Planning Board

Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — May 5, 2021. The Board met via Zoom videoconference. Deputy Town Attorney Kristin Pratt provided Zoom guidance, noted the meeting was recorded (to be posted and later transcribed) and minutes were taken, and encouraged verbal public comment.

Public hearings

Munger Special Use Permit (Tax Map #20.18-2-9)

Opened at 7:34 PM. Because the public notices of hearing had not been mailed, the hearing would be held open until the May meeting to allow public comment. Chairman Alessandrini read the Notice of Hearing. Applicant Michael Munger proposed converting a steel garage into a studio accessory apartment for himself (1 bedroom, 1 bath, office, kitchen) and building a garage at the easterly end, on a 0.25-acre parcel at 113 South Linden St., Hemstreet Park (Hamlet District); the existing residence is occupied by his parents. No public attendees or comment. Held open until the next meeting.

Valade Subdivision and Lot Line Adjustment (Tax Map #21.-2-3.11)

Land surveyor Brian Holbritter represented applicant Lesa Valade, owner of a 263-acre parcel in an RA district on both sides of NYS Route 67. Ms. Valade plans to convey a 168.9-acre parcel on the south side to Allen Waite (Paula’s Broad Meadow LLC), leaving a proposed adjacent 78.64-acre lot around the existing mine, and applies for a lot-line adjustment on the northerly side of Route 67 reducing 15.59 acres to a 1.29-acre lot. No public attendees or comment.

Regular meeting

Members present: Chairman Frank Alessandrini, Wayne Akin, Dan Clow, Brian Davidson, Elizabeth Hale, Scott Wiley, and Robert Weir. Deputy Town Attorney Kristin Pratt was present, along with one member of the public via Zoom.

• April 7, 2021 minutes approved as submitted (Davidson · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Weir, Wiley; Nays: none).

Munger Special Use Permit (Tax Map #20.18-2-9)

Applicant Michael Munger presented the garage-conversion proposal at 113 South Linden St., Hemstreet Park (Hamlet District). Chairman Alessandrini noted the Board had overlooked that the Zoning Code does not list an accessory apartment as a permitted use in a Hamlet District, though two-family houses are allowed, and that the small lot size (similar to others in Hemstreet Park with two-family structures) could be interpreted to incorporate the proposal. He suggested a consultation with Building Inspector Scott Frisino before the Board discusses a course of action. Further discussion is planned for next month.

Valade Subdivision and Lot Line Adjustment (Tax Map #21.-2-3.11)

Brian Holbritter presented the application. There will be no changes to the existing mine on the southerly side of Route 67; the 1.29-acre lot has an existing older dwelling with private well and septic. Agricultural data statements were completed and Rensselaer County review is not required.

• Negative declaration under SEQRA (Akin · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Weir, Wiley; Nays: none).
• Preliminary and final approval for the Valade subdivision and lot-line adjustment (Davidson · Hale — Ayes: all seven; Nays: none).

Rohloff Car Wash Pre-filing Conference (Tax Map #32.-3-29)

Land surveyor Brian Holbritter presented a proposal for a car wash near the intersection of NYS Route 40 and East Schaghticoke Road: 4 bays (3 self-wash, 1 automatic), an office for up to 2 employees, and a restroom, with recycled water in the automatic bay and on-site well and septic (no public water/sewer). Access would be from the existing Route 40 driveway, upgraded to town road standards, with traffic exiting onto East Schaghticoke Road; hours are undetermined. The car wash would sit on a 1.74-acre subdivision, with residual acreage retained by Finish Line Stables. Mr. Holbritter added that his client, Mr. Rohloff, is considering selling 24′×30′ metal buildings on the corner lot, anchored with screw jacks on a gravel base.

Morizio Duplex Special Use Permit Pre-filing Conference (Tax Map #20-1-3.211)

Land surveyor Brian Holbritter represented Martin Morizio, who purchased a 1.48-acre lot at 700 Knickerbocker Road with an existing two-family home. Mr. Morizio would like to construct a two-family duplex (each unit 2 bedrooms, front access to one and rear access to the other, appearing as a one-family residence). There is an existing well and adequate parking.

Warren Fane Turner Road Lot B Subdivision (Tax Map 61.-1-14.12)

Land surveyor Mark Danskin represented Warren Fane regarding a 56-acre parcel at the corner of Turner Road and NYS Route 40. The proposal subdivides 12 acres from the parcel (leaving 44 acres); National Grid power lines run through the property south of a small old cemetery. The proposed 12-acre lot is a flag lot with an 1,100-ft, 20-ft-wide driveway. Discussion covered driveway width, fire-code requirements, and the need for a 600-ft pull-off. A public hearing may be scheduled for June if all submissions are received.

Other business

• Mr. Godfrey is appealing to the Town Board to rezone two contiguous lots (one ¼-acre, one nearly ½-acre) in an R district on NYS Route 40 north of the old Melrose railroad bridge, from Residential to Highway Commercial, to conduct a renovation business (including meeting clients) out of the existing concrete-block building. The Town Board requested the Planning Board’s opinion; the Board had no adverse comments on the R-to-HC rezoning. Attorney Pratt will draft an opinion for the Chairman’s review before it is forwarded to the Town Board.

Herrington Solar Farms (Tax Map #41.-1-96)

Deputy Town Attorney Kristin Pratt recused herself, as Eden Renewables is a client of Young Sommer, LLC. The community solar farm on 34 acres of a 126-acre parcel in an RA district at 33 Bracken Road (7.5-MW DC array) was approved July 1, 2020. Travis Mitchell represented Herrington Solar Farms, requesting a 12-month site-plan extension and a 6-month special-use-permit extension (to July 1, 2022). Correspondence on screening was received from neighbors; Code Enforcement Officer Brian Davidson agreed to review the residents’ comments and forward them to the Board.

• Extension granted for both the site plan and special use permit to July 1, 2022 (Wiley · Clow — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Weir, Wiley; Nays: none).

Adjourned at 8:52 PM (Davidson · Akin — Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Weir, Wiley; Nays: none). Submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Planning Board Clerk (dated June 5, 2021).