1991-08-20
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CJJEEllSIIJRY PLANNING BOARD tEETIIIG
FIRST REGULAR IEETIIIG
AUGUST 20TH, 1991
7:00 P.M.
tEMBERS PRESEIIT
PETER CARTIER. CHAIRMAN
CAROL PULVER. SECRETARY
JAMES HAGAN
NICHOLAS CAIMANO
TIMOTHY BREWER
EDWARD LAPOINT
MEMBERS ABSEIIT
JAMES MARTI N
DEPUTY TOIII ATTORNEY- KARLA CORPUS
TOWN ENGIIlEER-RIST-FROST. REPRESENTED BY TOM YARMOWICH
SENIOR PLANNER-LEE YORK
STEIIOGRAPHER-MARIA GAGLIARDI
CORRECTION OF MIfllTES
June 25th. 1991: NONE
July 16th. 1991: NONE
July 22nd. 1991: NONE
MOTION TO APPROVE ABOVE SETS OF MIIIJTES. Introduced by Nicholas Caimano who moved for its adoption.
seconded by Carol Pulver:
Duly adopted this 20th day of August, 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Hagan, Mr. LaPoint. Mrs. Pulver. Mr. Brewer. Mr. Caimano. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
OLD IIJSIIIESS:
SUBDIVISION 110. 8-1991 FIlIAL STAGE TYPE: UNLISTED SFR-lA JAMES R. & JOMII CURCIO OIlIER: SAtE
AS ABOVE IIORTHlfEST INTERSECTION OF TEE HILL ROAD AID HALL ROAD FOR A 3 LOT SUBDIVISIOII. TAX MAP
NO. 48-3-24. 25 LOT SIZE: 3.44 ACRES
LEON STEVES. REPRESENTING APPLICANT. PRESENT
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Lee A. York. Senior Planner. Subdivision No. 8-1991. James & Jo-Ann Curcio. August 7. 1991.
August 20. 1991 "The appl icant has addressed the planning issues which were previously raised. The
Post Office has requested that we remind subdividers that the final mylar must list the post office
addresses. These are assigned at the main Post Office on Hudson Street."
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Thank you. Did Tom have any notes on this? I don't believe he did.
MRS. YORK-No. he didn't.
MR. CARTIER-We're done on that one. Okay. Mr. Steves. any comments?
MR. STEVES-Good evening. No comments.
MR. CARTIER-No comments? Okay. Does the Board have any questions? I believe we conducted a SEQRA
Review on this application. If there are no questions or comments, I think we can entertain a motion
on this application.
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Jl)TION TO APPROVE FIlIAL STAGE SUIIJIVISION 110. 8-1991 JAtES R. I JOAIII CURCIO. Introduced by Carol
Pulver who moved for its adoption. seconded by Nicholas Caimano:
All engineering and staff notes have been satisfied.
Duly adopted this 20th day of August. 1991, by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. LaPoint. Mrs. Pulver, Mr. Brewer. Mr. Caimano, Mr. Hagan. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
SUIIJIVISION NO. 9-1991 PRELIMIIlARY STAGE TYPE: UNLISTED "-5 OLDE COACH MMOR COfIOOMIIIIUJIS OWNER:
SAtE AS ABOVE 392 BAY ROAD. WEST SIDE OF BAY ROAD ADJACEIIT TO IIJGHES OFFICE SUIIJIVISION FOR CONVERSION
OF EXISTING APARTJENT COfiPLEX lITO CONOOMIIIIUMS. TWELVE EXISTING IIJILDIIIGS INCWDING GARAGES. PAVED
ACCESS TO ALL. 4.6 ACRES WOODED AT REAR WITH SMLL STREAMS IN IfOOOS. TAX MP 110. 60-7-7. 8. I 9 LOT
SIZE: 12.6 ACRES TOTAL lUMBER OF LOTS: 34
TOM NACE, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Lee A. York, Senior Planner. Subdivision No. 9-1991, Olde Coach Manor Condominiums, July
11. 1991, Meeting Date: August 20. 1991 "The applicant intends to change the existing apartment complex
into condominiums. The Ordinance requires that this change be treated as a subdivision. The application
indicates that there will be no physical changes to the site. only a change in the form of ownership.
The Planning Board has usually requested that any Homeowners Association documents be reviewed by the
Attorney's office to assure that maintenance of existing facilities is assured. Prior to final approval
this should be done. There are no concerns from a planning perspective. If there are no other issues
which are brought forward at the public hearing. the Board may want to consider this an expedited
matter. "
MR. CARTIER-And. Mr. Nace. I think we talked about the Homeowners Association document, the last time
around. did we not?
MR. NACE-Yes. we did. They are being developed. For the record. Tom Nace. representing Haanen
Engineering. For the record. those Covenants and Restrictions will be submitted with final. They
are being developed now. When they are in final form. they will come in with final application.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Thank you. Before I get into a public hearing on this, does the Board have any
questions or comments? How do you feel about this being an expedited review.
MRS. PULVER-I have no problem with it.
MR. CAIMANO-No problem.
MR. BREWER-No problem.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Fine. I'll open the public hearing. Is there anyone who'd care to comment on Olde
Coach Manor Condominiums?
PUBLIC HEARIIIG OPEIIED
NO COIIENT
PUBLIC HEARIIIG ClOSED
MR. CARTIER-Lee. do we need to do a Short Form SEQRA on this?
MRS. YORK-It's unlisted.
MR. CARTIER-Mr. Nace. what did you submit. a Short Form or a Long Form?
MR. NACE-I'm just looking to see. I think it was a Long Form.
MS. CORPUS-It should be a Long Form.
MRS. YORK-It's usually a Long Form that's attached to the Preliminary approval.
RESOWTIONIßtEII DETERMIIlATION OF NO SI6IIIFICAllCE IS MDE
RESOLUTION 110. 9-1991, Introduced by Nicholas Caimano who moved for its adoption. seconded by Carol
Pulver:
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WHEREAS. there is presently before the Planning Board an application for: Conversion of existing
aparblent cOIIIplex into condœinilllS. T_lve existing buildings including garages. paved access to
all. 4.6 acres wooded at rear with SIIall stre_ in woods. on 392 ø.y Road 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 impact as the same
is set forth in Secti on 617.11 of the Offici al Compil ati on of Codes. Rul es and Regul ati ons 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 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 20th day of August. 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mrs. Pulver, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Caimano, Mr. Hagan, Mr. LaPoint, Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MR. CARTIER-We can entertain a motion, now. on Preliminary Stage.
MOTION TO APPROVE PRELIMŒIlARY STAGE SUBDIVISION 110. 9-1991 OLDE COACH MANOR. Introduced by Carol Pulver
who moved for its adoption. seconded by Nicholas Caimano:
For the construction of the existing apartment complex into condominiums. providing at Final we get
the Covenants and Restrictions on the Homeowners Association.
Duly adopted this 20th day of August. 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Brewer. Mr. Caimano, Mr. Hagan. Mr. LaPoint. Mrs. Pulver. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MR. NACE-Thank you. For clarification, could I ask a question regarding procedure for Final?
MR. CARTIER-Certainly.
MR. NACE-We, in working with the Zoning Department, have been told that we must have site plan review.
as well as subdivision review. but they suggested that site plan be done in concurrence with final
subdivision. at the same meeting.
MR. CARTIER-That's new to me.
MR. NACE-Really? There should be a letter in your file. Lee.
MR. CARTIER-That you also have to do site plan review?
MR. NACE-Yes.
MRS. YORK-Yes. What happened was Mrs. Crayford did write a letter to the applicant suggesting that.
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MR. CARTIER-I'm glad you brought that up. I remember talking with Mr. Dusek about how to handle this,
in terms of subdivision. I don't remember something coming up in terms of site plan.
MRS. PULVER-I don't either. How are you going to change it? I mean. it's already there.
MR. CAIMANO-Can we all read that?
MRS. YORK-Yes. Why don't you read it. Mr. Cartier.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. This is dated May 15, 1991, from Pat Crayford. Zoning Administrator. to Mr. Leombruno.
who I assume is the owner?
MR. NACE-That is correct.
MR. CARTIER-"Dear Mr. Leombruno: After considerable research, I have concluded that the proposed
condominium conversion at the above referenced site will require the following: Section 2.020.
Definitions. Number 62 and 289 states that the condominium development shall be reviewed as a
subdivision. Section 4.020 F, MR-5 zoning, lists condominium project as a Type II Action requiring
site plan review. In conversation with Paul Dusek. Town Attorney. this week, he said he had talked
to the Planning Board who have agreed to merge the process as follows: First meeting. Preliminary
subdivision application review (which is what happened tonight). Please note. however. that the second
meeting will probably not occur until such time as the Planning Board finds the Preliminary subdivision
plat acceptable (which we did tonight). It is possible that if Prel iminary plat is approved the first
time presented for the entire process to occur within one month. Enclosed is a copy of the referral
form, Preliminary. and Final subdivision application. and site plan application. You may want to meet.
informally. with Lee York andlor the Planning Board before submitting an application. If I can be
of further assistance. please do not hesitate to contact me." Okay, I think the answer to your question
is. yes. If I understand your question. you're going to be coming in with a Final application. We'll
take care of that. first, and then do a site plan review secondly.
MR. NACE-Ri ght.
MRS. PULVER-On the same evening.
MR. CARTIER-On the same evening. Does anybody on the Board have a problem with doing that?
MRS. PULVER-No.
MR. CARTIER-This is a rather unique situation, in that nothing physical is changing except legal
ownership of property that already exists. Okay.
MR. NACE-Okay.
MR. CARTIER-So, the next time we see you in reference to this, we'll be looking at Final and the Site
Plan. Do we have to do a SEQRA on that Site Plan. also?
MRS. YORK-Yes.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
MR. NACE-Okay. Thank you.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you.
NEIl IIJSINESS:
SITE PLAN NO. 42-91 TYPE: UllLlSTED LI-lA LIVINGSTON CJJALlTY MIIOR OWNER: WIlLSTON REALTY CORP.
CORlER OF 011 AVEllJE AID (JIAIŒR ROAD FOR All ADDITION OF A 4.800 SQ. n. WAREHOOSE. (WARREll COONTY
PLANNING) TAX MP NO. 110-1-21 LOT SIZE: 1.26 ACRES SECTION 179-26 A SECTION 179-26 D
JOHN GORALSKI, REPRESENTING APPLICANT. PRESENT
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Lee A. York. Senior Planner. Site Plan Review No. 42-91. Livingston Qual ity Manor. August
13. 1991, Meeting Date: August 20. 1991 "The applicant is requesting to add 4800 sq. ft. of warehouse
space to an existing retail furniture store. The applicant received a variance for the maximum density
allowed in a Light Industrial zone. This appl ication was reviewed with regard to Section 179-38:
1) The location arrangement and size of the proposed structure is compatible with the site and existing
building. Existing signage will remain. New lighting will be provided at the entrance to the warehouse.
