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2008-01-22 SP MTG.#4353 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 01-22-2008 MTG. #4 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING MTG. #4 JANUARY 22, 2008 RES 99-101 6:30 p.m. TOWN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN ANTHONY METIVIER COUNCILMAN RONALD MONTESI COUNCILMAN JOHN STROUGH COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER TOWN COUNSEL BOB HAFNER RECREATION DIRECTOR STEVE LOVERING RECREATION MEMBER JACK LABOMBARD WARREN COUNTY DPW BILL LAMY NATIONAL GRID REPRESENTATIVES ZONING ADMINISTRATOR CRAIG BROWN SR. PLANNER STU BAKER DISCUSSION: Main Street Utilities – Bill Lamy, Jeff Tennison and Chazen Supervisor Stec-The delay in this project is caused by the underground utilities issue and the associated litigation. County DPW Supt. William Lamy-Noted that we have reached critical juncture in the project not only for the undergrounding of the utilities but also in the right of way acquisition stage. ? Remaining items to be done - 90 properties, we are closed on approximately 50 in right of way acquisitions, these are County easements, the Town has to also obtain easements. ? County will have another public hearing on eminent domain issues, may combine hearings for eminent domain, Town and County, possible date early March. ? Regarding easements will pay fair market value based on appraisals. ? Discussion was held regarding electrical easements commercial vs residential underground placement. ? Funding – administered through the Adirondack Glens Falls Transportation Council – Washington County, Saratoga Co., and Warren Co. participate and share in the funding, there is only a finite amount of money that comes through the council that funds all bridge and highway projects. At the County level the County has determined that the Corinth Rd. project is #1 transportation project, also gone on record the Beach Road project in Lake George is the #2 transportation project. Noted also borrowed money from other projects in Warren Co. no other monies to be borrowed from to fund increases in costs on this project. Each year that this project is delayed will rise about 9 .2 percent a year on construction costs. ? Discussion held on candle stick- can be placed on the side of the road that the primary remained but the other side of the road would still need some right of ways. ? Spoke on taking the cobra head lights down and replace with decorative lighting. ? Tariff Law-mechanism to pay for project-take total cost of project and we divide it up within the municipality and it is a line item on your bill, lateral lines could be added to that. ? We have fifteen million dollars that is project eligible but we only have ten million in aid. ? The project cost for underground utilities is 3.9 million dollars 1.9 is the cost for National Grid and Verizon is $730,000 Time Warner 30,000 easements were a million the remaining soft costs. Does not include water or sewer. ? Before we can finalize any of this there is going to be inter-municipal agreements and there is going to be contracts signed between all the involved parties before 354 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 01-22-2008 MTG. #4 DOT is going to authorize us to go to construction and money is going to have to be put into each one of these pots by the participants before we go to construction. All the county is doing is three lanes, sidewalks and storm water, traffic signals. ? Board agreed to continue the project, bury the utilities and join the county in the eminent domain public hearings. ? Discussed the placement of water and sewer lines… DISCUSSION: MS4 Stormwater Regulations – Stu Baker and Craig Brown Supervisor Stec-noted that when passed there needs to be a Stormwater officer, suggested that there be an inter-municipal agreement where perhaps the Town, County and City all use the same enforcement officer. ? The State has requested that MS4 Stormwater Reg. be established in early 2008 ? The Town has been working on the project since 2007 ? Noted that the State has established minimum requirements and it was suggested to adopt those, noted that reports are to be submitted to the DEC regarding the regulations and how they are meeting the established requirements. ? The Lake George Drainage Basin has more restrictive regulations. ? Suggested that the MS4 Regulations be established and uniform with the County and the City. ? Two sets of regulations to be adopted; Also Discharges - suggested to adopt the model regulations from DEC Draft of local laws and resolutions to be proposed th at the Feb. 25 meeting, public hearing at the first meeting in March. ? The town has identified MS4 discharge points… ? In addition to annual reports there are reports for individual site inspections ? Spoke about stormwater district, and associated fees… ? Suggestion made for the Town of Queensbury to take the lead on the hiring of Stormwater Officer ? Questioned why not be more restrictive in all CEA’s? ? Adopt the State regs. then a section more restrictive stormwater regulations for the Town of Queensbury… DISCUSSION: HILLMAN ROAD Situation on Hillman Road; two issues, there were flooding conditions in 1994 which have re-occurred, flooding the road and yards along Hillman, other concern of the Planning Board is ground water into the storm system that is contaminated by septic systems. Suggested to take the perforated dry wells out along the road and put in solid catch basins and water tight pipe system so we do not get contamination. Noted the contamination is coming from ground water. It is discharging into Lake George. All the reworking being done on infrastructure is while doing repair and modifications they are including pre-treatment, regarding treatment and trying to help create less settlement load and pollutants that are being directly discharged to the lake maybe we could install some type or design some type of underground ground sand filter chamber, installed within the road. This would allow high flows to pass through but at the same time normal conditions the sand filter would treat any stormwater before it would be discharged to the lake. Supervisor Stec-We will need a design and a cost estimate…we all support that as a fix here, we do have a reserve for drainage projects. Councilman Metivier-The residents felt that it is one project between Takundewide wastewater and this project and it is not. Councilman Montesi-Takundewide is putting a septic system up on the hill and they felt that the run off would come down and make the storm water even more of an issue. 