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.
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Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — August 2, 2023, at the Town Hall, 290 Northline Drive, Melrose.
Public hearings
- Accessory apartment (Tax Map #42.-1-9.11), 7:00 PM. A homeowner proposed a 30′×20′ accessory apartment with a basement at a residence in an RA district, connected by a breezeway behind the existing garage. The ZBA had granted the required side-yard variances on July 6. A neighbor submitted a letter of support. Closed 7:03 p.m.
- Bonnier Plaza gift shop — Special Use Permit (Tax Map #41.-1-24.2). Deborah Yando proposed a retail gift shop in an existing ~538-square-foot space at Bonnier Plaza, 1140 NYS Route 40 (RA district), between Bonnier’s Auto Repair Shop and a hair salon. Closed 7:05 p.m.
Regular meeting (7:05 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 July 5, 2023 minutes (Reynolds moved, Clow seconded; Weir abstained).
Applications
- Accessory apartment (Tax Map #42.-1-9.11). With the ZBA having granted the side-yard variances (11.03′ for the existing garage and 10.71′ for the apartment) on July 6, the Board issued a SEQRA negative declaration (Davidson · Hale · all) and granted approval of the accessory apartment (Reynolds · Weir · all).
- Bonnier Plaza gift shop (Tax Map #41.-1-24.2). Deborah Yando submitted the application, short-form EAF, the owner authorization (from property owner Ernest Bonnier Jr.), and a map showing an ADA-compliant handicap access point, parking, ramp, and sidewalk, and was advised to confirm the handicap-code requirements with Building Inspector Scott Frisino. The Board issued a SEQRA negative declaration (Davidson · Clow · all) and granted the special use permit and site-plan review for the retail business at 1140 NYS Route 40 (Reynolds · Davidson · all).
- Verbeck solar — site-plan revision (Tax Map #22.-1-1.121). Evan Comilloni, P.E., of Colliers Engineering and Design, requested minor revisions to the approved solar facility at 95 Verbeck Avenue — shortening the access road from 900 to 400 feet and shifting it, adjusting the turnaround and fenced area, and rerouting a stormwater pipe — chiefly to reduce soil decompaction. He confirmed there are no plans for on-site batteries or battery storage. The Board granted the site-plan amendment (Clow · Weir · all).
- ASD Schaghticoke solar — Sites I (Fairgrounds), II (landfill), III (town garage). Paul Lubera of Lansing Engineering and Paul Kruger of Active Solar Development updated the Board on the projects along Old Schaghticoke Road (Route 67) and Stillwater Bridge Road. The Solar I (Fairgrounds) application is delayed by a title issue — a right of reverter on an adjoining landlocked parcel whose ownership is unresolved — so its ZBA hearing was postponed. Solar II (landfill) and Solar III (highway garage), both in an HC district, will each need use and area (0′-setback) variances. The Board voted to assume lead-agency status for Solar III and circulate the coordination letters (Reynolds · Hale · all); Solar II is a Type II action exempt from SEQR.
Public comment
A resident who lives near the proposed Solar I (Fairgrounds) site raised concerns about the 0′ setback and the visibility of solar panels. The Chairman explained that the ZBA hearing had been postponed over the title issue and that the proposed 0′ setback runs along the National Grid boundary and would not encroach on neighboring property; the resident will be notified when a hearing is scheduled.
The Board adjourned at 8:10 p.m. (Davidson · Clow · all).
Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Clerk.
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