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 — June 3, 2026.
Public hearing
There were none.
Regular meeting — 7:02 PM
Members present: Frank Alessandrini (Chairman), Elizabeth Hale, Dan Clow, Vince Ragone, Chris Reynolds, and Peter Klotz. Kasey Casas has resigned from the Board; the Board welcomed Tom Martin as a new member. Dave Brennan, Town Attorney, was present.
Approval of prior minutes
The minutes of the May 6, 2026 meeting were approved with a correction to a business’s location as recorded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Ragone, Reynolds · Nays: None · Abstention: Martin.
ProLine Equipment Storage — pre-filing conference (Tax Map #32.-3-47)
Deanna Rohloff, applicant, appeared to request a Special Use Permit for an existing business, ProLine Equipment Storage, in a Highway Commercial (HC) district at 1506 NY State Route 40. A crusher-run pad is to be created at the southerly property line to store the equipment, vehicles, and storage units currently on the property; there would be no office, building, or water. Access would be off East Schaghticoke Road, shared with the proposed Dollar General. An application, short-form EAF, and rudimentary map were submitted. Attorney Brennan will submit the 239-m review to Rensselaer County. A public hearing may be held at the July 1, 2026 meeting.
Recusals
Frank Alessandrini and Vince Ragone recused themselves, each intending to bid on both the Melrose Firehouse and Dollar General projects. Tom Martin assumed the position of Alternate Chairman.
Melrose Firehouse — site plan review (784 Route 40)
Courtney Davis, civil engineer with LaBella Engineering, appeared, with Michael Ouimet, Secretary/Treasurer of the Melrose Fire District. The updated site plan for a firehouse in a Hamlet District at 784 NYS Route 40 in Melrose is unchanged since last month’s presentation. NYS DOT determined that changes to the culvert are the fire district’s responsibility; the required wetlands permits are being addressed; and Rensselaer County Health Department approval was granted. Construction of the firehouse was delayed, necessitating the current site-plan application. The $100 fee was submitted.
Chris Reynolds made a motion to grant site-plan approval for the Melrose Firehouse; Peter Klotz seconded. Ayes: Martin, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Reynolds · Nays: None.
Dollar General — Special Use Permit (Tax Map #32.-3-29)
Andrew Masullo, Sr. Engineer with Lansing Engineering, updated the Board on a proposed 10,600-square-foot Dollar General store on a 1.95± acre lot, part of an 8.17± acre parcel to be subdivided into three lots: Lot #1 at the corner of East Schaghticoke Road and NYS Route 40 (2.41± acres), Lot #2 (1.95± acres, the site of the proposed store), and Lot #3 (3.81± acres).
New renderings showed a changed building façade with added windows, awnings, and a gable. Lighting is planned along the driveway and entrance (to be turned off “at a certain hour”), with screening along the driveway. Store hours would be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with delivery trips minimized. The technical engineering design review for Lot #2 is complete. NYS DOT replied with suggestions for “dark sky” lighting to maintain rural character, additional landscaping, and a bicycle rack, and noted the project should be closely monitored. The Board suggested the applicant consider additional screening for the three-lot subdivision.
Dan Clow made a motion to hold a public hearing on July 1, 2026; Chris Reynolds seconded. Ayes: Martin, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Ragone, Reynolds · Nays: None.
Other business
Timber harvest. The Chairman received a call about a proposed timber harvest of roughly 100 trees from about 15 acres at Liberty Ridge Farm, on the northerly side of Stillwater Bridge Road (affecting about 20.77± acres). Because the yield is below the threshold that requires a permit, the Board determined that a permit application and public hearing were not required.
Solar-farm decommissioning bonds. Attorney Brennan advised that solar-farm decommissioning bonds be reviewed periodically to ensure the bond funds remain sufficient given inflation (calculated at ~2%). The bonds exist to clean up and restore farmland should a solar facility be abandoned.
Code enforcement. Attorney Brennan reported that a code-enforcement matter concerning a travel trailer on a property has been resolved — the trailer, the cause of the non-compliance, was removed, bringing the property into compliance.
Adjournment
Chris Reynolds made a motion to adjourn at 7:56 p.m.; Vince Ragone seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Clow, Hale, Klotz, Martin, Ragone, Reynolds · Nays: None.
Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Clerk, Planning Board. Minutes dated July 5, 2026.
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