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2002-02-04 SP SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 4TH, 2002 MTG#lO RES#95-96 7:00 P.M. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DENNIS BROWER COUNCILMAN ROGER BOOR COUNCILMAN THEODORE TURNER COUNCILMAN DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER WARREN COUNTY SUPERVISOR RONALD MONTESI PRESS POST STAR CWI - HANDICAPPED FOR REGENCY PARK - DEB ROWELL SUPERVISOR BROWER-Noted that CWI has a proposal for a handicapped residence noting it is different than most that they have done in the past. MS. ROWELL-Proposing to rent a townhouse at Regency Park Apartments for three men with disabilities to reside in providing twenty four hour, seven day a week staffing assistant for them. Part of the prior property approval requirements through Office of Mental Retardation and developmental disabilities is to go to municipalities to let you know our intention to operate a home. COUNCILMAN BREWER-Questioned if there was a requirement for them to come to the Town Board? MS. ROWELL-Noted it a mental hygiene law requirement that we notify the municipality. COUNCILMAN BREWER-Questioned if this is similar to the group homes that went into the various neighborhoods in the community? MS. ROWELL-It is a group home only in this case we're renting rather than purchasing property. SUPERVISOR BROWER-Technically we don't have to respond they send us notification it will become effective automatically. Noted he likes the proposal number one they are utilizing an existing townhouse in the Town and they're renting so the property remains on the tax rolls noting he doesn't see any negatives. COUNCILMAN BREWER-Questioned if this a trial or possibly more? MS. ROWELL-Noted as people come to them and ask for housing they try to develop it based on their interest. These particular individuals wanted something near or on a bus line where they can have employment opportunities go to the mall enjoy the things that the municipality has to offer. SUPERVISOR BROWER-It's a great idea. COUNCILMAN BOOR-Questioned if there would be any situation where the board would have to rule on something like this? MS. ROWELL-Understands the three options the Town has is to respond to the letter right away saying sure no problem here. To allow a forty-day time period to lapse with no responds and then we would just proceed. To call us together discuss any concerns or objections somebody might have to it. COUNCILMAN BOOR-Questioned if this would set precedent where if another unit were to have something else done similar to this you would have to come again? MS. ROWELL-Every time we open a new certified residence we would have to come again. SUPERVISOR BREWER-Questioned if the neighbors have been notified just as a courtesy? MS. ROWELL-Generally they do that as a courtesy when we rent. SUPERVISOR BROWER-Questioned if any board members have a problem with this? COUNCILMAN TURNER-No. SUPERVISOR BREWER-It's a great idea. Do we have to respond to the letter? SUPERVISOR BROWER-I'd be happy too. QUEENSBURY SENIOR'S LONG RANG PLAN KATHLEEN KATHE SENIOR COORDINATOR PRESENT SENIORS PRESENT - JOE DE MEO, LOIS CLEMENTS, ELEANOR OUDEKERK, JOHN DWYER, JOE FUSCO, MR. DWYER-Thank the board for giving them the opportunity to discuss the issues. They did run a survey project was started in December of last year. They did survey sixteen hundred plus people received a twenty-five percent return on that. The end result the seniors polled wanted to stay and grow on the current Community Center. The second most important thing they did authorize a facility study primarily of the Community Center with the Towns blessing to see what could be done. Robert Joy came back with a three and one use of the facility long term would not be a good idea. To expand the facility would cost considerable money and provide very little additional square footage. One of the reason they did the study was that the Queensbury Seniors had grown from 1995 they had about thirteen hundred members now we have over sixteen hundred members, twenty three committees, now there are fifty four. The number of events that we have sponsored has doubled the Executive Board has grown from five to sixteen had to set up committee people to handle the whole groups of functions. They are at the point were they should start focusing on what they should be doing as a senior group the basic approach is to be proactive. Noted for the next three years they have to operate in a tight fashion. The senior population age fifty-four up represents twenty five percent of the twenty five thousand plus people in the Town of Queensbury. Of that group sixteen point two percent are over sixty five if you go to forty-five to fifty five the amount of people in that potential group is another fifteen percent. We're looking at the fact that under the contract we are obligated to provide service to all senior citizens in Queensbury fifty-five years and older. Looking at the short term noted their concern not to recruit any more people recognizing how tight the schedule is at the moment and the kind of events they are providing noting they will have to manage the short term, but can't stop the long term can use all the help from the Town and are willing to contribute anyway possible. Mr. Dwyer thanked the board for listening to them noting the board knows where