight, but that although the aerial photographs are beautiful, the Board requires a Sketch Plan to show what the Board approved or did not. Mr. Benjamin said that he does have a survey – the current one shows all buildings as they currently exist. One copy is needed for the file.
Ms. Bernard reviewed the minutes to double check everything previously discussed. The Benjamins had also brought a copy of the bank environmental review the Planning Board asked for last week. Ms. Bernard said in order not to hold this application up any longer, what she would like to do tonight is to have a motion to accept this Application for Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage. This will get the Benjamins on the clock, but she warned the clock would be stopped if the Sketch Plan is not completed. The Benjamins assured her it will be completed. Mr. LaPierre therefore motioned to accept the Application for Special Use Permit for Commercial Storage. The motion was seconded by Mr. Emel and approved.
Mrs. Epstein will send out the letters stating the Jewett Planning Board’s intention to declare itself Lead Agency as soon as she receives the completed SEQRA from the Benjamins. She gave them the new format of the short form EAF to have Mr. Vanucchi fill out when they pick up the survey from him. Given the (30) days for the responses to the Lead Agency letters, it will be possible to plan the Public Hearing for April 3, 2014. In order to prepare the Benjamins for the Public Hearing, the Board has already given them a copy of Mr. Coloton’s letter to the Planning Board and its responses regarding TREC Land Vest, which provides an excellent example of the questions the Public may ask. A Special Use Permit may be issued with conditions, Ms. Bernard noted. They may wish to have their surveyor or representative available for the Public Hearing to answer the concerns of the Public unless they feel confident doing so themselves. Sometimes the Public will write in ahead of time, and this can forewarn the applicants what issues may need addressing. Sometimes the Public will have emotional concerns which can be addressed as conditions applied to the Special Use Permit. Ms. Bernard noted that she is trying to prepare them ahead of time as much as she can. Mr. LaPierre said that Mr. Coloton’s letter a great template to prepare for the Public Hearing.
In summary, by March 6th the Planning Board will know that the letters went out, it should have the survey, and it can schedule the Public Hearing for April 3rd. At the Public Hearing if the Planning Board does not learn of any substantial impacts or concerns, it can issue the Special Use Permit that evening. Mrs. Epstein asked the Benjamins to call her as soon as they get the information in so she can stay on top of getting the Lead Agency letters out. At March 6th meeting the Planning Board will ensure the survey has all information that is supposed to be on it – that they have the abuttors, et cetera – so everyone is set for the April meeting. The Benjamins took the aerial photos back with them to make copies to give the Planning Board a set for the file.
Questions about the EMS station are on hold until the Zoning Enforcement Officer can be reached to find out what is necessary to do.
Agenda Item 6: Chad, Corey, and Erika Benjamin of C & C Excavating for Sign Permit for property of 2.5 acres located at 3563 Route 23C, Jewett, NY; Tax ID No. 130.00-4-45: ?? Zoning District.
The Sign Application had been received along with the Special Use Permit Application by Mr. Don Muth and paid for. The application was read aloud by Mr. LaPierre for Planning Board review. All information is included. A computer generated copy of the sign was provided in black and white including the dimensions and location of the sign. Where the existing sign used to hang will be taken down and the sign will hang from the new fence visible from 23C. It will be a red background with yellow letters.
Ms. Bernard requested a motion to accept the Sign Permit Application. Mr. Emel so motioned; Mr. LaPierre seconded the motion, and it was approved. Mrs. Epstein filled out the form for the Decision of the Planning Board and made copies for the Benjamins, Mr. Muth and Mrs. Carl.
Agenda Item 7: Other Business
Ms. Bernard received a call from Cynthia Garcia of the DEP that an existing watercourse was not on the maps for Dr. Lurio. If the building area lies within one hundred feet (100′) of the watercourse, Dr. Lurio could apply for an Agricultural District Permit which exempts them from the buffer. If greater than one hundred feet (100′) this would not be an issue for him.
Ms. Bernard told Ms. Garcia the Planning Board had asked for the language of the Conservation Easement and Ms. Garcia expressed her gladness that Jewett is so proactive in upholding the DEP Easement. If the applicant has trouble getting the information she can call her office in Kingston and see if they can release the laws of confidentiality to help.
