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2004-05-27 SP (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) QUEENSBURY PLANNING BOARD MEETING SPECIAL MEETING MAY 27, 2004 7:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT LARRY RINGER, ACTING CHAIRMAN ANTHONY METIVIER THOMAS SEGULJIC RICHARD SANFORD ROBERT VOLLARO GRETCHEN STEFFAN, ALTERNATE ALBERT ANDERSON, ALTERNATE PLANNER-GEORGE HILTON TOWN COUNSEL-MILLER, MANNIX,SCHACHNER, AND HAFNER-MARK SCHACHNER STENOGRAPHER-MARIA GAGLIARDI MR. RINGER-A couple of housekeeping items first. The McKernon Group, which was scheduled for tonight, is not going to be heard. It’s going to be tabled, and Logger’s Equipment, which was also scheduled for tonight, is not going to be heard, is going to be tabled. So if anybody was here for those applications, they’re not going to be heard. With that, we’ll start the meeting. OLD BUSINESS: SITE PLAN NO. 18-2004 SEQR TYPE: UNLISTED THE MC KERNON GROUP PROPERTY OWNER: JOHN & KATHLEEN TARRANT ZONE: WR-1A LOCATION: 338 CLEVERDALE ROAD APPLICANT PROPOSES THE CONVERSION OF AN EXISTING GARAGE TO STORAGE SPACE ALONG WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 1,760 SQ. FT. GARAGE INCLUDING A FAMILY ROOM/GAME ROOM. EXPANSION OF A NON- CONFORMING STRUCTURE IN A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL AREA REQUIRES SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. APA, CEA CROSS REFERENCE: AV 92-00, SP 74-00 [BOATHOUSE/SUNDECK] WARREN CO. PLANNING: 4/14/04 TAX MAP NO. 226.12-1-72 LOT SIZE: 0.52 ACRES SECTION: 179-4- 020 MR. VOLLARO-Mr. Chairman, do you want a tabling motion? MR. RINGER-Yes, for McKernon, Bob, if you’d like to make that one. MOTION TO TABLE SITE PLAN NO. 18-2004, MCKERNON GROUP, Introduced by Robert Vollaro who moved its adoption, seconded by Richard Sanford: Tabled due to the Zoning Board of Appeals resolution, which is for up to 62 days, so the owner of the property can comment on the questions raised by the Board and/or make sufficient changes in their request such that variances are not required. Duly adopted this 27 day of May, 2004, by the following vote: th AYES: Mr. Sanford, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE ABSENT: Mr. Metivier 1 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) SITE PLAN NO. 10-1994 MODIFICATION LOGGER’S EQUIPMENT OWNER: WILLIAM BUCKINGHAM AGENT: CHARLES JOHNSON, PARADOX DESIGNS ZONE: LI LOCATION: 435 CORINTH ROAD APPLICANT PROPOSES TO MODIFY A PREVIOUS APPROVED SITE PLAN BY CONSTRUCTING A 6000 SQ. FT. ADDITION TO AN EXISTING LIGHT INDUSTRIAL BUILDING ALONG WITH A NEW 1600 SQ. FT. WAREHOUSE BUILDING. MODIFICATIONS OF PREVIOUS APPROVED SITE PLAN REQUIRE THE APPROVAL OF THE PLANNING BOARD. CROSS REFERENCE: AV 32- 2004, SP 11-89 WARREN CO. PLANNING: 5/12/04 TAX MAP NO. 308.16-1-82.1 LOT SIZE: 3.93 ACRES SECTION: 179 MR. RINGER-The other thing. I’ve got the Loggers Equipment, public hearing not required. Why is that, because it’s a modification, George? MR. HILTON-It’s a modification. Yes. MR. RINGER-Okay. So I’m not even going to table that or anything. Because it’s a modification, we don’t have to, and there’s no public hearing. MR. HILTON-You don’t have to open the public hearing, but I would pass a motion or vote on something, in order to set it for the record, and make sure that it’s clear that it’s going to be on in July. MR. RINGER-Did they ask for a date? MR. HILTON-They didn’t ask for a date. They asked for a July agenda. MR. RINGER-Okay. If somebody wants to make a motion to table Logger’s Equipment. MOTION TO TABLE SITE PLAN NO. 10-1994, LOGGER’S EQUIPMENT, Introduced by Richard Sanford who moved its adoption, seconded by Mr. Seguljic: At the applicant’s request. Duly adopted this 27 day of May, 2004, by the following vote: th MR. SANFORD-Are we tabling it to a particular meeting? MR. RINGER-At the applicant’s request. MR. SANFORD-At the applicant’s request. MR. VOLLARO-Tabled until July. MR. SANFORD-Well, it’s whenever they do it, I guess. MR. HILTON-You can pick a meeting. Yes, but I’d rather, it’s his request, and table it indefinitely, because with the tight schedules we have and everything, I don’t want to table it to a meeting, since we’re so filled. So just table it, period. No public hearing. So we don’t have to worry about the date or anything. AYES: Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Sanford, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE ABSENT: Mr. Metivier 2 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) SITE PLAN NO. 69-2000 SEQR TYPE: UNLISTED MODIFICATION JEFFREY SCHWARTZ PROPERTY OWNER: IDA OF WARREN WASH. CO. AGENT: PETER BROWN ZONE: LI LOCATION: 53 CAREY ROAD APPLICANT PROPOSES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 10,600 SQ. FT. WAREHOUSE ADDITION TO AN EXISTING WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION FACILITY. WAREHOUSE USES IN THE LI ZONE REQUIRE SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. CROSS REFERENCE: SP 60-00 TAX MAP NO. 137-2-1.12, 1.22/308.20-1-2, 4.1 JEFFREY SCHWARTZ, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT MR. RINGER-Staff notes. MR. HILTON-Yes. This is an application that was before you, actually tabled in January, and the applicant was seeking a clarification of a building code, which I understand has been clarified. I’m not sure of what the issue was, but the applicant may want to speak to that. As I’ve indicated, a couple of waivers, lighting and landscaping plan have been requested. The proposed construction appears to go over an existing property line, and in order to eliminate the need for any Area Variances, the parcel and the adjacent parcel should be merged, and we’ve included a stipulation that this merging, a proof that the merger has taken place be submitted prior to the issuance of a building permit. As I’ve noted, the most recent C.T. Male comments for this site plan are dated January 21, and nothing since that point, and obviously st not a signoff , a signoff has not been received at this point. MR. RINGER-A question, I wasn’t here at that meeting that we’re talking about either. The question seems to be on the lot, and what a legal thing and a. MR. HILTON-I wouldn’t say legal. It’s just as it exists right now. MR. RINGER-Interpretation? MR. HILTON-They have to be merged. MR. RINGER-Our Counsel is not here tonight. That’s why I might put you off for a few minutes until Counsel arrives. That’s why. MR. VOLLARO-Can we expect Counsel tonight? MR. HILTON-I expect him shortly, yes. I mean, right now, there is a parcel line where the building crosses an existing parcel line. However, prior to the issuance of a building permit, if they’ve supplied proof that these lots have been merged, then that lot line goes away and the building would be conforming, as far as setbacks go. So that’s how we see it. MR. SANFORD-Right that was the issue. There was a merger, merging two parcels together. MR. RINGER-Okay. Let’s hear from you. If necessary, we may postpone you until Counsel arrives. MR. SCHWARTZ-Yes. I’m Jeff Schwartz, the President of Morris Products. We own both lots, okay. So if we get approval, just make them one lot. So that’s not a problem, as far as the lots go. We’re looking to add 10,600 square foot to the back of the building, warehouse space. I think our existing buildings are, we’ve got two additions, but the first building was put up four years ago. So we’re just basically looking to expand from where we are now, and the frontage is still the same. It’s just going to be in the back of the building. MR. SANFORD-Where do things stand with C.T. Male’s comments, because I saw the letter, but that was a long time ago. So has there been any correspondence or communications with the engineering firm? 3 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SCHWARTZ-Yes, I mean, I think as far as I’m concerned, I think they’re all set with everything, as far as I know. MR. RINGER-Have we got anything, George? MR. HILTON-Again, I’m not seeing a signoff, but I’ll take another quick look. MR. RINGER-I read your notes, and I thought I read that we hadn’t gotten a signoff. MR. SANFORD-Yes. MR. SEGULJIC-Yes, it says has not been seen. MR. RINGER-Signoff has not been received. MR. VOLLARO-If you look at Mr. Montgomery’s letter, it was a letter from Mr. Montgomery in there, and I think that that letter should have gone to C.T. Male, but it went to staff instead, I believe. Let me just take a look real quick. MR. RINGER-Which one are you talking about, the 29, Bob? th MR. VOLLARO-The 29 letter from William Montgomery, which is the engineer for the th applicant, and it went to Jeff Schwartz and to Peter Brown, who is, Peter Brown is the construction management firm. I didn’t see any cc’s going to either Staff or to engineering on that, to our engineering, to C.T. Male. So it very well could be that this three page letter. MR. RINGER-The letter is addressed to the Town of Queensbury, the one I’m looking at. MR. VOLLARO-Yes, okay, that’s fine, but it didn’t get, I don’t know whether, my question is, did it ever get to C.T. Male? MR. RINGER-I don’t know. I wouldn’t think that he would be sending a letter to C.T. Male anyway. He’d be going through, hopefully he’d be going through the Town. MR. HILTON-Well, I mean, applicants have, on their own, sent letters to C.T. Male. MR. RINGER-I know, but we’ve always put Staff in the loop. MR. HILTON-I guess I can’t answer that offhand. I don’t know. MR. SCHWARTZ-It says cc on the bottom. It says cc to C.T. Male at the very bottom. MR. SANFORD-Yes, it does say on the bottom it was sent to them. MR. HILTON-If that’s the case. MR. SANFORD-So is this the case, George, where C.T. Male dropped the ball, maybe? MR. HILTON-I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. MR. VOLLARO-Attention James Edwards P.C. is on Peter Brown’s memorandum of 30. I’m talking to the one from William Montgomery, who’s the engineer for the applicant, for you, Mr. Schwartz. MR. RINGER-March 30. I’ve got that. th MR. SANFORD-That was addressed to the Town. 4 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. VOLLARO-That was addressed to the Town. MR. SCHWARTZ-Dated March 30? th MR. VOLLARO-Dated March 29. th MR. SCHWARTZ-I’ve got one dated March 30 here. th MR. VOLLARO-The March 30 letter is from Peter J. Brown, which the construction th management company. Okay. Now, the one that Bill Montgomery sent in had a detailed analysis in it, and answers to C.T. Male’s questions, and some of them I could understand and some I couldn’t. It looks like Mr. Montgomery was really resting on a lot of prior data that had been done by a company by the name of Rist-Frost, which was an engineering firm, which is an engineering firm here in Albany. MR. SANFORD-Glens Falls, actually. MR. VOLLARO-In Glens Falls. MR. RINGER-You don’t know if C.T. Male received that or not. MR. HILTON-I don’t know. MR. RINGER-You know, we really, without that going to C.T. Male, I mean, we’re really caught between a rock and a hard place here. MR. VOLLARO-That was my, when I read this whole thing, I said it looked to me like C.T. Male never got Mr. Montgomery’s letter. That was my conclusion on sitting down in my little cubicle, to understand what’s going on, at home. MR. SANFORD-Does everybody or does anybody feel comfortable with conditioning the application on the C.T. Male signoff? Because again, if the applicant sends communications in to the Town of Queensbury, and it doesn’t travel from the Town of Queensbury to our engineer, you know, I don’t feel all that comfortable in delaying the process. We want to make sure it’s done right, but we’ve conditioned a lot of things on C.T. Male signoff. So would this be an application that it would be appropriate to do that with? MR. RINGER-Well, that would depend on how the Board feels about the comments from C.T. Male. I wasn’t here for that meeting. So I don’t know how the Board feels about all those comments from C.T. Male. MR. VOLLARO-Well, I think the C.T. Male comments are rather extensive. What I would say is if we could find out, see, C.T. Male may not be answering this because there’s not a direct answer to his questions. The answer is via Mr. Montgomery’s reply and going back to some of Rist-Frost’s memorandum, and maybe our own engineer is having a difficult time trying to interpolate that. I don’t know. If he’s got it, and he says we have it, then I would go along with what you say, Rich. MR. SANFORD-Yes, all right. I mean, again, we all did site visit on this, and we all know it’s located in that industrial area, and, you know, to me, it doesn’t seem like there would be anything that couldn’t be addressed. MR. RINGER-Richard, I agree with you, and it may be the Town’s fault that C.T. Male didn’t get that. We don’t know if they got it or didn’t get it. It’s unusual, if they got it, that we didn’t get a response of some kind. So I would almost have to assume that they didn’t get it. I don’t have C.T. Male’s comments, because I didn’t get the entire packet. This is two pages, Bob? 5 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. VOLLARO-Yes, and it’s been there a while, and then of course the follow up letter to that, from Montgomery is. MR. RINGER-That’s the March 29. th MR. VOLLARO-That’s the March 29. So, if C.T. Male hasn’t responded since March 29 to thth Montgomery’s answer to that letter that you have there from C.T. Male, then I suspect that C.T. Male doesn’t have it. MR. RINGER-They didn’t get it, right. MR. HILTON-Well, as someone said, I mean, if you feel comfortable enough moving forward with a condition of approval, you certainly can do that. MR. SEGULJIC-I don’t have a problem with moving forward and considering. MR. RINGER-Well, let the other two members read C.T. Male’s comments and get their opinion. MR. SEGULJIC-I mean, it seems as if all the issues are addressable, and it’s in an industrial park. MR. RINGER-I’m sorry for the delay. Apparently something went askew with how we, Rich, do you want to go over that? Just read it and then you can make a. MR. VOLLARO-There’s a couple of things in that letter that I’ve picked up on. The applicant justifies this 10,600 square feet additional on some previous approvals. However, C.T. Male comments 10 or 11, which Mr. Sanford is reading now, are in direct conflict with our 136 Code, in Appendix A and Appendix G. MR. SANFORD-You mean the gravel driveway? MR. VOLLARO-The gravel driveway and the separation between the building and the field, and that’s a, you know, that’s one of the things that I’m concerned with. MR. RINGER-Mr. Montgomery is not with you tonight, Mr. Schwartz? MR. SCHWARTZ-No. MR. SANFORD-Well, Larry, do you know how congested our agenda is for next month? MR. RINGER-Very congested. As a matter of fact, we had four items we weren’t sure we could get on it, and I don’t know how we, if we got them on or not. MR. SANFORD-Yes, I hear you. MR. SCHWARTZ-The gravel driveway, is that the one around the building for the fire? MR. VOLLARO-It goes right over your septic tank, which sits adjacent to your building. MR. SEGULJIC-The proposed gravel driveway crosses the on-site wastewater disposal system. One or the other should be relocated. It doesn’t seem like a big deal. MR. VOLLARO-No, it’s not. None of this is a big deal, really, if we. MR. RINGER-Well, if we don’t feel it’s a big deal, we can go ahead with the application, with the condition that a signoff from C.T. Male would be part of the approval, if the Board feels confident, but I don’t want to push the Board into something that they don’t feel confident in. 6 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SANFORD-Well, why don’t you poll the Board and see what they. MR. VOLLARO-Are we going to also condition it on the fact that they’re going to merge these lots, and it becomes one, that’s another condition? MR. RINGER-Yes. MR. SANFORD-Well, I guess I would go forward. MR. VOLLARO-Yes. I’ll go forward with it. MR. ANDERSON-I support it. MR. RINGER-Okay. We’ve got no public hearing. It’s a modification. We don’t need a SEQRA for the modification. Right, George? MR. HILTON-It is on the agenda listed as an Unlisted action. I don’t have the file in front of me, but as it was a previous site plan in 2000, I believe there was a SEQRA done at that time, and it’s up to the Board to either reaffirm those findings or do a new SEQRA. MR. RINGER-Okay. Your prepared resolution has the SEQRA in there? MR. HILTON-Yes. It has a, you’ll see a paragraph, a Whereas that says finds the previous SEQRA declaration applicable. MR. RINGER-Okay. Then we can use that. Okay. Any further comment from the Board? MR. VOLLARO-Yes, if we go by the thing we usually go by here, under lighting design, there really isn’t anything provided. There’s a note on drawing A-1, and A-1 states that the lighting will be connected to the existing source. That’s all it says, any new lighting will be connected to the existing supply. So there isn’t any lighting at all, and maybe there’s not supposed to be. I don’t know, but there’s no provision for lighting in here. MR. SANFORD-They requested a waiver on that. Lighting and landscaping. MR. SEGULJIC-I would say, once again, it’s in an industrial park. MR. SANFORD-Yes, I think that those are reasonable waivers, given the location, and the project. MR. VOLLARO-I have it down, a waiver was requested. Yes. So we’d have to grant that waiver. MR. RINGER-And the other waivers he may have requested, too. I don’t have the application in front of me. Is that it on that, Bob? MR. VOLLARO-I’m just looking through my notes. MR. RINGER-Take your time. I don’t want to rush through this. MR. VOLLARO-On the parking, they’ve got 13,000 square foot of parking in this. It seems like a lot to me, since the closest I could come, in parking, on 179-4-040, was one space per two employees, which didn’t seem right for me, and I said I would go along with the 13,000 square feet, but that’s what it says, parking and loading is a gross number of 13,000 square feet. When you go into our 179 Code, it says one parking space per two employees in a warehouse environment. So we’re going to have to use some judgment here. 7 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-Let’s let the applicant answer why the amount of parking. Is there a reason you’ve got that much parking? MR. SCHWARTZ-Just the space that’s there. I mean, we’ve got more than enough parking for the employees. MR. RINGER-Yes, the question is, have we got too much parking, and should we have more green space. I think that’s what Bob’s referring to. MR. SCHWARTZ-I think if you look at the size of the lot, there’s tons of green space. I mean, that’s just the way it’s already there. MR. RINGER-Do you have a problem with it, Bob? MR. VOLLARO-No, you know, this is a pre-existing site, and I’m just looking at this application as it comes before us, understanding that it’s a pre-existing site. That’s why I said I’d go along with the 13,000 square feet. It just seems like a lot of pavement. MR. SCHWARTZ-Some of that’s for the truck has got to back in to the loading, that’s part of the loading area. That’s half of it. MR. VOLLARO-It says that. MR. RINGER-I don’t have a problem with it either, Bob. Have you got anything else, Bob? MR. VOLLARO-If the septic system stays as it is, you’re not only going to need C.T. Male to answer the question, but if it stays as it is, you’re going to need a DOH waiver on the septic system design. This is getting so that there is so much that we’re going to be conditioning this acceptance on. It’s a lot of conditions. MR. RINGER-Well, the septic system would be looked at by the Building, and they would, you know, I don’t think we’ve got to put that in the conditions. That’s up to the Building Department, to make sure that the septic system follows all the Codes. So I don’t think that we necessarily have to have that as part of the conditions. MR. VOLLARO-Well, the involved agency, in some of the notes from Staff, and I have Staff’s notes here, I believe, talks to that question. MR. RINGER-Well, you know, I don’t feel we need it as a part of a condition, but because it’s something that the, before the CO is issued, Hatin is going to be looking at the septic to make sure it complies with all the Codes. If you feel like you want it in there, we certainly can put it in there. MR. VOLLARO-Right now it doesn’t. I can tell you that they’ve got 10 feet. They require 20 feet, from the building to the septic field. I can tell you right now they’ve either move it, or they’ve got to get a waiver for it, one or the other. Because it doesn’t comply with your 136 Code. MR. RINGER-I’m concerned, we’re getting into so many things here, are we rushing this approval or? MR. VOLLARO-In some ways I think we are. MR. RINGER-Then, you know, I’d rather table it, even though it may be our own, the Town’s fault, I’d still rather table it and have them come back, if we can squeeze them in next month, but maybe in July if we can’t, rather than rush something through that you don’t feel comfortable with. 8 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. VOLLARO-I’m just one member. If everybody else nods yes, I’ll bow out. MR. RINGER-I know, but we’ve come up with, already, three or four conditions. MR. VOLLARO-But you’re going to have to have a fair amount of conditions to approve this, yes. MR. SEGULJIC-Those comments with regards to getting a waiver or moving a septic system were in the C.T. Male comment letter. Correct? MR. VOLLARO-That’s right. MR. RINGER-It’s in C.T. Male’s? Then we don’t have to put that as a condition. He’d have to comply with it, for C.T. Male. So that wouldn’t be a condition. C.T. Male’s condition would be the ruling there. MR. VOLLARO-Yes. MR. RINGER-Anything else? MR. VOLLARO-No, that’s it. MR. RINGER-Do we still want to move ahead with it? Then I’ll need a motion. Has anybody been making notes about the conditions? Although now I only see the condition of C.T. Male. MR. SANFORD-C.T. Male signoff. MR. RINGER-And the merging of the lots. MR. SANFORD-And the two waivers, right? MR. SEGULJIC-Right. MR. RINGER-Granting the waivers and no change in the SEQRA Findings. MR. SANFORD-Well, the resolution has the merging of the lots. MR. RINGER-Right. Well, we’d have to say that we agree that there’s no changes in the. MRS. STEFFAN-Larry, can we ask the Counsel about the easement? I just wanted to ask Counsel to give us some clarity on the reason for merging the two lots. There was some confusion about the (lost word) of that. MR. RINGER-Counsel, were you aware of what the first questions were that came up? MR. SCHACHNER-I was aware that Staff was recommending merger of the lots. As far as I knew applicant didn’t have a problem with merger of the lots, and it’s a perfectly appropriate condition. I don’t know much more about the background, but it is an appropriate condition. MR. SCHWARTZ-Yes, it’s no problem. MR. SCHACHNER-And I understood applicant didn’t have any objection to it, and it’s an easily fulfilled condition as well. MRS. STEFFAN-All right. Thank you. MR. RINGER-Richard, are you working on the resolution? 