Town Board December 14, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting. The Board accepted the November 9, 2022 minutes and approved Town Clerk bills of $237,405.16, adopted budget transfers for the vac truck purchase and water districts, and set the 2023 Organizational Meeting for January 3. A resident inquired about rezoning a Speigletown business property from residential to commercial.
Zoning Board of Appeals December 8, 2022
The Board held a public hearing and granted a 6-foot height area variance for the St. Croix Farm solar array at 14 Ridge Road (Application #2A-22). It set a January public hearing on whether a proposed auto-repair and towing business at 751 Route 40 is a junkyard or a repair station, scheduled a January hearing on side-yard variances for a dog-grooming business at Route 40 and Meadowview Drive, and heard an inquiry about future uses for Hilltop Bowl.
Town Board November 9, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting opening with the 2023 budget public hearing. The Board passed the 2023 budget, accepted Assessor David Jones's resignation and appointed Megan Weir as Acting Assessor for a six-year term, approved Town Clerk bills of $278,239.83 and an HVAC budget transfer, extended the ERSWMA service agreement, and approved an $89,900 bid for a used vacuum truck.
Zoning Board of Appeals November 3, 2022
The scheduled public hearing on the St. Croix Solar Farm height variance (Application #2-22) could not be held because the Planning Board had not yet issued a SEQR determination. The Board rescheduled its December meeting to December 8 to hold the hearing then, and noted an inquiry about razing a home at 1492 Route 40 to build a two-family duplex.
Planning Board November 2, 2022
The Planning Board granted The Reynolds Group a Special Use Permit for an 18-square-foot electronic message board sign on Route 67 (replacing its existing sign), on a 5–2 vote after debate over the town's new digital-sign rules. It also held pre-filing conferences for a proposed duplex on Route 40 (Delamater) and a dog-grooming business in the former medical building at Route 40 and Meadowview Drive (Jennings/Peters), noted a DEC permit amendment for Warren Fane's Perry-Reed shale pit, and heard a resident urge the town to review its rules ahead of possible marijuana retail.
Town Board October 27, 2022
Public hearing on a proposed local law permitting the town to override the tax levy limit under Section 3-c of the General Municipal Law. After discussion of the $250,000 needed to hire two full-time rescue-squad staff, the Board adopted Local Law #2 permitting the override.
Town Board October 12, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting. The Board accepted the September 14, 2022 minutes and approved Town Clerk bills of $278,449.43, approved a county snow-and-ice agreement, set a November 9 public hearing on the 2023 budget, introduced a local law to override the 2023 tax cap (with an October 27 hearing set), and authorized bidding out for a used vac truck at $93,000.
Zoning Board of Appeals October 6, 2022
No public hearings. The Board discussed rebuilding a burned-down home at 309 Hudson Avenue, located in a FEMA floodway; scheduled a November 5 public hearing on a 6-foot height area variance for the St. Croix Solar Farm (Application #2-22) at Ridge Road; and reviewed a possible subdivision on Powers Lane.
Planning Board October 5, 2022
The Planning Board opened its review of the proposed St. Croix Farm solar array — 34.6± acres off Master Street and Ridge Road — and set a November 2 public hearing on The Reynolds Group's electronic message sign on Route 67. It also weighed a possible expansion of the Westwind Farms gravel mine onto adjacent land, noted the Rohloff subdivision's stormwater plan was still incomplete, and previewed a possible River Road lot subdivision for a small camp.
Town Board September 14, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting. The Board accepted the August 10, 2022 minutes and approved Town Clerk bills of $233,248.05, adopted Local Law #1 amending the Zoning Law with respect to electronic messaging signs, and reduced the Town Hall reserve by $19,825 for a down payment on an air conditioning upgrade.
Planning Board September 7, 2022
The Planning Board granted final Site Plan and Special Use Permit approval — with conditions on hours, downward-facing lighting, and evergreen screening — for Carl Godfrey's Remodel Now woodworking and contracting facility at 850 Route 40, after neighbors' concerns about noise, lighting, paint fumes, and drainage were addressed. It continued as lead agency on the St. Croix Farm dual-use solar project, heard Al's Towing's plan to open a used-car and repair shop at 751 Route 40 amid traffic-safety concerns at a blind curve, advanced a Hometown Heroes veterans-banner proposal toward a permit, and finalized its reply to the Town Board on the proposed electronic-messaging-sign amendment.
Zoning Board of Appeals September 1, 2022
A brief meeting with no public hearings and no quorum. With only two members present, the Board could not act on the August 4, 2022 minutes (deferred to October) and conducted no business before adjourning.