they are coming from and what their needs are if they need volunteers to work on a long range plan he would be willing to help. STREET LIGHT REQUEST - DONNA SAWN Mrs. Sawn spoke to the board regarding letter written to the board for the need for a streetlight near her house on Mannis Road. Noted there are two streets lights at the beginning of the road and they stop at the top of the hill. There are three telephone poles between that streetlight and their property making it extremely dark noting she is in the lighting district and has paid taxes on the streetlights for ten years without the benefit of one noting for safety reasons a light should be there. Presented map to the board members of where the streetlights and poles are in relationship to her property. After further discussion it was the decision of the board to have Councilman Turner contact Niagara Mohawk regarding placing a light they're noting it will probably take a few months. EXIT 20 BUSINESS PROPOSAL - DENNIS BROWER DAVE KENNY, JOHN MC CORMACK PRESENT Discussion held regarding the creation of a ring road and creation of a business park located behind the Factory Outlet Complex. Mr. Kenny noted they have the infrastructure they have the interstate, shopping, restaurants, Route 9. The service road if it went through would open up fifty acres of land or forty acres of Mr. Me Cormack's land for other than housing. The thought was four or five, five acres parcels it would create large areas of buffers between themselves and the balance. County Supervisor Montesi noted the intrical part of this is the access road off of Exit 20, questioned where would they exit? Mr. Kinney most of the traffic wouldn't even tie into Courthouse Estates noted it would be a fifty foot State approved highway. Councilman Brewer questioned if it would have to be rezoned? Mr. Kenny noted Mr. McCormack's property would have to be looked at regarding the rezoning if we felt that it was a better use for the property. Councilman Brewer wouldn't want to look at rezoning it until there was a plan. Mr. Kenny agreed, but can you get a rezoning without a plan. Thinks the Town and County should look at this and bring the economic people in. Councilman Boor questioned what zoning would they be talking about? Mr. Kenny would look at real upscale professional industry. Councilman Montesi noted in order to make this work you will need a commitment to do an access road you will need to do a sewer extension and a rezoning. Mr. McCormack that's if this group of people agree that this is an opportunity to get some better paying jobs and there is some potential growth factor for this Town and parcel. Councilman Brewer noted he would like to take a walk up there noting the potential is there. Mr. Kenny noted he doesn't believe there is a better location to try to entice these types of people to come. County Supervisor Montesi the access road would service people, a business park being able to come right off the Northway and drive onto that it would give you the access there. Mr. Me Cormack noted at no point would any part of this potential plan ever tie into the development. Mr. Kenny noted these types of developments increase the values of the homes closer to the parks if it's a nice development this is where the executives end of buying. Mr. Kenny noted if the business park went through there would be a need for a major motel noting it's a long-term venture. Mr. Me Cormack asked what board members thought? Councilman Brewer it's worth considering. Councilman Boor noted its somewhat vague likes the idea of the professional office, has problems with everything else like the traffic and what the ring road would do. Councilman Boor noted he likes the idea of using the five acres chucks in different locations. Mr. Me Cormack noted the real question is does this make economic sense for the Town of Queensbury to consider this parcel for the development of a business park to bring in better paying jobs for our kids to have a reason to stay here? Can we generate some better tax base dollars off this parcel of property as opposed to forty hundred and fifty thousand dollar houses? Supervisor Brower questioned can we get the support of the Courthouse Estate residents? Councilman Brewer noted his concern for the continuation of the circular road over to Route 149. Mr. Me Cormack if you look at the proposed road where it is proposed to be constructed if you actually come down to the site the County property is here the road was designed to come down this pathway across right in front of my shop through the Shallot property through the two building lots that I have proposed and access the Day's property. The issue was the people on this side of the development said they would be able to see and hear all this traffic coming through. The criteria was to keep it as far west as possible so the road went through these two lots that I had then out to Dave's property. The road that they keep talking about really isn't an issue because they're not going to hear or see it. Supervisor Brower noted that Mr. Me Cormack has secured a second entrance to Courthouse Estates, which would act as if nothing else happened it would increase traffic through the development for the increase residential housing. County Supervisor Montesi in order to develop the other forty acres for residential you need to have another