9 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SANFORD-Well, we don’t even have to mention the waivers in the resolution, do we? MR. RINGER-Grant the waivers. We granted the waivers. MR. SANFORD-Grant them. So it’s just, wouldn’t it be, can I take a stab at it, right now? MOTION TO APPROVE MODIFICATION TO SITE PLAN NO. 69-2000 JEFFREY SCHWARTZ, Introduced by Richard Sanford who moved for its adoption, seconded by Thomas Seguljic: WHEREAS, an application has been made to this Board for the following: Site Plan No. 69-2000 Applicant: Jeffrey Schwartz SEQR Type: Unlisted Property Owner: IDA of Warren Wash. Co. Agent: Peter Brown MODIFICATION Zone: LI Location: 53 Carey Road Applicant proposes the construction of a 10,600 sq. ft. warehouse addition related to an existing wholesale distribution facility. Warehouse uses in the LI zone require Site Plan Review and approval from the Planning Board. Cross Reference: SP 60-00 Tax Map No. 137-2-1.12, 1.22 / 308.20-1-2, 4.1 Lot size: 2.62 acres / Section: Public Hearing: Not required for Modification WHEREAS, the application was received on 12/15/03; and WHEREAS, the above is supported with the following documentation and inclusive of all newly received information, not included in this listing as of 1/23/04, and 5/27 Staff Notes 5/3 Meeting Notice sent 4/15 Additional information received 4/1 P. Brown, agent from CB: request for copies of additional information 3/31 CB from P. Brown, agent: additional information 3/12 P. Brown from DH: response to 3/11 letter 3/11 D. Hatin from P. Brown: response to 3/5 letter from C. Fischer 3/5 Wm. Montgomery from C. Fischer, Code Interpretation Codes Division 2/24 CB from J. Schwartz: request to be tabled 1/27 PB resolution: Tabled: applicant/agent not present at meeting 1/27 Staff Notes 1/26 Wm. Montgomery to CB: request for code interpretation by Sec. Of State 1/23 Fax to applicant/agent: staff notes 1/21 CT Male engineering comments 1/12 Wastewater comments: not w/in sanitary sewer district 1/3 Meeting Notice sent WHEREAS, a public hearing is not required for a modification, and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has determined that the proposal complies with the Site Plan application requirements of the Code of the Town Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has considered the environmental factors found in the Code of the Town of Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the requirements of SEQRA have been previously considered, the Planning Board finds that this proposal does not present any notable impacts that require further review and, as such, finds the previous SEQR declaration applicable and hereby affirms the same; and 10 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) WHEREAS, this approval does not relieve the applicant from obtaining all necessary permits whether Federal, State or Local, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that We find the following: The application is hereby approved in accordance with the resolution prepared by Staff and is subject to the following conditions which shall be listed on the final plans submitted to the Zoning Administrator: 1. Applicant shall submit proof that both lots included in this site plan have been merged prior to issuance of a building permit. 2. Approval is subject to C.T. Male signoff on their concerns as expressed in their letter as of January 21, 2004. Duly adopted this 27th day of May, 2004, by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Sanford, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE ABSTAINED: Mr. Metivier MR. RINGER-You’re all set, Mr. Schwartz. MR. SCHWARTZ-Thank you. SITE PLAN NO. 13-2004 SEQR TYPE: UNLISTED DAVID MENTER AGENT: JONATHAN LAPPER, DENNIS MAC ELROY ZONE: HC-INT. LOCATION: 1130 STATE ROUTE 9, WAKITA MOTEL APPLICANT PROPOSES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 3 STORY, 44,000 SQ. FT. HOTEL BUILDING ALONG WITH ASSOCIATED LIGHTING, LANDSCAPING AND PARKING FACILITIES. HOTEL USES IN THE HC-INT. ZONE REQUIRE SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. WARREN CO. PLANNING: 3/10/04 TAX MAP NO. 295.8-1-9 LOT SIZE: 6 ACRES SECTION: 179-4-020 JON LAPPER, DENNIS MAC ELROY, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT MR. RINGER-Staff notes, George? MR. HILTON-Okay. Just a couple of notes. I’ve listed here as the items the applicant has provided as a result of the tabling. My note here about the lighting plan, we met with the applicant yesterday, and the fixtures and the averages in the lighting plan appears to meet the intent of the Code overall. As I’ve noted here, following the last meeting, the applicant’s agent indicated they would contact the State Office of Historic Preservation. They have made that inquiry. We do have correspondence in the file, including Phase IA and IB assessment, which indicates nothing was found. We’ve given you a revised resolution this evening that proposes another condition that some kind of signoff letter, so to speak, from the State Office, Historic Preservation Office, be provided prior to the signing of the final plans by the Zoning Administrator. The applicant’s plan, as far as vehicular access, has been revised. New York State DOT has issued a comment letter, or has issued comment on this and finds it acceptable. As I’ve noted here, the project involves disturbance of greater than one acre, appears to involve the disturbance of greater than one acre, and therefore a Stormwater Pollution and Prevention Plan and Notice of Intent are required. We have included the stipulation as well that this Notice of Intent be submitted prior to the issuance of a building permit. Just one other note, I received an e-mail today, late today, from C.T. Male, which essentially says that the applicant has substantially addressed C.T. Male’s comments. I guess I would suggest that a condition be, 11 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) of any final approval, be that a final C.T. Male signoff, that the applicant receive a final C.T. Male signoff, and that’s really all I have at this point. MR. RINGER-Okay. What about the letter from the Fire Marshal? MR. SANFORD-Yes, the fire hydrant issue. MR. LAPPER-We’ve moved it. We met with him and we moved the fire hydrant. Satisfied him. MR. RINGER-That’s all you had, George? MR. HILTON-That’s all. MR. VOLLARO-There’s a comment by the Fire Marshal in here. MR. RINGER-Yes, there is. MR. VOLLARO-It’s for Schiavone’s project, and for Adirondack Sports. MR. RINGER-They’re on both of them. MR. LAPPER-They commented on a number of projects on the same. MR. SANFORD-They said either a second hydrant or move the hydrant. MR. RINGER-Okay. MR. LAPPER-For the record, Jon Lapper, with Dave Menter, the applicant, Dennis MacElroy, the Project Engineer, and Alana Morans, from Creighton Manning, in case there are any additional traffic issues. MR. RINGER-Okay. Jon, some of us weren’t here, and we’ve got new Board members. Briefly, just very briefly give us a. MR. LAPPER-Absolutely. We made a previous presentation. This is a proposal to replace the existing cabins at the Waikita Motel with a brand new 85 unit hotel. Dennis will go through the site plan for you, but we have sited it so that we can retain the hill, which runs alongside Round Pond Road, which both protects the Hotel from the traffic and it protects the neighbors from any commercial activity on this site. The Board was favorably impressed with the project but asked us to look at traffic and some specific issues, and then the issue of archeology came up, not because of anything known on site, but because it’s in close proximity to Rush Pond. So we retained an archeologist, and they went out and did 44 shovel tests, and fortunately for Dave found nothing. So we’ve submitted their report, which is completely clean, and we will get a signoff from SHIPPO, but that takes a number of weeks. So that would be an additional agency signoff. You can make a SEQRA determination based upon what we’ve submitted for the Phase IA and IB, and a condition we would request would be that we just wait for SHIPPO, for the final signing of the waiting for SHIPPO to give us a letter. MR. RINGER-You gave Staff the thing from? MR. LAPPER-Yes. MR. RINGER-Okay. We didn’t get, you didn’t pass that out, George, the archeological report? MR. HILTON-It’s a detailed report, and there is a cover letter. We did not pass it out. MR. RINGER-Okay, but you’ve got it. 12 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. HILTON-We have it. MR. RINGER-Okay. We’re ready, if you wanted to give us a. MR. MAC ELROY-Thank you, Jon. For those of you, or to refresh your memories, I guess, our site is a six acre site on the corner of State Route 9 and Round Pond Road. There’s an existing motel of approximately 13 units here and some cabins up the hillside. As Jon indicated, this project proposes to eliminate the cabins and build a new three story, 85 unit hotel building with associated parking and landscaping. The 13 unit motel building would stay in place and continue in operation. The existing office located in this location would be removed. The two existing curb cuts, one would be eliminated, and the access from Route 9 would coincide somewhat with one of them, but it’s been shifted slightly to, based on the recommendation and request of DOT. Now, regarding the site improvements, access from Route 9, from Round Pond Road, up the hillside to the parking for that hotel unit, hotel building, proposed future pool in the exterior. We did look at several different scenarios about the placement of this, in the interest of trying to maintain this hillside which will, is a vegetated hillside, it will be maintained to an extent and provide buffer from the Round Pond Road location. Sheet Two of your packet shows sectional views from two different perspectives. Gives you an idea of the before and after situation, and that was a comment that was made. In fact, that refreshes your memory of the site. I could cover the specific comments that were part of the tabling motion, from last. MR. RINGER-Okay. Fine. Go. MR. MAC ELROY-You had requested that the 50 year storm plan be included within the stormwater narrative. That was done as part of our April 15 submittal. A 35 foot center line th for trees along Route 9 in accordance with the Route 9 Design Corridor, and that has been added and in place. Lighting to conform to Town Code. We’ve submitted a Sheet Seven in your package, which provides the photometrics and all is in compliance with Town standards. C.T. Male signoff letter. They wrote a letter on March 19. We responded to it March 22 or thnd 23. We provided this new submittal April 15. They’ve issued a subsequent comment letter of rdth May 21 . We’ve responded to it May 25, and George got the e-mail today, which indicates that stth it’s substantially complete. Another condition was to have C.T. Male review the traffic information that’s been provided to them by Staff. Now because there was not any specific comment from C.T. Male, I just presume that they certainly were satisfied with the traffic numbers. There is a comment further related to the access, but I’ll get to that. Visual impact from Route 9, similar to the drawings on Sheet Two, now showing visual impact from Round Pond Road. Those are the two sectional views that I referred to on Sheet Two. That second one has been provided as requested. Color rendering of the building and material, that we have here, embellished a little more from the last version that you had, and perhaps Dave could speak to that, the features of the building, but we have certainly supplied that, and the last comment or condition that was part of the tabling motion, the applicant shall review curb cuts shown on Sheet One revised 3/22/04. That was our version that was addressed at our previous meeting. At that time, the proposal was full access from Route 9. Full ingress and egress to Route 9 as well as Round Pond Road. There was some indication, while not necessarily formal motion or anything, that the Board was wondering about how that conformed with Town standards. We reviewed it. The owner or the applicant considered an alternative which we’ve come up with which would be left turn in, right turn in. So ingress only, to that access on Route 9, that curb cut on Route 9. Round Pond Road maintains full ingress and egress to that location. So again, turning movement is restricted to only in at that point, no traffic coming out. The site plan, the detailed site plan, provides the signage and necessary controls that would prohibit traffic from coming out to that location. C.T. Male, in their comment letter, specifically agrees with that, endorses that concept. MR. SANFORD-How many feet is the Route 9 curb cut. 13 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-Richard, let him finish his presentation, and then we’ll get back and then we’ll go through the whole criteria. So we’ll stay in order that way. MR. SANFORD-Fine. Sure. MR. RINGER-I think that would be better. That way we won’t get out of sequence. MR. MAC ELROY-Well, that covers the specific comments of the tabling motion. The only thing if you, and I guess that will come with your questions, any further comments about the building itself. MR. RINGER-All right. Thank you. Anything else, Jon? MR. LAPPER-Alana’s here, but I guess we could just respond to any questions about traffic and everything else. MR. RINGER-Okay. Well, we have a formula that we use here, and we’ll go down each of them. I’m sure many of them were done at the last meeting, but since we have new people here that weren’t, myself included, that weren’t at that last meeting. So let’s start with design standards. Any questions on the design standards? Any questions on design standards? Apparently we’ve got some changes now with the actual drawing of the building and the color. MR. VOLLARO-I have no comments. I’d like to just open, Larry, and say that before I get into any details, let me just compliment Mr. MacElroy on a complete and well presented presentation. Coming from me, I don’t give those out too often, as you probably know, and incidentally, the floor area ratio was not required in this zone, even though it helped. It wasn’t required for you to do that, but you did a great job with that. MR. LAPPER-We were under the impression that it is required in the Highway Commercial zone. MR. VOLLARO-No. Is it? I looked in the Code and it only showed a WR-1A and WR-3A. At least that’s what’s in my book. MR. RINGER-Well, they’ve got it in there, but. Any questions on the design? MR. SEGULJIC-I have a question regarding the, shall I refer to it as the old hotel. MR. LAPPER-The motel, the 13 unit? MR. SEGULJIC-The 13 unit motel. Are there any plans to upgrade that at all? DAVID MENTER MR. MENTER-Yes, and I haven’t quantified those plans, but I’m going to do as little as I have to to it, to bring it into conformance to run as part of the property. Okay. MR. SEGULJIC-If I recall correctly, too, isn’t it like red and white or blue and white or something? MR. MENTER-No. The roof is red shingles. That’s what you’re referring to. The color of the building itself is a tan. It’s a very subdued tan color, and that hopefully will not change. The roof will definitely change, and it’s going to end up being a lot more subdued to match. MR. SEGULJIC-Okay. So you plan on matching that, then? MR. MENTER-Yes. Yes, that’s the goal, and again, I’m going to do as little to it as I can get away with. 14 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SEGULJIC-Okay. MR. LAPPER-For the new people, the house that’s now the office, that’s right in front at the corner, that’s right next to the road, is coming down, and that’s going to really change the whole look from the road, especially replacing it with the street trees. Right now it’s really close to the road. MR. SANFORD-The office will go in the new hotel? MR. MENTER-Yes. MR. RINGER-George, you had a comment? MR. HILTON-Just about the floor area ratio, it’s .3. MR. VOLLARO-It is .3. Sorry about that. Didn’t go far enough in the Code. MR. RINGER-Anything else on design standards? Okay. Site development criteria. Site conditions. Any questions on that? MR. VOLLARO-There’s a little discrepancy, but not much. In the stormwater management narrative, on the revised version of April 14, 2004, they talk about 110 cars. When you look at the drawing it’s 102 cars. The drawing matches the, the number of spots on the drawing matches what you have on the drawing as 102. So it’s 110 that’s in the stormwater management that doesn’t quite fit, but it’s a minor detail. MR. MAC ELROY-Thank you. MR. VOLLARO-There’s about 17 spaces over. As far as I’m concerned, it’s fine. MR. MAC ELROY-It’s within the 20%. MR. VOLLARO-It’s within the 20, yes, it’s 20% above 179-4-040. It’s just 20% above. So that’s fine, but I think you might want to just scratch that out of your stormwater report on the 110, so that everything hangs together. MR. MAC ELROY-Thank you. MR. RINGER-Okay. Emergency access. We’ve got the letter from the Fire Marshal. MR. LAPPER-Yes. We were in a meeting with George and Chris two days ago I guess, to just go over this before the meeting and make sure, and we handed them the archeological report, which we just got, and they pointed out, the Fire Marshal’s comment, that we brought the Fire Marshal in and came up with a location where we would move the hydrant so that it would be on the other side of the road so that the house wouldn’t be blocking the road, and that was really responsive. It’s right in the middle of the building across the road, and Dennis can show you where that is. That’s where it is now, where it’s proposed now, and that’s where it’s going to be relocated. MR. SANFORD-So what was the issue, that it wouldn’t cross the road, the hose? Is that what they didn’t like about the first placement was that it would restrict traffic? MR. MAC ELROY-Evidently, yes. MR. SANFORD-Yes. Okay. 15 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. MAC ELROY-It’s really an operational thing that we may not consider Code wise, but operationally, that’s where it came from. MR. SANFORD-Yes. I read it, and I was a little confused. MR. RINGER-I got the impression from what Joe was saying that you lay your hose, and then you’ve got other apparatus coming in, now you’ve got to go over the darn hose or disconnect the hose, and this way you get more apparatus into the site, to fight fire, whatever the situation may be, without going over the hose or having to take the hose out. MR. SANFORD-Another question I have is I read all the comments, and it looks like everybody’s comfortable with what you have planned for curb cuts, but just out of curiosity, on Route 9, how many feet is that curb cut on Route 9 going to be from the Round Pond intersection? MR. MAC ELROY-155 feet center to center. MR. SANFORD-Okay. Now, I just don’t know the answer, so, if a light ever gets put in to Round Pond, what’s the recommended distance that you should kind of have before you start having a curb cut, or isn’t there any criteria for that? I mean, a reasonable amount of distance from a light before you have a curb cut, or is that just something that I’m way off base on? No, there’s no such thing? MR. MAC ELROY-Well, I don’t know if Alana knows that right off the top of her head, but it would be somewhat subject to the level of highway service there is. MR. SANFORD-Yes. I’m just thinking that if people were stopped at a light, and then the light changes and they accelerate out, from the light, and people are coming in, I mean, it makes sense that the more distance you have probably the better it would be, and I was wondering if the distance that you have speced out is appropriate or adequate, and I don’t know the answer to that. MR. RINGER-Well, I think that DOT has written a signoff. So they’re probably, I would guess somewhat the experts on that, more than us. MR. MAC ELROY-Yes. We were in close communication with them and revised it to their request, and as important as anything was the opposition to the curb cut on the west side of 9. MR. SANFORD-The only other item I have is I would also like to echo what Bob said. I think that you did a nice job with this project. It looks good. MR. MAC ELROY-Thank you. MR. RINGER-Coming from Rich, that’s even better than coming from Bob. MR. LAPPER-Well, we heard what the Board and Rich said about the curb cut and we took a hard look at it. Dave would have preferred the full movement, but we thought this would work and it would address your concerns, and that’s what we did before we resubmitted. MR. VOLLARO-While we’re on the light, could I just ask Mr. Menter a question? Have you had a chance to participate with DOT and The Great Escape and all? There’s a thing going on to try to get lights at Round Pond and at Glen Lake Road. You’re aware of that? MR. MENTER-Yes. I’m certainly aware of it. MR. VOLLARO-Have you had any chance for you to sit in with The Great Escape folks and talk to DOT about the light at Round Pond? 16 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. LAPPER-Part of the answer, Bob, is the traffic that Dave is generating is so miniscule, compared to The Great Escape, and for them it’s if they relocate that access road behind Martha’s they would be creating a four way intersection. So it’s really their project. MR. VOLLARO-I understand that, but sometimes a little more push from a local owner of a motel like that would help drive them over the edge, because right now I kind of feel they’re still teetering. That’s the only reason for my question. MR. RINGER-We’ve certainly got the Town pushing them quite hard, the State. MR. VOLLARO-Yes, right. MR. RINGER-Anything else on traffic? MRS. STEFFAN-I just had a question on the Creighton Manning data. We’re looking at statistics that go back to 2002 and 2001. Is that the most recent information that’s available? ALANA MORANS MS. MORANS-That’s the information that we were provided by DOT. I understand that they’re, well, yes, that is the most recent that we have. Yes. MR. RINGER-A lot of that was probably done with the EIS for The Great Escape when we did the traffic. That was in 2002, too, Gretchen. MRS. STEFFAN-It was just a question. I certainly think that the one way entrance access won’t be any issues, certainly with all of the attention that’s being focused on. MS. MORANS-Right, and standard practice is to add a two percent growth rate to whatever annual growth rate to whatever the base volumes are. So we can project it up to 2004 volumes. MRS. STEFFAN-Okay. Thank you. MR. RINGER-Anything else on traffic? Parking? Okay. Stormwater? MR. VOLLARO-No. I think we have a C.T. Male signoff which addressed pretty much the stormwater problem, and the sewage is going to be connected to the main sewer system. MR. RINGER-Anyone else? MRS. STEFFAN-Does The Great Escape issues with the runoff that goes off into their? MR. LAPPER-You know what, ironically it’s The Great Escape runoff that’s coming onto Dave’s property. The contours run the other way. They have a culvert, I guess, or a pipe even, that runs onto Dave’s property. MR. MAC ELROY-Correct. Yes, but you’re right in some ways. Some of the site grades to their property. That’s a pre-existing. The rate is controlled to no greater than what pre-development will be. So that’s within standards. What Jon and Dave are referring to is that there is a portion of the back northeasterly corner of the property that there was some diversion of runoff from The Great Escape into a retention area or recharge area on Dave’s property. MRS. STEFFAN-Okay. MR. RINGER-Okay. Lighting design. MR. SEGULJIC-One question. Once again with what I refer to as the old hotel, you don’t have any lights around there at all, looking at the lighting plan. 17 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. MAC ELROY-Well, the existing lighting for the existing motel, there is a, in the peak of the roof, the foot candle ratings don’t reflect that existing lighting, if that’s the point that you’re, you probably see a bunch of zeros out in that parking lot. MR. VOLLARO-It’s all zeros, yes. MR. MAC ELROY-Correct. Well, there is one light that serves that parking lot, and there’s some under lighting in the soffit area. MR. SEGULJIC-Not that I’m saying we need more lights, but you’re okay with that? You have adequate light there? MR. MENTER-Yes. MR. SEGULJIC-Okay. MR. RINGER-Okay. Anything else on lighting? MR. VOLLARO-Yes. I’ve got probably the same question. There’s zero light, and now they’ve answered the question. There’s a wall pack up in the peak. MR. MAC ELROY-Correct. MR. VOLLARO-Which isn’t reflected in the lumens on the ground, foot candles on the ground. Okay. MR. MAC ELROY-Correct. MR. VOLLARO-Because I saw, just at the southern end you’ve got a little bit of lighting there from some of your poles, but it doesn’t get up into the end. Now there is some light spill, very, very little light spill, I guess, onto Route 9 and Round Pond, but it’s very, very small. So I’m going to just discount it. There’s a couple of spots where, and I don’t know, that’s in the anomaly of the software, I think. The more I look at it, the more I think that’s what it is. MR. RINGER-There’s a couple of spots there, 1.9 and 1.2, that could be a street light maybe. MR. VOLLARO-Yes, it could be. Either that or, you know, when these computers do this kind of jig, it’s never linear. That’s the problem with it. Your uniformity ratio is now three to one, which is good, I think. Our Code is four to one, but three to one is probably acceptable, as far as uniformity is concerned. Uniformity really has to do with how good these things change with light levels. Get into a very high level when you go into a dark street. They just don’t change fast enough. That’s what the four to one ratio is all about, uniformity ratio. Okay. That’s it. MR. RINGER-Anything else on lighting? Landscape design? MR. VOLLARO-No, I think they did an excellent job on landscaping. MR. SEGULJIC-Just one question with regards to, on the plans it says existing wooded area to remain undisturbed. If we approve the plans, do we have to condition? What I’m trying to say is, I like the way they’re maintaining a lot of the trees along Round Pond Road. The plan says existing wooded areas to remain undisturbed. Do we have to condition that? MR. VOLLARO-It’s part of their application. MR. MAC ELROY-I mean, that is limited to what’s shown on the plan, based on there is some grading on that hillside naturally, which we’ll remove some, but that that is shown undisturbed, unaffected by grading would remain. 