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.
Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — April 2, 2025.
Public hearing — Dumas one-lot subdivision (Tax Map #50.-1-2.1), 7:01 PM
Steven Dumas proposed subdividing a rectangular 3.05± acre lot with 350 feet of road frontage from a 106± acre parcel in an RA district at 2499 River Road, intended for his son. There was no public comment; the hearing closed at 7:03 p.m.
Regular meeting — 7:03 PM
Members present: Frank Alessandrini, Kasey Casas, Dan Clow, Elizabeth Hale, Peter Klotz, and Chris Reynolds. Absent: Vince Ragone. Dave Brennan, Attorney, was present.
Approval of prior minutes
The March 3, 2025 minutes were approved. Motion: Casas · Second: Reynolds · Ayes: Alessandrini, Casas, Hale, Klotz, Reynolds · Nays: None · Abstention: Clow.
Genesis Vault — site-plan review (Tax Map #41.-1-61)
David Baker, applicant, submitted the site plan for his burial-vault business in a Highway Commercial district at 943 NYS Route 40. The Board found the hand-drawn plan lacking in detail and scale, and the Chairman circulated an updated version — a survey of the lot with Mr. Baker’s sketch — showing a dedicated employee parking area to the north, adequate truck parking at the rear (west), a specific area for the vaults, and, in front by the road, trees to screen the employee parking and improve the lot’s appearance. Mr. Baker said he would plant a row of flowering pear trees (more resistant to road salt) rather than the arborvitae he had first sketched, and would build a berm with better soil. At the Chairman’s direction he will add a paved handicapped space to the right of the entrance; there is a 5–6-foot skirt with no curb in front, and no façade shrubbery is planned (to avoid maintenance). Trucks cannot park in the designated area until the water lines are installed.
Kasey Casas moved to grant approval of the site plan; Dan Clow seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Casas, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Reynolds · Nays: None.
Dumas one-lot subdivision — final approval (Tax Map #50.-1-2.1)
The completed Agricultural Data Statement was submitted; the Board approved the SEQRA form at the March meeting, and Rensselaer County Health Department advised that septic-system approval will follow subdivision approval. Dan Clow moved to grant final subdivision approval; Kasey Casas seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Casas, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Reynolds · Nays: None.
Acker one-lot subdivision — final approval (Tax Map #57.-2-10.316)
Brian Holbritter, land surveyor, presented a 3.5± acre subdivision from a 20.06± acre parcel with 230 feet of road frontage in an R district at 95 Skyline Drive, owned by James Acker Jr.; Mr. Acker’s daughter would like to build a residence on the new lot, reached by a 30-foot driveway, leaving 16.56± residual acres of vacant land to the east. Rensselaer County Health Department approval was granted, and preliminary approval was given at the February meeting. Chris Reynolds moved to grant final approval; Kasey Casas seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Casas, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Reynolds · Nays: None.
Blossom Beauty Spa — pre-filing conference (Tax Map #20.13-1-3.2)
Laura Brennan proposed a spa in a Hamlet District at 5 Holland Avenue, Hemstreet Park. The Chairman explained that, with an application, fee, short-form EAF, and owner authorization submitted by the 15th of the month, a public hearing could be scheduled the following month.
ASD Solar II & III — landfill and highway garage (Tax Map #21.-2-4.2)
Chairman Alessandrini reported visiting the site to review the revised screening and tree-removal plan for the ActiveSolar projects at the landfill and highway garage sites along the NYS Route 67 corridor. Tree removal at Solar III was reduced to roughly seven trees — mainly large mature cherry and oak, perhaps a pine — with none removed outside the property lines, plus a small clump by the shed on the landfill site. ActiveSolar proposed BEKAERT “rural fencing” (fixed-knot, 600-lb roll weight) for the perimeter, which it considers better suited to the rural setting than chain-link. The Board also weighed the Hemstreet Park Fire Department’s recommendation for additional access gates.
The Board agreed to three revisions: (1) the BEKAERT fence is adequate and approved; (2) additional perimeter gates are not warranted; and (3) there should be no further tree removal for the life of the project without consulting the Planning Board. Dan Clow moved to approve the site-plan revision with those conditions; Elizabeth Hale seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Casas, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Reynolds · Nays: None.
(This project is covered in our news feature: Route 40 & 67: a Dollar General and a solar farm.)
Adjournment
Chris Reynolds moved to adjourn at 8:05 p.m.; Kasey Casas seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Casas, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Reynolds · Nays: None.
Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Clerk, Planning Board.
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