Town Board August 10, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting opening with a public hearing on a local law to change the zoning for electronic signs. The Board approved the July 13, 2022 minutes and Town Clerk bills of $1,030,515.47, and adopted budget transfers from ARPA funds for pump station upgrades and Akin Bridge repairs plus court assistance funding.
Zoning Board of Appeals August 4, 2022
The Board held a public hearing and granted applicant Liz Davis a 12.5-foot area variance for a 28-by-32 garage at 600 Verbeck Avenue (Application #1-22). It heard a presentation on the proposed St. Croix Farm community solar project at 14 Ridge Road, which will need a height area variance, and drafted a report opposing a Town Board amendment to allow electronic messaging signs.
Planning Board August 3, 2022
A busy Planning Board night with three public hearings and a slate of approvals. The Board granted final approval for M&T Bank's ADA site improvements on Route 67 and for two-lot subdivisions off Stillwater Bridge Road (Simmons) and Hansen Road (Clemente); continued the Remodel Now contracting facility at 850 Route 40 after neighbors' noise, lighting, and drainage concerns; and heard the full St. Croix Farm dual-use solar proposal (34.6 acres, sheep grazing, needing a 6-foot panel-height variance). The Board also split 3–2 on the town's proposed electronic-messaging-sign amendment, with the chairman to draft a report after surveying 121 municipalities.
Town Board July 13, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting. The Board accepted the June 8, 2022 minutes and approved Town Clerk bills of $432,358.34, adopted budget transfers to fund a replacement highway truck, introduced a proposed local law for digital signs, and set an August 10 public hearing on the sign zoning change.
Zoning Board of Appeals July 7, 2022
No public hearings. The Board received applicant Liz Davis's application for a 12.5-foot side-yard area variance to build a 28-by-32 garage at 600 Verbeck Avenue and scheduled a public hearing for August 4, 2022. It also noted a resident's inquiry about keeping chickens on a roughly 1-acre lot, which would require a variance from the 5-acre minimum.
Planning Board July 6, 2022
The Board approved the Peters-Bulson lot line adjustment at 100 Calhoun Drive and issued a negative declaration for the M&T Bank site plan revision at 1523 Route 67. It heard updates on the Rohloff subdivision and Remodel Now special use permit, pre-filing conferences on the Joyce Simmons and Clemente subdivisions and a Hometown Heroes banner program, and an unscheduled parcel frontage issue.
Town Board June 8, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting. The Board accepted the May 11, 2022 minutes and approved Town Clerk bills of $203,889.55, and appointed Amy Serson to replace Betty Gordan as Judge Ryan's court clerk effective July 1. Discussion covered accepting credit-card payments and reviewing the town's zoning rules on digital signs.
Zoning Board of Appeals June 2, 2022
No public hearings. Applicant Liz Davis presented a proposal for a 28-by-32 two-car garage at 600 Verbeck Avenue that would need a 12.5-foot side-yard area variance. The Board discussed a Planning Board matter on a prohibited electronic/rotating sign for The Reynolds Group on Route 40, and voted to move its meeting start time to 7:00 p.m.
Planning Board June 1, 2022
After public hearings, the Board granted site plan approval for the Albany Police Department firing range on Route 67 (restricted to APD use) and full subdivision approval for the Simmons two-lot subdivision on Stillwater Bridge Road. It heard a pre-filing sign proposal from The Reynolds Group and residents' comments on solar farms and a rumored apartment development near 2nd Avenue.
Town Board May 11, 2022
The Town Board opened and closed a public hearing on the MS4 stormwater annual report, accepted the April 13 minutes, heard department reports, made a small court budget transfer, and voted to reimburse $131,039 of ARPA funds for computer and copier upgrades, a COVID expense for the rescue squad, two pickup trucks, and furnace and bathroom upgrades.
Zoning Board of Appeals May 5, 2022
No public hearings. The Board advised property owners rebuilding a fire-destroyed home at 3 Willow Street in Grant Hollow that no area variances would be required, and noted an inquiry about subdividing a 1-acre lot from a 3.56-acre parcel at 69 Roe Road that could raise density and road-frontage variance issues.
Planning Board May 4, 2022
The Board granted final site plan approval for a new Melrose firehouse on Route 40 (Chairman Alessandrini and Scott Wiley recused) and issued a negative declaration for the Albany Police Department firing range on Route 67. It held pre-filing conferences on a burial-vault painting business, the Simmons and Rohloff subdivisions, and the Remodel Now woodshop at 840 Route 40.
Town Board April 13, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting. The Board accepted the March 2022 minutes and approved Town Clerk bills of $304,004.66, set a May 11 public hearing on the MS4 annual report, and moved $27,000 from the Solid Waste District reserve to fund balance.