18 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SEGULJIC-Because I wanted to see that remain. MR. MAC ELROY-That’s right. That’s the intent. MR. LAPPER-Dave needs it, too, to protect the hotel. MR. MENTER-The whole intent of that design was to do that. It would have been real easy just to level the whole thing. MR. VOLLARO-I think it’s much more appealing this way, actually. I think it’s a good design, actually, all the way around. MR. RINGER-Anything else on landscape? MR. SANFORD-How visibility will it be from, actually, I’m in support of what you have there, too, but is it going to be a situation where you’re not going to have the right level of visibility that you might want as a hotel owner, or is it still going to have a comfortable level of visibility? MR. LAPPER-Well, one answer is that Dave obviously could have made it parallel to, rather than perpendicular to Route 9, which would have made it a lot more visible, but what he would have given up is that there would have been less privacy for his guests. So there is some loss of visibility, but it’s just a nicer site. It’s just more wooded back there and that was his call. MR. SANFORD-I agree with it. MR. MENTER-And it will have good visibility, as well as for south traveling traffic and northbound traffic. A lot of it because of the elevation of the building itself. It’s going to be substantially higher than the other buildings down front. MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. RINGER-Anything else on that? Okay. Environmental, historical factors, you’ve already addressed that. MR. VOLLARO-We’ve got that. MR. RINGER-Anything else on Environmental? Neighborhood character? MR. VOLLARO-No. MR. SANFORD-No. MR. RINGER-Involved agencies. We’ve taken care of all them, DEC, and, any other thing we haven’t hit on? Okay. The public hearing. Craig closed the public hearing, or is it still open? MR. SANFORD-The public hearing is still open, I think. MR. LAPPER-It’s tabled. So it’s still open. MR. RINGER-Okay. Still open. Okay. Anyone here wish to address the Board on this application? PUBLIC HEARING OPEN NO COMMENT PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED 19 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-Okay. Any other questions from the Board? Any of the applicants? Let’s do a SEQRA. MR. METIVIER-Long or Short Form? Short Form, right? MR. RINGER-Yes, Short Form. MR. METIVIER-All right. MR. SANFORD-It’s Unlisted. MR. RINGER-They did the Long Form? MR. VOLLARO-I didn’t see a Long Form in my package. MR. LAPPER-I think it was Short. MR. HILTON-You’re right, Short Form. MR. RINGER-Short Form? Okay. Short Form, Tony. MR. VOLLARO-Mark, did you have a feeling that it should be a Long Form? MR. SCHACHNER-I thought it was. Sorry. Since it’s not a Type I Action, it’s not required. RESOLUTION WHEN DETERMINATION OF NO SIGNIFICANCE IS MADE RESOLUTION NO. 13-2004, Introduced by Anthony Metivier who moved for its adoption, seconded by Robert Vollaro: WHEREAS, there is presently before the Planning Board an application for: DAVID MENTER, and WHEREAS, this Planning Board has determined that the proposed project and Planning Board action is subject to review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: 1. No Federal agency appears to be involved. 2. The following agencies are involved: NONE 3. The proposed action considered by this Board is Unlisted in the Department of Environmental Conservation Regulations implementing the State Environmental Quality Review Act and the regulations of the Town of Queensbury. 4. An Environmental Assessment Form has been completed by the applicant. 5. Having considered and thoroughly analyzed the relevant areas of environmental concern and having considered the criteria for determining whether a project has a significant environmental impact as the same is set forth in Section 617.11 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations for the State of New York, this Board finds that the action about to be undertaken by this Board will have no significant environmental effect and the Chairman of the Planning Board is hereby authorized to 20 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) execute and sign and file as may be necessary a statement of non-significance or a negative declaration that may be required by law. Duly adopted this 27 day of May, 2004, by the following vote: th AYES: Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE MR. RINGER-Okay. Anybody ready with a motion? MOTION TO APPROVE SITE PLAN NO. 13-2004 DAVID MENTER, Introduced by Robert Vollaro who moved for its adoption, seconded by Richard Sanford: WHEREAS, an application has been made to this Board for the following: Site Plan No. 13-2004 Applicant/Property Owner: David Menter SEQR Type: Unlisted Agent: Jonathan Lapper, Dennis MacElroy Zone: HC-INT Location: 1130 State Route 9 Applicant proposes the construction of a 3 story, 44,000 sq. ft. hotel building along with associated lighting, landscaping and parking facilities. Hotel uses in the HC-Int. zone require site plan review and approval from the Planning Board. Warren Co. Planning: 3/10/04 Tax Map No. 295.8-1-9 Lot size: 6 acres / Section: 179-4-020 Public Hearing: March 23, 2004 WHEREAS, the application was received on 2/17/04; and WHEREAS, the above is supported with the following documentation and inclusive of all newly received information, not included in this listing as of 5/21/04, and 5/27 Staff notes 5/21 CT Male engineering comments 5/6 PB from S. Smith, Fire Marshal & Qu. Central Chief Joe Duprey 5/4 D. MacElroy, agent from Wm. Logan: NYS DOT 5/3 Meeting notice sent 4/15 New information received 3/29 Jonathan Lapper from GH: applicant/agent will submit a ltr. Of inquiry to NYS Office of Historic Preservation 3/23 PB resolution: Tabled 3/23 Staff Notes 3/23 D. MacElroy, agent from CME: trip generation 3/19 CT Male engineering comments 3/16 Notice of Public Hearing 3/11 C. Brown from D. MacElroy: partial plan from DOT [3/5 letter from Wm. Logan to D. MacElroy 3/10 Warren Co. Planning: Approved 3/5 D. MacElroy from Wm. Logan, NYSDOT 3/1 Water Dept. comment 3/1 FOIL request: J. Bramley 2/27 Meeting Notice 2/26 G. Hilton from S. Johnston, CME 21 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) 2/25 E-mail from M. Shaw WHEREAS, pursuant to Art. 9 of the Zoning Ordinance of the Code of the Town of Queensbury a public hearing was advertised and was held on 3/23/04 and 5/27/04; and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has determined that the proposal complies with the Site Plan application requirements of the Code of the Town Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has considered the environmental factors found in the Code of the Town of Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act have been considered and the Planning Board has adopted a SEQRA Negative Declaration; and/or if application is a modification, the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act have been considered; and the proposed modification(s) do not result in any new or significantly different environmental impacts, and, therefore, no further SEQRA review is necessary; and WHEREAS, this approval does not relieve the applicant from obtaining all necessary permits whether Federal, State or Local, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that We find the following: The application is hereby approved in accordance with the resolution prepared by Staff and is subject to the following conditions which shall be listed on the final plans submitted to the Zoning Administrator: 1. Applicant shall provide copy of the NOI/SWPPP prior to submission of a Building Permit. 2. Applicant to submit final letter from SHPO accepting findings of Phase IA/IB site assessment prior to signature of final plans. 3. The C.T. Male signoff on their three (3) letters, they have a sign-off, I guess, that’s in the file, C.T. Male final signoff. They have three (3) letters that they addressed here, of their 3/19 letter, which the applicant talked about, a 4/19 letter and a 5/21 letter, and I assume that when they do a signoff they’re going to incorporate all of what they wrote in those three letters as part of their signoff. Duly adopted this 27 day of May, 2004, by the following vote: th MR. SANFORD-Shouldn’t those correspondences be listed on Page One of the resolution? MR. RINGER-That question has come up before, and Staff has told us that they always add the additional letters that have come in after they’ve prepared the resolution, to that. So they’re added. Not as a condition, but as part of the information. MR. SANFORD-Right. MR. RINGER-And Staff adds those, and they’ve told us in the past they’ve always added those. MR. SANFORD-Okay. Fine. AYES: Mr. Sanford, Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE 22 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-You’re all set, guys, and lady. MR. LAPPER-Thank you very much. SUBDIVISION NO. 6-2004 PRELIMINARY STAGE FINAL STAGE SEQR TYPE: UNLISTED DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER OWNER: GEORGE DRELLOS AGENT: NACE ENGINEERING/JONATHAN LAPPER ZONE: RC-15 LOCATION: SHERMAN AVENUE APPLICANT PROPOSES THE SUBDIVISION OF A 20.61 ACRE PARCEL INTO TWO (2) LOTS OF 19.2 AND 1.2 ACRES IN ASSOCIATION WITH A PROPOSED SPORTS COMPLEX/RECREATION CENTER ON SHERMAN AVENUE. CROSS REFERENCE: PZ, AV, SP TAX MAP NO. 309.5-1-3 LOT SIZE: 21 +/- ACRES SECTION: A183 JON LAPPER, TOM NACE, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT; DOUG MILLER, PRESENT MR. RINGER-George, do you have some Staff notes? MR. HILTON-Really briefly, I’ve summarized the information the applicant has provided. As far as the lighting plan, we did receive cut sheets today. I have them if you’d like me to hand them out to you. I guess a question is, are there flood lights still proposed, in the rear of the building. As I’ve mentioned, the parking lot averages seem to be above the Town Code’s average of 2.5 foot candles. The building entrance appears unusually high, at 35.2, where 5.0 is the average, and again, what is the proposed average for the building exterior. The applicant has indicated no outdoor lights are planned for the ball fields, and perhaps a stipulation could be included that no outdoor lights will be used. Previously the Planning Board conditioned, or in their resolution, tabling resolution, indicated no clearing except for the road on Sherman Avenue, and I guess the Board should confirm whether or not the clearing plan meets your expectations or is what you were looking for, and as far as the clearing limits for the indoor tennis facility, which the applicant indicated they would not clear until such time of construction, they should probably be shown on the plan and secondly a note added to the plan that the area will not be cleared until the construction of the tennis facility. That’s all I have at this time. MR. RINGER-Did you get a response from Kathy O’Brien? I see where Roberts Environmental sent a letter to Kathy O’Brien. Did we get anything back from Kathy? MR. LAPPER-You specifically, or you weren’t here at that meeting, perhaps. The Board specifically said that if we got it from Deb, that would be good enough, because it takes a while to get Kathy to respond, and Deb’s letter was pretty clear that there was nothing there. MR. RINGER-It works for me. I mean, I’m not a big fan of this Karner blue, to tell you the honest truth, and I guess I’m on the record with that now, but, I mean, we’ve held up some projects for this thing that. Okay. Now you’re up, Jon. MR. LAPPER-Okay. For the record, Jon Lapper, Doug Miller and Tom Nace. Very simply, the Board couldn’t grant the subdivision approval last time because you had to do a SEQRA signoff first. So that’s why both of them are still before you. The subdivision is very simple. The proposed use of the other site is an indoor ice hockey training facility that Doug would be subdividing and selling and that would come in for a separate site plan review probably over the summer. It’s another use that’s a permitted use in the zone, the Recreation Commercial zone. It’s a very small facility just for training young kids about a quarter the size of a regular hockey rink, and that’s a compatible use with Doug’s use. So that’s the subdivision which is on first, and all of the comments that George made were really site plan specific and I’ll let Tom address the lighting, etc. MR. NACE-Okay. We have supplied, just today, cut sheets of the lighting. They are all down lit, cut off fixtures. We have changed the lights in the back of the building, to cut off wall pack type lights that will be pole mounted, so that they are cut off fixtures back there. They’re not 23 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) floodlights anymore. We do have a glitch in the plans that were submitted. The lighting consultant showed a very hot light under the canopy. We’re going to change it. It’s not, we don’t have the architectural details for the canopy yet. Once we get those, we’ll work with the architect and get a more appropriate lighting plan for the canopy. MR. VOLLARO-Thirty-five foot candles is pretty high. MR. NACE-Yes, 35 is pretty high. When we saw that, it was too late to change it, and we knew we had to. So, as far as the lighting, I think with that changing of the under canopy lights, we will be pretty much in compliance with your Code. The clearing, we have not changed the clearing limits any since we’ve started with this project out on Sherman Avenue. Where, the only opening through the existing trees there that we’re proposing is for the road, and the rest of the clearing has not changed since we’ve first submitted. We are adding, as we’ve pointed out before, we are adding a buffer out there, that will provide under canopy coverage, or under canopy shielding, from Sherman Avenue. Let me get the right plan open here. In here, along the edge of the fields, we’re adding some lower pine cover that will provide more of a low buffer in there. The other question that had come up at the last meeting was, could we leave trees where this indoor, future indoor tennis facility is going to be. Could we leave our trees in there until we’re ready to build that facility. We looked at it. The fact is that we’re going to have construction taking place on all four sides of that area. We have to get the road around here. We have to build a spectator building. By the time we’re all said and done, it’s a fairly narrow strip of trees that would remain, and they really don’t buffer anything from anything else. We’d much prefer to be able to do all of our grading and get all of our heavy earthwork done at once, when we’re on the site, replant this area in grass, and then when we’re ready for the tennis facility, we have a level site to construct it on. The other advantage of that is that it allows us, temporarily, to use that if we ever require overflow parking until we get the tennis facility built, but that’s, I mean, our analysis really is that when you look at what would be left in the way of trees in here, it really doesn’t provide a buffer for any reason. I mean, it buffers the power line. We’ve already got a good buffer there along the power line, and there are no people back here behind the power line that it would serve to provide any buffer to. MR. RINGER-Is that it, Tom? MR. NACE-Yes. MR. RINGER-Anything else? MR. NACE-No. MR. RINGER-Okay. Let’s go down our list here. We’ll do, this is going to be subdivision and site plan at the same time, but we’ll go down our sheet here of subdivision. Then we’ll turn it over, do the site plan. Some of them are going to interchange. Okay. Design standards, subdivision now we’re talking, design standards, any questions on that, on subdivision? MR. VOLLARO-We previous conducted a SEQRA on this related to the subdivision, along with a recommendation to the Town Board for a zone change. MR. RINGER-Did we do the SEQRA, or did the Town do the SEQRA? MR. LAPPER-No, that’s absolutely true, and I misspoke. MR. VOLLARO-We did the SEQRA. The SEQRA’s been done. MR. LAPPER-Yes, you’re right. I was wrong. MR. SCHACHNER-Yes. Right. Your comment confused me. It’s our understanding that the Planning Board did the SEQRA review for hopefully the entire project at the time of the 24 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) rezoning, because everything was proposed, subdivision, site plan, rezoning, the whole shebang. Is that correct? That’s what we’re saying, right? MR. RINGER-Well, that was a recommendation for a zone change. MR. LAPPER-Also you were Lead Agency for SEQRA. MR. SCHACHNER-I believe that’s correct. You’re correct that your role at that time, as far as decision-making, was recommendation for a zone change, but remember that there’s been, pursuant to a resolution of a year and a half or two ago, zone changes that are the subject of project specific requests, you generally take the role of SEQRA Lead Agency, and actually prepare the SEQRA positive declaration or negative declaration, even though the Town Board has to make the zone change decision. We think that you did that here. Correct? MR. SANFORD-Did we accept Lead Agency? I know we did SEQRA. MR. SCHACHNER-Well, if you did the SEQRA review, then you did it as Lead Agency. MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. SCHACHNER-By definition. You couldn’t have done it otherwise. MR. RINGER-So we don’t have to do a SEQRA? MR. NACE-Larry, I think your hang up last meeting was that you were trying to reconfirm that your previous SEQRA determination still applied and you could not make that in good faith without having the Karner blue issue put to bed. MR. SANFORD-That was it. MR. SCHACHNER-I think that’s correct. MR. HILTON-Yes, and I’m probably going to say the same thing that Tom just said, but at the time of the rezoning, the subdivision was known, the site plan was known. This Board passed a SEQRA negative declaration at the time of the meeting, last meeting, the Board felt that some additional information was needed for Karner blue, to address the Karner blue issue, and now I guess at the same time, if there’s anything else that you feel you may need to address or will cause you to re-look at your previous SEQRA determination, you can do that, but SEQRA has been done. MR. SANFORD-Okay. SEQRA has been done. Really what we’re doing here, then, is site plan. Subdivision, too? Okay. MR. RINGER-Well, we’ve got to do subdivision. MR. LAPPER-For the record, I’ve got the Neg Dec that this Board unanimously passed on December 23, 2003. MR. RINGER-The action would have been a recommendation for a zone change. MR. SCHACHNER-No, I don’t think so. MR. LAPPER-No, it was a Lead Agency determination separately, earlier. MR. SCHACHNER-Yes, Larry, in all likelihood, the action was described not only as the zone change, but as, for the purpose of this project, I don’t know, but. MR. RINGER-I don’t either. I don’t either. I was here for that, but I don’t. 25 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. LAPPER-Well, it was because both the Town Board and the Zoning Board signed off on the Lead Agency status. So it was the whole thing. MR. SCHACHNER-And generally, again, the reason you would be taking the Lead Agency role on a zone change. MR. RINGER-Because there’s a site plan that we know of. MR. SCHACHNER-Exactly. MR. RINGER-Okay. Let’s do this. Any questions on subdivision? MR. VOLLARO-No, I don’t have any questions. MR. SANFORD-No. At site plan. MR. RINGER-Okay. Now we’re going to site plan. MR. SANFORD-Yes. If the applicant could. MR. RINGER-Let’s start right at the top of the list. MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. RINGER-The design standards. MR. SANFORD-No. MR. VOLLARO-I have no comments on design standards. MR. RINGER-Anyone? Okay. Site development? MR. SANFORD-Yes, a site development. Just clarify this for me. I wasn’t too comfortable with, if there was an emergency, how emergency vehicles could get in there and do what they have to do, and I think the explanation was they’ll move the vehicles if they have to, but I think, and I was reading this literature that was distributed. You did some changes there to make the roads wider or something. Would you take a minute and explain if there’s been any changes to your road configurations, in terms of access? MR. NACE-Okay. Are you referring to the recent? MR. SANFORD-It was recent. MR. NACE-From the Fire Marshal’s office? MR. SANFORD-Yes. MR. RINGER-Yes, from the West Glens Falls Fire Chief. MR. NACE-Okay. Yes, it turned out they didn’t have a plan in front of them that they could look at that had the water main on it. So they didn’t think there was a hydrant in here anywhere, and they were concerned about getting emergency vehicles around where this airlock was, and as you can see, the earlier plan, this is an airlock for trucks entering and exiting the dome. We have bumped the pavement out a little bit around that, so that there is wider, we had, I think, 10 or 12 feet beyond the end of the airlock before. Now we have a full 24, I think 25 feet. 26 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. NACE-So there’s better access there, but their big concern had been that they didn’t see a hydrant anywhere, and they thought they were going to have to run from a hydrant all the way, I think it’s out here on Sherman. MR. SANFORD-Where is the nearest hydrant? MR. NACE-The nearest hydrant is right here. MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. NACE-Okay. It’s laid out so that as the trucks enter the site, they can stop, hook on, and lay their hose as they come in. MR. SANFORD-Okay. Thanks. MR. RINGER-Is that it on that, Richard? MR. SANFORD-That was all I had. MR. RINGER-Okay. Anything else on site development? Parking, emergency access, traffic? MR. VOLLARO-On the drawing, there’s no apparent pedestrian access, other than to use the entrance road. You don’t have any way for pedestrians to get in, and maybe the pedestrians are not going to come in to this site in that manner. MR. RINGER-There’s no sidewalks on Sherman Avenue anyway, that they’d be coming from. MR. VOLLARO-My only question is, what is the length of the whole road? I tried to lay that out, but it’s difficult to lay out on the drawing. MR. NACE-In my, the scale’s 50, back to the edge of the parking it’s about 800 feet. