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Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — January 3, 2018.
No public hearings were held.
Regular meeting
Members present: Chairman Frank Alessandrini, Wayne Akin, Dan Clow, Brian Davidson, Elizabeth Hale, Jack Walsh, and Robert Weir. Deputy Town Attorney Kristin Pratt was present.
- December 6, 2017 minutes approved as submitted (Clow · Davidson — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Walsh; Nays: none; Abstention: Weir).
Adventure Bound Campground Expansion — Special Use Permit and Site Plan (Tax Map #20.-1-4.12)
Zack Longo, EIT, of Weston and Sampson gave an update on the proposed expansion of “Deer Run,” a 226-acre campground off NYS Route 67, adding 200-250 RV campsites (about 10 per acre) to the existing 350. The campground operates May through October. Mr. Longo submitted site, utility, and water-system plans, the application, and Part I of the long-form EAF with boundary maps. Angle-parking lots would be 45’ × 65’; roads and sites would remain gravel, with RV pads left as grass or soil.
Discussion covered the SWPPP: because more than one acre would be disturbed, Chairman Alessandrini and Attorney Pratt concluded an independent engineering review was prudent, and Ms. Pratt agreed to research the Town Law requirement before drafting the escrow agreement. Board member/Code Enforcement Officer Brian Davidson questioned whether independent review was required absent an engineered structure. Dan Clow raised concerns about historical standing water (Mr. Longo cited 1-2 minute perc tests), traffic/arrival assumptions, the lack of an evacuation plan, and fire protection — noting the Hemstreet Park Fire Chief was unfamiliar with the plans and that he would provide the department copies. Elizabeth Hale asked about an emergency evacuation plan. Water would be supplied by the Hemstreet Park Water District from an existing vault near the golf course; the Board asked that the water department confirm supply sufficiency. Attorney Pratt will send lead-agency notification letters to interested parties (NYS DOH, DEC, Agriculture and Markets, SHPO, RCHD, the Hemstreet Park Water District, and the City of Mechanicville). A $200 check was submitted.
Verbeck Community Solar Farm (Tax Map #22-1-1.121)
The lead-agency letter was circulated; DEC did not object to the Planning Board serving as lead agency provided the landowner withdrew a pending mine-expansion application covering the solar-farm site, so no SEQR determination could issue until lead-agency status was confirmed. Chairman Alessandrini and Dan Farnan (senior engineer, Maser Consulting, for the applicant) discussed the 62-day decision window; Mr. Farnan agreed to an extension if the mining application delayed review. Drawing revisions would reflect an 8½’ fence height (Zoning Code requirement for a solar enclosure) rather than the mapped 7’. Dan Clow suggested black fabric fencing as aesthetically preferable to silver.
Franklin Woods Subdivision Phase II (Tax Map #60.-1-13.111)
Chairman Alessandrini received the application for Phase II of the four-lot subdivision on Turner Road (RA district). Surveyor Brian Holbritter is still working with RCHD; the project is not yet ready for presentation.
Other
Attorney Pratt is researching whether a subdivision public hearing may be held sequentially but separately at the same meeting as the SEQR negative declaration for the Verbeck Solar Farm without jeopardizing the Board’s decision. A fourth meeting to review the Zoning Code with the ZBA and public was scheduled for January 18, 2018.
Adjourned at 8:53 PM (Davidson · Akin — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Walsh; Nays: none). Submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Planning Board Clerk.
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