Mrs. Epstein got this information to Mr. Small, who called DEP and arranged for two people to come out and walk the property. The proposed septic for the two buildings was not in the best area, so the architect is going to move this upon the advice of an engineer, and asked the Planning Board to wait until this is done. Next time he comes the Board can expect a revised site plan, although it already approved this one. Ms. Bernard said that at the Watershed Summit, the woman seated next to her happened to be the one who had walked the site. She said it feels good to have this good relationship with the DEP to get the best results for the applicants.
Discussion returned to the Storage Facility. The question of whether the facility lies within a flood plain had nagged at Mr. LaPierre because of potential storage of petroleum products and the memory of the 2011 flood. Ms. Bernard replied that the Benjamins had promised to get the appropriate DEC Permits for fuel storage tanks, et cetera, that may be located on the premises, and had promised to not store any hazardous materials not permitted by DEC. Mr. Emel wondered if they would be maintaining their trucks over there with the degreasers and all. This is something that would be questioned by the DEP, Ms. Bernard commented.
In the January minutes, Mr. LaPierre had noted for the Benjamins that the previous owner of the property had an area of a previous chemical spill, and had suggested the Benjamins dig up some of that soil for testing as it would qualify as a pre-existing condition should any incident arise wherein they had to protect themselves from a chemical spill lawsuit. Ms. Bernard at that time questioned whether there had been a disclosure statement, and tonight found this fact noted within the bank disclosure provided by Mr. Benjamin. Mr. LaPierre said he has recent experience of what issues are pertinent to a flood plain because of an experience he has brought before the Planning Board of Shandaken for his railroad enthusiasts. Ms. Bernard said she wished this topic had come up prior to the Benjamins leaving, but that these questions can still be asked next month. The Board has not yet seen their short form EAF which should address some of this.
Ms. Bernard asked Mrs. Epstein to ask Mr. Corey or Chad Benjamin when they call to say the Board had reviewed their bank environmental statement and noted hazardous materials there and to make sure that Mr. Vanucchi’s survey show the proximity of the water course to the chemical spill. Mr. LaPierre recalled that solvents were stored in containers out there and not placed on a pad of any sort that would prevent them from leaching into the soil.
Ms. Bernard said that the Planning Board doesn’t want to get into any regulation of how they store their fuel except to make it a condition of the Special Use Permit to have any and all pertinent permits from the DEC and other regulatory agencies because it is an above ground tank. The Board might require landscaping to help with the aesthetics, but they are already proactive with the fence. The Board might consider placing conditions on the rental of the sheds. Nothing outside C&C are already complying with, but there are to be no hazardous materials stored. These are questions the Board has not asked about the operation.
When TREC spoke about working on their trucks, they had no water course there; oil, gas, and containment of the bulk storage of fuel, but not lubricants. They had addressed that with things in place to prevent leakage and spillage or such. The Benjamins need to be apprised of that. C&C have a historical contamination of those types of materials existing there. Ms. Bernard asked Mrs. Epstein to notify them of Planning Board concern because of the stream. It is critical to make sure that they put the watercourse on the Sketch Plan. At that point C&C can initiate the DEC contact and tell them Mrs. Epstein is sending this to DEP because of the watercourse.
Mr. Emel said if he recalled correctly, there are three separate two hundred and seventy five (275) gallon fuel oil drums. If they added one more drum they would be over the one thousand (1000) gallon requirement that would make them have to put in a containment system for DEC. They will need permission from DEC to store fuel for their own trucks. Any questions they will need to come in and speak to the Building Inspector.
Ms. Bernard brought back a Climate Change fact sheet from the Watershed Summit for Mr. LaPierre and an Agricultural Land Owner Guide that Mrs. Epstein stuck in the file for reference. She said it was very good to see the Planning Board so well represented there.
The Bio-Diversity training was a little misleading, Ms. Bernard noted. She received an email from the Hudsonia person which was a request for a proposal to a town or organization within a bio-diverse area to apply for funding and support from them to organize a consolidated effort for them to come in and train a group of people within the structure of somebody else organizing this. Michelle Yost had recommended Ms. Bernard who turned it down anticipating a busy schedule with Planning Board Code Review. This was similar to the contiguous Mountaintop Towns Code Review, which covered Soil and Water related areas within local code to be tweaked or changed. Some of us or all of us will be involved in review process along the way. Ms. Bernard recommended that Town of Hunter do something like this.
Next month’s meeting will be held March 6th at 7:30 pm.
The motion to adjourn tonight’s meeting was made by Mr. LaPierre, seconded by Mrs. Romito, and carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm.
Respectfully,
Susan H. Epstein, Secretary
_____________________________
Donna Bernard, Chair
Added: January 09, 2014
Agenda Item 1: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm.