2) Vehicular traffic access and circulation is facilitated by new pavement which will provide additional
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parking and roadway area. 3} Parking and loading facilities have been provided for. 4) Pedestrian
access will remain at the front of the showroom. 5) The engineer has addressed the storm water
facilities. 6} Water and sewer facilities are existing and no alteration is anticipated. 7) Plantings
are going to remain basically as they are. The adjoining property is zoned Light Industrial and is
currently vacant so buffering is not a concern. 8) Emergency access is sufficient. 9) Ponding and
erosion is not a concern. During construction the appl icant should maintain erosion control measures."
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Just a quick question. going back to your Item 5, "The engineer has addressed storm
water facil ities". the only thing I've got in hand is a letter from Tom saying. we've reviewed the
project and have no engineering comments.
MRS. YORK-That's right.
MR. CARTIER-My only question was. the storm water facil ity question. if any. has been satisfactorily
taken care of?
MRS. YORK-Yes. they have been, by the engineer. We do have a letter from the new Chairwoman of the
Beautification Committee, and what that says is the Committee approve the planting plans. "Parking
and landscaping plans dated July 30, 1991 submitted by John Goralski for Richard E. Jones Associates
representing applicant. Beautification Committee approved plans with the stipulation that an additional
tree be planted in proposed lawn area north of proposed warehouse. Species suggested were Honey Locust
or Norway Maple in addition to the eight arborvitae scheduled for planting."
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Thank you, and I would remind the Board. at this point too. that we said we were
going to incorporate Beautification Committee recommendations into any motions from now on.
MR. CAIMANO-Okay.
MR. CARTIER-This indicates Warren County Planning, but I don't have anything in front of me from Warren
County Planning.
MRS. YORK-Warren County Planning found "No County Impact".
MR. CARTIER-Thank you. Okay. Mr. Goralski?
MR. GORALSKI-My name is John Goralski from Richard Jones Associates. representing Livingston Quality
Manor. It's basically self explanatory. It's a 4800 square foot warehouse to be added to the existing
business. We're providing additional parking and loading and, other than that, there's not much that's
changing.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Correct me if I'm wrong. do I note a well under the building?
MR. GORALSKI-That's correct.
MR. CARTIER-Is that an abandoned well?
MR. GORALSKI-No. That's the existing water supply.
MR. CARTIER-That's the existing water supply? Okay. Does the Board have any questions or comments
before I open the public hearing? The only comment I have is, you're going to be re-striping the parking
lot here. are you not? I believe you are.
MR. GORALSKI-Yes.
MR. CARTIER-It would seem appropriate to move handicapped parking, which is at one end now, right next
to the entrance, and I think that could be relatively easily accomplished. Okay.
MR. CAIMANO-Where's the new loading going to go. John?
MR. GORALSKI-There's going to be. you can see this new access drive coming back. There's going to
be a loading dock and also a garage for the delivery truck which will be parked inside.
MR. CAIMANO-Okay.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. and do you see what I'm talking about with regard to handicapped parking?
MR. GORALSKI-Yes.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Does the Board have any other questions? If not. I'll open the public hearing.
Is there anyone here who'd care to comment on this application?
PUBLIC HEARING OPEIIED
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MR. HAGAN-Just one minor thing. John. You are going to take the comments seriously. that the
Beautification Committee made? I didn't hear you mention it.
MR. GORALSKI-Yes. I discussed that with them. and if they want another tree. they'll get another tree.
MR. CARTIER-Yes. Since we will be incorporating those recommendations into our motions from now on,
anyway. they're going to have to. Okay. Thank you.
PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED
MR. CARTIER-We can conduct a Short Form SEQRA Review.
RESOWTION IfHEII DETERMINATION OF 110 SIGIIIFICANCE IS MADE
RESOWTION 110. 42-91. Introduced by Nicholas Caimano who moved for its adoption. seconded by Timothy
Brewer:
WHEREAS, there is presently before the Planning Board an application for: an addition of a 4800 sq.
ft. warehouse to LIVINGSTON CJJALITY MAlOR on Dix Avenue and Quaker Road. 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 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 20th day of August. 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Hagan. Mr. LaPoint. Mrs. Pulver, Mr. Brewer. Mr. Caimano. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MR. CARTIER-Okay. We can entertain a motion on this. Again. a quick reminder with regard to handicapped
parking and Beautification Committee recommendations.
Jl)TION TO APPROVE SITE PLAN 110. 42-91 LIVINGSTON CJJALITY MAlOR, Introduced by Carol Pulver who moved
for its adoption. seconded by Nicholas Caimano:
For an addition of a 4800 square foot warehouse with the stipulation that the one tree be added that
the Beautification Department recommended and the handicapped parking be moved to the entrance.
Duly adopted this 20th day of August. 1991, by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Caimano, Mr. Hagan. Mr. LaPoint, Mrs. Pulver, Mr. Brewer. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
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SITE PLAN 110. 43-91 TYPE II RR-3A KEITH IfARRIS OWNER: SAtE AS ABOVE IIORTH SIDE OF PICKLE HILL
ROAD PROPC)SAL FOR RAISING LIVESTOCK AS WELL AS COIITIIlUE OTHER AGRICULTURAL USE. TAX IMP 110. 26-2-10.5
LOT SIZE:20± ACRES SECTION 179-15
KEITH HARRIS. PRESENT
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Before we get into the details of this. this is going to have to be re-advertised.
It was not advertised correctly, so we are going to involve ourselves in a tabling. here, for
re-advertising. There is a public hearing scheduled this evening and I will conduct a public hearing
on this application. in any event. but it will be continued. We'll take Staff Notes, first, please.
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Lee A. York, Senior Planner. Site Plan Review No. 43-91. Keith Harris. August 12. 1991,
Meeting Date: August 20, 1991 "The applicant is requesting to put up a pole barn to facilitate animal
husbandry on Pickle Hill Road. The current use of the property is a commercialllight industrial
business. The property has a facility which is home to a logginglexcavating company and there is
associated heavy equipment stored there. Behind the existing structure a substantial amount of fill
has been brought in. It appears this may have been done to create a parking area for some of the heavy
equipment. The applicant also has some pigs housed in a nearby shelter and pen. There are also two
small shed!; which are on the property which are not indicated on the plan. The proposal is to place
a pole barn 35 feet from the existing garage. The applicant has ± 20 acres of land. It would be more
appropriate to separate the agricultural use from the commercial use as much as possible. The appl icant
has indicated that he wants to keep the animals near a water source, however. a water line could probably
be run to where the barn was located. The proposed location is very visible from the road. It is
very close to where maintenance and repair of heavy equipment takes place. and where heavy equipment
is parked. Livestock should be housed in a separate location. This application is a Type II SEQRA
Review becðuse it involves agricultural farm management practices, including construction maintenance
and repair of farm buildings and structures and land use changes consistent with generally accepted
principles of farming. This property is in a designated Critical Environmental Area. (Lake George
Park CEA) This application was reviewed with regard to Section 179-38: 1) The pole barn should be
located in the field where corn crops were formerly raised and away from the road. The agricultural
use is commensurate with the purpose of the RR 3 acre zone. The location of the barn and animals along
Pickle Hill Road is not in harmony with the neighborhood character. If the facility was placed away
from the road the noises, smells and visibility of the livestock would not create a neighborhood problem.
2) Vehicular access to the property is adequate. The applicant has indicated there are other accessways
to his field than Pickle Hill Road. Perhaps one of these could be utilized to bring feed to the barn
if it were at a less obtrusive location. 3) Parking and loading for the barn could be a concern if
the barn is positioned as requested. The barn is planned in close proximity to the commerciallindustrial
garage. Many vehicles are currently parked around the existing garage. During periods of inclement
weather the proximity of the barn might lend itself to being used for housing the heavy equipment.
This might be construed as an expansion of the commercial business. 4) Pedestrian access is not a
concern. 5) Storm drainage facilities are not a concern given the size of the barn and the amount
of acreage. 6) The water supply for the animals should be discussed. No sewage disposal facil ities
are anticipated. 7) A visual and noise buffer should be provided between the livestock and neighboring
residences. There is sufficient acreage to allow this. 8) Emergency access is not a concern. 9)
Ponding and erosion are not a concern."
MR. CARTlER¡.Okay. In addition to Staff Notes, here. when I started looking at this application and
looking at the Ordinance. a question came into my mind about a particular section of the Ordinance.
whether or not it applied, in terms of whether the applicant needed 25 acres or not, and I talked to
Pat Crayford and Karla. That resulted in a letter to us from Pat, and I'll read that into the record,
August 20. 1991 "Peter Cartier has questioned whether Section 179-63-C-l that states. 'farm animals
such as cattle raised in feed lots are only allowed on farms in excess of 25 acres', would pertain
to Keith Harris' application before you this evening. The Zoning Ordinance does not define feed lots.
therefore. I have referred to Webster's 9th New Collegiate Dictionary and found feed lots defined as
follows: 'A plot of land on which livestock are fattened for market.' Keith Harris and I discussed
his application in relation to this Section of the Ordinance and Keith has stated these animals are
for his personal use. Therefore, it is my determination that the Section reference will not apply
to this site plan review. Peter also questioned the number of horses allowed on this parcel of property.
Section 179-63-D, Raising of Horses and Ponies, states. 'A minimum of (3) three acres shall be required
for one horse or pony. However, where two or more horses or ponies are concerned. a minimum of two
acres per horse or pony shall be required.' Keith has 20 plus acres on this site. Therefore, a maximum
of 10 horses would be permitted." In connection with that. you also have a copy of. in researching
this whole thing. Karla and I talked about the fact that there was a court decision involving this
property. I went down and got that, just to read that, for my own information. You have a copy of
that. I believe you received that yesterday. What's the Board's druther's. here? Does the Board
care to discuss this application before I open the public hearing or after or what's your pleasure?
MR. CAIMANO-Well. there's seems to be some question whether the application is legitimate or not. based
upon some problems with it. I would suggest that we've got to get that cleared up first. However.
as you said earlier. there's a whole bunch of folks who were notified that there's a public hearing
tonight. I would suggest that we let the public have their say.
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MR. CARTIER-Okay. I'll open the public hearing by first mentioning that we have two letters. Every
member of the Board has received a copy of a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Burnham and also the Davidsons,
along with some supporting documentation that goes with that. Lee. are there any other letters that
have been received that the Board is not aware of? There are. I know. I was looking at them today.
