Unofficial summary. This is a community summary of the town's official minutes, provided so the record is searchable and readable. It condenses the meeting and may omit detail. The official signed PDF is the complete record of authority.
Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — February 5, 2020.
Regular meeting
Convened 7:30 PM.
Stillwater Renewables — Viall Solar Farm (Tax Map #22-1-7.1)
No one appeared for the applicant. The chairman said the engineering report was not complete for the proposed solar farm owned by Clifford and Gary Viall on Stillwater Bridge Road (RA district), and that although written comment was held open after the January 2020 hearing, none had been received. The proposal is expected on the March agenda.
- Public hearing closed (Wiley · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none).
Herrington Solar Farms (Tax Map #41.-1-96)
No one appeared for the applicant. For the proposed 120-acre community solar farm at 33 Bracken Road (RA district), several residents submitted written comments after the January hearing, which were circulated to the Board. The applicant requested the application be tabled until the March meeting.
- Public hearing closed (Wiley · Davidson — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none).
Minutes
Members present: Chairman Frank Alessandrini, Wayne Akin, Dan Clow, Brian Davidson, Elizabeth Hale, and Scott Wiley. Robert Weir was absent.
- January 8, 2020 minutes approved as submitted (Davidson · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none; Abstention: Akin).
Kardas Farm Special Use Permit (Tax Map #3.-1-1.1)
Applicants Victoria and Randall Space proposed using a portion of the Kardas family’s 300-acre farm at 300 Kardas Road as a venue for weddings and corporate events. Property owner Ronald Kardas (Victoria’s uncle) was present and explained the venue area is in the Town of Schaghticoke (though a section overlooks Washington County), that the family has owned and farmed the land since 1921 and closed its dairy business in 1991, and that the proposal aims to keep the land in the family. Victoria Space said caterers would supply food and a tent would be placed outside for events; the barn might be renovated later if the business does well, and impacts to farming would be minimal since most of the land is rented to farmers. A currently unoccupied farmhouse (with two septic systems) might later serve as a wedding-party preparation site. Chairman Alessandrini noted that if the farmhouse is rented as sleeping quarters, the Building Inspector must ensure fire-code and accessibility compliance; Attorney Kristin Pratt cited the Town’s “mass gathering law” (Town Code Chapter 86) requiring a permit for gatherings of 250 or more. An application, map, and Google Earth visuals were submitted and a short-form EAF provided. To schedule a public hearing and appear on next month’s agenda, the applicants must submit a site plan (with parking and sanitary facilities) and the short-form EAF by the 15th.
Scheeren Deer Park Subdivision
Walter Scheeren Jr. requested removal of a note from the Deer Park Subdivision survey map (map no. 2019-015, off Verbeck Avenue). The note (“to be annexed to lands N/F Jacqueline Czub”) refers to an approximately 54-foot-wide paper street, originally part of Wayne Sheldon’s property, with no formal agreement with Jacqueline Czub. Mr. Scheeren said his father, Walter Scheeren Sr. (in his nineties), has refused to sign necessary legal papers until the note is removed.
- Requested revision to the subdivision plat approved (Akin · Hale — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none).
Rohloff Proposed Zoning Change (Tax Map #41.-1-62 and 41.-1-62.2)
Brian Rohloff requested rezoning two parcels on NYS Route 40, northwest of Campbell Road, from Residential Agricultural to Highway Commercial (originally requested in 2017, when the Board supported it via a November 6, 2017 letter to the Town Board, but no action followed). Correspondence dated January 14, 2020 from Town Attorney David Brennan requested a Planning Board report on the proposed zone change. The Board reviewed and supported the request; Chairman Alessandrini agreed to draft a letter supporting the change from RA to Highway Commercial.
Adjourned 8:03 PM (Akin · Hale — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Wiley; Nays: none). Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Planning Board Clerk (dated April 12, 2020).
Spot an error or omission? Tell us and we'll fix it.