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. So it’s under a 1,000 foot road. MR. NACE-Yes. MR. VOLLARO-Now, at our previous meeting, we had some discussions, during the time we did SEQRA. MR. NACE-It’s less, it’s about 650, 700 feet. MR. VOLLARO-As long as it’s under 1,000. MR. SANFORD-There was some discussion for an emergency access along the southern property line. What ever happened to that? We did discuss it during that meeting, and I don’t know whether that, it didn’t get carried through on the design. MR. MILLER-Well, we have, south of our property is Arrowhead Equipment, that Bill Elhert owns, and we inquired with Niagara Mohawk about perhaps using their right of way because it is so wide, and they declined any use of that. You can cross their right of ways, but you can’t run parallel with them. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. I see. Okay. So that’s the impediment to a southern exit. Now, the Fire Chief’s comment that he provided here, it’s rather lengthy. So I don’t know whether we want to read the whole thing or not, but he expressed concerns about the proposed access road and the associated paved surfaces within the proposed complex. He doesn’t seem to mention too 27 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) much about the height. While the main access road into the complex appears to be wide enough for fire department use, it becomes much more narrow as it winds around the air inflated structure. Now, he didn’t realize there was a hydrant back there. Well, two things, and I met with Steve yesterday. Did Steve provide a revised letter to you? Because he told me he would, I met with him two days ago. He said he was going to revise his letter after I met with him. MR. VOLLARO-There is something here from him as a revision. Let me see what it says. MR. NACE-Okay. I haven’t seen a copy of it, but two things that he was unaware. MR. VOLLARO-Yes. He said the fire lane has been addressed. There is a comment from him. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. MR. VOLLARO-The plan appears to now satisfy the 20 foot width requirement. However, we are still seeking an additional fire hydrant to be located at the rear side of the facility’s support building. (Lost words) distance greater than 600 feet from a hydrant to the furthest corner of the sprinkler building, as measured around the perimeter code. I’m not sure what he means by that. MR. NACE-Well, he may have, just from this hydrant around to the back of this, may be over 600 feet. We’ll certainly look at that. If we need one there, we’ll provide it. MR. RINGER-What he’s saying is, you’ve got the sprinklered building. So when we come in, we’re going to hook a line on to the sprinkler system, and we’re going to run that off from the truck of the hydrant to feed that, the sprinkler system. MR. NACE-Right. MR. RINGER-And he feels apparently, I guess, I don’t want to speak for him, but I’m guessing that he’s probably saying if you’re going to run five inch hose 600 feet there, you’re going to have to put a portable hydrant or something if you don’t have a hydrant there to feed into the sprinkler system, and then feed your own lines to fight the fire. Because you’ve got two things to feed, and that’s what he probably wants is the hydrant there. MR. NACE-Okay. I will talk to Steve and find out exactly where he wants it and see what we, we certainly should be able to provide that. He was not aware that there was a hydrant, and he wasn’t aware that these domes really don’t have any flammable material in them. They’re all fire retardant, nonflammable material. MR. RINGER-What happens if there is fire in there and then the air goes out, that it’s held up by air, right, and the air goes up. It does clot, or, just out of curiosity? MR. MILLER-Weigh down just like a balloon deflating. MR. RINGER-Just comes down? MR. MILLER-Yes. MR. RINGER-Like a hot air balloon. MR. MILLER-I don’t anticipate any fires inside. MR. RINGER-You figure, a hot air balloon, you let the air out and, zoom, it comes down. MR. MILLER-It’s conceivable that if a fire was to start inside there, it wouldn’t, it’s noncombustible material, but it could clearly eventually melt through, you know, and if I 28 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) opened all the doors, it takes about two and a half hours for the air to get out enough to bring it down, but if we did have a fire, it would deflate. MR. RINGER-I guess the big thing would be to get the people out, and that would be the first thing you’d do anyway, and if it takes two and a half hours for it to deflate, hopefully you’d have them all out. MR. MILLER-Yes, you could open all the doors and evacuate the place in plenty of time, and that’s the other thing, you know, to get around to the back, would you really need access to the back with fire equipment? You’d probably just, you wouldn’t cut in there with chainsaws like you would on a building. MR. RINGER-No, I don’t think you’d put a chainsaw up there. Maybe they don’t know what’s there then. I think maybe we’ve all made mistakes before, I guess. MR. MILLER-We don’t have any rooms in there. There’s no partitioned rooms. There’s just a big open space. MR. VOLLARO-The last thing on this, at the entrance to the road, the radii there should be 40 foot, the 40 foot radius, on drawing SP-1. According to, you know, if you hold on a minute, I’ll try to get the reference to that. It’s part of Chapter 183, and that’s part of the Subdivision, however. MR. NACE-Okay, the subdivision. MR. VOLLARO-183 in the Subdivision it talks to where you make a radius out onto a main road it should be a 40 foot radii. MR. NACE-That’s if it’s abutting a public right of way, and I think it’s, the property line radius is 25. Typically, under your Subdivision, the street radius is 25. If we’re doing a DOT highway entrance, it’s 32 foot radius. That’s all that DOT will want for truck entry. MR. VOLLARO-I did have reference to it in this document, and I misplaced the reference. I’m sorry about that. MR. NACE-Okay. I’ll look at that. If we have to change the radius to make it comply, we will. MR. VOLLARO-Well, whatever radius is there should be identified. MR. NACE-Sure, absolutely. MR. VOLLARO-Larry, that’s I have on that section. MR. RINGER-Okay. Anybody else on site development criteria? Okay. Lighting, questions on lighting? MR. VOLLARO-There is one other question. I’m sorry. This is a requirement from Rick Missita, in a letter that he wrote, that the potable water supply line will be bored underneath Sherman Avenue. He asked that to make that a condition. MR. NACE-Okay. Can we get copies of these Department letters that? Okay. Great. Thank you. MR. VOLLARO-I don’t need that letter from Rick. You can have it if I’ve got it here. MR. RINGER-Lighting? Anything on lighting? Landscaping? MR. VOLLARO-I haven’t looked at my notes. The flood lights are not part of this plan? 29 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. NACE-They are not. The new plan that you have in front of you has the wall pack type cutoffs. MR. VOLLARO-And the cut sheets for the lighting plan, have they been submitted? Do we have cut sheets? They got them today. Okay. George, have you looked at them, the cut off fixtures? MR. HILTON-Yes. MR. VOLLARO-The plan shows that the parking lot average is at 3.3, and the Code is 2.5. I’m not going to get concerned about that. At the building entrance, I think that’s an anomaly, that 35. MR. NACE-That’s not going to happen. MR. VOLLARO-You’d never even present that against a five foot candles. MR. NACE-Although for reference, some time look in your Code, the fact that loading, unloading areas have an allowable foot candle average of 20. Which is actually five is low for a pedestrian unloading zone. MR. VOLLARO-Yes. MR. NACE-Or place where you’re getting out of a car and getting in to a building. MR. VOLLARO-Well, the discussion we’re going to have here, hopefully at the end of this (lost words). MR. RINGER-Are you done on lighting, Bob? MR. VOLLARO-Yes. MR. RINGER-Anybody else on lighting? Landscape design? When you last discussed this item on cutting those trees down, that was just an informal, the Board just thought it would be nice if you waited to cut those trees down until after he was ready to build the building. MR. SANFORD-My suggestion. They seem to give an explanation why, it doesn’t make sense. MR. RINGER-We heard his explanation. It seems to make sense to me. Anybody have any trouble with that? Okay. Anything else on landscape? MR. SANFORD-Well, again, you said you widened the buffer on Sherman? MR. NACE-No, I said we haven’t changed the buffers. I said we’ve added. No, we’ve added, along the Sherman Avenue line, we’ve added the lower buffer with spruce, it’ll keep a low limb cover. MR. RINGER-Anything else on landscaping? Environmental? Wetlands, noise, air quality, aesthetics, historical, wildlife, neighborhood character? MR. VOLLARO-No. MR. RINGER-Involved agencies? Kathy O’Brien, but apparently we’ve got that from the last meeting we agreed that the letter from their expert was satisfactory. Okay. Any other comments? Any comments from you guys? Okay. We’ve got a public hearing. Anyone from the public want to comment on this project? 30 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) PUBLIC HEARING OPENED NO COMMENT PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED MR. RINGER-We don’t have to do another SEQRA? MR. SCHACHNER-Unless you feel there are things that are different. MR. RINGER-I feel pretty good about it. I thought we’d have to do a SEQRA for site plan, but if we don’t, we don’t. I’m all for it. MR. SCHACHNER-No, because remember that one of the principals of SEQRA is that the, quote unquote action is all the multiple component parts of an action. So this is why, I mean, the process is designed to work this way and this is, you know, I think a benefit of the process. When this particular applicant filed for the zone change, they didn’t do so generically. They did so with a specific project on the table, and George and I have been looking at the documents, and it’s pretty clear that this is the project that was proposed. MR. RINGER-You could have just said no, but, any other questions from the Board? Okay. I’ll look for a motion. We’ve got a few conditions. MR. LAPPER-First subdivision. MR. RINGER-Subdivision, right. Let’s do that one. MR. SEGULJIC-I just have a discussion question. For now they’re showing the entrance to the subdivision from the access road. Should we condition that at all? Because what happens if, down the road, you know, they can’t put the access, for whatever reason they get into an argument, doesn’t allow it, and we have another curb cut onto Sherman Avenue? MR. LAPPER-We would condition that we’re going to grant an access easement, because no one would want another curb cut onto Sherman. MR. SEGULJIC-Right. MR. LAPPER-So as a condition we would grant an access easement from the main drive to that subdivided parcel. MR. SEGULJIC-Do we need to put that condition in there? MR. VOLLARO-Are you talking about that (lost words)? MR. SANFORD-The hockey rink. MR. SCHACHNER-We think that’s a very appropriate comment, and would be a very appropriate condition, and George is pointing out, and he’s right, that you would want the condition to include that the applicant submit a revised plan indicating that that would happen. MR. LAPPER-Put a note on the plan. MR. RINGER-And then if he sold that lot, that would become part of that. Okay. It sounds good. MR. SCHACHNER-It’s very appropriate. 31 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-Any other questions before we do the resolution on the subdivision? Does anybody want to make a motion on subdivision? MR. VOLLARO-Yes, I’ll make the motion. MOTION TO APPROVE PRELIMINARY STAGE SUBDIVISION NO. 6-2004 DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER, Introduced by Robert Vollaro who moved for its adoption, seconded by Anthony Metivier: WHEREAS, an application has been make to this board for the following: Subdivision No. 6-2004 Applicant: DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER PRELIMINARY STAGE Property Owner: George Drellos FINAL STAGE Agent: Nace Engineering / Jonathan Lapper SEQR Type: Unlisted Zone: RC-15 Location: Sherman Avenue Applicant proposes the subdivision of a 20.61 acre parcel into two (2) lots of 19.2 and 1.2 acres in association with a proposed sports complex/recreation center on Sherman Avenue. Cross Reference: PZ, AV, SP Tax Map No. 309.5-1-3 Lot size: 21 +/- acres / Section: A183 Public Hearing: April 20, 2004, May 27, 2004 WHEREAS, the application was received 3/15/04, and WHEREAS, the above is supported with the following documentation, and inclusive of all newly received information, not included is this listing as of 4/16/04, and 5/27 Staff Notes 5/14 CT Male engineering sign-off letter 5/14 New info received 5/12 K. O’Brien, NYSDEC from Roberts Environmental Consulting 5/3 Meeting Notice 4/20 Staff Notes 4/15 New information received 4/13 Notice of Public Hearing 4/2 Meeting Notice w/project identification marker sent 3/26 Water Dept. comments WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter A183, Subdivision of Land, Section A183-9J and A183-10C, D of the Code of the Town of Queensbury a public hearing was advertised and was held on April 20, 2004 and May 27, 2004; and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has determined that the proposal complies with the Subdivision application requirements of the Code of the Town Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has considered the environmental factors found in the Code of the Town of Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act have been considered and the Planning Board reaffirms SEQRA findings of 12/23/03, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that We find the following: The application for Preliminary Stage is hereby granted and is subject to the following conditions which shall be listed on the final plat submitted for Planning Board Chairman’s signature and filing: 32 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) 1. Waiver request(s) are granted: Stormwater, Grading and Sketch. Duly adopted this 27th day of May, 2004, by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE MR. RINGER-Now for the Final. MOTION TO APPROVE FINAL STAGE SUBDIVISION NO. 6-2004 DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER, Introduced by Robert Vollaro who moved for its adoption, seconded by Richard Sanford: WHEREAS, an application has been make to this board for the following: Subdivision No. 6-2004 Applicant: DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER PRELIMINARY STAGE Property Owner: George Drellos FINAL STAGE Agent: Nace Engineering / Jonathan Lapper SEQR Type: Unlisted Zone: RC-15 Location: Sherman Avenue Applicant proposes the subdivision of a 20.61 acre parcel into two (2) lots of 19.2 and 1.2 acres in association with a proposed sports complex/recreation center on Sherman Avenue. Cross Reference: PZ, AV, SP Tax Map No. 309.5-1-3 Lot size: 21 +/- acres / Section: A183 Public Hearing: April 20, 2004 May 27, 2004 WHEREAS, the application was received 3/15/04, and WHEREAS, the above is supported with the following documentation, and inclusive of all newly received information, not included is this listing as of 4/16/04, and 5/27 Staff Notes 5/14 CT Male engineering sign-off letter 5/14 New info received 5/12 K. O’Brien, NYSDEC from Roberts Environmental Consulting 5/3 Meeting Notice 4/20 Staff Notes 4/15 New information received 4/13 Notice of Public Hearing 4/2 Meeting Notice w/project identification marker sent 3/26 Water Dept. comments WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter A183, Subdivision of Land, Section A183-9J and A183-10C, D of the Code of the Town of Queensbury a public hearing was advertised and was held on April 20, 2004 and May 27, 2004; and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has determined that the proposal complies with the Subdivision application requirements of the Code of the Town Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has considered the environmental factors found in the Code of the Town of Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act have been considered and the Planning Board reaffirms SEQRA findings of 12/23/03, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that 33 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) We find the following: The application for Final Stage is hereby granted in accordance with the resolution prepared by Staff and is subject to the following conditions which shall be listed on the final plat submitted for Planning Board Chairman’s signature and filing: 1. A revised plan showing the interconnection between the proposed hockey rink lot and the access driveway in the subdivision shall be submitted, 2. All necessary outside agency approvals that have been or will be received by the applicant, copies shall be sent to and received by Planning Department Staff within 180 days. 3. The plat must be filed with the County Clerk within 60 days of receipt by Planning Department Staff of outside agency approvals noted. Duly adopted this 27th day of May, 2004, by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Sanford, Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE MR. RINGER-Now we can do site plan. SITE PLAN NO. 17-2004 SEQR TYPE: UNLISTED DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER PROPERTY OWNER: GEORGE & DAWN DRELLOS AGENT: NACE ENGINEERING/JONATHAN LAPPER ZONE: RC-15 LOCATION: SHERMAN AVENUE APPLICANT PROPOSES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 169,975 SQ. FT. INDOOR SPORTS COMPLEX WITH ASSOCIATED OUTDOOR BALL FIELDS, SITE LIGHTING AND VEHICULAR PARKING. RECREATION CENTER USES IN THE RC-15 ZONE REQUIRE SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. CROSS REFERENCE: PZ, AV, SUB WARREN CO. PLANNING: 4/14/04 TAX MAP NO. 309.5-1-3 LOT SIZE: 21 +/- ACRES SECTION: 179-4-020 JON LAPPER & TOM NACE, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT; DOUG MILLER, PRESENT MR. RINGER-Do you have many conditions on site plan? We’ve got a signoff from Male, right, George? MR. HILTON-Yes. MR. RINGER-Okay. So we don’t need that. MR. SANFORD-The hydrant’s the only condition, right? MR. RINGER-The hydrants, right. MR. SEGULJIC-I was going to say also the area of the future tennis court, that that be graded and seeded. MR. NACE-That’s what we’re proposing. MR. SANFORD-That’s in the plan. MR. SEGULJIC-That’s in the plan? MR. SANFORD-Yes, that’s the plan. 34 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SEGULJIC-Okay. Is it on the plan? MR. SANFORD-Yes, I mean, at the last meeting, someone had suggested they keep it wooded, and they re-evaluated it, and they’re sticking with their original plan which was to clear. MR. NACE-It’s in, certainly the grading plan shows it graded, and the erosion and sediment control plan shows it all graded off, and I think actually labels it to be seeded. MR. SEGULJIC-Maybe I’m missing it. I see the grading plan. I don’t see anything. MR. RINGER-While Tom’s looking for that, any other conditions? MR. VOLLARO-The only condition on this is the Steve Smith, Fire Marshal’s (lost words). MR. RINGER-On the hydrant you mean, the second hydrant? MR. VOLLARO-Yes. I would say what we do here is to condition this to be in accordance with the comments from the Fire Marshal dated May 26, 2004. MR. RINGER-Okay. Did you find it, Tom? MR. NACE-No, Tom’s right. I thought there was a note right on there. MR. RINGER-Okay. Do you want to add that condition to it, Bob. MR. NACE-That it’s to be seeded, graded and seeded. MR. SEGULJIC-In the area of the future tennis facility, be graded and seeded until construction of the tennis facility. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. All right. MR. SEGULJIC-Also, there was a comment in Staff notes about clearing limits. MR. RINGER-On the seeding? MR. SEGULJIC-Maybe, though, I think you took care of that, then. That’s taken care of. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. MOTION TO APPROVE SITE PLAN NO. 17-2004 DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER, Introduced by Robert Vollaro who moved for its adoption, seconded by Thomas Seguljic: WHEREAS, an application has been made to this Board for the following: Site Plan No. 17-2004 Applicant: DOUGLAS & TERESA MILLER SEQR Type: Unlisted Property Owner: George & Dawn Drellos Agent: Nace Engineering / Jonathan Lapper Zone: RC-15 Location: Sherman Avenue Applicant proposes the construction of a 169,975 sq. ft. Indoor Sports Complex with associated outdoor ball fields, site lighting and vehicular parking. Recreation Center uses in the RC-15 zone require Site Plan Review and approval from the Planning Board. Cross Reference: PZ, AV, SUB Warren Co. Planning: 4/14/04 Tax Map No. 309.5-1-3 Lot size: 21 +/- acres / Section: 179-4-020 Public Hearing: April 20, 2004 35 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) WHEREAS, the application was received on 3/15/04; and WHEREAS, the above is supported with the following documentation and inclusive of all newly received information, not included in this listing as of 4/16/04, and 5/27 Staff Notes 5/14 CT Male engineering sign-off received 5/14 New information received 5/12 Roberts Environmental Consulting to K. O’Brien, NYS DEC 5/3 Meeting Notice sent 4/20 Staff Notes 4/14 Warren Co. Planning 4/13 Notice of Public Hearing 4/2 Meeting Notice w/project identification marker sent WHEREAS, pursuant to Art. 9 of the Zoning Ordinance of the Code of the Town of Queensbury a public hearing was advertised and was held on April 20, 2004 and May 27, 2004; and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has determined that the proposal complies with the Site Plan application requirements of the Code of the Town Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has considered the environmental factors found in the Code of the Town of Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act have been considered and the Planning Board has reaffirmed SEQRA findings of 12/23/03, and WHEREAS, this approval does not relieve the applicant from obtaining all necessary permits whether Federal, State or Local, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that We find the following: The application is hereby approved in accordance with the resolution prepared by Staff and is subject to the following conditions which shall be listed on the final plans submitted to the Zoning Administrator: 1. A copy of the requested NOI shall be submitted to Planning Staff prior to signature of the final plat by the Zoning Administrator. 