I don't think we got those yet. Could you read those?
PUBLIC HEARING OPEIIED
MRS. YORK-Would you like me to read them?
MR. CARTIER-I certainly would.
MRS. YORK-Okay. "Dear Mrs. Lee: I am writing in reply to a notice of public hearing regarding the
application for the Site Plan Review for Keith Harris on Pickle Hill Road. I strongly oppose the use
of the property for raising 1 ivestock as well as continuing other agricultural use. Along with family
members. we own four acres of land on Pickle Hill and Ridge Road. Having livestock raised across the
street will be unsightly. probably smelly, dangerous. and not in the best interest of this still growing
residential area. I don't feel that the Harris' have the proper amount of property to raise any
livestock." And that's from Lillian Graun. The other letter is from Mr. and Mrs. Herb Smith. "To
Whom It May Concern: Several days ago we received a letter from the Town informing us about a hearing
in relation to the property owned by Mr. Keith Harris on Pickle Hill Road and whether it should be
zoned agricultural or not. Mr. Harris contacted us requesting that we write a letter stating our
viewpoint in relation to the situation. It is our understanding that this property was originally
zoned agricultural and we feel that Mr. Harris should retain the right to keep it as such. Sincerely.
Mr. and Mrs. Herb Smith" This one is from Marshall Clemens "Dear Planning Board: I am responding
to a notice of public hearing in respect to the Site Plan Review of Keith Harris for raising livestock
as well as continued agricultural use on his property. I am fully aware of the size of the proposed
structure. it's locations. and have no objections to this or any agricultural use on Keith's property.
I also have no objections to the livestock he plans to raise there. I, Marshall Clemens. am located
west bordering Keith Harris' property." And then we have a returned public notice and it's got written
on it. "No objections". from Janice Potter, neighbor. and I believe that's all of them. I may have
one more, from Phyllis Marvin.
MR. CARTIER-Yes. I just saw that this morning in the office, so we haven't done that one.
MRS. YORK-Okay. Well, there's a couple of more, I guess. "Dear Mrs. York: Concerning your notice
of August 13th about Keith Harris' proposal for raising livestock in an RR-3 acre zone. I did not
plan to attend since I feel Mr. Harris should be able to have animals on a farm. It's his commercial
logging business that I object to. I made other plans for August 20th. Now I learn from my neighbors
that Mr. Harris is also proposing to build a large barn. How come this was not mentioned in your notice?
That presents a very difficult and very much larger problem. I most assuredly do not want to attend
any meeting about another building on that property. I trust you will reschedule the meeting and give
me adequate notice."
MR. CARTIER.Yes. and therein lies the reason why we're going to re-advertise this thing.
MRS. YORK-Okay. This one is from Jack Howe. "I have talked to Keith Harris and told him that I have
no objection to his keeping farm livestock on his property as long as it is well kept and consistent
with environmental concerns. Regarding the shed or barn that he wishes to construct, I have no problem
with that. as long as it is used only for housing livestock and does not add in any way to his existing
logging business which the Town of Queensbury should never have allowed in the first place." And I
believe that's it. exclusive of the letters that you have received. also.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Before we get into taking comments. at the risk of being the messenger who gets
shot. I'd like the public to understand that the only thing we can address tonight is the application
before us, in terms of site plan for raising pigs in a pole barn. I am well aware of the fact that
the excavating and logging business is a major concern of neighbors in that area. but that is not the
subject of this hearing tonight. nor will it be. So. I would ask that whatever frustrations or concerns
you have about that be addressed to some other appropriate agency in this Town. and not this one.
We are restricted to deal ing only with this site plan. This will be tabled. because we have to
re-advertise it to include the fact that a pole barn is being built. The public hearing will remain
open. We are going to conduct a public hearing tonight. simply because it was advertised as a public
hearing and people are here to speak and we will take those comments tonight. in addition to any other
comments you'd care to make at any other public hearing associated with this application. Is there
anyone here who wishes to address the Board this evening?
DOROTHY BURNHAM
MRS. BURNHAM-Dorothy Burnham, Boulderwood Drive. I have a problem with just addressing the agricultural
use as separate from the pole barn building because the two are interrelated. While I do not object
to the growing of crops and agricultural use. that's what's been there right along. I don't object
to Mr. Harris' keeping a few animals if they're well kept and out of sight and well maintained. I
do object to the pole barn. So. how do we separate those?
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MR. CARTIER-Okay. Maybe I didn't. did I say pole barn? I meant to say the excavating and logging
business.
MRS. BURNHAM-Well. you did say that.
MRS. PULVER-You did say that.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. I did not mean to suggest we're separating the pole barn from the agricultural use.
Those are one in the same. Those we will consider. That's part of the Site Plan application.
MRS. BURNHAM-All right.
MR. CARTIER-My only poi nt was that we have to go back and re-adverti se the fact that a pol e barn is
being constructed. That was not advertised the first time around.
MRS. BURNHAM-All right. That was my question. can we address the entire problem.
MR. CARTIER-Absolutely.
MRS. BURNHAM-And. again. the pole barn adjacent to the commercial garage would appear to me to be an
expansion and how I can say this without talking about the business, I don't know. but the probability
exists that it would be used to house commercial equipment. Who is going to monitor this? Who is
going to say. that payloader is being used for farm work or that payloader is being used for construction
work. If the barn is used strictly for animals. that is another story. but it should not be placed
adjacent to the commercial garage.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Thank you.
PAUL DAVIDSON
MR. DAVIDSON-Good evening. Paul Davidson. I reside on Pickle Hill Road. opposite this expansion.
this request. I believe you've all read my letter. I just came up to see if there were any questions.
any clarifications I could make. If not right now. if any questions came up. I'd be available to answer
them via the phone or if you'd even like to stop. I would like to make the point that while I understand
that the Board would like to keep the business separate from the agricultural uses. both are located
on the same 20 plus acres. How do you differentiate which section's the business. which section's
agriculture, who's going to enforce where that line's drawn and the closer that that barn is to that
garage, the more 1 ikely that that will be an expansion of the business and given the past history of
the parcel. I would strongly urge you to try and use your best judgement in the location of the barn
relative to all the other neighbors and to the existing commercial activity. Thank you.
MR. CARTIER-I don't know if this will answer your question or not. but I'll speak for me and if anybody
else on the Board wants to deal with this. The Senior Planner has made some very appropriate comments
with regard to location of this pole barn and animal use and I'm certainly going to take those comments
very seriously and. for my part, I'm going to recommend to Mr. Harris that he, in fact. move these
and locate them in such a way that they are the least offensive to the neighbors as possible.
MR. DAVIDSON-Thank you very much.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Anyone else care to address the Board? Okay. If not, this evening. again. may
I remind you that this public hearing will remain open and we will take any further comments you'd
care to make. Does anybody else on the Board have a question or a comment?
MR. LAPOINT-Yes. I might disagree with you a little bit. I think that I would like to hear what
people's overall concerns are for the entire lot. If you have pigs now with no barn, what do you need
the barn for, and. again. if there's a reasonable expectation that that barn is going to be used for
the excavating and logging business. I think I'd want to hear that myself.
MR. CARTIER-Yes. Let me just see if I can clarify what I said. probably very poorly. I have no
objections to hearing comments about potential connections between these two. What I don't want to
get into. in effect, is a rehearing about the business itself. that's still apparently tied up in
1 itigation. Maybe I stated my position very poorly on that. I don't mean to el iminate your comments
regarding connections between these two. it's just that I don't want to re-hash.
MR. CAIMANO-And we can't do anything about it anyway.
MR. CARTIER-Right. That's the easiest way to put it. Thank you for your succinctness.
MR. LAPOINT-I'll agree with that.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
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MR. HAGAN-While the applicant is here. could we question him?
MR. CARTIER-Certainly.
MR. CAIMANO-I think. I like that idea. I'd like to hear the answers based upon Number Six of Mr.
Davidson's letter, and this is the thing that really bothers me in this whole thing. Mr. Davidson's
1 etter. on hi s 1 ast page. Number Si x, says. "It is obvi ous. based upon past performance. that any 1 imi ts
placed on the Harris property will not be adhered to or enforced." And I guess I'd like to hear the
answers based on that, because what good is it if we're going to say things. here, and make rules and
regulations and no one really cares.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Well. I think maybe we need to get Mr. Harris or his representative here to address
some of these questions. Are you Mr. Harris?
MR. HARRIS-Yes. I'm available.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Could we get you to the microphone and answer some questions?
MRS. PULVER-I have one question I'd like to ask Lee. We keep talking about this 20 plus acres. but
we have a logging business and now we're going to have some agricultural use. but every time we tal k
about. if we're talking about the logging business. we talk about it on 20 acres. When we talk about
the agricultural. we talk about it on 20 acres.
MR. CAIMANO-Well, we can't even talk about the logging business. because it doesn't exist.
MRS. YORK-This is a question that it is not in the realm of my responsibility to answer. This is reallY
a zoning matter for the Zoning Administrator. How much of this business is required. is going to be
separated out as agriculture. What percentage is going to be the existing commercial business. The
applicant has not divided these or separated these in any way and the Zoning Administrator has not
indicated that they have to be separated in any way.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. I think it's a good question and a good comment.
MRS. YORK-I agree with you.
MR. CARTIER-And I think. in the meantime, since this is going to be tabled, that's a question that
can be addressed to the Zoning Administrator and get some answers to that.
MRS. PULVER-And also, Mr. Harris. maybe you'd like to provide us with some information as to what you
think. how many acres you use for your logging business.
MR. HARRIS-I use less than an acre for the garage and the rest is, it's agricultural use.
MR. CARTIER-Well, I think what we're probably going to have to see is a map, at some point in the
process.
MR. HARRIS-The only thing I propose in the pole barn is agricultural use.
MR. CARTIER-Let me finish my comment. in terms of what Mrs. Pulver is tal king about, I think at some
point when you come back in, I for one. and I'm hearing other Board members say essentially the same.
would like to see a map showing what portion of the property is being used for logging. excavation.
wood cutting. and so on and what portion is going to be used for agricultural use. I also don't want
you to get trapped by Mrs. Crayford's comments. here. too. in talking about, "has 20 plus acres, and
therefore. a maximum of 10 horses woul d be permitted". We have to sort out, well. 10 horses. and how
many cows and pigs. if any, and that sort of thing. That's a question that Mrs. Crayford's going to
have to address. somehow. what is allowed on this property, in terms of numbers.
MR. HARRIS-It's not going to be a commercial farm. It's a private use farm.
MR. CARTIER-I understand that. I have no problem with that.