355 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 01-22-2008 MTG. #4 Councilman Strough-Noted that if we could solve the stormwater issue then it would be easier for Takundewide to move forward. The members of the community were willing to investigate forming a potential sewer district for their area. They would like to discuss this with the Town. Noted that there are serious septic problems not only with Takundewide but with the other neighbors. Discussion held-Noted that we need to get the stormwater project going, also need to set up a meeting with the residents on the sewer issues. Will update the Planning Board on the stormwater issues. Discussion held-Supervisor Stec-May need at the next workshop an update on Michaels Drive and Quaker Road. Also reviewed work being done across from Price Chopper, and work on Glen Lake catch basins. DISCUSSION: Recreation Department Vehicle Purchase Director Steve Lovering-The vehicle is not operable it is a 2000 Dodge Ram ¾ ton pickup truck, 112,000 miles + unless we invest fifty one hundred dollars in repair costs. If the vehicle is replaced would like permission to sell the existing vehicle by sealed bid this winter. Board in agreement to replace the vehicle with a one ton truck. Board requested that the bid include a minimum bid. DISCUSSION: West End Park Director Lovering-The redevelopment of the West End Park will be part of the redevelopment that is going on in that area of Ward IV. Future plan, to provide off street parking, redo the play area, remove the old basketball court and replace it with a new one in a different location, provide a picnic shelter, create an open play area where we can create an ice rink, play foot ball etc. Board discussed placing a backstop in the area of National grid property not a permanent structure, will speak to National grid, also suggested writing to them outlining the redevelopment of the West End Park. Part of the redevelopment is surveying the property. Councilman Strough-Requested that the bike path be theoretically extended to the road on the plans. Mr. LaBombard-Riding down the Northway this is one of the parks that you can see, wants it improved. Director Lovering-Total project estimate $219,000 I am proposing 92,000 from closing out park projects that are on going right now, we are asking for 30,000 from the Recreation Assessment fund and the additional 96,000 from CIP funds. Board agreed to proceeding with the project. DISCUSSION: Fire and EMS Contracts Supervisor Stec-updated the Town Board on the Fire and EMS Contracts; Bay Ridge Fire has asked for a flat budget, but noted later in 2008 we need to talk about a new vehicle and that may change the funding needs in 2009… West Glens Falls has asked for slightly less than four percent…South Queensbury, Central and North Queensbury we will have to work on. Requested to move ahead with a public hearing on Bay Ridge and West Glens Falls Fire Company Contracts. Town Board agreed 356 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 01-22-2008 MTG. #4 Supervisor Stec-Regarding EMS contracts, there is no increase in staffing 2007 to 2008, the additional cost 350,000 paid staffing item I think North thought it was an extra 2,000 to have antimony, I think all three will be happier if we let North do their own thing. They are small they have one guy five days a week year round and one for the other twenty days in the summer that they run. I can live with North’s and Bay Ridge’s number for 2008, and they are fine with a two year contract, where they get five percent the second year on operations. Regarding West Glens Falls, no change in staffing levels, keeping it the way it is, authorizing a fifty cent per hour increase from last year to this year. West, has two ambulances that are both aging at the same time, they would like to order as soon as possible one ambulance, taking possession early summer so their contract number includes six months of debt service for the second half of this year. They are requesting a one year contract, they want to settle out what their building expenses are, this would be their first year in running the building. They are going to want to talk to us about a second ambulance early next year. Discussion held on negotiations, Councilman Brewer will contact West Glens Falls Rescue and review their budget. Will set public hearings on Bay Ridge Rescue and North Queensbury Rescue, two year contracts. DISCUSSION: Zoning Code and Parking Councilman Montesi-The last three office complexes that were put up need parking variances, now we have a guy that is going to invade the wetlands with five acres because of our parking, if we could change that thing back to the way it was originally we might be able to save two or three acres of wetlands. Councilman Strough-Not what they were originally Ron, because originally it was worse. What Ron and I talked about the new code does give a spread to professional offices because cardiologist will require one thing commercial offices another. It recognizes that spread. It also trims, because of experience with the Mall has done quite well with less parking, the new Walmart has done quite well with less parking then what the code says. Given that we shaved the parking allotment a little bit for commercial properties like retail properties. So, what Ron is advocating is true but it is already in the zoning code. It is already being proposed. The only thing left is the new zoning code. The draft that was written by Saratoga Associates addresses that and so many other issues that are coming out of the Zoning Board are where do you measure for the height of the roof, the new Zoning takes care of those issues. There is a lot of issues that have been recognized and have all ready be incorporated in the new zoning. The only thing that needs to be updated to complete the zoning is the highway commercial needs to be updated a little bit for Quaker and Route 9. Because most of Main Street has taken on a mixed use. Councilman Brewer-I have not seen any changes as far as the mapping. There are some areas over by the Northway that Councilman Strough-This is the zoning itself. Councilman Brewer-That is part of it, isn’t it? Councilman Strough-No, what parts you want zoned, that is a whole separate issue. Councilman Brewer-I see what you are saying. Councilman Strough-The zoning code talks about parking allotments where you are going to put that commercial zoning is ultimately up to you. What Ron is trying to say is we ought to get to this zoning that may have fixes built into it and Ron, I assure you it does. This zoning answers most of the new needs. Councilman Montesi-In deference to this John, I was looking for a fix that would help us with Quaker Road and Vic Marci’s project so that we do not go through three or four months of .. 