Roll Call: Chair: Donna Bernard
Present: Paul LaPierre, Marianne Romito, and Susan Hintz-Epstein as alternate
Absent: Dan Emel and Town Board Liaison Jim Pellitteri
Agenda Item 2: Approval of Minutes for December 5, 2013
Mr. LaPierre made the motion to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Romito, and carried unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: Report from Town Board Liaison James Pellitteri
Mr. Pellitteri could not attend tonight.
Agenda Item 4: Mr. Jeffrey Small, architect, for Dr. Joseph Lurio and Penny Wolfson. Application for Site Plan Approval for property located at 686 Goshen Street, Jewett, NY; Tax ID No. 112.0-1-6 in Rural Residential Zoning District on eighty six and thirty two hundredths (86.32) acres of land.
Dr. Lurio and his wife, Penny Wolfson, wish to construct two new buildings: a “sugar shack” for the production of maple syrup, and the other a barn for storage on the first floor and a writing studio for Ms. Wolfson on the second floor.
Mr. Small had previously sent sketches for the Planning Board membership to review, and tonight he brought a larger version of the same and spread out on the table. The building for the production of maple syrup would contain an area for the storage of wood, a six hundred (600) gallon evaporator tank to boil down the syrup, a room for the finishing of the syrup, a small office area also for the selling of the syrup, and a bathroom. This is a simple one-story building.
The second building is to consist of first floor storage and a second floor writing studio. This area will contain a small bathroom and kitchenette for making coffee, which will hold a small refrigerator for cold beverages and a tiny sink. There will not be cooking in the studio. Mr. Small pointed out these areas on the design to the Planning Board. Height of this building is about twenty three feet (23′) to the mean of the roof. The height of the “sugar shack” is about fifteen and a half (15 ½’) feet.
Ms. Bernard asked about parking spots. Mr. Small said he had designated six (6) of them for sugar shack and two for barn studio, although he was not planning to paint lines for them. He showed the Planning Board where the Lurios park currently and said there would probably be some room there as well. Ms. Bernard said there appears to be more than enough space for the parking, plus one for the seasonal worker, and sufficient room for emergency vehicles to turn around there if necessary. She reviewed the road area, and asked whether some illustrated trees were already there or whether they are being proposed. Mr. Small answered that these trees are existing, that the property is largely wooded, and pointed to the area to be cleared for the septic field and reserve septic field.
Mrs. Romito asked where the septic for the house was, and Mr. Small thought it was downhill from the house. Mr. LaPierre said that the law called for one hundred feet distance from the well to the septic, but the Planning Board said the old house pre-existed the Zoning Law, so the Board only needs to consider the distances from the new well for the proposed buildings. The two new buildings will share a well and a propane tank.
Mr. LaPierre asked about the illustrated roadway. Mr. Small said the Lurios own two lots, with conservation easements on all of it, and the allowable building area. The road which Mr. LaPierre asked about is more of a path than a road, and is an old logging trail. The Lurios use this trail for cross country skiing and for maintaining their tap lines. The road is not an access road. Mr. Small said it starts out as gravel, but becomes quickly very narrow the further one goes into it. Ms. Bernard suggested that the Lurios might want to post that road for “no access” just in case customers mistook it for a turn or something. She added that this was a personal concern for her, not a required action by the Planning Board.
Ms. Bernard asked about the terms of the Conservation Easement, commenting that people who use DEP property have permits to do so and that people who are not familiar with that idea could mistake this trail as something other than it is. Mr. Small will search out that information.
The original application put in by Mr. Small had requested “occasional guest use.” Mrs. Epstein had called Mr. Small prior to the meeting at Ms. Bernard’s request and asked him for a new application omitting that wording so that it would not be confused with a Guest House, for which Jewett requires a Special Use Permit. This application does not concern that; its single intention as a writing studio is a permitted use with home occupation. There is no indication of space for a bed. Mr. Small agreed this is not intended for guest usage; the small kitchenette is intended for coffee making and refreshment, not cooking.
The Lurios had originally submitted and paid for a Special Use Permit for the maple syrup building, but since this is a home occupation- permitted use, they will be refunded that cost.
Ms. Bernard stated that the Planning Board’s job today is to review the Site Plan for a permitted use under home occupation, and that anything the Board approves or denies lies within that scope. She explained further how each Zoning District has its permitted uses listed within the law and passed the information around to show the Board, simultaneously acknowledging Mr. LaPierre’s involvement in drafting these laws.