2. The comments provided by Steve Smith, Fire Marshal, in his memo of 5/26/2004 shall be complied with. 3. The tennis facility is to be graded and seeded until construction is in process. Duly adopted this 27th day of May, 2004, by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE MR. RINGER-You’re all set. MR. NACE-Thank you. MR. MILLER-Thank you. MR. RINGER-Good luck, Doug. 36 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) FRESHWATER WETLANDS PERMIT NO. FW 6-2003 SEQR TYPE: UNLISTED THOMAS SCHIAVONE PROPERTY OWNER: ANNE L. BETTERS ZONE: SR-1A WETLAND: NYS DEC GF 27 LOCATION: SOUTH SIDE SHERMAN AVE., WEST OF POWER LINES APPLICANT PROPOSES DISTURBANCE WITHIN 100’ OF REGULATED WETLANDS, AS WELL AS THE DISTURBANCE OF 0.099 ACRES OF REGULATED WETLANDS IN RELATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 33 LOT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. CROSS REFERENCE: SUB 4-2003 NYS DOH, NYS DEC TAX MAP NO. 308.7-1-2 LOT SIZE: 49.9 ACRES SECTION: 179-6-100 JON LAPPER & TOM NACE, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT STAFF INPUT Notes from Staff, Freshwater Wetlands Permit No. FW 6-2003, Thomas Schiavone, Meeting Date: May 27, 2004 “Project Description: Applicant proposes to subdivide approximately 49 acres of land into 34 lots, 33 of which will be single-family residential properties. As part of the subdivision, the applicant proposes to disturb approximately one tenth of an acre of NYSDEC wetlands, as well as 1.88 acres of disturbance within the NYSDEC 100 ft. regulated buffer. The applicant’s plans also indicate a .62 acre wetland mitigation area to be created. The applicant’s proposal requires a NYSDEC Freshwater Wetlands Permit, as well as a Town of Queensbury Freshwater Wetlands Permit because of the proposed disturbance of regulated wetlands and proposed disturbance of areas within the 100 ft. regulated area surrounding these wetlands. Staff review and comments are based on consideration of the criteria for considering a Freshwater Wetlands Permit according to Section 179-6-100 E of the Town of Queensbury Zoning Ordinance. Staff comments: The requirements for granting a Town of Queensbury Freshwater Wetlands Permit are outlined in § 179-6-100 E (2) of the Zoning Ordinance. These requirements are: 1 – The proposed regulated activity is consistent with the policy of this chapter to preserve, protect and conserve freshwater wetlands and the benefits derived therefrom, to prevent the despoliation and destruction of freshwater wetlands and to regulate the development of such wetlands in order to secure the natural benefits of freshwater wetland, consistent with the general welfare and beneficial economic, social and agricultural development of the town. 2 – The proposed regulated activity is consistent with the land use regulations applicable in the town pursuant to § 24-0903 of Article 24 of State Environmental Conservation Law 3 – The proposed regulated activity is compatible with the public health and welfare 4 – The proposed regulated activity is reasonable and necessary 5- There is no reasonable alternative for the proposed regulated activity on a site which is not a freshwater wetland or adjacent area. 6 – The applicant shall have the burden of demonstrating that the proposed regulated activity will be in accord with the standards set forth in this subsection. In considering these 6 requirements the Planning Board should consider any feasible alternatives that exist that could eliminate or lessen the impact on existing wetlands or on any adjacent regulated area. In terms of the impact road construction may have on wetlands and the adjacent regulated area, it could be stated that a redesign of the street system to lessen the 37 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) impact may not be a reasonable alternative. However, a feasible alternative may be to consolidate or redesign some lots in order to lessen or eliminate the impact that some of the proposed lots may have on the wetland and adjacent regulated area. It should be noted that the Town of Queensbury Sanitary Code states that on-site septic systems must be setback 100 ft. from any adjacent waterbody or wetland. The subdivision plat related to this application shows some leach fields within 100 ft. of the mapped wetland. Locating a septic system or leach field within 100 ft. of a wetland may require a septic variance. Staff suggests that a condition be added to any approval stating that prior to the issuance of a any building permits within this subdivision, that the applicant provide copies of the required NYSDEC Freshwater Wetlands Permit, and that any conditions of the NYSDEC permit be included as part of the granting of a Town Freshwater Wetlands permit.” MR. STONE-Staff notes, George? MR. HILTON-Yes. My notes address the Freshwater Wetlands proposed subdivision associated with this application. As I’ve indicated, we’ve received a revised layout sheet showing the wetland delineation for the entire property, with a revised density calculation and lot layouts, proposed lot lines. The new information shows the wetland delineation as I said. However, in order to calculate the allowable density, the applicant should address the development potential of Lot One, as outlined in the Zoning Administrator’s letter of December 12. You’ll recall that letter basically said what is the development potential of Lot One, which th areas are undeveloped. As you will recall, as far as calculating residential density, areas of undevelopable land are to be deducted from land area. The previous wetland disturbance plan proposed wetland mitigation, and I guess the question is, is this still a part of the application, and if so, it should be reflected on the disturbance or mitigation plan. Another question, are all proposed septic systems located greater than 100 feet from New York State DEC wetlands. This is a requirement. If they are not, the septic systems would require a septic variance from the Town of Queensbury Town Board, and in reviewing the subdivision layout, in the corners of Lots Two and Three may not have the required radius, radii, and as we’ve previously commented, consideration should be given to providing a no cut buffer in that common, in that center island between the rear properties in order to provide a visual buffer from the backyards of these homes. I’ve enclosed my previous comments from way back, the original hearing of this application for your reference, as it’s been a while since we’ve sat down and talked about this. Additionally, C.T. Male comments were out there, and as of this time, we have not received a signoff, and that’s all I have at this time. MR. RINGER-Okay. Go. Freshwater first. MR. LAPPER-For the record, Jon Lapper, Tom Schiavone, and Tom Nace. Tom Schiavone’s been working on this, proposing this, changing this for probably a year and a half. We were held up for probably the last five months because winter conditions. We had to delineate the wetlands. In general, the concept for this property, in the residential single family area, is to cluster it in the back to leave the buffer area and open space area in the front, which is pretty rare along Sherman. The Planning Board has previously required that this connect, the roadway here connect to the Schermerhorn roadway, which is now under construction on the site next door, in accordance with the design guidelines for subdivisions. A lot of work was done on the adjacent property to deal with the Karner blue butterfly. That was not a problem on Tom’s site. There’s a little bit of avoidance area, but there wasn’t like the site next door. It’s just been a while since we’ve been before the Board and some of the members are new. MR. NACE-Okay. As you’ll recall, originally, when we were here before, we had the wetlands delineated over to here, and the completion of that delineation, which was done this spring by DEC, is depicted on the map. The density calculation for that, we have gone through now and the density calculation shows now, and I apologize. We have a mistake on the map that we submitted to you. It’s a mistake in your favor, actually in both favors, but the actual wetland area is 5.08. The road area on your map was wrong, because it was pulled off a previous map 38 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) that had the boulevard entrance. If you’ll remember originally it had a boulevard entrance. So the actual area of the road is really 4.11 acres. However, we had failed to add in, which I have now, we failed to add in the proposed mitigation area, which is shown, for the wetland mitigation shown on the wetland plan, and that is .63 acres. So the correct calculation now is that there’s a total of 49.87 acres of land, 4.11 acres of proposed roadway right of way, 5.08 acres of existing wetlands, 0.62 acres of proposed wetland mitigation, and when you deduct those three numbers from the total of 49.87, the actual density or actual acreage allowable for development is 40.06. MR. VOLLARO-As opposed to 39. MR. NACE-So the actual density would be 40, or the allowable density. Okay. The issue had come up, and we’ve discussed it several times before, regarding the constructability on what we are leaving as undeveloped at this stage. The issue being that in the area up here, there is a lot of that, where the existing seasonal high groundwater table is less than two feet from the surface, and the Health Department’s stance on that is that you can’t develop that unless you go ahead and fill the area of the proposed septic system, let it settle, let it weather for a couple of years, so it becomes what they consider natural ground, and at that point then they will approve a subdivision using septic systems in those filled areas. So it really is developable. It’s just that they won’t approve it until that happens. Our intention, at this point, is to take the wetlands here, which are contiguous with the wetlands on the adjacent property, that area, plus most of this area up front, and either turn that over to the Town, or to a conservation group. We’re talking to the Queensbury Land Conservancy. We would retain a small area along the road here, for development of those future lots, if we chose to fill and construct those in the future. So wetland, what we’re talking about wetlands, let me finish with that. The reason we’re asking for a wetland permit is that simply to be able to get a road in here and utilize the back end of this property. The only way to do that is to get a road that turns around on itself, using your standard required road radiuses and to do that, there is no way to miss this one little end of the wetland here. That’s just a very narrow finger of wetland. We’re proposing to DEC to replace that, which is less than one-tenth of an acre, to replace that with a strip in here that is outside the existing wetlands. It’s upland area now, but we would excavate into that area to lower the ground level in it and plant wetland vegetation and that area is .62 acres that we would turn into wetland from current upland, and I guess for wetland issue, that’s pretty much. Yes, I’m sorry, that’s right. Thanks, Jon. One of the comments regarding wetlands was the septic systems within 100 feet, and it is true, we did have one within 100 feet or that I had missed, and we have revised the layout slightly, to correct that. If you look at your map on Lot Number 20, the septic system was down closer to the house and within the 100 foot wetland buffer. We have moved this lot line over about seven or eight feet, and moved the septic system back toward the rear, and we do have it outside the 100 foot buffer presently. MR. RINGER-That’s on the site plan you’ve got there, not what we’ve got in front of us? MR. NACE-That’s on the revised. I haven’t submitted this yet, okay, to you, but that’s to show you, at least for tonight, that we can do that. It was the one lot that was not within, or that was too close to the wetland. MR. RINGER-Any other outstanding comments from Staff? MR. NACE-As far as the wetland permit? No. MR. RINGER-Okay. Any questions? MR. VOLLARO-I’ll be the bad guy on this one. I’m not going to vote for granting this permit, based on 179-6-100E(2), which is, Staff comments that go back to December 16. What I’m th proposing here is that we do not encroach on the 100 foot buffer, and I’d be proposing to take out Lot 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, and 33, which would then allow only 25 lots, with no incursion into the 100 foot setback from the wetlands. The road itself is a minor encroachment, as far as I’m concerned, and that might have to go there, and I don’t know how you proceed from that 39 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) point on, but that’s my position. I just can’t see incursion into that 100 foot buffer here at all. I looked at this and looked at it and looked at it, and said, no. I just can’t see doing that. So I guess my proposal was to try to bring you down to, from 33 to 25 lots, as far as the cluster is concerned. MR. SANFORD-Bob, a couple of comments that I have. I agree with Bob. It’s been a nice meeting so far tonight, Jon, but one thing you possibly can do is consider a phasing, and it is going to be two years, I understand what Tom said. You could maybe put some fill in in Lot Number One, and pick up a couple of extra lots that way. It would have to go past the wait, the two years you’re talking about, but going through the requirements for the Freshwater Wetland permit that Staff outlined, and there were six of them, I think, six, there’s another one on the other page, I have to agree with Bob. There are alternatives to this site, which, you know, present a reasonable alternative. So I have to agree with him. I think it’s a density issue. Other than that, I’m comfortable with it, but I don’t know how long you were expecting this to take anyway, but maybe you can get some of your density in, only two years down the road. So I would offer that as a suggestion. MR. RINGER-Do you want to answer now? MR. NACE-Sure. First of all, the buffer area, okay, is, if you, have either of you been out to the site at all? Walked the land? Have you been back in that corner where the wetland is? MR. VOLLARO-Yes. No, I haven’t been in there. MR. NACE-This wetland, I’ll go to the wetland map. MR. VOLLARO-Are you on S-2 now? MR. NACE-I’m on W-1. MR. VOLLARO-You’re on W-1. Yes, I’ve got it. MR. NACE-It doesn’t matter. The wetlands show up, I think, on S-2, or. MR. VOLLARO-S-2 is the recent wetland map. MR. NACE-Okay, but basically the section of wetland that is up in here, and down into here is fairly distinct, and it’s fairly wide spread. When you get down past, you don’t have the wetland flag numbers, but if you look behind the northwest corner of Lot 21, where the wetland, next down in there, when you get past that, going south, there’s a very narrow section that’s really wet and as soon as you get back off the wetland, it turns into upland very quickly, and is not a very sensitive area, especially along the very tip of the southern piece here. If you’re concerned about the quality of the wetlands and preserving the wetlands which is really what the regulation is written to do, it might be more important, I would think, to create maybe some additional wetland back in behind Lot 21, or expand a little more in that upland area that’s cut in to the wetland on the western boundary. I’m just not sure if you were to go out there and walk this section, where you’re talking about losing these lots, I’m not sure what you’re going to accomplish by, in the way of protection of the wetland, by actually honoring that 100 foot buffer. MR. VOLLARO-Well, if you look at Lot 22, it actually touches the wetland. It’s not just encroaching on the 100 foot setback, twenty-two is actually touching the wetland. MR. SANFORD-So is 20 and 32. MR. NACE-Yes, well, 20 is in that area where the wetland is a very narrow little neck without, I don’t know, any redeeming qualities. I’ve spent, you know, several days on this site, looking at soils at various times, but it just, my gut feeling is that this area is not very important from a 40 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) wetlands standpoint. This is maybe more, and, you’re right. Maybe Lot 20, even though it’s on the edge of the wetland, or, 20, 22, I’m sorry, maybe 22 is, if you want to lose a lot, maybe that’s a more important one to lose, but the ones down here, I really don’t think, and I’ll be glad to walk it with anybody that would like to walk it. I really don’t think, seriously, that encroachment in the buffer there is an issue of any vital concern to the quality of the wetland. MR. VOLLARO-Well, let me just read into the record 179-6-100(E2). It says the requirement for granting a Town of Queensbury Freshwater Wetlands permit are outlined in this 179-6-100E. The proposed regulated activity is consistent with the policy of this Chapter to preserve, protect, and conserve freshwater wetlands, and benefits derived there from, to prevent the despoliation and destruction of freshwater wetlands and to regulate the development of such wetlands in order to secure the natural benefits of freshwater wetlands, consistent with the general welfare and beneficial economic, social and agricultural development of the Town. Then it goes on to say, the one that caught me was that there is no reasonable alternative for the proposed regulated activity on a site which is not a freshwater wetland or adjacent area, which means, they’re talking about this other area here, this Lot Number One, which apparently has high water (lost words). MR. LAPPER-Well, a reasonable alternative, Bob, what Tom is getting at is in terms of creating significant wetlands, because a wetland serves a function, which is to filter the water, and if we have adjacent wetlands that are more significant that we can increase, rather than leaving a couple of puddles over here, if you will, we can do more for creating that filter and creating a significant wetland, and just taking out these couple of areas, but what it also does is that it makes it a better, more livable subdivision, just in terms of how the lots lay out, how it will look for the neighbors, to put the wetlands in the area where it’s more protected and put the houses over here. MR. SANFORD-I guess it’s just the point of departure that we disagree with. I mean, we’re talking maximum densities based on these calculations, and I don’t really know if it’s the challenge of this Board to make that puzzle fit. I mean, I look at this configuration, you know, what I say is, well, you know, those lots that Mr. Vollaro referenced, if they were eliminated then it’s fine, it’s going to be something less than what you want. However, you could come back, perhaps. I don’t know how you would have to do that, and in a couple of years maybe be able to get some additional lots in Lot One, but based on 179-6-100E(2), as I look at these criteria that are requirements, I guess, is the better word, that are listed, I certainly can’t say that I’d be doing justice to my charge here by approving this when Number Five says there’s no reasonable alternative for the proposed regulated activity on a site which is not a freshwater wetland or adjacent area, where there clearly are a lot of alternatives, one is a less dense site, and again, the maximum density isn’t really necessarily the goal that we have to look at, A, and, B, if we want do that I mean as the applicant, if you want to do, you do have other possibilities to get that density in without going there, and then Number Six, Number Six is basically challenging the applicant, who shall have the burden of demonstrating that the proposed regulated activity will be in accord with the standards set forth in this sub section and Tom, basically what you’re saying is, let’s not do that, you know, what the intent really is, is this and that, and so I basically feel the same as Bob, that I’m just not comfortable with approving the permit. MR. VOLLARO-I think, Larry, at this particular point, this one end of the Board is talking about trying to eliminate eight lots, and I’ve got to, I’d like to here from some of the other Board members as to how they feel about getting into that 100 foot. MR. RINGER-What you’re saying, Tom, is that you want to add more. MR. NACE-I think if you start looking at wetlands, wetlands have an importance factor, okay, and not all wetlands are created equal, okay. The benefit the wetlands have to offer are different between a little narrow strip of wet ground that you can step over, you know, with a good jump, and a wider, more contiguous section that can support more of the wetland vegetation and absorb more water and help clean the water more. What I’m saying is that the 41 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) way the subdivision is arranged, the piece of wetland that we’re going across, and that we have the potential to impact, is certainly a lot more, and, I don’t know, I’ve spent a lot of time out there in the field looking, is a lot less important than the pieces of wetland that we can increase and make bigger and help become more contiguous, with the mitigation that we’re offering. So I really seriously think that our net benefit, or our net impact will be of benefit to the existing wetlands that are there. MR. RINGER-The amount of wetland you’re disturbing and the amount of wetland you’re putting back, how does? MR. NACE-We’re disturbing .09, I think it’s .095 acres. So less than a tenth of an acre, and we’re putting back .62 acres, significantly more, more than half an acre, and if it became that much of an issue, we could probably do more to create more of a contiguous area in here where there’s just a narrow neck at present. MR. LAPPER-I’m just suggesting, for the record, Tom, that you should talk about how the Army Corps and DEC lets you create wetlands to mitigate wetlands that are being disturbed, in terms of policy. MR. NACE-Good point. As Jon said, the policy of DEC and the Corps is that, you know, you can impact a wetland, but they want to see a net benefit overall to the wetland system. It’s not any little particular piece of wetland that has the value. It’s the overall impact of the, or the overall benefit of the entire wetland system in the area, and I think that what we’re proposing here will actually increase the good of, and the viability of the existing wetland, and the impact that we have is fairly minor compared to that. Generally, DEC is, if you take a small piece of wetland, replace it in kind. The Corps, you know, their criteria is two to one, replace twice as much as you take, and we’re, you know, going six to one. MR. RINGER-Any other comments? MR. ANDERSON-I have a question. Who gives the authority to trade the wetlands? MR. NACE-The regulatory agencies having jurisdiction, and in this case, it’s the Town, and