MR. HARRIS-And. as far as neighbors wondering if there's going to be 17 animals or 27 animals, I would
like to propose six horses. three cows. and I have there now ten pigs.
MR. CARTIER-I'm glad you're coming up with numbers. now. but what we're going to have to do is get
an answer. not only from you. I think what has to happen here, somebody correct me if I'm wrong. it
would be worth your going to Pat Crayford and saying what you just said. here's what I want to have
in terms of number of animals, am I allowed those. and let Mrs. Crayford go through the Ordinance and
sort all that out. okay. I think that will address some of the concerns that are being raised. here.
MR. HARRIS-I would just ask for the most legal population of agriculture use animals I could have.
I leave it up to the Zoning Board to determine the legal status of the farming.
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MR. CARTIER-Fine. I have no problem with that. We're not arguing, here. We're just trying to get
clarification. I would agree with what you just said. Okay. MY point is, that's got to be hammered
out somewhere. We have to have those numbers so we can figure out precisely what's being used for
what's being used for what and so on and so forth.
MR. HARRIS-I haven't studied the zoning. so I couldn't tell you.
MRS. PULVER-Well. that's why if you spoke with her.
MR. CARTIER-We're not expecting you to come up answers to that tonight.
MR. HARRIS-Okay.
MR. CARTIER-All I'm telling you is that's a question that we need to address to our Zoning Administrator
and get this sorted out and that's why I brought up her letter in this last thing. She says, because
if I'm reading the Ordinance correctly, and this may not be the case, as has been in the past. if you
were to put 10 horses on there. that would eliminate any other use of farm animals, for example. So.
I'm just giving you an example. okay. So. that's something you have to sit down and get sorted out.
MR. HARRIS-Well. I have more than 20.88 acres. so if I need to include a couple of other pieces that
I have.
MR. CARTIER-Well, then we have to look at an entire site plan. then. okay, and that will certainly
help us. give us some more leeway, I think. in moving some things around to sort out some neighbors.
See. if I had known that. Do you have more than 25 acres?
MR. HARRIS-Yes, I do.
MR. CARTIER-Well. see, my question would have never come up, if that were the case. So. it sounds
like what we need to hear, are they contiguous, are they joined to this 20.83 acres?
MR. HARRIS-Around 24.88 acres is joined.
MR. CARTIER-All part of this one?
MR. HARRIS-The original Harris farm.
MR. HAGAN-Do you have the map. Peter?
MRS. PULVER-Yes.
MR. CARTIER-Yes. I'm familiar with it. Is that "Other lands of Harris", is that your property?
MR. HARRIS-Yes. it is.
MR. CARTIER-That is?
MR. HARRIS-Yes. it is.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. So, I think it would be appropriate, you may want to get a copy of these minutes,
here. for you to revise your Site Plan. showing us the entire parcel, also taking into account the
comments you have heard from neighbors and also the Senior Planner and see where else we can locate
this to minimize its impact. I think that would have a much more favorable effect on this Board if
we could see something like that.
MS. CORPUS-I just have a question. Mr. Chairman. Were you questioning the fact of whether the Ordinance
would read that if he had so many of one thing, he couldn't have other type of livestock depending
on the acreage?
MR. CARTIER-That's what I'm assuming. I'm looking at Pat's last sentence. "Keith has 20 plus acres
on this site. Therefore, a maximum of 10 horses would be permitted".
MS. CORPUS-I'm not sure whether it's legally correct to say that there would be an either or situation
in this case.
MR. CARTIER-In other words. you could have 10 horses plus cattle, plus.
MS. CORPUS-Right. We can definitely talk to the Zoning Administrator on that and then Mr. Harris would
also have to determine whether he wants to bring in the other acreage or not. as part of the Site Plan
Review, in that he may not be using it for this purpose. It may not be a subject of this Site Plan.
MR. CARTIER-Cannot this Board require that it be part of the Site Plan?
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MS. CORPUS-I don't know what his intentions are for use of it.
MR. CARTIER-Are we prevented from requiring that it be part of the Site Plan?
MRS. PULVER-Well. if it's a separate deed and he doesn't want to use it. I don't see why we can't make
him.
MS. CORPUS-If he doesn't intend to make it part of it, it's up to the applicant as to what they present
for site plan.
MR. HARRIS-I just would like to do anything I could to personally have a few animals to try to solve
the whole problem. I don't want to ask for a dairy farm or anything. but I would like my children
to have a few animals.
MR. CARTIER-I have no problem with that.
MR. HARRIS-And as far as the barn, I'm asking for an agricultural use. It seems, legally. to me, if
I was to expand my business there, I mean, that would be an illegal situation you could prosecute me
on.
MR. HAGAN-That brings up my question.
MR. HARRIS-Mr. Davidson knows plenty of things that are going on over there. so if he sees it. I'm
sure he'll have pictures.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
MR. HAGAN-Before we stray to far away from it, from a practical point of view, since you are proposing
to have two separate uses, here, what was your practical purpose in having the pole barn erected so
close to the existing garage. If you're going to have livestock, it seems to me you'd want them as
far away from traffic as you could get them.
MR. HARRIS-One is access. Two is water. Three is, I figured that closer to my house wouldn't be
intruding on the neighbors. It's the most logical place to put a building. I don't want to have to
ask my kids to walk way down the road or w~ down in a mud hole in the spring. I'm willing to plant
some trees. Whatever it takes. If they don't want to see the barn, I'll plant some trees. I've planted
thousands of dollars worth of trees and never asked anybody for anything.
MR. HAGAN-Well, the reason I ask the question, your map doesn't show your existing house.
assuming there's no house on this property.
So. I'm
MR. HARRIS-There's not a house on the property. That's a different property.
MS. CORPUS-That's a different parcel.
MR. HAGAN-Well, you mentioned something about walking from the house to the pole barn.
MR. HARRIS-The house is on the small lot, which is a 200 by 100, west of the garage.
MR. CARTIER-And that is shown on this Site Plan. and that is my point in raising the question that
if the applicant has other property contiguous to that. I'd like to see that, too, that ought to be
in there. It seems to me that for this Planning Board to be able to consider this appl ication. we
have to have an overall picture of what is there.
MRS. PULVER-No. I don't agree with that. I don't think we need to see all his land. This is the
only piece that he wants to do anything with.
MR. CAIMANO-Carol. the history of this thing is that we do have to see all of it.
MRS. PULVER-But they're separate deeds, Nick.
MR. CAIMANO-Pardon me?
MRS. PULVER-They're separate deeds.
MR. CAIMANO-How can we include this as a part of the house if it's a separate deed. then?
MRS. PULVER-No this is one deed. that he is showing us, the 20 acres.
MR. CAIMANO-I understand that. but if this garage is a part of the house, which is on a separate deed,
how can we do that?
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MR. HARRIS-It's not a part of the house.
MR. HAGAN-It isn't.
MR. CAIMANO-That's what it was originally. though.
MR. HAGAN-Well. I'm just looking at a map.
MR. CAIMANO-Here's my point. I'm on Page 17958 of this book that you guys give us and bless us with.
This is an RR-3 zone. is it not?
MR. HARRIS-Yes, it is.
MR. CAIMANO-I don't see anything in here. in RR-3, that allows a commercial operation of the kind he
has going, which everybody seems to admit that you have going.
MR. HARRIS-Yes, the commercial operation is a preexisting. nonconforming use that has been through
the Supreme Court, Town Court, Appellate Division.
MR. CAIMANO-Is that the one that's still under?
MR. HARRIS-No. it isn't.
MS. CORPUS-It's been resolved. We lost.
DAVE HATIN
MR. HATIN-Dave Hatin, Director of Building and Code Enforcement. For the Board's information, the
business that Keith has currently has gone through the court system, has gone through appeals. and
basically he is allowed to maintain what he has. Recently. we reviewed it with the attorney to see
if he was in violation. The determination was made by the Attorney's office that he is not in violation
by what we currently see on the property and one of the neighbors was advised of that because she was
the one who wrote the letter. Right now, I just want to clear something else up for the Board. as
the ex-Zoning Administrator. if you want to call me that. some of you have a Code Book in front of
you. On Page 18032. which is Article 179-63 of the Ordinance, under Agricultural Uses. you have the
four definitions of farms, okay, that are 1 isted. Below that. you have Section D which states the
criteria for only horses and ponies. There is no criteria in here for the amount of acreage required
for pigs, cows, whatever else you can think of, roosters. chickens. anything. It just gives you the
class farms by the acreage that is provided by the applicant to be used and those were the certain
criterias you could have. So, basically. you could have between five and ten acres and have as much
livestock as you wanted to. by this.
MR. CARTIER-Are you tell ing me that this gentleman could put 10 horses on this piece of property and
100 cows and. as a Planning Board, we would have nothing to say about that?
MR. HATIN-From reviewing it quickly, Peter. I would have to say yes.
MR. CARTIER-I would disagree in terms of Article V and the things that this Board is required to consider
in passing approvals.
MR. HATIN-Well. what the Board wants to pass as an approval is separate from what the Ordinance requires.
okay. The problem is. the Ordinance has no requirement for how many cows you can have on your property
or how much acreage you have to have per cow. That's not in here.
MR. CARTIER-Does that prevent this Planning Board from applying Article V and the things in Article
V that we are required to consider when we make a motion?
MS. CORPUS-No. If the Board feels that that comes within the perimeters of those items listed in Article
V. including numbers and location. as long as it's backed up with those items in Article V.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. That's what I need to hear.
MR. LAPOINT-Can I jump in here. Section C Farm Animals 2. Standards for Accommodation of these animals
will be determined by the Planning Board with help from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren
County.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you. Yes.
MR. HATIN-Okay. But 1'm saying that there is no acreage requirement for cows versus horses versus
pigs versus livestock. That's what I'm trying to point out to the Board.
MR. CARTIER-I understand that.
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MR. HATIN-You may be able to establish that, yes. but I'm saying there is no criteria in here for that.
MR. CARTIER-But we can establish it. according to Item C2 that Ed just referred to. and also Sections
of Article V that would apply. Good. Thank you.
MS. CORPUS-Mr. Cartier. if I could give background into, I think that Mr. Harris. when he sought to
put this application in. as a result of another law suit, the one of which you have the order for.
regarding the pigs. the subject of that was thi s particul ar property and not any other property he
had. and I think that's where the basis was. for this.
MR. LAPOINT-So this decision in order is in force. in terms of the pigs, and this is what we have to
go by on the pigs?
MS. CORPUS-Right.
MR. CARTIER-Would that decision have been any different if he had listed 24 or 25 or 28 or 1,000 acres.
MR. CAIMANO-Wait a minute. we can't get involved in that.