Ms. Bernard read aloud the definition for Home Occupation as: “Any commercial or professional use customarily conducted entirely within a dwelling or accessory structure which is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the lot; does not change the character of the dwelling; has no external evidence of such use other than a single identifying four-square foot or smaller sign on the property; has no exterior storage of materials or equipment visible from the road; and is carried on by the residents of the dwelling, or dwellings, except that no more than two persons, not residents of the dwelling, may be employed. No other outdoor signage for the home occupation shall be permitted anywhere else within the town.”
Mr. LaPierre asked how the retail space enters into “Home Occupation” and Ms. Bernard replied that it is seasonal. She had asked Mr. Rappleyea this question, and he said it fits the definition perfectly. One could go the other way about approving this application, but that would be more money for the applicant, and the Planning Board does not want to do that if it fits into a permitted activity within its particular Zoning District. Mr. LaPierre commented that the Canfields have an analogous business with their maple syrup production.
Ms. Bernard suggested that the Lurios may want to apply for a Sign Permit, which application they could download from the Town of Jewett website or pick up from Mrs. Epstein.
Ms. Bernard reviewed the checklist for the Site Plan. The name of the project is “Mountain Top Maple.” The name and address of the applicants are listed and the contact person is Mr. Small, who prepared the Site Plan. Mr. Small was asked to bring a letter stating that he represents the Lurios for this application. He asked whether the Board had a form letter, and Mrs. Epstein answered that a letter simply stating that he represents Dr. Lurio and Ms. Wolfson would be sufficient signed by his clients. Mr. LaPierre asked whether the letter needs to be notarized, but the Planning Board has never asked for this.
The only agency that would be involved in this process would be the DEP since it lies within the watershed. The North arrow is illustrated and the boundaries of the parcel are drawn to scale. Ms. Bernard asked Mr. Small to show the terms of the Conservation Easement in the legend on the drawing, which is cited but does not spell out the restrictions such as whether New York City owns the easement or the participants. Mr. LaPierre commented there is much more freedom with an easement than with an outright DEP purchase, and advised Mr. Small to check what is permitted within the building envelope on this easement.
DEP will need to approve the septic system. The Planning Board did not want Mr. Small to be surprised should anything in the wording of the Conservation Easement go against DEP policy. The question of whether a Site Plan is filed with the County came up. Ms. Bernard said this would probably be filed by Mrs. Bower in the Real Property part of the County due to the improvements, and suggested Easement language accompany the final copies of the plat.
Mr. Small needs to show yet the widths of the adjacent Goshen Street. There are not existing watercourses, but an existing culvert is illustrated. Grading and drainage plan, existing and proposed are on the plat, as are the proposed use and height of the buildings. Parking areas showing access and egress are illustrated, as are areas for pedestrian access. No real outdoor storage is indicated, just the first floor of the barn. All existing and proposed improvements are on the survey. The septic system and the well are illustrated. The applicants will return for the Sign Permit. The buffer of existing vegetation is delineated. The applicants plan for lighting to be mounted on the buildings using cutoff fixtures, which are downward facing. The area for retail sales is illustrated with customer parking. The forest will be left except for areas to be disturbed for the building. There is a topographical contour map. Ms. Bernard asked for an improved location map in the upper corner. The abutters are listed on the survey. The SEQRA form, written statement, and payment have all been submitted.
Ms. Bernard said the difficulty with this application is that the Planning Board needs to declare itself Lead Agency. Notified agencies have thirty (30) days to get this information back to the Planning Board. The Board does not feel this application requires a Public Hearing, and has the discretion of whether to hold one or not. It will not. The SEQRA is what puts the application on the clock as a disturbance because we are in the watershed. The next meeting falls before the thirty days are up, but Cynthia Garcia of the DEP is usually responsive and we may be able to have the answer before the thirty days are up, enabling us to sign off on this at the next meeting of February 6th. Mr. Small will be on the agenda for next month. Mrs. Epstein will get this letter to DEP as soon as possible.
Agenda Item 5: C & C Excavating
Corey and Erika Benjamin came before the Planning Board tonight to determine what steps to take for the next part of their process. Ms. Bernard said that when Mr. Corey Benjamin and Mr. Chad Benjamin had come before the Board in September, she had spoken to Mr. Rappleyea and learned that they would need to submit Special Use applications for the Home Office and gravel storage, and the EMS outpost apartment. If they are storing fuel, they will need all DEC permits as well as any other agency standards for whatever they are going to be storing. This will require two Site Plan Reviews to be conducted separately – one for their commercial storage and office and one for the EMS station, because these are separate uses.