DEC. We’re in parallel to this, we’ve applied to DEC for a permit. MR. ANDERSON-Either one, or both? MR. NACE-Both. We have to have approval from both. MR. ANDERSON-And we don’t necessarily need to move first. They may continue to work through an application with DEC to. MR. NACE-Yes, we’ve put in an application to DEC. We’re waiting for. MR. ANDERSON-If they grant that, it becomes a different picture here. You can almost make a new drawing. MR. RINGER-I think we have to approve, too, don’t we, Mark? MR. SCHACHNER-Too, yes, but not first. MR. NACE-Right. There’s no necessity of who has to be first. MR. ANDERSON-Well, why do we approve it now if it may not be approved by DEC? MR. SANFORD-And in fact, if we do approve it now, we may actually influence DEC’s opinion. MR. NACE-I doubt that very much. That would not be the case. 42 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. VOLLARO-I’ve got to really sit with our zoning requirements. Our 179-6 is very explicit and very clear. It doesn’t waffle. Number Five says there is no reasonable alternative for the proposed regulated activity, and I’ve got to hang my hat on that. MR. LAPPER-Well, it’s a question of what’s reasonable, but in general, even more simply, this gets down to what is the benefit and the burden on the wetland itself, and what Tom just said on the record is that we’re creating a benefit, and that benefit by creating more wetland and more significant wetland than these little areas that we’re proposing to take out. This is new, of course, for the Town to be regulating wetlands, but we’ve all been dealing with it, and certainly Tom as an engineer has been dealing with it with the Corps, and with DEC for many years, and what is proposed here is something that is typically approved by DEC. If you say you’d like to see the DEC permit first, Tom’s working hard to accomplish that, but I think that doing wetland mitigation where you’re creating it is something that is viewed, State and Federally, by the regulatory agencies, as something that’s positive, as long as you create more and better wetland than you’re taking out. So we’re trying to honor the concerns that you have, but to show you that what’s proposed is engineered, and is better for the system, for the wetland system. MR. RINGER-Any other comments down here? MR. ANDERSON-Another question. Are there any other limitations in that 100 foot setback except the positioning or locating of a drain field, anything else? MR. NACE-Well, both the Town and the DEC regulate any activity in that 100 feet, okay. MR. ANDERSON-Including structures? MR. NACE-Excuse me? MR. ANDERSON-Including a structure, building? MR. NACE-Correct. MR. ANDERSON-Building itself? MR. NACE-Yes. MR. ANDERSON-And you’d be invading that 100 foot area with structures as well. MR. NACE-And that’s part of our permit application with both you and DEC, that, yes, we are disturbing that 100 foot buffer, but, you know, in compensation for that disturbance of the wetland and the buffer, we are offering to create additional wetland, and with that additional wetland comes additional 100 foot buffer. MR. ANDERSON-You look like you need mitigation on the wetland itself, it’s a small number. On the 100 foot setback, it’s a pretty good sized area. MR. NACE-And we’ve shown that on the plans, but as I said, with the creation of the new wetlands, comes additional new buffer with that, too, that we’re, you know, creating. MR. RINGER-Any other comments down here? MR. VOLLARO-As far as that’s concerned, that’s the one comment, you know, I would be not voting for the wetland permit, Mr. Chairman. 43 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-We’re shorthanded on this. Mr. Seguljic has excused himself from this application. MR. VOLLARO-We were wondering why. MR. RINGER-He had done some business with Mr. Schiavone in the past, or in the present, and he’d rather not be involved in any decision making process. MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. VOLLARO-Understand. Understand. MR. RINGER-So we’ve got a public hearing. Anything from you before I open the public hearing, Jon, or Tom? MR. LAPPER-I guess the only thing I’m going to suggest is that we don’t want to get denied on something that we think that State and Federal agencies would allow, and we don’t want to argue about it. So maybe the answer is to table it. I know that certainly the two guys on the left will look into t his and study it, because they’re raising the biggest issues, and maybe look into the Federal and State regulatory schemes and see that the six to one mitigation that we’re proposing is a positive benefit, rather than to have a denial which would just give us a 30 day period to bring an Article 78. That’s not our goal here. We want to work this out, and as Tom mentioned, we can create more than the six to one, if that’s something that the Board wants to look at, but we certainly don’t want a denial on a permit. MR. RINGER-I’m not one for passing the buck to somebody else either, but, you know, if we’ve got something before us, but we’ve got a public hearing. Let’s get the public hearing, and then we’ll come back and we can talk further. MRS. STEFFAN-Larry, can I just ask one question? MR. RINGER-Sure. MRS. STEFFAN-What is on the other side of this wetlands? Is that an undeveloped parcel? Is it empty? MR. NACE-There’s more wetland. That area has been logged in the past. If you go out and look at the site, the lot behind us has been recently logged, but it’s open land. MRS. STEFFAN-Thank you. MR. RINGER-Okay. Anyone from the public? PUBLIC HEARING OPEN MR. RINGER-George, have you got a letter? MR. HILTON-Yes. MR. RINGER-Okay. MR. HILTON-A letter from Howard Krantz. It says, “Dear Members of the Planning Board: With respect to the application”, and this is in respect to the subdivision. I’m assuming we’re having the public hearing for both? MR. RINGER-Yes. 44 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. HILTON-Okay. “With respect to the application from Mr. Schiavone for approval of a 33 lot subdivision off Sherman Avenue, please know that I represent Madeleine Drellos, whose home adjoins the subdivision on the south. Mrs. Drellos is not opposed to approval of Mr. Schiavone’s subdivision provided that reasonable conditions and safeguards are in place which address my client’s concerns regarding surface water, high water table, and visibility. Mrs. Drellos has lived in her home adjoining the subdivision for many years and knows well by first hand experience that the subject premises are situated in part, not only in a wetland, but in an area which has an extremely high water table. Mrs. Drellos asks that the town engineer carefully scrutinize the subdivision application and supporting documentation and make reasonable recommendations to your Planning Board to assure that the development of this subdivision including, but not limited to, construction of 33 homes, septic systems and roadways, will not cause any new and additional surface water to migrate from the proposed subdivision onto my client’s property. Specifically, my clients home residence property abuts the southerly boundary of the proposed subdivision at Lots 11 through 16. Further, my client is legitimately concerned that this subdivision development activity may cause an increase in the high water table on her property. Finally, my client asks that reasonable conditions be imposed to insure mitigation of loss of privacy and minimum visibility of the subdivision. Specifically, it is respectfully requested that a natural vegetation buffer zone of 40 feet is maintained along the southerly boundary of Lots 11 through 16. Maintenance of a buffer zone will not only aid in minimizing migration of surface water from the subdivision onto my client’s property, but will also provide at least a minimum of privacy not only for my client but for the owners of Lots 11 through 16 as well. I note that the subdivision proposes a 25 foot no cut zone along the eastern boundary where the subdivision abuts lands of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. It would appear that this proposed no cut zone is proposed primarily to afford homeowners in the subdivision privacy from the lands of Niagara Mohawk. Likewise, my client would like to maintain as much privacy as possible from this 33 lot subdivision. I would have been present at this evening’s meeting to advance my client’s concerns and urge the Board to adopt reasonable measures and conditions to address my client’s concerns, but prior travel plans for the holiday weekend prevent me from doing so. Thank you for your kind consideration. Very truly yours, Howard I. Krantz” In addition, I have a record of a conversation I had today with Madeleine Drellos. She stopped in. She spoke about her concerns. She noted high water conditions in the neighborhood and had concerns about the impact on the wetland, and wondered what the impacts would be on the existing neighborhood as well as her property and other owners in the neighborhood, given that there will be new impervious surfaces, increased water use and new septic systems, and that’s all I have. MR. RINGER-That property to the south, that would go all the way up to Luzerne Road? MR. HILTON-Yes. MR. RINGER-So that would be a long ways away. MR. NACE-Eleven through sixteen. Does she own the whole back side of that? I thought that was different lots? Okay. MR. RINGER-But there’s nothing between that and Luzerne Road, right? MR. NACE-No, that’s not, but actually that is fairly deep. That property, at it’s narrowest, is about, at it’s narrowest it’s 360 feet. At it’s widest it’s 740 feet. MR. RINGER-And that’s Luzerne Road you’re showing on your map? MR. NACE-That is Luzerne Road right here. MR. RINGER-I didn’t realize it was that close to Luzerne Road, to tell you the truth. MR. NACE-Yes, it is. 45 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-Well, wouldn’t it be nice if you could make a road right out to Luzerne Road. People have been crying for that for years, and years, and years, trying to get a couple of more roads from Sherman to Luzerne, but that’s beside the point. MR. RINGER-I’m going to leave the public hearing open. Now we’ll get back to your comments, Jon, and you feel you want to table this? MR. NACE-Yes. Can I address one issue, since it came up in the public hearing record? MR. RINGER-Okay. MR. NACE-George had mentioned buffer zones in his Staff comments. MR. RINGER-On the back lots. MR. NACE-Although I haven’t, on what we submitted to you, you don’t have a copy of it, but what I’ve marked up and shown here is a 30 foot buffer, 15 foot on each lot. MR. RINGER-You’re talking Lots 25, 26, 27. MR. NACE-Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, and thirty-one, thirty-two, and thirty-three, okay, that would give fifteen foot on each lot will give an effective 30 foot buffer, and won’t encroach on the building setback lines in here, so that there’s buffer proposed there. We’ve also shown a 15 foot wide buffer along the rear of Lots 11 through 15, actually 16. Again, figuring we provide some buffer to adjacent lots which are much deeper than us, should be providing some buffer or their own. MR. RINGER-That’s for the subdivision if we get to that tonight. MR. LAPPER-I guess one thing I’m thinking, in light of the comments from Dick and Bob, C.T. Male has a whole bunch of guys that deal with Freshwater Wetlands issues, and maybe you should refer this to them and get an opinion from them on what we’ve proposed, and maybe they’ll ask us to change to something, but I think that, I’m hopefully that they will recognize that what we’re proposing is actually positive for the wetland, but rather than take a vote right now, I would rather that this get looked into in a little more detail, based upon the comments that we’re hearing. MR. RINGER-Okay. Mark, you had a comment. MR. SCHACHNER-Yes, I think that, I mean, I’m not insensitive to your concern about passing the buck, but here you have the applicant suggesting that the Board would have more information, and you all know I’m a big believer in the most important decision making possible. I think you have an applicant indicating that, they’ve already submitted an application to the relevant State agency that deals with Freshwater Wetlands permits, as well as you all do, and the applicant is suggesting that perhaps tabling would be to it’s benefit, but also to your benefit to gain more information. I wouldn’t be too worried about the passing the buck concern, although I’m not insensitive to that. It sounds like a reasonable approach. MR. RINGER-I wasn’t going to say no to them, but I just, you know, I wanted to get a full. C.T. Male, we have never, that I know of, sent a Freshwater to C.T. Male, have we, George? I think we’ve had three or four of them, and I can’t remember any of them going, because we’ve always, they’ve always done the site plan or subdivision with that. MR. HILTON-Yes, I don’t think we have. We’ve sent site plans that show disturbance of wetland buffers, or possibly wetlands, but not a, yes. 46 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-But not a Freshwater thing, and I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request at all, and we can do that and table at the same time for the DEC, and, you know, I’ve got no problem with that. MR. SCHACHNER-No, I think it makes some sense. MR. RINGER-Any other comments? MR. VOLLARO-The only problem I have with it, I don’t have a problem, but there’s two sides to this equation. One is the documents that I’m charged with, 179, upholding the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. Other documents, which I’ve never had to see, talk about a trade in mitigation. If you intrude on a wetland, we’ll allow you to, you know, create equal or more of a wetland. Well, I don’t have access to that knowledge. I really don’t. I haven’t seen that. I don’t know what that is. I don’t know how to do that. It’s a question of, I’d like to know what the procedure the applicant can follow to do this. See, we’re off in an area now where as a Planning Board member I have no insight. MR. SCHACHNER-Right, because you don’t do wetland stuff that much, but I mean, the procedure that the applicant can follow is essentially what this applicant is doing, and I can tell you from my own experience elsewhere that what the applicant is proposing, I’m not saying, you know me much too well to know that I would never say approve or deny, but the process the applicant is pursuing, which includes a proposed mitigation of creation of wetlands, of new wetlands, to offset disturbance of existing wetlands, they’re not inventing this process. MR. VOLLARO-No, I don’t believe they’re inventing it either. I just don’t know what it is. MR. SCHACHNER-Well, and frankly, the documentation that you’re referencing is not very technical and not very detailed, and not very specific in my opinion. I mean, Tom Nace knows as much, or more, about this than I do, and I welcome his input, but the document, it’s more a policy, if you will, than the technical documentation, and it’s sort of policy that’s evolved over the years as more and more acres of wetlands are disturbed. Both the Army Corps of Engineers and DEC and other State Environmental, you know, Conservation type entities, have looked to see whether mitigation can include creation of new wetlands, so that the net loss, so there is not a net loss of wetlands. Having said all that, I mean, I’m no wetlands expert either. All I was suggesting was that I think the applicant’s request essentially would arm you, as a Board, with more information about the wetlands issues, and that doesn’t sound like a bad idea. That’s really all I’m saying in a nutshell. MR. SANFORD-Yes, just to follow up, Larry, if I could, on what Bob was saying. I guess one of the concerns I have now is that this shows the wetlands as they currently exist, and when you start dealing with this kind of cluster density, and you’re going to have, you have no sewer so you’re going to have septic going into the land and you’re going to have roof runoff and things of this nature, well, you know, I’m not sure that’s going to be an additional contributor, but I’m wondering if you already have wetland, and now you’re going to be adding more water to it, you know, are you going to be creating through this high density even a worse situation than you currently have? MR. RINGER-Well, that’s what our engineer, in the stormwater report, would determine. MR. SCHACHNER-Right. That’s not really a wetlands issue. That’s a whole separate issue, and that’s an important subdivision issue. MR. SANFORD-Well, my issue, as I’m looking at it, the wetlands are an important problem, but, you know, really what I’m concerned with, they become an important problem because of the density. MR. SCHACHNER-The issue you just referenced, at least in my mind, is not a, quote unquote, wetlands issue. That may be a wet land issue, and that’s certainly something that’s a valid, if 47 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) you have that concern, that’s a valid concern, I don’t know to what extent it’s been addressed or not that would be something C.T. Male would focus on. MR. SANFORD-Yes. I’m just trying to save time for everybody. I think that, you know, Mr. Vollaro has stated the case clearly for why he has problems with, I’m not going to quote it again, but whatever it is 179, whatever it is, where the conditions are all listed, and so do I, but I also think that, the density is another issue as well, and they go hand in hand in a lot of ways. So, I don’t know, I mean, are we doing the applicant justice to put off a determination, and then have to revisit this, and in a way, what happens here is, inherent in the process, is a false sense of encouragement, and I talk about this time and time again. I mean, we send a message that, okay, we’re going to table it so that you can come back, you know, maybe with DEC or something else, and then find a way for us to rationalize or justify approving something that we’re not comfortable with, and I don’t like to put myself in that position. I don’t think Mr. Vollaro wants to be in that position either. MR. RINGER-Well, I don’t think anybody, if they don’t feel comfortable with something, would approve it anyway, Richard. MR. SCHACHNER-I’d be surprised if the applicant’s feeling real encouraged, but I could be wrong. MR. RINGER-I think that we, you know, the applicant has requested a table. I think we will table this and we’ll table it for two things. First, to have C.T. Male give us, I don’t know what we could expect from C.T. Male actually. George, would you help me on that, what we could ask C.T. Male? MR. VOLLARO-I’d like to just jump in on that, George. I’d like C.T. Male to tell me that there is a reasonable alternative, and what it is, because Number Five, under 179, says there is no reasonable alternative. If C.T. Male can propose a reasonable alternative, based on wetland mitigation, or whatever, maybe that’s the answer. MR. HILTON-I don’t know if they’re going to do that. MR. SANFORD-I think it’s our responsibility. MR. RINGER-I don’t think that’s their design. MR. VOLLARO-Well, then I’ve got to stand on this statement. I can’t just arbitrarily jump off 179, and say, you know. MR. RINGER-And, Bob, you probably will vote no on this. MR. VOLLARO-Yes. MR. RINGER-I mean, but you’ve already said you’re going to vote no on it, but if there’s an opportunity to get more information that may change your vote or may not change your vote. MR. VOLLARO-It may. MR. RINGER-If the applicant has asked for that tabling, we should table it. MR. VOLLARO-If a presentation is made that shows it’s to the benefit of the Town that this increased mitigation takes place, and I can understand it, certainly I might change my vote. MR. RINGER-Well, then we’ll table this. You’re probably not going to get on until July. June is filled, and I would suggest that if you do get back on in July, you go Preliminary, you try Preliminary and Final. Otherwise, you’re looking at September or October perhaps. 48 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. LAPPER-That’s what we’ll do. MR. SANFORD-Just a point of order, Mr. Chairman. I mean, that’s a unilateral decision you’re making, and maybe it’s justified, but I don’t believe so, having read the by-laws of the Planning Board. You’ve concluded that we’re going to table this. MR. RINGER-I’m going to make a motion, I said, and the motion will go to a vote. MR. SANFORD-Okay. You didn’t say that. You said you were tabling it. I just want to make sure that you’re suggesting we table it. MR. RINGER-I’m going to make a motion that we table this, and the reason for the tabling is at the applicant’s request, and traditionally whenever an applicant has requested a tabling, we do it, if nothing else but a courtesy to the applicant to table, an application, and this is done many times. MR. SANFORD-I’m unaware of that, but okay. MR. RINGER-It is. We’ll take my word for it in this particular case, or ask Counsel, if you would like, but I’m making a motion to table this application. MOTION TO TABLE FRESHWATER WETLANDS PERMIT NO. 6-2004 AND SUBDIVISION NO. 4-2003, PRELIMINARY STAGE, THOMAS SCHIAVONE, Introduced by Larry Ringer who moved its adoption, seconded by Anthony Metivier: And the reason for the tabling is at the applicant’s request, and also to get some information from our engineer, C. T. Male, in regards to Freshwater Wetlands permit and perhaps getting a determination from DEC on their approval for the Freshwater permit. For the second meeting in July, July 27. th Duly adopted this 27 day of May, 2004, by the following vote: th MR. HILTON-The public hearing is still open on this. MR. RINGER-The public hearing is still open. MR. HILTON-So I just want to be clear when you’re tabling it to. MR. RINGER-Well, I can’t give you a date, so I’ll make part of my tabling that we will provide public notices and mailings prior to the next meeting. MR. HILTON-Okay. Secondly, are we going under the assumption that if the information is in prior to the deadline for the month, like let’s say this information comes in on August 15, that th they’ll be placed on the September agenda? MR. RINGER-No. I’m not going to put it that way, because I don’t want to give them a date right now. We don’t know when that information’s coming in. So we’ll do it as quickly as possible, as we do Old Business first, as soon as we get the information to make it ready to present to us. So Old Business, that would be Old Business. It would be as soon as information is available, it would be on the agenda as Old Business. MR. LAPPER-But it’s your engineer that we would be waiting for, I guess? We would like to be on the July agenda, if we’re going to miss June. MR. RINGER-Okay. Then I’ll put you on now for July, for the second meeting in July. MR. LAPPER-That’s fine. 49 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-The second meeting in July. MR. HILTON-So therefore the re-notification is not necessary, but if you want to. MR. RINGER-The notification would be for the second meeting in July. MR. SCHACHNER-Well, you don’t need to re-notify if you’re setting July 27. th MR. RINGER-All right. Then we don’t need to. Save you a few bucks. MR. SCHACHNER-You’re saying July 27 is the date. th MR. RINGER-Okay, July 27. The second regular meeting in July. I need a second. th MR. METIVIER-I’ll second that. AYES: Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE ABSENT: Mr. Seguljic MR. RINGER-So you’re set then until July, and so you can get your information. MR. LAPPER-Thank you. MR. SCHACHNER-Larry, I’m concerned about something that applicant’s Counsel just said. I understood the motion to be referring to C.T. Male for input, but also hoping you will provide DEC input? MR. NACE-Yes. MR. SCHACHNER-Okay. Great. MR. RINGER-And if you don’t have it, we’re still going to be on. Okay. The next item is Site Plan No. 22-2004. MR. SCHACHNER-Wait, that’s not true. The next item is the same applicant’s subdivision stuff. You just tabled Freshwater. MR. RINGER-No, I tabled them both. MR. SCHACHNER-In one motion you did both? MR. RINGER-Yes, I did both. MR. SCHACHNER-Okay. All right. Thanks. NEW BUSINESS: SITE PLAN NO. 22-2004 SEQRA TYPE: UNLISTED MORTT DISTRIBUTORS, INC. DBA DUNHAM FOOTWEAR PROPERTY OWNER: LAKE GEORGE ASSOCIATES [PAUL GORDON] ZONE: HC-1 LOCATION: 1498 STATE ROUTE 9 APPLICANT PROPOSES TO ERECT A 20’ X 40’ TENT AS PART OF A SEASONAL OUTDOOR SALES USE AT DUHAM FOOTWEAR STORE ON ROUTE 9. RETAIL USES IN THE HC-INTENSIVE ZONE REQUIRE SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING BOARD. CROSS REFERENCE: SP 15-87, SP 25-87, SV 1371, SV 1395 WARREN CO. PLANNING: 5/12/04 TAX MAP NO. 288.12-1-15 LOT SIZE: 1.61 ACRES SECTION: 179-4-020 50 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) GEOFFRY HOLCZER, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT STAFF INPUT Notes from Staff, Site Plan No. 22-2004, Mortt Distributors, Inc. DBA Dunham Footwear, Meeting Date: May 27, 2004 “APPLICATION: Site Plan 22-2004 APPLICANT: Mortt Distributors is the applicant for this request. REQUESTED ACTION: The applicant proposes to operate a temporary seasonal tent sale, including using a 20’x40’ sales tent. LOCATION: The subject property is located at 1498 Route 9 (Dunham Footwear). EXISTING ZONING: The property is zoned HC-Int, Highway Commercial Intensive. SEQRA STATUS: This application is a SEQRA Unlisted action. The applicant has included a short form EAF with the site plan application. PARCEL HISTORY: Previous Planning Board and ZBA reviews exist for the existing indoor business at this location. