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 — May 3, 2023, at the Town Hall, 290 Northline Drive, Melrose.
Public hearing — Troy Rod and Gun Club timber harvest (7:00 PM)
Brad Van Aken, a forester with Greene Lumber Company, presented a plan to select-harvest 40 of the 73 acres at 181 Stillwater Bridge Road to improve the property for wildlife, beginning in late summer or early fall. A neighboring resident asked about the buffer to his property; Mr. Van Aken explained there would be roughly a 200-foot buffer. The Chairman noted two written comments about wildlife and traffic; the Board found traffic impacts minimal for the roughly two-month harvest. The hearing closed at 7:05 p.m.
Regular meeting (7:05 PM)
Members present: Frank Alessandrini (Chairman), Dan Clow, Brian Davidson, Chris Reynolds, and Bob Weir. Absent: Elizabeth Hale. Kristin Pratt, Deputy Town Attorney, and Emily Calhoun, Deputy Town Clerk, were present. The Board approved the April 5, 2023 minutes (Clow · Weir · all).
Applications
- Les Peters subdivision (Tax Map #50.-1-24.1). Surveyor Brian Holbritter presented the four-lot subdivision. The Board completed Part 2 of the Full EAF, found the impacts minimal, and issued a negative declaration of significance (Clow · Reynolds · all). The SWPPP was submitted with a $270 fee, and a public hearing was set for June 7.
- Weir subdivision (Tax Map #20.-1-4.217). No one appeared to discuss options for amending the existing subdivision map.
- Troy Rod and Gun Club timber harvest (Tax Map #21.-1-20). Brad Van Aken, of Greene Lumber Company, presented the select harvest of 40 of 73 acres at 181 Stillwater Bridge Road, estimating 17–20 truckloads over about two months (roughly one load every one to three days), with operating hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (or 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in nicer weather) and no seven-day weeks. The Board issued a SEQRA negative declaration (Weir · Davidson · all) and granted the timber-harvest special use permit (Clow · Weir · all).
- Accessory apartment — pre-filing conference (Tax Map #42.-1-9.112). Steve Dean, P.E., presented a preliminary proposal for a detached one-bedroom accessory apartment for a family member at a residence in the town. The Board discussed the Zoning Law’s intent on attached versus detached accessory apartments, taking the position that a detached accessory apartment should be in an existing detached structure, and was supportive of locating it in the existing garage with a breezeway.
Other
- Town Board rezoning referral (Tax Map #71.09-1-11). Following its earlier recommendation, the Board will send the Town Board a letter supporting the larger, more comprehensive Residential-to-Hamlet rezoning near Hilltop Bowl rather than a single parcel.
- Zoning penalty referral. The Board supported a Town Board proposal to reduce penalties for zoning violations so that the right to a public defender is not triggered; Deputy Attorney Kristin Pratt will draft a letter of support.
- Solar on the closed landfill. The Chairman noted a preliminary proposal by Active Solar to place a commercial solar facility on the closed town landfill, which would likely require a use variance from the ZBA since the landfill is not zoned RA. The Town Board is considering amending the Solar Law to permit solar on reclaimed mines and landfills, and the Chairman supported allowing it in such underutilized areas.
- Hometown Heroes banners. The Chairman reported that the Melrose Fire Department, through Assistant Chief Dominic Pasinella Jr., is committed to maintaining the Hometown Heroes banners around town.
The Board adjourned at 7:53 p.m. (Clow · Davidson · all).
Respectfully submitted by Emily D. Calhoun, Deputy Town Clerk.
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