Ms. Bernard asked whether the EMS station was still part of the plan, and Mr. Benjamin answered that it remains under discussion.
Ms. Bernard said that the Town of Jewett would like to see the place looking a bit nicer. For example, Kyle Byrne created a beautiful berm around what had been the eyesore of the former drive-in. The Planning Board would like such improvements to be affordable for the Benjamins, but improving the appearance would be appreciated by the Town.
Mr. Benjamin said they will be keeping some of the rental sheds, and that the stuff will be stored indoors, not visible from the road, and there will be no hazardous materials other than that permitted by DEC. Mr. LaPierre remembered that when Mr. Mulley had the place there was one area where there had been a hazardous spill, and wanted to mention it to Mr. Benjamin because this would be a pre-existing condition and not his fault. Mr. Benjamin said that his bank had done a very thorough environmental testing before they would approve the loan for the property. Mr. LaPierre thought Mr. Benjamin might want to dig up some of that soil for testing. Ms. Bernard asked whether the bank had made a disclosure of that information. Mr. Benjamin said he thought he had a copy, and Ms. Bernard requested a copy of that disclosure notice to help with the SEQRA process. The more information the Planning Board has to begin the process, she explained, the less will need to be done after the fact.
Mr. Benjamin said he is considering having Mr. Larry Vanucchi do a survey for him. Mr. Benjamin had spoken to Mr. Mallory, the Highway Supervisor, who had told him things about the site, and Ms. Bernard asked that this information become part of an overview of the site. She offered Mr. Benjamin the Site Plan checklist to aid Mr. Vanucchi in doing the boundary of the survey.
Ms. Bernard asked how they plan to set up the EMS depot, and Mr. Benjamin answered that it will be one of the existing bays on the south side of the property. Ms. Bernard said that when Mr. Byrne came before the Planning Board for the rental apartments he had intended to build over the garage, he discovered that the fire code required would be too costly, and came before the Planning Board a second time to rewrite his application to not include the apartments. These costs might be similar to costs facing the Benjamins, Ms. Bernard said, and suggested they talk to the Building Inspector to get more information on these questions. These costs might not come up, however, depending on how they set up the plan. Mr. Benjamin said they would not put the EMS bay next to a hazardous storage area. Mr. LaPierre said an insurance company could give the Benjamins a lot of positive feedback too.
Ms. Bernard encouraged the Benjamins to come before the Planning Board for their Site Plan whether the EMS negotiations were finished or not; this is a creative process and the Board wants to work with them. Mr. Benjamin was able to download the Site Plan and Sign Permit applications from the Town of Jewett web site. Ms. Bernard assured they had the correct checklist. She said this process will require a Public Hearing and that at the Public Hearing for TREC Land Vest, the public was very concerned with such issues as noise, lighting, and the materials being stored. Hours of operation are listed under Jewett’s Noise Ordinance, which can also be found online. A copy of Mr. Russ Coloton’s letter was found and given to the Benjamins for reference as it held excellent questions that concerned the Public.
Ms. Bernard further clarified that for the Public Hearing, the abutting neighbors within five hundred feet (500′) would need to be notified, whereas for the Site Plan plat, the abutting neighbors within two hundred feet (200′) would need to be listed. She added that Mr. Benjamin would need signage, and suggested that he drive down County Route 23C to see some of the excellent signs others had made, such as the Mountain View Photography sign. C & C Excavation will be put on the agenda for February 6th.
Agenda Item 6: Other Business
Ms. Joanne DeLong sat into tonight’s meeting to audition for whether she would like to sit on the Planning Board. She is a charming person.
Ms. Bernard was informed that at the Town Board reorganizational meeting, Mr. Miles is to be the new Planning Board liaison, Mr. Pellitteri became the Zoning Board liaison, and Mr. McCrary is the liaison to the Watershed and Soil and Water Committee.
The Watershed Summit is scheduled for January 25th with the trainings to be held in the afternoon from 12:30 to 2:30 pm.
Next month’s meeting will be held February 6th at 7:30 pm.
The motion to adjourn tonight’s meeting was made by Mr. LaPierre, seconded by Mrs. Romito, and carried by all unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm.
Respectfully,
Susan H. Epstein, Secretary
_____________________________
Donna Bernard, Chair