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Applicant proposes to use a 20’x40’ tent to conduct a temporary outdoor sales event at the Dunham Footwear location on Route 9, just south of Route 149. STAFF COMMENTS: The applicant has requested the following waivers: Stormwater Management Plan - Grading Plan - Lighting Plan - Landscaping Plan - The applicant has submitted a parking calculation indicating that there will be enough parking spaces to satisfy parking requirements as part of the operation of this tent sale. Based on the New York State Building code requirements for temporary tents (included with the site plan materials), the use of a tent cannot exceed 180 days in one calendar year. How long does the applicant intend to use this tent and conduct this temporary outdoor sale?” MR. RINGER-George? MR. HILTON-The applicant proposes to use, to construct, if you will, a 20 by 40 foot tent, as part of a temporary outdoor sales event at Dunham Footwear. The applicant’s requested waivers, as I’ve indicated, stormwater management plan, grading and lighting and landscaping. Parking calculation indicates there will be enough parking to satisfy the parking requirements. As I’ve mentioned, New York State Building Code requires temporary tents, that they cannot be used, or cannot exceed 180 days in one calendar year, and I guess the question is, how long does the applicant intend to use this tent and conduct the outdoor sales. You’ll see in your packet a comment from the Fire Chief, or actually from our Fire Marshal’s office, and prepared resolution, and that’s all I have at this time. MR. RINGER-Okay. Could you please identify yourself . MR. HOLCZER-I’m sorry. My name is Geoffry Holczer. This is Joel Reichman. We’re the co- owners of Mortt Distributors. We’re the tent in this building owned by Mr. Gordon. To answer 51 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) your question, ideally and historically, for the past 11 years, we’ve had this seasonal tent adjacent to our store during the high selling season. Last year it was up from approximately May 1 through the middle of October. We’d like to do the same thing, obviously now it’s st going to be closer to Memorial Day through middle of October, but even May 1 through st October 31 would only be 180 days, and less than New York State Statute. st MR. RINGER-Have you got anything else you want to tell us? MR. HOLCZER-Only what’s in the package. That it complies with all the fire regulations. You see the Fire Marshal’s approval in the plan. The landlord supports the plan as. His comments are in the plan. George referred to parking, which was an issue that was raised a year ago, now this process started, and we comply with all the parking regulations. Also recently the Warren County Planning Board has looked at this on May 12 and also found no issues in there. So we th ask for your support of resolution 22-2004. MR. RINGER-Okay. When I first saw this last month at our completeness review meeting, I didn’t have any problem with it, and then when I sat down for our completeness review meeting this month, I found another applicant across the street from you proposing the same thing. To tell you the honest truth, I’m becoming concerned, you know, we get one, we get another, we get another, we get another, and I don’t really personally, I’m speaking for myself now, but I only want to let the Board know that next month you’re going to get an application for across the street from this applicant for the same request for another tent, and I’m just concerned that, you know, if we allow this, if we allow the next one, we allow the next one, allow the next one, do we want to have tent city or not. So I’m just mentioning it for the Board because the rest of the Board doesn’t know that next month we’ve got the same thing across the street from you. So, now we get comments from the Board, and we can use our Site Plan Review criteria here. A lot of it isn’t going to be significant, but. MR. VOLLARO-I don’t think there’s anything there, Larry, to use. MR. RINGER-I really don’t, but we can, you know, design standards, if there’s nothing there that I can see. MR. ANDERSON-Before you start that, I would have a comment that I think to call that use seasonal use is stretching it, if you extend the period to six months. That’s multi-seasonal use. Somebody could extend that to nine months, eleven months. It’s seasonal use. That has to be better defined. I would always think, when I think of tent, it’s for a sale. Well, you’re going to have a tent up for a good part of your year. MR. HOLCZER-Well, the New York State maximum is 180 days, and we’re certainly less than that. MR. VOLLARO-You’re 99 days, as I see it. MR. ANDERSON-That’s the request, a maximum of 180 days. MR. HOLCZER-Well, it’s a little bit less than that. Memorial Day to the middle of October is about 135 or 40. MR. VOLLARO-I think your request is Memorial Day through Labor Day. That would be the beginning of September. MR. HOLCZER-That was the original one, yes, right, that’s fine. You’re right, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Correct. MR. VOLLARO-So that’s a 99 day period. I looked at that. That’s still pretty extensive. MR. ANDERSON-Well I heard May 3 to October 31. rdst 52 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. HOLCZER-No, that was last year. MR. VOLLARO-This is Memorial Day, which would be 31 May, through Labor Day, which I believe is 4 September. I checked it on the calendar, a 99 day period. MR. ANDERSON-Okay. MR. RINGER-Okay. Well, comments in any of the areas of our review criteria? MR. VOLLARO-No, not of the review criteria, Larry. I this case, I don’t think that particular criteria is valid. MR. RINGER-All right. In the application, then. No one? MR. SEGULJIC-I don’t have a problem with this. MR. SANFORD-Well, what’s the basis for decision making on something like this? Does anybody want to educate me? MR. SCHACHNER-The site plan review. MR. SANFORD-Well, you know, I don’t think if every single merchant in Town wants a tent put up, we would feel comfortable with that. In fact, Larry pointed out that next month another applicant across the street’s going to want a tent. So, I don’t really think we know what we want to do with this, if you want to know the truth. I know I don’t want a bunch of stores who supplement their space, you know, showroom space by erecting tents all over town, and so I guess the question is, how do you grant them to one and not grant them to another? MR. RINGER-That’s why I told you about what’s going to happen next month. My own feeling is a tent is something for an event. An event would be an Americade or a weekend sales event like Fourth of July event or, not for an extended period. MR. SANFORD-Not for the summer season. MR. RINGER-However, if we only had one, like last year I’m sure I voted yes on this, but right now I’ve got some reservations because of what’s coming next month, and my theory always is if somebody sees it and it’s successful, somebody else is going to ask for it, and then somebody else is going to ask for it, and perhaps if we did get several of these, then the Town would make a decision and say no more tents. I don’t know, but I thought it was important to let everyone know what else we may have next month. MR. VOLLARO-Let me ask a question. This particular facility has had a history of setting up these tents. MR. RINGER-Apparently so, but I don’t remember. MR. HOLCZER-We’ve had it for the last 11 years. MR. VOLLARO-Right. Now, because of that history, I would tend to be a little more lenient. The problem is, how you level the playing field here, and I think Mr. Sanford has pointed out that, you know, the more you grant, the more will want to do it. I just see that this particular applicant has got a fairly long track record at this particular facility of putting up a tent. That would be the only fact that I would consider. MR. SANFORD-Bob, I’ll comment on that. If they’ve done it for 11 consecutive years, it’s certainly not a special event type of a thing. One could suggest that perhaps they need to consider a permanent attractive addition to their store, because it’s a, you know, it’s part and 53 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) parcel of what they’re doing, and so, you know, I think we have to kind of look to what the intent of this is, and I think I agree, rare occasions do happen, but I think I agree with Larry that this is not A-typical event where Americade’s in Town or something along, this is sort of like a permanent addition to their building. So, you know, and I just, I know if they all started to do it, I would not feel comfortable with this, and so I don’t know how I can feel comfortable with one doing it and not others. MR. SEGULJIC-But can’t we only respond to what’s before us at this time? MR. RINGER-Absolutely, but if we know there’s another application right behind this, you know, I only brought it up for information only. JOEL REICHMAN MR. REICHMAN-I just want to add one thing. Joel Reichman. The events that you’re talking about. One leads right into the other. You’d have Memorial Day, then you’d have the Americade, then you end up with the Fourth of July and then on into Labor Day. There’s a little bit of a space in August. So to erect it and then down for each event, we understand that, and that was the season where everything’s really coming together. MR. RINGER-I was thinking of a sales event, not necessarily. MR. METIVIER-Well, this is a sales event. MR. RINGER-A sales event that lasts five months. MR. METIVIER-But this is, I’m looking at this in a different aspect, and in that this is really a tourist area, and, you know, to you and I, if we drive up Route 9, which we don’t do in the summertime, of course, you know, we see it all the time, but the tourist that’s driving through will see the tent and to them it is a one time event. I mean, I know, it’s a stretch, but, you know. MR. SANFORD-Tony, if during the holiday season, if Wal-Mart wants to put a big tent in their parking lot. MR. METIVIER-No, they put blue containers in their parking lot. MR. SANFORD-Well, you know, we wouldn’t look favorably on it. In fact, when we looked at that application, we put some restrictions on what they could keep on their site for storage of inventory. I just think that this certainly isn’t aesthetically appealing to the Town, and in a way it’s a way for any store merchant who goes this route to increase their floor plan significantly, when it is, in fact, much more than a typical or a special event. It’s part of their core business. MR. METIVIER-Gretchen brought up a good point, to me, anyway, that I have to just pass along. You’re absolutely right as far as, do you want to talk? MRS. STEFFAN-Sure. MR. METIVIER-Please do. It’s a great point. MRS. STEFFAN-If we’re looking at these, obviously this applicant has petitioned us and we’ve approved this in the past, and I’m feeling pretty strongly that I would lean toward, you know, approving this for this year, but in light of other things that are going on in the area, we’ve all had conversations about looking at our Zoning Codes and such, you know, maybe we do have to look at this from an assessment point of view. I mean, if these folks are going to have a tent, and increase their square footage for six months of the year, you know, houses are assessed based on square footage and features, and the land mass, and so if these retail operations are going to increase their footprint for six months out of the year, perhaps we need to look at our 54 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) zoning and our assessments to see if there’s a way that we can capitalize on these businesses increasing their square footage. There’s a relationship between those two things, I think. MR. SANFORD-Yes, and it’s further complicated, and I’m not sure if it’s totally the same thing, but a lot of vendors are charged, they’ve been complaining about the fees, the permit fees that they might have to pay to do temporary, you know, the people with the carts and sell the hot dogs and all of that kind of stuff, and in a weird way, this is not totally dissimilar, though admittedly it’s on their particular property, but as you just said, they’re not being assessed for this, and they’re not maybe paying the same level of taxes that they would pay if they had additional floor space. So, you know, again, I just feel uncomfortable with it. I don’t know about, at the twelfth hour, if I feel totally comfortable saying no to you, because you’ve probably planned this season. So maybe, Gretchen, are you suggesting that we approve it this time, but we send a clear message that maybe next year we’re not going to be inclined to want to address it? MR. METIVIER-Well, actually, why don’t we take it a step further and maybe you could refer to the Town Board that they take a look at this and assess some kind of fee for tents or. MR. SANFORD-Yes, I’m comfortable with that. MR. METIVIER-That way these applications. MRS. STEFFAN-Because then it becomes a policy. MR. METIVIER-Right. I mean, I think that the vendor fee is like $500 a day, and obviously you’re not going to charge them $500 for every day that the tent is up, but, you know, maybe they could have an application fee for putting a tent up that might discourage them from going up all over. MR. RINGER-You’re talking future now. We’re not talking this application. MR. METIVIER-Exactly, but. MRS. STEFFAN-Correct. MR. RINGER-I just want to be sure we all understand, we’re talking future. MR. METIVIER-I think that in fairness to these two gentlemen, we should look at the fact that we have one application in front of us. MRS. STEFFAN-Right. MR. ANDERSON-Bob, Larry let me look at this piece of paper here, and it says. MR. RINGER-It’s part of the application. MR. ANDERSON-It was? MR. RINGER-Yes. MR. ANDERSON-Well, if I read this, I think it’s a permitted use. We don’t have any right to reject an application if he meets the requirements of this document. MR. RINGER-We could say no, if we feel that it doesn’t fit in with the nature and the character of the commercial neighborhood of Queensbury. MR. ANDERSON-But that’s not what the Code requirement reads. 55 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-The Code doesn’t speak about the character of the neighborhood, or this letter doesn’t, actually. MR. METIVIER-But, you know, for the last, 10, 11, 12 years, it was the character of the neighborhood. MR. RINGER-My whole thought on this, and I’m not necessarily against you tonight, I’m concerned, the snowballing, and the suggestions I heard from over here are great, that we should look at your application tonight and decide on it as one application, but I do think that what Tony said and so forth, that we should somewhere down the road, at a workshop, come up with something to propose to the Town Board to look at this in our zoning and see if maybe we want to change the laws or the Code or whatever, but that’s nothing to do with this application. MRS. STEFFAN-Right. MR. SANFORD-I agree with that. If anyone wants to throw out a motion to approve it for this year, subject to further review by this Board, by way of a recommendation to the Town Board, for future uses, I’m comfortable with that. MR. RINGER-Well, it wouldn’t be part of the approval. MR. SANFORD-No, but the understanding is there. MR. RINGER-But I wanted to bring it up and let everybody know about it. Mark? MR. SCHACHNER-Yes. I have a process question. You all are talking about something different than I understood the application to be, but I may have misunderstood. You sound like you’re treating this as a temporary, potential temporary approval, similar to, for example, you know that you do get to review some transient merchant applications, things that are, for example, during only the week of Americade. Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought this applicant was proposing seasonal use, not seasonal use in the Year 2004, but permanent, if you will, seasonal use. Did I miss understand that? MR. RINGER-I thought we’ve been approving this every year. MR. VOLLARO-This has been a yearly, an annual approval. MR. RINGER-George is shaking his head no. MR. SCHACHNER-Staff’s not aware of that. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong. MR. RINGER-I don’t remember it either, George, but reading the letter that we have here from Craig Brown, I think it was, I got the impression that we approved this every year. MR. SANFORD-Well, we could modify the resolution. MR. RINGER-To one year, absolutely. MR. SANFORD-And specify one year. MR. RINGER-I would suggest that. MR. METIVIER-Why don’t we specify until Labor Day of this year, and then it would have to come down. MR. VOLLARO-Well, for the season of 2004, which includes Memorial Day to Labor Day. 56 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. RINGER-Yes, we want you to do business, and we appreciate your business. MR. HOLCZER-We’d actually like to start Friday when the season starts, not typically on Memorial Day, which is Monday. Having this weekend would be a big boon to us. MR. RINGER-Well, I think you’re going to get your approval tonight, but I want you to understand where we’re coming from. We’re concerned, we give it to you, we give it to the next guy, where do we stop, and I think that we’ve had good discussion up here from the Board tonight, and we probably will ask the Town to review our Codes and stuff and perhaps next year you might want, before you order your inventory, you might want to run through the Codes to make sure that you’re going to be approved next year. Any other comments from the Board? We’ve got a public hearing on this. So, I’ll open the public hearing. PUBLIC HEARING OPENED NO COMMENT PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED MR. RINGER-Unlisted. We need a SEQRA on this. So, Tony, you’re just waiting there. I can see it. MR. METIVIER-I’m ready. RESOLUTION WHEN DETERMINATION OF NO SIGNIFICANCE IS MADE RESOLUTION NO. 22-2004, Introduced by Anthony Metivier who moved for its adoption, seconded by Richard Sanford: WHEREAS, there is presently before the Planning Board an application for: MORTT DISTRIBUTORS, INC. DBA DUNHAM FOOTWEAR, and WHEREAS, this Planning Board has determined that the proposed project and Planning Board action is subject to review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: 1. No Federal agency appears to be involved. 2. The following agencies are involved: NONE 3. The proposed action considered by this Board is Unlisted in the Department of Environmental Conservation Regulations implementing the State Environmental Quality Review Act and the regulations of the Town of Queensbury. 4. An Environmental Assessment Form has been completed by the applicant. 