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. Some private individuals’ personal details have been left out. The official signed PDF is the complete record of authority.
A note on the link above: the town’s record of this meeting is a Word document from the Town Clerk’s office, and it is no longer available on the town’s website. The “Official PDF” link is a copy we host, converted to PDF for reading; the content is the town’s, unaltered, and we keep the original Word file alongside it. For a certified copy, ask the Town Clerk.
Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — April 5, 2023, at the Town Hall, 290 Northline Drive, Melrose.
Public hearings
None.
Regular meeting (7:00 PM)
Members present: Frank Alessandrini (Chairman), Dan Clow, Brian Davidson, Elizabeth Hale, Chris Reynolds, and Bob Weir. Kristin Pratt, Deputy Town Attorney, was present. The Board approved the March 1, 2023 minutes (Clow moved, Reynolds seconded; Weir abstained).
Applications
- Les Peters subdivision — pre-filing conference (Tax Map #50.-1-24.1). Surveyor Brian Holbritter, for applicant Les Peters, proposed a four-lot subdivision of a 12.22-acre parcel at 100 Calhoun Drive (RA district) to market lots for single-family homes. Density is met, soil tests were done in 2022, public water is available, and Steve Dean is designing the septic; SEQRA review may come next month before a public hearing.
- Weir Estate subdivision (Tax Map #20.-1-4.217). A landowner asked the Board to amend the 2008 “Weir Estate” subdivision on Knickerbocker Road — which conserved about 32 acres as open space — to strike the “Proposed Conservation Area” language from the map. Having bought the 48.72-acre residual parcel in 2012 and now farming it, the landowner cited right-to-farm protections under the Agriculture and Markets Law. The Chairman explained the note reflects the town’s subdivision regulations and cannot simply be removed, and the Board tabled the matter for further research (Clow · Davidson · all).
- Verbeck community solar farm expansion — site-plan amendment (Tax Map #22.-1-1.121). Patrick Mulkern, of Colliers Engineering and Design, proposed minor changes on Verbeck Avenue — relocating fencing so the utility meter sits outside it (per National Grid), substituting landscaping species, adding a 12-inch HDPE pipe, and widening the gravel access road from 14 to 20 feet (approved by the Building Inspector and the Hoosic Valley Fire Chief). The Board granted the site-plan amendment (Davidson · Clow · all).
- Timber harvest — pre-filing conference. A forester proposed a 35–40-acre timber harvest from a 74-acre parcel at 181 Stillwater Bridge Road to benefit wildlife, planned for the fall. The Chairman explained a special use permit is required and outlined the filing deadline.
- Dog kennel — pre-filing conference. An applicant proposed a dog-boarding kennel on Master Street (RA district). The Chairman noted that, despite the 11-acre size, the parcel’s shape may make it hard to meet the Zoning Code’s 500-foot setback for a kennel, and he would send the requirements to the applicant.
The Chairman noted that Scott Wiley is no longer a board member, having moved out of town, and that Wayne Akin has accepted a position on the Town Board, leaving the Board one member short. The Board adjourned at 8:35 p.m. (Hale · Davidson · all).
Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Clerk.
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