MR. CARTIER-I understand that. I'm just trying to get something clear. here. My point is, the number
of acres in that decision I'm not sure are relevant here, to the pig decision. If we've got to give
it a name. we'll call it the pig decision.
JOAN KUBRICKY
MRS. KUBRICKY-I'm Joan Kubricky and I'm here just to ask the question. is this a preexisting farm?
MR. CARTIER-Yes, ma'am.
MRS. KUBRICKY-It's a preexisting, nonconforming use on 20 acres?
MR. CARTIER-No. It's a preexisting farm. Farming has been allowed in this area. So it is not a
nonconforming agricultural use. It is allowed in the Ordinance.
MRS. KUBRICKY-So. the RR-3 is only if he wants to subdivide it and turn it into a residential?
MR. CARTIER-No. I think the best way to answer your question is if you were to read the description
of what's allowed in a Rural Residential 3 Acre Zone, I think that may answer your question. He is
allowed. by Ordinance. agricultural use. okay. He is allowed to have pigs and chickens and horses
and cows. What this Board is trying to hammer out is how much and where. Does that answer your
question. I hope? Thank you. Karla. my point is. if this applicant has more than the 20.83 acres
of land, I would be much more amenable to sorting some things out here if I knew how much that land
was. I'm not trying to play games here and get him up to this 25 acre thing. That's a wash. That's
gone. The determination's been made on that, but as a Planning Board. at least this member of the
Planning Board, wants to see the whole picture. not just a piece of the picture. Let me give you an
example of what 11m tal king about. We are in the throws, right now. of deciding on a roller coaster.
We are not just looking at the piece of property that the roller coaster is going to exist on. we are
looking at the entire site. and what I'm saying is. I think we need to do the same thing, here.
MRS. PULVER-But. Peter. this is the site, is right here.
MS. CORPUS-Well. the entire site that Mr. Harris has presented are these two parcels of property, for
these uses. He doesn't intend to expand them onto other property from this apparent site plan, unless
he chooses to do so. If he chooses to bring in and say, I'm going to use all of the other property
for these uses. he's entitled to do that, or he can limit it. It's really up to the applicant.
MR. CARTIER-I'm not going to belabor this.
think I've made my position clear.
MR. BREWER-Peter, I think the question is. is this one parcel one deed, and is this another parcel
and another deed?
MRS. PULVER-Yes. it is.
MR. CARTIER-Yes it is, what?
MR. BREWER-Well. how can you say you have more than 22 acres? If this piece is 22 and this is more.
how can you combine them if they're two separate pieces of property?
MR. CARTIER-Are they two separate deeds. Mr. Harris?
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MR. HARRIS-Yes. they are. There's actuallY four separate deeds. When I came for a variance for my
house last year, I was told under the zoning purposes you could combine adjacent lands. I'm not a
zoning.
MS. CORPUS-It's changed. The Ordinance has just changed in all that. at the moment. There was an
amendment to the Zoning Ordinance.
MR. BREWER-Could he consider that as one piece of property?
MR. CARTIER-If he wanted to.
MR. LAPOINT-Okay. Let me just, quick, sum up. so we can get out of this. You've got 20.8 acres and
you're going to tell us how many pigs you want on that, in writing. between now and then, and
satisfaction of 179-63 C2. If you meet that. you tell us, and we'll tell you if you meet our standards
at our next time we meet and talk.
MRS. PULVER-Within that 20 acres.
MR. CARTIER-Well, understand that the applicant has also mentioned in his application. now, horses
and cows.
MR. HARRIS-And I'd like a few poultry.
MR. LAPOINT-Okay. Get those in there. Get all your numbers in there, what you're going to have. and
we'll .
MR. HARRIS-Well. I would ask someone from the Town to tell me what. legally. I'm allowed.
MR. LAPOINT-We have to consider your, we're going to place a standard on your.
MR. HARRIS-I want the maximum that's legally allowed. That's all I'm asking for is what's legally
permitted.
MR. LAPOINT-Ten horses is maximum.
MS. CORPUS-Ten horses, and if Mr. Harris doesn't have a preference, the Board could make that
determination.
LAPOINT-Right.
MR. CARTIER-Maybe the way to go at this is a trade off. You're allowed 10 horses. there's your max.
Now. you can reduce the number of horses. I wish I could give you numbers, here. I can't. I'm just
trying to give you a direction. You can reduce the number of horses. You can trade in horses for
cows and pigs and chickens. is basically what this amounts to. I know it sounds ridiculous. but that's
what I'm trying to get to.
MRS. YORK-Would you like me to contact the Cooperative Extension?
MR. CARTIER-I certainly would.
MR. HAGAN-Yes. We are going to, before we're finished anyway.
MR. CARTIER-All right. I think you just solved my problem. Thank you. Lee.
MRS. YORK-Mr. Harris, you can also contact the Cooperative Extension.
MR. HARRIS-Yes. I have 1 iterature home. I had a building permit for a barn before the zoning was
changed in 1988. which was another legal matter that I lost. and at the time I didn't have the money
to fight it. If I'm right, you're allowed one acre per animal. That's only, you know, as a horse
or a cow. As far as a poultry or pigs or goats or donkeys. there's no classification.
MR. LAPOINT-They must have something. Cornell. Again. confer with them and get what they tell you
to us. you know. chickens. cows. pigs, ducks. whatever. and we'll take a look at what they have to
say, also.
MR. HARRIS-Okay.
MRS. YORK-I'm sure they have standards for animal husbandry.
MR. HARRIS-Yes, they do. I had it out today and why I didn't bring it. I figured I didn't need it.
MRS. YORK-Okay. Well, we will get working on that as soon as possible.
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MR. CARTIER-All right. In fairness to Mr. Harris. I would also 1 ike the Board to give him some
indication as to the location of the pole barn. Is that satisfactory or is it not? I don't want Mr.
Harris coming back in here with the pole barn in the same location and we tell him, then. well. no.
we don't like it there. Lets let him know, tonight. so he can address this.
MR. HAGAN-Actually, he's meeting the setbacks. My question was to find out what he had in mind in
having the barn as close to the garage as he has it. because it has two separate uses. However. I'm
not going to push the applicant in the corner and tell him where he's got to put it. If he's meeting
the setbacks. the side yard setbacks, the front yard setbacks. I don't think we can instruct him to
do anything else.
MR. HARRIS-I am meeting the setbacks, as far as Mr. Hatin.
MR. HAGAN-Right. The only thing. in trying to keep harmony in the neighborhood, I was wondering why
you wanted the two buildings so close?
MR. HARRIS-Simply for access, water. and, like I said. this is for a residential use farm. It's not
a commercial. selling beef or chickens. and it's for my children. I have a daughter 8 and a son 7.
and if anybody's worried about the looks of the barn. I'll plant trees. I plan on planting trees.
but there's limited funds and time available.
MR. BREWER-Jim, could you look on Page 17995, Letter D, "Project would not have an undue adverse impact
on the natural, scenic, aesthetic. ecological, wildlife. historic. recreational. or open space resources
of the Town or Adirondack Park." I think if it was that close to the road. it would be aesthetically.
MRS. PULVER-It meets the setbacks.
MRS. YORK-Yes. but this Board has the ability to increase any of the setbacks given special conditions
on any particular site.
MR. CARTIER-Yes. setbacks are strictly minimums.
MRS. YORK-They are always minimums.
MS. CORPUS-I'd just 1 ike to echo Mrs. York, in that the Board does have the authority and the power
to direct location of these items based upon any of the Sections in Article V that apply.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you.
MRS. PULVER-I think. lets get on with this. here. as far as moving the pole barn right now. we need
to re-advertise. We can discuss that again at the second meeting. but when you come back. what I would
like to know is, what animals you're going to have and how many of each and you can work that out.
There are two buildings. I guess. that are not located, right now, on the map.
MR. HARRIS-As far as storage sheds?
MRS. PULVER-Yes. I'd like to see the location of those on the map. I'd like to know how much of this
acreage is used for your business and you can dot it off your map or whatever.
MR. HARRIS-The driveway would be the limit.
MRS. PULVER-All right. Well. I want to see it. Do it in red. white. blue.
MR. HARRIS-Well. the driveway's on there.
MRS. PULVER-Yes, but people in the audience can't see it that well. I think it would be nice if we
all could see that. I want to see the two other buildings. I want to know how much of this land is
being used for your business. how much of the property you intend, or the exact acreage that will be
left to use for the farming and how many animals and what kind of animals. Okay. That's it.
MR. CARTIER-Good. Thank you. You've done an excellent job of summing that up. Thank you. Does anybody
else have any questions or comments that they care to make? Okay.
DEBBIE DAVIDSON
MRS. DAVIDSON-My name is Debbie Davidson. I 1 ive on Pickle Hill Road. One thing I want the Board
to consider, as you're discussing the number of animals and such is that he stressed that he wants
for his own private use. Pigs, chickens. whatever. there has to be a reasonable number that. for his
own private use. he can use. At the same time, he's saying he wants the maximum he can get. So. I
would ask you to kind of keep that in mind when you're making these determinations. that it is for
his own private use as he has stated. Thank you.
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MR. CARTIER-Okay. Thank you.
MRS. BURNHAM-Dorothy Burnham. Boulderwood Drive, again. I would request that you also consider the
location of these animals on that property, keeping in mind that the prevailing winds are from the
westlnorthwest, also keeping in mind the comments that were made prior to coming up with our
Comprehensive Land Use Plan and also the comments which you have seen in my letter regarding retaining
the scenic beauty of Pickle Hill Road. which is a historic road, and also taking into consideration
that most of our properties are facing this. I think it's wonderful to look out and see some horses
grazing and cows grazing, but I don't think it's so wonderful when the wind is blowing in my direction.
So, if you would also add that to your list of considerations. I would appreciate it. Thank you.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you.
MR. DAVIDSON-I bel ieve Mr. Harris made a statement with regard to his location of his commercial
property. This is where I think we're going to have a problem and I really strongly urge the Board
to closely look at this because he just stated that from his driveway. the area his driveway is
commercial property. It is not commercial property. His commercial property does not go that far.
did not go that far and he's attempting to extend his commercial property all the way across the front
of my property and I do not want that to happen. Thank you.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you. Anyone else?
MR. HARRIS-I just like to give you my word as a citizen that I'm not attempting to extend the commercial
use, and this is strictly an agricultural use which is permitted under Site Plan Review. I would hate
to take a preexisting problem with the neighbors and have you impose your views on the garage. This
is a site plan review for a permitted use and that's all I'm asking for.
MR. CARTIER-I understand that.