357 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 01-22-2008 MTG. #4 Councilman Strough-It is a quick fix and we can do it that way. I am just suggesting that this is one of many fixes that needs to be fixed. Councilman Brewer-Don’t we have to take a look at all of those John, I mean that is so comprehensive that if he wants to fix this for Quaker Road maybe we do a quick. Councilman Strough-The Zoning Code itself can be finished pretty easily. 179-4 040 ….(tape changed) per apartment that is not working you need two, so we changed it to professional office one car for three hundred square feet of leasable floor area. We changed that for a range from three to six depending Supervisor Stec-Three to six? Councilman Strough-six cars Supervisor Stec-That is what you are looking at changing that range. Councilman Strough-Three to six per thousand square feet of leasable space. Councilman Brewer-Going back to where it was in 80’s Councilman Montesi-That is still three hundred per car Councilman Strough-Three to six is the range depending on the need of the applicant. Apartments would change from one per apartment to two per apartment because that has been a problem because not only does everybody have two cars you got people visiting you and there was no parking for visitors, there wasn’t parking for two cars so we changed that. All the rest of them we said why change it because all the rest of them are working. So, give us the same chart and change the three that we asked you to change the apartments, the retails, commercials which was shaved a little bit and professional office. We said change those three because we have been running into problems and here is how you will change them and just give us the same chart. That is where we left it. Councilman Montesi-Why can’t we just adopt those? Councilman Strough-Yes, we can. What I would like you to do is at a committee to find out what we did agree to. I am going from memory. Councilman Montesi-What committee? Councilman Strough-The PORC committee, ..so the items that we came up with have some public justification to them because it was a public hearing and everything else on it already. The rest of this was going to stay the same. Councilman Brewer-Can you pull out the draft from Saratoga Associates? Councilman Strough-I will have to take a look to see if my draft is newer than Dan’s draft. If we don’t have it we paid for it, Saratoga Associates should have sent it to us. Councilman Brewer-Noted he will call to see if we have it. Councilman Strough-They are having problems over there with one project on Lake George where people are trying to build up and then they are berming the earth up next to it and in our new zoning it says you have to use the virgin earth, the original …and also in the new zoning, how do you measure the square footage of a house well some people say you measure the interior, well in the new language in the new code its all exterior measurements, standardized. We went through the old code we identified the problems and we fixed it in the new code for the most part. Councilman Brewer-Noted he will make sure we all get copies of the newest draft. I do have one other item for executive session. 358 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 01-22-2008 MTG. #4 Councilman Strough-The owner of the Comfort Inn called me, do you want me to grab a couple of board members that might take an interest in Blind Rock and talk to the owner, I know that Ron is interested. Supervisor Stec-Yes, get an idea on how much this is going to cost. Councilman Strough-I drafted a letter to Betty Little we could still use her assistance, asked that the Board look it over. Councilman Montesi-I wanted it at the end to have to say here is, what you can do for me. Councilman Strough-Those are the kinds of input that I want. RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION NO. 99, 2008 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Ronald Montesi RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby moves into an Executive Session to discuss union contract. nd Duly adopted this 22 day of January, 2008 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Metivier, Mr. Montesi, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None ABSENT: None RESOLUTION ADJOURNING EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION NO. 100, 2008 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Ronald Montesi RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Executive Session. nd Duly adopted this 22 day of January, 2008 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Metivier, Mr. Montesi, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None ABSENT: None No action taken during Executive Session. RESOLUTION ADJOURNING TOWN BOARD MEETING RESOLUTION NO. 101, 2008 359 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 01-22-2008 MTG. #4 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED By: Mr. Ronald Montesi RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Special Town Board Meeting. nd Duly adopted this 22 day of January, 2008 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Metivier, Mr. Montesi, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None ABSENT: None Respectfully submitted, Miss Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk-Queensbury