access road noting Mr. Me Cormack has the ability now to have an access road and then go along and develop the next forty acres. County Supervisor Montesi noted the question is whether you would want to put single-family residential houses in there. Supervisor Brower noted right now it is zoned one acre residential asked what the community thinks and what does Courthouse Estates think? Councilman Stec noted the question tonight was does the board think that this has merit, yes. Noted the next step is that this has to start migrating its way towards some sort of application. County Supervisor Montesi one of the most important things to Mr. Me Cormack is will you consider rezoning? As Town Board members and County members need to find out how the public feels about this in the back area. The access road is a major part of this questioned need to know where is the County on this need to restart that process again noting the biggest issue is the sewer. Mr. Kenny noted he would like the Town Planner, QEDC, and Warren County Economic Development to look at this and get input from them to see if this is a good location for something like this is the market there. Executive Director, Mr. Round noted you need to find out where the County is at first. County Supervisor Montesi noted that tomorrow he has a County Facilities Meeting would carry some thoughts from this meeting to it. Executive Director, Mr. Round need to present a concept and then need to bring this in front of the people involved. Supervisor Brower thanked everyone for coming. DISCUSSION HELD COUNCILMAN BREWER-Spoke to the board regarding the puppets the Town purchased last year for the parade noting he received a phone call from Jim Clark, Sr. asking if they could borrow them for a convention in August in Niagara Falls to promote the Town of Queensbury and City of Glens Falls? After further discussion Town Board members noted they don't have a problem with it. SUPERVISOR BROWER-Spoke to the board noting Crandall Public Library's Annual Meeting. Received letter from Robert McNally regarding his resignation from Zoning Board. Spoke to the board regarding the appointment of Roy Urrico for permanent position on Zoning Board, resolution to be prepared for next Monday's meeting. Spoke to the board regarding the Safety Committee Town Recognition Day. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. ROUND-Spoke to the board regarding the proposed site for the new Warren County Jail on municipal center property. Noted the County is not immuned from local zoning but there are some amenities that apply to local government actions. It depends on whether you are a host community or an adjacent community trying to do something in somebody's adjacent property. The rules of this are governed by a court case County of Monroe verses the City of Rochester. They have outlined a balancing of public interest tests noting he has spoken with Counsel on this and they have advocated that they should codify the applicability of zoning to government agencies. The question the County has asked are local zoning regulations applicable to this particular project? It is somewhat of a policy decision noting generally it is referred to the Zoning Administer. Executive Director, Mr. Round drafted a letter to the board regarding this matter noting there are nine factors that you consider whether the project is subject to local zoning. Executive Director, Mr. Round recommended that the County examine a public form to solicit public input. TOWN COUNSEL, SCHACHNER-Noted they requested a conference call asked them to take position and tell us what the position, project is. Attorney Dusek, sent letter describing the project that they have very assertively taken the position that the County general project is not subject to Queensbury zoning. TOWN COUNSEL SCHACHNER-Spoke to the board regarding when an application is deemed grandfathered concerning the New Zoning Ordinance. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. ROUND-The position that they are taking is that if an application is complete and is received prior to the adoption date of the Ordinance that it would be considered under the old rules and regulations. RESOLUTION ENTERING EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION NO. 95, 2002 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Daniel Stec RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns from Regular Session and moves into Executive Session to discuss Attorney/client privilege. Duly adopted this 4th day of February 2002, by the following vote: Ayes: Mr. Boor, Mr. Turner, Mr. Stec, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Brower Noes: None AbsentNone RESOLUTION ADJOURING EXECUTIVE SESSION AND SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING RESOLUTION NO. 96, 2002 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Daniel Stec WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns from Executive Session and moves back into Regular Session, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Special Town Board Meeting. Duly adopted this 4th day of February, 2002, by the following vote: Ayes: Mr. Turner, Mr. Stec, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Boor, Mr. Brower Noes: None AbsentNone No further action taken. Respectfully Submitted, Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk Town of Queensbury