MR. HARRIS-And you're sure and I'm sure that if there's any commercial use. Mr. Davidson will have
plenty of evidence. I mean, it's been stated in court. and I'm sure Dave Hatin can tell you. He knows
what's going on, and that's all I'm asking for.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. While you're at the microphone, do we have your agreement to table this application?
MR. HARRIS-Sure.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you. Is there anybody else who'd care to comment? Okay. Can we entertain a motion
to table this application.
Jl)TION TO TABLE SITE PLAII NO. 43-91 KEITH HARRIS. Introduced by Edward LaPoint who moved for its
adoption, seconded by Carol Pulver:
Proposal for raising 1 ivestock as well as continue other agricultural use, pending re-advertising to
include the pole barn structure and for his opportunity to address comments made here this evening.
Duly adopted this 20th day of August, 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Hagan. Mr. LaPoint, Mrs. Pulver. Mr. Brewer, Mr. Cartier
NOES: Mr. Caimano
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MR. CARTIER-Mr. Harris. do you have copies of Staff Notes. copies of letters that were submitted. so
that you can address all of those concerns the next time around.
MR. HARRIS-No, I don't. All I have is the Staff Notes from Lee York.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. You can stop in the Planning Department tomorrow.
MRS. YORK-Yes. Why don't you stop in tomorrow. if you have an opportunity.
MR. HARRIS-Okay. If I wouldn't, could I come in on Friday? Tomorrow I'm going out of town.
MRS. YORK-Why don't you, as soon as possible, give me a call. all right, and we will sit down and try
and work on this stuff. okay?
MR. HARRIS-Okay. Thank you.
MR. CARTIER-We're also going to see something from Cornell Extension. I assume, the next time around?
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MR. YORK-Yes. you will.
MR. HARRIS-Yes.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you very much. The public hearing. again, will remain open on this application.
SITE PLAN 110. 44-91 TYPE: UIILISTED LI-lA ARROIftŒAD ECJJIPtENT. INC. LAW DIESEL (MER: IfILLIAM
J. EHLERT. JR. CATHERIIIE EHLERT EXIT 18. EAST OFF IWF. LEn ONTO PINE STREET. EIID OF PINE STREET.
LEn ONTO WZERNE ROAD. IIJILDING ON RIGHT AFTER IIORTHlfAY UNDERPASS FOR SALES AID SERVICE OF HEAVY
ECJJIPtENT AID TRUCK REPAIRS AID 1ßf000SALE PARTS. THE 1ßf0LESALE IIJSINESS IS BEING ADDED TO THE EXISTING
IIJSINESS ON THE PROPERTY. (WARREll COONTY PLANNING) LOT SIZE: 3.75 ACRES SECTION 179-26 o-~B
DAVE COULTER. REPRESENTING APPLICANT. PRESENT
MR. CARTIER-Okay. I would mention the reason we're looking at this again is that in our previous
approval of this appl ication, and Karla or Lee correct me if I'm wrong, here, no mention was made of
a wholesale business being operated out of this and I believe it was brought to Mrs. Crayford's
attention, or Mrs. Crayford picked up on this and talked to the applicant and told the applicant that
he would have to come back for site plan review on a wholesale business portion of this application.
MR. COULTER-My name is Dave Coulter. I represent Arrowhead Equipment. and concerning the wholesale
section of it. when first applied for, we assumed. if you wish. that wholesale. because we went in
as sales and service of equipment. that wholesale was the only way that that could be done. Wholesale
is, essentially, the treatment of sales to businesses. So, we thought we had that covered. in that
we sell products in. say. truck bodies. whatever. plows. and so on. So. naturally. we figured we had
wholesale covered. This is a surprise to us. and it seemed to be a surprise to Mrs. Crayford because
she didn't know what we wanted either. apparently, that's why we're here doing this site plan again.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Thank you. Lee. can we take your comments, please.
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Lee A. York. Senior Planner, Site Plan Review No. 44-91. Arrowhead EquipmentlLaban Diesel
August 14. 1991. Meeting Date: August 20, 1991 "The application is for the addition of a wholesale
distribution business which would be added to an existing Heavy Equipment sales and service business.
The applicant wishes to provide 1800 sq. ft. in the service facility for wholesale business. The only
other change to the site is additional parking along Luzerne Road. The Zoning Administrator has
indicated that the parking will be in compl iance with the code. 1) There will be no change to the
exterior of the building. A sign will be added and this should be in conformance with the Town of
Queensbury Sign Ordinance. 2) Vehicular access is not a concern. 3) Parking and loading appear
sufficient. 4) Pedestrian access is not a concern. 5) Storm drainage facil ities will not change.
6) Sewer and water facilities will not change. 7) Plantings will not be added. 8) Emergency access
is adequate. 9) Erosion is not a concern."
MR. CARTIER-Ok~. No engineering comments. I don't have County.
MRS. YORK-The County said. "No County Impact".
MR. CARTIER-Thank you. Does the Board have any questions or conunents? Okay. If not, I'll open the
public hearing on this application. Is there anyone who would wish to address the Board?
PUBLIC HEARING OPEIIED
NO COIIENT
PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED
MR. CARTIER-We can entertain, I believe, a Short Form.
MR. CAIMANO-Why?
MR. HAGAN-We went through the SEQRA.
MR. CAIMANO-We went through the SEQRA. All we're doing is changing the name of the business.
MR. CARTIER-I understand. Karla?
MR. CAIMANO-Why are we doing a SEQRA on this?
MS. CORPUS-It's an Unlisted Action.
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MR. CAIMANO-But we've done it as an unl isted action on this company before. and all we're doing is
saying it's now a wholesale business.
MS. CORPUS-But it's a different action.
MR. CARTIER-And we've changed the parking.
MR. HAGAN-Wait. Does this mean, then, because we put some stipulations on the original application.
MRS. PULVER-But that still st~s for that business.
MR. CAIMANO-That still stays.
MS. CORPUS-This is just for this wholesale business.
MR. CAIMANO-Right.
MS. CORPUS-You're just doing the SEQRA on the wholesale part of it. Although there are no exterior
changes. but it's still an action.
MR. CARTIER-You're right, Nick, but we are required. by law. to do the SEQRA.
RESOLUTION If HEll DETERMIIlATION OF 110 SIGIIIFICAllCE IS MDE
RESOLUTION 110. 44-91. Introduced by Nicholas Caimano who moved for its adoption. seconded by Edward
LaPoint:
WHEREAS, there is presently an appl ication before the Planning Board for: sales and senice of heavy
equipment and tMlck repairs and wholesale parts. to ARROWHEAD ECJJIPÐT. INC.. Exit 18. east off rilllp.
onto Luzerne Road. 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 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 20th day of August. 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Hagan. Mr. LaPoint. Mrs. Pulver, Mr. Brewer. Mr. Caimano, Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MR. CARTIER-We can entertain a motion.
MOTION TO APPROVE SITE PLAII 110. 44-91 ARROWHEAD EQUIPtEllT. INC. LABAN DIESEL, Introduced by Nicholas
Caimano who moved for its adoption, seconded by Carol Pulver:
For sales and service of heavy equipment and truck repairs and wholesale parts. The wholesale business
is being added to the existing business on the property, which has been previously approved by this
Board.
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Duly adopted this 20th day of August, 1991, by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. LaPoint. Mrs. Pulver. Mr. Brewer. Mr. Caimano. Mr. Hagan. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Under "Any further business that may come before the Board". we have a number of
items, here. but I think we can take care of them in relatively short order. You have in front of
you. I hope. a letter from Mike Baird. requesting an extension of his approval from August 1990. which
runs out tomorrow. I believe. Does anybody have any questions or comments? You should also have a
copy of the original motion, if anybody would like to introduce that for an extension.
Jl)TION TO EXTEIID THE SITE PLAN 110. 62-90 MIKE BAIRD. Introduced by Edward LaPoint who moved for its
adoption. seconded by Carol Pulver:
For the construction of a 30 by 60 foot addition for sign manufacturing with the following stipulations,
that a survey plat be provided to the Planning Board showing all information on the current site plan.
the location of the well on the Ball property, and the proposed location of the fuel tank. That all
spray painting be confined to an approved spray booth inside the building only. and that the soil and
erosion control measures in accordance with New York State Guidel ines for Urban Erosion and Sediment
Control be approved as necessary. The extension is approved for a period of one year from this date.
Duly adopted this 20th day of August, 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Brewer, Mr. Hagan. Mr. LaPoint, Mrs. Pulver. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSTAINED: Mr. Caimano
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MR. CARTIER-Would you direct a letter. Lee. to him and make him aware of that?
MRS. YORK-Yes, I will.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you very much. Okay. Dave Hatin's here to speak to us in regard to Quaker Plaza.
DAVE HATIN
MR. HATIN-They were told to be here around 8:30. I was looking at your agenda figuring it would take
at least that long.
MR. CARTIER-We'll take a 10 minute break. then. Dave, are the people here that you need to have here?
DAVE KLEIN
MR. KLEIN-We're waiting for Mark Schachner. He said he'd be here at 8:30.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Well, lets try something else, then. in the meantime. Queensbury Factory Outlet.
is Mr. Lapper here?
JON LAPPER
MR. LAPPER-Yes. sir.
MR. CARTIER-Just a very brief history. here. Correct me if I'm wrong. Mr. Lapper called me sometime
ago informing me that the approval of the Queensbury Factory Outl et had lapsed and requested that we
consider renewing a lapsed approval. I took the 1 iberty of saying no, for the Board. because I have
problems with that. personally, but what we came down to was that Mr. Lapper would come to us and address
us. in terms of what the status of this piece of property is right now. One of the reasons I should
point out to you is that, one of the reasons I said no is Mr. Lapper indicated to me that they would
be in with a new application for the property with some changes on it within a couple of months. Is
that an accurate description of what. roughly. transpired?
MR. LAPPER-That'll be part of a sort of long story that I and my client Howard Carr have for you.
We'll make it as short and sweet as we can. but there's a lot of hi story to thi s. I guess part of
the reason why we're here is that I know that in the papers this is a hot issue now with the other
plaza, just that there's been a lot of comment and obviously. as a resident, everyone here, this large
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plaza's been sitting vacant and nobody can figure out why. I know that a lot of members of this Board
weren't here when this was approved in '88. Peter was, and we sort of wanted to bring you up to speed
on why the thing is sitting vacant and what's happened. the legal side of it. with the lapsed approval
that we're asking to be renewed. and then the plans for going forward and retenanting it. Just quickly,
and Karla's probably aware of a lot of this stuff, the reason it's been sitting vacant is because of
the Birnbaum family which are the owners of the plaza. in fighting between the two different sides
of the family. Saul Birnbaum was the remaining brother. He died in April. and since that's happened.
everything's. basically, gone away. in terms of the losses. Not that everyone's made up. but just
that they're not funding these crazy, expensive law suits and it looks like everything's going to proceed
in a business like fashion for a change. My client is Howard Carr. from the Howard Group in Albany.