Zoning Board of Appeals April 7, 2022
A Zoom meeting with no public hearings. The Board discussed the status of a proposed floodway/flood-plain variance at 317 River Bend Road (placed on hold by the owner over the cost of a required hydraulic analysis), and reviewed Planning Board discussions about subdividing merged lots, including matters on River Bend Road and a subdivision at 100 Calhoun Drive.
Planning Board April 6, 2022
The Board reviewed a revised Peters four-lot subdivision at 100 Calhoun Drive, reviewed the Melrose Fire District's site plan for a new firehouse on Route 40 (Chairman Alessandrini recused), and granted final approval for a modification to the Hoosac Valley Farmers Supply site plan. It also held pre-filing conferences on an Albany Police Department practice range, a nutritional tea shop, and an existing-lot discussion on a Riverbend Road parcel.
Town Board March 9, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting. The Board approved the February 9, 2022 minutes and Town Clerk bills of $255,725.20, and adopted the NYSLRS standard workday resolution. Discussion covered the Memorial Day Field of Honor program, the Town Historian's recovery of old Hoosac Valley Farmers Exchange records, and the town's use of ARPA funds.
Zoning Board of Appeals March 3, 2022
An in-person meeting with no public hearings. The Board discussed a proposed area variance to build a dwelling within 100 feet of the Hudson River at 317 River Bend Road, Pleasantdale, advising that the property appears partly in the FEMA floodway and that a hydraulic engineering analysis and escrow would be required before the application could move forward.
Planning Board March 2, 2022
A Zoom meeting. After a public hearing, the Board waived the Zoning Code's sign limits and approved two larger-than-normal signs for the Hoosac Valley Farmers Exchange at Madigan Road and Route 40. It held a pre-filing conference on Les Peters' proposed four-lot subdivision at 100 Calhoun Drive, discussed an existing-lot inquiry in the Powers Lane area, and agreed to move future meetings to 7 PM.
Town Board February 9, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting via Zoom. The Board approved the January 12, 2022 minutes and Town Clerk bills of $1,374,210.57, raised the Consolidated Water District #1 billing rate by $0.15 per 100 cubic feet to match a City of Troy increase, accepted both judges' 2021 audits, and authorized contracting the Speigletown pump station upgrade with Metropolitan Industries pending attorney review.
Zoning Board of Appeals February 3, 2022
A Zoom meeting with no public hearings. The Board took up an inquiry about subdividing a property on Calhoun Drive and continued its discussion of a proposal to build a residence in the FEMA floodway near the Hudson River, concluding that a hydraulic analysis, area-variance application, and engineering escrow would be required before it could proceed.
Planning Board February 2, 2022
A Zoom meeting. The Board held a public hearing on Constable Tree Service's request for a Special Use Permit and site plan to run a tree-service business in an existing steel building at 939 Route 40 in Melrose, then granted approval with landscaping, screening, and vehicle-setback conditions. It reviewed a proposed two-sign permit for the Hoosac Valley Farmers Exchange at Madigan Road and Route 40 (heading toward a March public hearing and a sign waiver), and discussed two informal subdivision inquiries off Calhoun Drive.
Town Board January 12, 2022
Regular Town Board meeting via Zoom. The Board approved the December 8, 2021 and January 4, 2022 minutes, approved Town Clerk bills of $520,351.61, adopted a series of nine 2021 year-end budget transfers, and authorized transferring money to pay for previously approved Highway garage door repairs.
Zoning Board of Appeals January 6, 2022
A Zoom meeting with no public hearings. The Board discussed a resident's inquiry about building a home in the flood plain on River Bend Road (advised to consult an engineer familiar with floodway development) and reviewed whether future meetings would be held virtually or in person under the amended Public Officers Law.
Planning Board January 5, 2022
A Zoom meeting. The Board granted final approval for the Fane Turner Road 6-lot subdivision near NYS Route 40 and extended the Forefront Solar special use permit and site plan for a 2-megawatt solar farm on Verbeck Avenue to February 3, 2023. It also held a pre-filing conference on Constable Tree Service's proposed tree-service business at 939 Route 40 in Melrose.
Town Board January 4, 2022
Annual Organizational Meeting of the Town Board, held via Zoom. The Board set its 2022 organizational information (meeting schedule, depository, official newspaper, and salaries for elected and appointed positions), reviewed town policies with no changes, set water/sewer buy-in fees and the holiday schedule, renewed 2022 contracts, appointed Cliff Reynolds to the Board of Assessment Review, and extended the solid-waste service agreement with ERCSWMA.