Town Board

Office of the Town Board, Town of Schaghticoke — June 10, 2020, via Zoom at 6:30 PM. Present were Supervisor Salisbury and Councilmen Akin, Fogarty, Rustin, and Westhead.

Public hearing — proposed Local Law #3 (rezoning, Tax Map 71.-2-4.13)

Supervisor Salisbury opened the public hearing on proposed Local Law #3 amending the zoning map for lands located at NY Route 40 (east) and Fogarty Road. The Supervisor noted that 26 letters signed by 37 residents had been received raising concerns about the rezoning, and turned the meeting over to Town Attorney Dave Brennan to let residents speak one at a time on Zoom.

Resident concerns included the type of building, traffic, water, and property values. The applicant’s attorney spoke about the type of business — housing trucks for work done off site, with three employees. Councilman Fogarty asked whether there would be adequate space for a green buffer; Surveyor Holbritter said there would be between 80 and 100 feet of vegetation along the side where houses on the back street are. Some residents had no concerns.

The written objections submitted for the record (attached to the minutes) generally opposed rezoning the parcel from residential to commercial for a concrete-footing and construction-truck-repair business proposed by the applicant, Vincent Ragone of Ragone Foundations, Inc. Recurring themes were: traffic and line-of-sight/safety hazards at the Route 40 bend near Fogarty Road and the proposed driveway; risk of well-water and groundwater contamination (many neighboring homes are on wells); dust, diesel fumes, noise, and light pollution; loss of property value; the absence of traffic and environmental studies; and the contention that the change would amount to “spot zoning” inconsistent with the Hamlet District. Objectors also noted the Zoning Board of Appeals had previously denied the applicant’s related use-variance request at its February 6, 2020 meeting. (The names and home addresses of the private residents who signed these letters are withheld here; they appear in the official record.)

• Leave the public hearing open until June 19 for additional written comments, with a written response back by June 29 (Akin · Rustin — Ayes: all; Nays: none).

Business

• Minutes of the May 13, 2020 meeting approved (Westhead · Fogarty — Ayes: all; Nays: none).
• Bills from the Town Clerk approved from the Scheduled Payment Report dated June 10, 2020, total $213,493.47 (Rustin · Fogarty — Ayes: all; Nays: none).
• Addition to the agenda — pay Laberge Engineering & Consulting Group $4,567.57 and $258.25 for fees for the Viall Solar Farm when the escrow is replenished (Fogarty — Ayes: all; Nays: none).

Reports and new business

• Highway Superintendent Shawn Hayes gave his highway and water/sewer report.
• Town Historian Chris Kelly reported on her research into people who lived in Melrose in the 1920s, including a longtime local justice and grange leader.
• Under new business, there was no vote on proposed Local Law #3. Supervisor Salisbury reported that a trip through the Town showed all the street lights have been changed to LED.

There being no further public comment, the meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM (Akin · Fogarty — Ayes: all; Nays: none). Submitted by Jennifer Molesky, Town Clerk.