He is the receiver of the property. appointed by the Surrogates Court in Monroe County two years ago
and. in fact, I was here on his behalf two years ago. to get the 1988 approval extended through 1989.
In 1989. when Saul Birnbaum was still alive. it looked like there was going to be a sale of the property
and his attorney came in and asked for an extension. Howard. unfortunately, didn't know that it was
only extended for six months because that's all that he asked for because he thought that a sale was
pending. Howard. and then subsequently I. learned recently that it was only six months. He's got
some things going on, in terms of retenanting the plaza. which he'll talk to you about and what I was
discussing with Peter on the phone was that if one of the leases that's being negotiated now comes
to fruition. there would be a modification of the approved site plan which would be to add a building
at the edge of Boardmans and the front. which would put a new facade on there from the corner.
MR. CARTIER-The lapsed approved site plan.
MR. LAPPER-Right. and the lapsed approved variance. because there's also a variance for a 19 foot setback
from the corner. Let me just hand this to you.
MR. CARTIER-Just a side comment, if I may. I seem to recall when we made this last extension of this
thing, we talked about for how long. six months or a year. and we offered a year, if I recall. and
the applicant said, no. six months would be fine. I think that's something we ought to keep in mind
the next time we look at extensions. that we don't get into this trap again, with the six month
extension.
MR. LAPPER-Well, I guess I want to say that. in terms of the trap. I mean. nObody anticipated that
this thing would sit vacant and it just. you had one side of this family arguing that it would be better
to sell a vacant plaza so that when Howard went out and got leases, and some very nice leases. and
brought them to the Surrogates Court for approval, you'd have the other half of the family arguing,
no. we don't want to lease it up. you know, and as a businessman he's pulling his hair out that he's
got these nice leases and nothing's happening. So. at this point. that's all behind us. There are
some leases that have been negotiated and hopefully some exciting ones that he'll be able to sign in
the next few months which would cause us to be back. As Receiver. his job is also to protect the
approvals. the value, which includes the approvals, and it's mainly for the two, the extension along
the back corner by the NiMo right-of-w~. That's important not to have lapsed because that's a lot
of additional square footage. In terms of the front. where there's the old Kentucky Fried Chicken
and the liquor store. and Dave Hatin's here to talk about that. and those buildings ought to come down
and the only thing that's preventing us from taking them down now is that. as a prior nonconforming
use. because of the setback. we don't want to give up the right to that until we've come back to talk
to you about site plan extension. There was a plan for a 6.000 square foot building that would have
a 19 foot setback. That's no longer the plan. as you can see on that map. What we're looking at is,
instead, moving that over to be the front of Boardmans. which would be much less of an impact than
building something 19 feet. as was approved.
MR. CARTIER-So I understand what I'm looking at. here. this is essentially what was originally approved.
with the addition of this proposed addition. here, and the removal of those two buildings. the Kentucky
Fried Chicken and liquor store, correct?
MR. LAPPER-On the official approved site plan. which I don't have a copy of with me. there was a 6.000
square foot freestanding building next to Boardmans. where those two stores are.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
MR. LAPOINT-In place of the Kentucky Fried Chicken and in place of the liquor store, there's a 6,000
square foot building on the approved site plan that has lapsed?
MR. LAPPER-Correct.
MR. LAPOINT-So. what is this in front of us now?
MR. LAPPER-What that is. that's nothing official.
MR. LAPOINT-You want to trade, the future site plan would trade that for this attached building?
MR. LAPPER-Right, which would be much less of an impact.
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MR. LAPOINT-Okay. So what you're looking for. in a nutshell. is extension of the old site plan. and
then you're going to come to us with this new proposed addition?
MR. LAPPER-Hopefully. assuming that the lease for that gets approved. Howard can talk to you a little
bit more about that. in terms of the plans for the future.
MR. LAPOINT-Okay. I just had to back up.
MR. LAPPER-Yes. There's a lot of things that have been going on.
MR. CARTIER-Do I understand you to say that you are. in fact. asking for an approval of this lapsed,
is that why you're here tonight?
MR. LAPPER-Well, we wanted to bring the Board up to speed and see where you were coming from on this.
I mean. ultimately. we would like to not have to come back and re-submit the stormwater management
report. the engineering to get what we already got for those two back buildings.
MRS. YORK-You will have to re-submit a stormwater management report anyway if you are creating more
impermeable area on your stormwater management report.
MR. LAPPER-Well. that would be. it would be less than what was approved previously.
MR. CARTIER-Well. in other words. this is a change in this site?
MR. LAPPER-Yes. It would just be a lot easier to. not easier, but I mean. rather than having to redo
something that's already been done, to modify an existing site plan would be a lot simpler. in terms
of the time and effort.
MR. CARTIER-I just want to be very clear, here. You're asking this Board to accept the modification.
to approve a modification of a lapsed site plan approval?
MR. LAPPER-No. not at all.
MRS. PULVER-No. Wait a minute. Let me see if I have it. They would like an approval of their site
plan, an extension on it. that has lapsed. Then the next step is that they're going to come before
the Board for a site plan review for this site plan, but they would like not to have to go through
all the things that they went through before. In other words, they would probably ask for a waiver
for the stormwater management. since this is less of an impact then the original was. Now, I do have
that?
MR. LAPPER-Yes.
MRS. PULVER-Yes. I have it.
MR. CARTIER-What 1'm hearing Lee say is that. in effect. they would have to do another stormwater
management.
MRS. PULVER-But they could ask for a waiver.
MRS. YORK-They would have to satisfy our engineer that it would, in fact, be less of an impact.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
MR. LAPPER-And we would submit a revised report to the extent that drainage waste changed with respect
to any new construction.
MS. CORPUS-Mr. Chairman, Jon Lapper and I spoke on the phone and I also spoke with Paul on this. We
did some research and determined that. legally. there's no prohibition from the Board granting. a legal
prohibition from the Board. granting an extension of a lapsed site plan. It's not like variances,
where there's definite case law and whatnot on having to go and present a new application. That's
up to the Board, whether the Board chooses to go forward in that manner or not. We did, however. advise
Mr. Lapper that a SEQRA Review. nonetheless, would be necessary anyway.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
MRS. YORK-If I may address the Board. The reason the Board re-reviews. after 12 months, petitions
that are going to lapse. is to look at any changes that have occurred in the neighborhood. in the area.
in the Town, and in the Ordinance. that might effect this development. This development was approved
on June 21st. 1988. On October 1st. 1988, we had a new Ordinance go into effect and a new Master Plan
go into effect. There is also changes on Route 9. At the nearest intersection there have been some
major improvements by New York State DOT and Warren County and there is a new traffic 1 ight outside
the facility that changes the way the traffic enters and exits and would probably change the interior
traffic circulation pattern. That's just for your information.
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MR. CARTIER-Let me add my piece. here, too. That was one of the things I was going to mention.
Secondly. I am very uncomfortable with the idea of getting into extending approvals of lapsed approvals,
for one very simple reason. Is this Board prepared to do it for every lapsed approval that comes before
us? If we are going to start doing that. we are. in effect, ignoring. or saying we're going to ignore
the very issues that Lee has just brought up. So, I'll just say my peace and the rest of the Board
can get in on this however they want. I'm very reluctant to renew lapsed approvals, particularly in
the case where we're going to turn around and look at something different within a couple of months.
MR. LAPPER-Potentially.
MR. CARTIER-Potentially.
MRS. PULVER-That's probably why I would be willing to approve it. because it's coming back in a couple
of months.
MR. CARTIER-Well. he just said, potentially.
MR. LAPOINT-Well, yes. I guess it woul d be tough for me to approve an extension of the 01 d one when
I have absolutely no idea what it is.
MR. CAIMANO-That's my problem, too. and the other problem is that. while I sympathize with what you're
saying in terms of approving the lapsed ones. in this particular case. we have a verdant area where
we don't know where we're going and things have happened since the approval to change Ordinances.
I think it's very. very dangerous for us to be doing that.
MR. LAPOINT-I think that if they were to come with the same stormwater management. I can waive a lot
of that review.
MR. CAIMANO-Sure. I could, too. I just can't see throwing our hands up.
HOWARD CARR
MR. CARR-My name's Howard Carr. I am the court appointed receiver. If I just may give the Board a
little bit of background, for those who aren't familiar with this thing. There's a very bitter family
dispute that goes on. okay, and it all boils down. eventually, to money. The surrogate of Monroe County
got to the point with this particular property where they have basically argued about what time of
the day they were going to turn the lights on and off. which was the reason for putting me in pl ace.
He did that and instructed me in his order to perform and carry out the functions of the property.
One of those functions was the protective rights, as Jon had mentioned, and we came before this Board
in '89. I believe in the beginning of June of '89 to extend those approvals that were granted in '88.
The pending sale that Jon spoke about did fall through, okay, as a result of a lot of other issues.
but I think what you need to grab hold of, here. is that there's some very extenuating circumstances
that take place around this. There was an agreement signed between Saul Birnbaum, as the managing
general partner, even though his brother Bernard had died in 1979, and that gives you an idea of how
protracted this litigation has been, to put that traffic light in. When I went into place in April
1st. of '89 as the receiver. I immediately started to carry out those agreements of the property, leases.
agreements between other property owners. which involves the Grand Union property across the street.
Saul Birnbaum litigated me to prevent me from carrying out something he agreed to do. yet it was part
of the approval process. So, it just gives you some of the background as to how convoluted this whole
mess is. and I guess that's the best thing I can tell you. The circumstances that surround this are
unusual. I can also tell you that I. up until Mr. Saul Birnbaum's death in April. deal t with nine
law firms. and if you think it's tough to get six members of a Planning Board to agree, you ought to
try nine law firms. but those are some of the problems that I've had to deal with. The extenuating
circumstances, here, okay, are such that I think the Board really has to take special dispensation
on this project because when I went into place, okay. one of the very first phone calls that I ever
got from any official of this Township was from Dave Hatin. When my signs went up in that place, Dave
picked up the phone and said, we've got some problems, and here they are. and he listed them out for
me and immediately those problems were dealt with. I understand the sensitivity of that particular
property. It's at one of the major gateways of this Township. and I don't think anybody can say that
that property has any problems to it now. It's kept clean. even though it's vacant, because I make
sure it's done that way. Dave came to me about a problem with dumpsters and fencing. it was dealt
with within 40 days. He came to me about a problem that we had last year with the two boarded up,
the old Kentucky Fried Chicken and the liquor store building. they were dealt with within seven days.
