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Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — July 7, 2021.
Public hearing
Called at 7:30 PM. There were none.
Regular meeting
Members present: Wayne Akin, Dan Clow, Brian Davidson, Elizabeth Hale, Robert Weir, and Scott Wiley. Frank Alessandrini was absent. Deputy Town Attorney Kristin Pratt was present. Brian Davidson acted as Chairman in Mr. Alessandrini’s absence.
- June 2, 2021 minutes approved as submitted (Wiley · Akin — Ayes: Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Weir, Wiley; Nays: none).
Brock Gravel Mine Pre-filing Conference
PJ Hognestand represented the applicants, the Brocks, proposing a gravel mine on 7–10± acres on the Brock Farm at the end of Doty Hill Road. The hill to the east would be leveled to access the mine and gravel, and the mine would be shielded from public view. Access is planned from East Schaghticoke Road (off NYS Route 40) and Doty Hill Road, with perhaps a maximum of 20 trips per day, a 5-year life (with a possible additional permitted 5-year extension), and hours 7 AM–4 PM Monday–Friday. Mr. Hognestand consulted the Highway Supervisor and Ms. Psalm of DEC, neither expressing concerns about ingress/egress. Tractor trailers carrying livestock, milk, and feed already service the existing agricultural operation daily; after the mine’s life and reclamation, the property owner plans to grow crops on the leveled land. There would be no onsite processing or blasting and no substantial noise.
Attorney Pratt explained the application sequence and the lead-agency role, noting the Planning Board operates within a limited framework on mines: DEC acts as lead agency and handles the SEQRA process (which must be completed before the Planning Board may decide), and the Mined Land Reclamation Law is a state law leaving local governments limited ability to impose conditions on mine operations.
Mr. Hognestand, as the new owner of the business Troy Topsoil, raised concerns about engineering costs and asked whether the Board might be inclined to approve the proposal, and expressed concern about the public-hearing process and the impact of neighbors’ negative opinions, favoring fewer notifications to reduce opposition. Attorney Pratt suggested he is welcome to reach out to area neighbors before proceeding. Acting Chairman Davidson sought Board input: Wayne Akin, Robert Weir, and Brian Davidson expressed no concerns; Scott Wiley and Dan Clow wished to see the full application and hear public comment before opining on the concept; and Elizabeth Hale raised traffic-safety concerns, particularly the steep, narrow, hilly dirt access road and a house with little setback located at the bottom of Doty Hill Road.
Adjourned at 8:20 PM (Clow · Wiley — Ayes: Akin, Clow, Davidson, Hale, Weir, Wiley; Nays: none). Submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Planning Board Clerk (dated August 10, 2021).
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