5. Having considered and thoroughly analyzed the relevant areas of environmental concern and having considered the criteria for determining whether a project has a significant environmental impact as the same is set forth in Section 617.11 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations for the State of New York, this Board finds that the action about to be undertaken by this Board will have no significant environmental effect and the Chairman of the Planning Board is hereby authorized to 57 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) execute and sign and file as may be necessary a statement of non-significance or a negative declaration that may be required by law. Duly adopted this 27 day of May, 2004, by the following vote: th AYES: Mr. Sanford, Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE MR. RINGER-Does someone want to make a motion? MOTION TO APPROVE SITE PLAN NO. 22-2004 MORTT DISTRIBUTORS, INC. DBA DUNHAM FOOTWEAR, Introduced by Anthony Metivier who moved for its adoption, seconded by Robert Vollaro: WHEREAS, an application has been made to this Board for the following: Site Plan No. 22-2004 Applicant: MORTT DISTRIBUTORS, INC DBA DUNHAM FOOTWEAR SEQRA Type: Unlisted Property Owner: Lake George Associates [Paul Gordon] Zone: HC-I Location: 1498 State Route 9 Applicant proposes to erect a 20’ x 40’ tent as part of a seasonal outdoor sales use at Dunham Footwear store on Route 9. Retail uses in the HC-Intensive zone require site plan review and approval from the Planning Board. Cross Reference: SP 15-87, SP 25-87, SV 1371, SV 1395 Warren Co. Planning: 5/12/04 Tax Map No. 288.12-1-15 Lot size: 1.61 acres / Section: 179-4-020 Public Hearing: May 27, 2004 WHEREAS, the application was received on 4/15/04; and WHEREAS, the above is supported with the following documentation and inclusive of all newly received information, not included in this listing as of 5/21/04, and 5/27 Staff Notes 5/20 Notice of Public Hearing 5/12 Warren Co. Planning 5/3 Meeting Notice 4/28 CB from S. Smith: Tent location does not pose safety threat WHEREAS, pursuant to Art. 9 of the Zoning Ordinance of the Code of the Town of Queensbury a public hearing was advertised and was held on May 27, 2004; and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has determined that the proposal complies with the Site Plan application requirements of the Code of the Town Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the Planning Board has considered the environmental factors found in the Code of the Town of Queensbury (Zoning); and WHEREAS, the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act have been considered and the Planning Board has adopted a SEQRA Negative Declaration; and/or if application is a modification, the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act have been considered; and the proposed modification(s) do not result in any new or 58 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) significantly different environmental impacts, and, therefore, no further SEQRA review is necessary; and WHEREAS, this approval does not relieve the applicant from obtaining all necessary permits whether Federal, State or Local, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that We find the following: The application is hereby approved in accordance with the resolution prepared by Staff and is subject to the following conditions which shall be listed on the final plans submitted to the Zoning Administrator: 1. That a time for the tent would be Friday, the 28 of May, 2004 through September 15, th 2004. Duly adopted this 27th day of May, 2004, by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE MR. RINGER-You’re all set, gentlemen. MR. HOLCZER-Good. Thank you. I also would like you to know how helpful both George and Craig have been to us throughout this process. We’re retailers. We don’t go through this on a regular basis. We had a lot of questions, but George and Craig were very helpful. MR. RINGER-Great. We’re always happy to hear that, and they do work well with everyone. We hope we didn’t shock you too much, but you can see if everybody asked for a tent, we would be in problem. MR. HOLCZER-But again, is there any way we can find out how many do ask, because clearly if you only have one more review, no one’s going to ask to start this thing after Labor Day. MR. RINGER-Well, we’ve only got that one right now that I happen to know is coming up next month. MR. HOLCZER-No, I was wondering if there was any way we could find out how many, so we can prepare. MR. RINGER-Well, we wouldn’t know until we get the application, but the Town may look at this, and we may have some different Codes and Ordinances next year. You just might want to check with Staff next year before your inventory is ordered. MR. HOLCZER-Fine, we’ll do that. That’s great. Thank you all so much for your help. MR. SANFORD-Larry, we have one more item. MR. RINGER-Yes. We’ve got one more item, and, Bob, if you want to take over here. MR. VOLLARO-Thank you, Larry. During our last meeting, it was requested by our Chairman that I propose a draft resolution from the Planning Board to the Town Board, and I have that resolution prepared. I’ve got some feedback on it from the Chairman, and from Chris Hunsinger, who is not here tonight, and from Mr. Seguljic, who sent me an e-mail on it as well. I will read my proposal. MR. RINGER-Before you read it, Bob, has Counsel got a copy of it? 59 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SCHACHNER-I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. MR. RINGER-Wow. You don’t have a copy of it either, George? You didn’t send it to Staff, Bob? MR. VOLLARO-No, because it’s a proposed draft, and it was to be discussed among the Planning Board first, and then forwarded on to Staff. MR. RINGER-Okay. Well, I thought you were looking for a resolution tonight. MR. SANFORD-We are. MR. VOLLARO-No, well. MR. SANFORD-I’d like to move it tonight. That’s the way we left it at the workshop. MR. RINGER-Yes, but I would have hoped that Counsel would have had an opportunity to look at it. MR. VOLLARO-It’s probably not drafted correctly. I don’t believe that the Whereas’s and the Now Therefore’s and so on are in the correct positions. MR. RINGER-Go ahead with your reading it, or you can read it, Bob, if you would, and Counsel can follow you, along with George. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. It says, “Whereas the Planning Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby petitions the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury to introduce a resolution at their next regular meeting, to institute a three month moratorium for the following:” Now, so the corrections were, rather than use the word “introduce”, the Chairman had given me an e-mail and said, consider. Consider, rather than introduce a resolution, and he suggested a six month period for this moratorium. I think that’s a little long, but that’s the Chairman’s suggestion. MR. SANFORD-When you say the Chairman, you mean Craig MacEwan? MR. VOLLARO-I mean Craig MacEwan sent me his, because I said in the e-mail feel free to add, subtract, modify, deny, whatever, whatever is the will of the Board. I’m just, what I’ve really done here is put the straw man up for people to look at and try to understand, and see whether the sense of the Board is that they’d like to send this message to the Town Board, in terms of a resolution, and of course, to introduce a resolution for the following, proposed moratorium would include residential subdivisions, recommendations from the Planning Board to the Town Board on residential rezoning, and related site plans, and that’s what it would include. So, as Larry pointed out, I have, this moratorium would not apply to industrial or commercial applications, maybe that’s a superfluous statement since it’s been covered in the statement above, but the meat of the thing starts as the Whereas the reasons supporting this Moratorium are, and I did have some, again, some changes from Mr. MacEwan that, his changes were on Number One, he said expedite the completion of the ongoing build out of analysis for purposes of, and then go forward, evaluate the impacts on the Town infrastructure and other municipal services, evaluate the impacts on school districts, Queensbury and Lake George, and evaluate the impacts on fire and emergency, but that was the end of his changes. From Number Two to Number Six, he said he agreed with those positions. So he’s kind of modified the words a little bit, but not the intent of the resolution. MR. METIVIER-Bob, can I ask you a question? MR. VOLLARO-Yes. 60 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. METIVIER-Why is it only a three month? If we’re going to do this, wouldn’t you want to give us enough time? MR. VOLLARO-Well, that was Craig’s position as well. He modified my three to six. MR. METIVIER-Well, I was just talking about that. Gretchen doesn’t have to agree with me, but you know what, if we’re going to do this, and even attempt to do it, I think that we should do it for six months, for a lot of different reasons, the number one being giving us time. Number Two, I truly believe that in six months you may see, with all the subdivisions going on now that we’ve approved, it might buy us more time in that. MR. SANFORD-I think Tony’s right. Three months, we’re not going to accomplish anything. MR. METIVIER-You’re not going to accomplish anything. MR. RINGER-Yes, but I think if you ask the Town to do something for six months, you’re going to get some real resistance, whereas if you ask for three months, and then ask for an extension, I think you stand a better chance. MR. SANFORD-120 days, four months. 120 days. MR. METIVIER-We could do that. MR. RINGER-Yes, I’m just thinking, you know, this is a request to the Town Board, and you’re asking for something that could meet a great deal of resistance from a bunch of people in the Town. MR. METIVIER-Well, it’s not a voting year for them. MR. SANFORD-120 days, I would recommend 120 days rather than six months. MR. RINGER-Maria, we’re in a workshop session, too, so please, we’re no longer in a regular meeting, we’re in a workshop session. It means we can turn the mic off. We’re in a workshop. We don’t need to record this. MR. VOLLARO-No. I think it’s got to be a public hearing. I mean, the public’s not here, but I think it’s got to be an open meeting. MR. SCHACHNER-I don’t think Larry’s suggesting it’s a closed meeting. MR. RINGER-Right. I’m just saying we don’t need this to be part of our meeting. It’s just a workshop. MR. SEGULJIC-As far as the backlog, one thing has always amazed me. You approve these subdivisions and one house goes in and you approve another subdivision. How many subdivisions are out there? How much capacity do we have? Do we have any idea? MR. VOLLARO-That’s part of the build out analysis. MR. SEGULJIC-I mean, do we have a rough idea on that? MR. VOLLARO-No. I think when the build out analysis is finished, though, it’ll tell us that, and that’s something we’ll be looking for. MR. SANFORD-Yes, I mean, just tonight, tonight is a good example of where, I think Gretchen put it best at the workshop, Tom, and our last meeting, which was, we don’t have a blue print or a plan that we’re working on here, and we’re kind of just feeling our way through, and then we get them and we spend a lot of time, I don’t want to use the words arguing amongst 61 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) ourselves, but we’re unclear about, a good example is the Freshwater permits, and so we’re hoping that in this period of time we can come to a better consensus on where we wanted to go with some of these applications. Right now we’re all over the Board. MR. SEGULJIC-And this won’t affect applications. MR. RINGER-It won’t affect pending applications. MR. SCHACHNER-I’m sorry, but that’s not necessarily true. You have no idea what the answer to that question is. It depends if the Town Board enacts a moratorium. MR. SANFORD-How they do it. MR. SCHACHNER-And if so, what they establish as a cut off, if you will. By law it could absolutely affect pending applications, if the Town Board so decides. I don’t expect that the Town Board would do that, but just be careful with your quick answer. MR. RINGER-Well, I thought that if you had something. MR. SCHACHNER-Many people are under the misconception that once something is applied for, you can’t change the rules, and in New York State under law, that’s completely erroneous. MR. RINGER-That was what I thought. MR. SCHACHNER-Most people think that, and that’s not correct, under New York State law. As a practical matter, legislation seldom does change the rule on a pending application, but it could. MR. SANFORD-Yes. Tom, basically, when we had our discussion, about a year ago or last winter, a few of us went to this meeting in Washington County and this kind of was the genesis of some of this, and it was clearly explained to us at that meeting that it’s totally appropriate for the Planning Board to approach the Town Board on any topic that they desire, for the Town Board to consider, and so basically what has evolved is enough of a concern about a lot of these subdivisions and wetland developments and what have you where, at the workshop last week, or two weeks ago, whenever it was, it was kind of decided that we want to take this. We want to present our concerns to the Town Board, independent of what action they might take, even if they basically say we’re not interested in it, we felt it was important for the Planning Board to vocalize some of the concerns we’re having, independent of what action they may take. It turned out a couple of the members happened to be in the audience and were encouraged by the direction we were going, but that’s independent of really what we’re trying to accomplish here. We’re just trying to go on record in saying we think we need to take time to do a better job in understanding and planning. MR. RINGER-The Town Board members participated in the workshop. They were active participants. MR. SANFORD-So that’s the history behind it. MR. SEGULJIC-Do we want to address the pending applications at all? MR. SANFORD-Well, that’s their decision. That’s not ours. That’s not our decision. MR. SEGULJIC-We don’t want to give them any guidance? MR. VOLLARO-Well, I don’t think they really, they want to introduce a resolution instituting a 120 moratorium for the following reasons, and then they’ll have to understand that, whereas this proposed moratorium would suspend Planning Board review for all residential subdivisions, provide opportunity for the completion of proposed build out analysis. 62 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-Bob, Mark had some editorial things. MR. VOLLARO-Yes, I’d like to hear that. MR. SCHACHNER-Bob, what are you reading from now? You’re not reading from what I have in front of me. MR. VOLLARO-No. I’m reading from, Craig MacEwan sent me what he thought might been a little bit of editorial comment. MR. SCHACHNER-I tried to make them as minimal as possible. The first thing I would do is just cross out the four times that the word “Whereas” appears, and at the very top, the very top, replacing that first Whereas, I would put the word “Resolved”, and then the other changes are quite minor. I think, when you say the Planning Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby petitions, to my lawyer’s mind, that’s a formal thing, and that doesn’t really apply here. I would just say recommends, or requests, either way. MR. SANFORD-Well, recommends. MR. SCHACHNER-And I think you want to say to consider, instead of to introduce a resolution. MR. VOLLARO-Yes, but Craig’s words were consider. MR. SCHACHNER-I agree with that, and then your three month I think has become 120 days. Is that correct? MR. VOLLARO-120 days, yes. MR. SCHACHNER-And then the only thing I would add is the word “Further” at the bottom, after Now, Therefore, Be It. MR. RINGER-Does that sound good? Any questions on it? MR. ANDERSON-Before you do a motion, there was a thought here about when the moratorium would begin. MR. SANFORD-That would be Town Board again. MR. VOLLARO-That would be the Town Board. MR. ANDERSON-We wouldn’t make a recommendation? MR. SANFORD-If they asked us for a recommendation. Who knows what they may do with it. They may ask, they may come back to us and say we want your opinion on four or five questions, or they may not. I think, we’re just getting this in front of them. I mean, we could go on, and on and on on all the particulars, but I think, I’m just, and it may not go anywhere, but I think that that would be really, that’s their decision. MR. RINGER-Moratoriums are awfully tough. They’re very political. MRS. STEFFAN-Bob, you made a comment earlier about taking out that sentence, this moratorium would not apply. MR. VOLLARO-Would not apply to industrial. 63 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MRS. STEFFAN-I think that that needs to stay there, just because it provides clarity, that we are specifically not recommending. MR. SANFORD-Right. MR. SCHACHNER-Yes. I didn’t hear anybody talking about taking that out, but if you’re not intending, I’m going to strongly agree with Gretchen. If you’re intending those industrial commercial to not be included, then I strongly urge you to keep that in. MR. SANFORD-Okay, and I have a question for Mark. Does residential subdivisions include senior housing and apartment buildings? MR. SCHACHNER-Generally. MR. SANFORD-Okay. Fine. I was just questioning that, and so we don’t have to do anything residential. MR. SCHACHNER-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have answered the way I did about apartment buildings, not necessarily apartment buildings, an apartment building would not be a residential subdivision, although it does say on residential rezoning and related site plans, an apartment building would be subject to site plan. MR. SANFORD-Okay. So we don’t have to. MR. SCHACHNER-Why don’t you just say, I mean, if your goal is residential uses, why don’t you just say all residential uses, if that’s your goal. I don’t know what your goal is. MR. VOLLARO-It is the goal. MR. SANFORD-Residential uses. MR. SCHACHNER-Yes, why don’t you just say that, period, yes. MR. SANFORD-Residential uses, period. MR. VOLLARO-Rather than subdivision, replace the word with. MR. SANFORD-Subdivision recommendations, we would go, would include residential uses. MR. VOLLARO-Residential uses. MR. SCHACHNER-Subject to Planning Board review, presumably. I mean, you’re not trying to not let people build new houses on existing lots, I presume. MR. VOLLARO-No, definitely. MR. SANFORD-Right. Yes, we’re not. MR. ANDERSON-I don’t know, where are you, on that second paragraph? MR. SANFORD-Yes. Mark, could you read it how you would suggest that whole second paragraph should read. MR. SCHACHNER-Well, you could say this proposed moratorium would include all, if you want to be as inclusive as you possibly can and to eliminate any ambiguity, why don’t you say, and I’m just thinking out loud, Rich, you can do this or I can, the proposed moratorium would include all residential uses including senior citizen housing, apartment buildings, and then pick up what it says, residential subdivisions, recommendations, etc. 64 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SANFORD-Okay. That’s good. MR. RINGER-If we put it in that way, and they put a moratorium in reading that way, wouldn’t that prevent any new house building permits to be issued? MR. SCHACHNER-No, that’s what I just said, I don’t think it would. MR. RINGER-Okay. MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. SCHACHNER-And not to mention they’d never, if the Town Board adopts something, they’re not just going to take this piece of paper and enact it into law. It will be fine tuned. MR. RINGER-You know, if something’s already been approved, we don’t want to stop all building permits. MR. SCHACHNER-Right. I just said that a minute ago, and you all said, no, you’re not trying to stop that. MR. SANFORD-They’re going to have, I mean, if they’re inclined to go in this direction, they’re going to have their counsel fine tune it all out. MRS. STEFFAN-That would be Mark. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. Let me see if I’ve got this right. This proposed resolution would include all residential uses, including senior housing and apartments, recommendations from the Planning Board to the Town Board on residential and related. MR. SANFORD-No, you missed subdivisions. MR. SCHACHNER-You also said this proposed resolution when you meant this proposed moratorium. MR. VOLLARO-Will include all residential uses including senior houses and apartments, subdivisions, recommendations from the Planning Board to the Town Board on residential rezoning and related site plans. MR. SANFORD-Right. That’s it. MR. RINGER-There’s an awful lot of stuff, Mark said just residential, and you added a whole bunch of other stuff to it. MR. SANFORD-No, that was Mark’s. MR. VOLLARO-Mark put in senior housing and apartments. MR. RINGER-Mark, did you, I didn’t get that, did you say put in senior housing and apartments? MR. SCHACHNER-My second version, yes. MR. RINGER-Okay. MR. METIVIER-Shouldn’t we say something about there being, I just can’t get over the fact, are we proposing a moratorium on all development, or site plan review of all? 65 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. SANFORD-It’s really subdivision and site plan review. MR. SCHACHNER-Yes. You’re clearly not limiting it to site plan review, because your biggest concern, it sounds like to me, is residential subdivisions. MR. SANFORD-Yes. MR. SCHACHNER-Right. MR. METIVIER-But the fact remains is that, are we saying that for the next 120 days you cannot get a building permit? MR. SANFORD-No. MR. VOLLARO-No. For a single family home, you mean? MR. METIVIER-Yes. MR. SCHACHNER-You can get a building permit on an existing, and remember, it doesn’t matter what you say, it matters what the Town Board enacts, if anything, but, I don’t think anyone will misunderstand your recommendation to take it to mean that you’re trying to impose a moratorium on the issuance of building permits on existing lots. MR. METIVIER-Okay. MR. SCHACHNER-I don’t think it’s subject to that misunderstanding. MR. METIVIER-Okay. That’s fine. MR. VOLLARO-That wasn’t the intent, either, when I put that together, Tony. MR. SANFORD-Well, how do we proceed? If you want to make a motion and read this whole thing, and then if it’s seconded, then we can vote on it. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. MOTION TO INTRODUCE A RESOLUTION FROM THE PLANNING BOARD TO THE TOWN BOARD, Introduced by Robert Vollaro who moved for its adoption, seconded by Richard Sanford: As follows: RESOLVED, The Planning Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby recommends the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury to consider a resolution, at their next regular meeting, to institute a 120 day moratorium for the following: This proposed moratorium would include; all residential uses, including senior housing, apartment buildings, residential subdivisions, recommendations from the Planning Board to the Town Board on residential rezoning and related site plans. This Moratorium would not apply to Industrial or Commercial applications. The reasons supporting this Moratorium are: 1. Expedite the completion of the ongoing Build Out Analysis, then: Evaluate impacts on the towns Infrastructure (Water/Sewer/Highway) ?? 66 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) Evaluate impacts on school district(s) (Queensbury, Lake George & Glens Falls) ?? 2. Review and update Subdivision Regulations (Chapter A183) Clarify allowable densities ?? Identify developable land ?? Clarify wetland requirements ?? Estimate impacts on affordable housing ?? Incorporate new Phase II Stormwater Management Regulations ?? 3. Review Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 179) Professional Office ?? Multifamily Residential Housing ?? Incorporate appropriate language into Article 10 Special Use Permits ?? 4. Complete Karner Blue Butterfly Protection Plan Develop Karner Blue Overlay District ?? 5. Review and modify the 1998 Comprehensive land use Plan Incorporate appropriate changes resulting from the above activities ?? 6. Evaluate Organizational Staff’s Capacity relative to: Planning and Zoning ?? Building and Codes ?? NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that We, the Planning Board of the Town of Queensbury, hereby approve forwarding this resolution to the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury for their action. Duly adopted this 27 day of May, 2004, by the following vote: th MR. VOLLARO-This moratorium would include all residential uses, including senior housing and apartments, subdivisions. MR. SCHACHNER-I’m sorry to interrupt. I was hoping not to do this. When you say senior housing and apartments, the Town Board might understand that to mean senior housing and senior apartments, and I don’t think that’s what you mean. MR. SANFORD-No. MR. SCHACHNER-Why don’t you say senior housing, apartment buildings, and take it from there. MR. SANFORD-Okay. MR. VOLLARO-Okay. AYES: Mr. Sanford, Mr. Metivier, Mrs. Steffan, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Seguljic, Mr. Vollaro, Mr. Ringer NOES: NONE MR. RINGER-Okay. Anything else? Okay. Next month, site visits on the 12. Now we’re th probably going to have three, and maybe four meetings next month. We’ve got a lot of things on the agenda, okay, but site visits on the 12. The two regular meetings on the 15 and the thth 22. nd MR. VOLLARO-Has anything else been planned for anything else, besides 15 and 22? 67 (Queensbury Planning Board 5/27/04) MR. RINGER-We don’t have any dates, but we had a lot of items on the agenda, and I don’t know how many ended up actually making it because there was four we were trying to squeeze in. On motion meeting was adjourned. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Larry Ringer, Acting Chairman 68