All of the problems that Dave has come to me with, okay. we have dealt with. Modifications in the
handicapped parking stalls and all of those things, were done, because the object here is that the
property's always going to be here. You and I may not be here many years down the line, but the property
will be there and the thing that we want to do is to turn this thing into a good project. Unfortunately.
I brought forth some very strong tenants. and Saul Bi rnbaum found it upon himsel f, okay, to prey upon
the Court's judgement to say that a vacant center was worth more than an occupi ed center. and some
of those tenants. well. as a matter of fact. 75 percent of those tenants currently have or are pursuing
locations in the Township and unfortunately this lays dormant. One of those tenants has now come back
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to life. There are others who will. To give you an idea of what was approved, what we're talking
about here is that there is no change in the impermeable area for drainage purposes. You've got a
6,000 foot footprint that was approved. All that we're basically doing is taking that same 6,000 foot
footprint and moving it to a different area of the property. To give you an idea of what was approved.
if you just take off that 6,000 foot area that's added on to the end of that building and put it on
to a freestanding structure, that's really what you're dealing with. and that's the change. The shading
was for leasing purposes, to show which area that particular tenant was taking. That's what we've
done. There is no change. as far as the driveway configuration. I mean. it's where it was originally
planned.
MR. LAPOINT-So, if you just re-filed, with this figure in front of us is what I'm saying, and attached
your old stormwater management stuff so that I had something I could approve or disapprove.
MR. CARR-That's not a problem. It really isn't.
MR. LAPOINT-Okay.
MR. CARR-Because the stormwater management really isn't going to change. We're not going to re-pave
the parking lot, take a grade from this to this. and all of those problems.
MR. LAPOINT-Agreed. Yes.
MR. CARR-The other thing, I mean. it's taken me. with the Court's approval. better than a year, and
just yesterday received all the bids back to hook the sewer up because we've got a self contained sewer
facil ity, sewage treatment plant on the property, for those things to be el iminated, and I think that
really what this Board needs to really give consideration to is the fact that the goal. here. to turn
this into a viable project. This property can generate immense tax dollars. in terms of sales tax
revenues, property tax revenues. and whatever other taxes this municipality's entitled to obtain. but
if we lose the site plan approval to expand it. we also lose the benefits that accrue to the ownership.
and those benefits are critical to making the case before the Court, because the problem that we all
have to deal with is that I have to answer to the this supreme being known as the Court system in this
State. and everything within this property and in these two estates has been 1 itigated all the way
to the Court of Appeal s. I can tell you that Judge Wal kner and the eight other judges on that thing
know all of the players in the Birnbaum estate 1 itigation by name. I mean, they recall it. If you
go down. you can watch it. What I'm trying to point out to you is that the approval of, the
reinstatement of the old approval simply says that if you do what you were going to do. and if you
built it. had you done it okay, we'd be living with it anyw~. That's really what we've come before
you tonight to ask for. We're not trying to hide anything. That's not my goal.
MR. CARTIER-Nobody's suggesting that you are.
MR. CARR-No. That's the reason I bring this plan forward, because this is where we're headed. I can't
say to you that every line and every mark is going to be exactly where it is when we're all done, but
this is where we are headed. This is what everyone who has been involved with the property, in terms
of leasing it now, is headed toward and that's the plan that we are working from, and that's really,
we're not asking you to approve this. I want you to understand that.
MR. LAPOINT-Right. So. you're asking for the extension which would solidify your case?
MR. CARR-Right. We need to reinstate those and understand, now, there was a variance granted that
did lapse, also. So. before we can do anything, okay, even in terms of the old site plan, with that
freestanding. 6,000 foot building. if we were to attempt to develop that. it would still mean going
back and renewing that variance or obtaining a new one. Whatever it would be. because of the setback
restriction. This improves the setback issues. because that one had a 19 foot setback and I think,
here. the shortest point that we are is around 30 or 35 feet.
MR. CARTIER-Let me see if I can clear something up in my own mind. here. You're saying that you do
have a lapsed variance. You're going to have to go back and see if you can get that variance
re-approved.
MR. LAPPER-That's lapsed. and that would have to be re-applied for, but you don't have any plans for
that.
MR. CARR-No. I don't really think that's the plan. First of all, just from the economic side of it,
it's too expensive to build a freestanding 6.000 foot building.
MR. CARTIER-In other words, you do not have to go back and re-apply to get that variance you had
re-approved. Is that what you're s~ing? That's the direction you're going?
MR. CARR-No. I think we do.
MRS. PULVER-Yes, if they're going to do the original site plan. but they are not going to do the original
site plan.
24
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MR. LAPPER-Right.
MR. CARR-There's no reason to go back and get that variance approved if we do this plan in front of
you.
MR. LAPOINT-But if we extend it. you can build a 6.000 square foot separate building.
MR. CARTIER-Wait a minute. We've got a procedural problem. here. This Board does not grant approvals
that are pending variance requests. Now. we've got a lapsed variance on this property. What we're
saying is if we approve this lapsed site plan. okay, then we are approving a site plan that is subject
to a variance request. and in the past this Board has taken a very, very firm position about that.
MS. CORPUS-It's a very unusual circumstance.
MR. CAIMANO-It sure is. We've got the whole world sitting here waiting for us to make a decision.
Uncle Saul's sitting back there at the Court of Appeals waiting for this whole thing.
MR. CARR-No. He's not. You don't have to worry about him. He's gone.
MR. CARTIER-Well. what's the Board's druthers here. Let's get on with this thing.
MR. HAGAN-I interpret what he said. that with their new proposed change, you won't need that expired
variance.
MRS. YORK-Yes. but you aren't extending a new plan. You're extending a plan that's not in compliance
with the Ordinance.
MR. CAIMANO-We're not approving a new plan. We're extending the old plan. I'm with LaPoint. Many
of us have never seen this thing. I'm certainly will ing to jump through hoops to make sure that it
gets approved and cut corners and do everything we have to do to accommodate you. It scares me, though.
to have to approve something, re-extend something that somebody else has approved, having listened
to all of your discussions about where all this is going. to some court somewhere. I'm not going to
do that.
MR. LAPOINT-Yes. I mean, we represent the people of Queensbury. How hard would it be to just. real
quick, get us another site plan application? I mean. isn't that the way to go?
MR. CAIMANO-We'll hold a special meeting. We'll do everything we can.
MRS. PULVER-The submission deadline isn't for another week or so. If you could get this and some of
your old stuff together, you could be on the agenda.
MR. CARR-Well. again. that's part of my problem. There is still litigation pending against Saul Birnbaum
from April 1st, of 1989 to turn over books and records, which he never did. I'm certainly not going
to get them now.
MR. CARTIER-I don't want to get tangled up in that stuff. I'm trying to keep this Board out of this.
MS. CORPUS-Mr. Chairman, in any event. even if this Board chose to go an extension route. again. we've
advi sed that a SEQRA woul d have to be done and thi s Board woul d have to revi ew it for SEQRA purposes
anyway.
MR. CAIMANO-We'd have to see the thing just for SEQRA purposes.
MR. CARR-I understand that. okay.
MS. CORPUS-Which would put you on next month's agenda. anyway.
MR. CARTIER-Let me shorten this, if I can, please. What I'm hearing is. Mr. LaPoint. you want to see
a site plan before you can vote on it. You want to see a site plan before you vote on it. I don't
want to do this simply because I don't want to set a precedent. There's only six of us sitting here
tonight. I hear three votes in opposition to this thing already. So, we're talking about a. if I
may be so bold as to look in a crystal ball. here. I see a three to three vote. It's not going to
go anywhere. So. am I off base. here?
MR. LAPOINT-Yes, you're correct. If you can give me. in two or three sentences. why it would be a
problem for you to come back with another site plan. You know, just tell me what problem it's going
to create for you so I can understand it, because I haven't understood too much so far.
MR. BREWER-Just bring this back with your other records and forget about the old one.
25
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MR. CARTIER-Because. look, then you've got an approved site plan that you can come back. later on.
and modify. as long as you are within your time frames. You can come back and modify it later on.
MR. CAIMANO-We coul dn' t si t here and read thi s SEQRA Revi ew for the State of New York and say. and
negative dec it without seeing it. There's no way we can do it. and the lawyer's sitting there saying
we've got to have a SEQRA on this thing.
MR. CARR-I know, but I think it would be within the Board's jurisdiction. okay, to grant that extension,
subject to the receipt and negative dec on the SEQRA issues.
MR. CARTIER-No. I want you to understand, Mr. Carr, you're asking this Board for a lot more than you
think you are asking for. Number One, you're asking for an extension of a lapsed approval. Number
Two. you are, in effect, asking us to do a SEQRA Review on a project that five out of the six members
sitting here have never seen. Number Three. you're asking us to approve something that is subject
to a variance, a lapsed variance, when this Board has taken. as I said. a very firm position about
requiring that variances be met prior to anything appearing before this Board, and I just don't see
this going anywhere.
MR. CAIMANO-And on top of all that, you're. at least from what I hear you say, what we're going to
is going to wind up in some litigation somewhere.
MR. CARR-No.
MR. CAIMANO-That's what I heard you say.
MR. CARTIER-Well. look. Mr. Carr. I don't think this is going to go anywhere tonight. I really don't.
MR. CARR-Well. Mr. Cartier. I appreciate that. okay, but I really want to clear up any issues that
Mr. Caimano has. okay. The problem that I have is that whatever this Board hands to me, I take somewhere
else. I'm the messenger.
MR. CAIMANO-Okay.
MR. CARR-I say to you, please don't shoot the messenger.
MR. CAIMANO-Well. we're saying the same thing.
MR. LAPOINT-Yes. Well. nobody else is cutting any corners in this, but we're supposed to? I mean.
the legal system isn't?
MR. CARR-No. That's not the request. The request simply was to reinstate the old plan. okay. The
issue is is that really there is almost a negligible. well, first of all, the old plan is a no change
situation. What we've come here to do. okay, is to show you what the intent is for the modification.
MR. CAIMANO-The whole plan is a no change situation. but what you're going against, that is the zoning
regulations. have been changed since that time.
MR. LAPOINT-And what's in my mind is I vote yes to extend something, and all of a sudden it goes back
to a 6.000 square foot freestanding building. which you would have approval to do if I were to vote
to extend this.
MR. CAIMANO-Right.
MRS. PULVER-No. They would also need to go get the variance.
MR. CAIMANO-Yes. they would, if it's the original.
MR. LAPOINT-But they would have our approval for a 6.000 square foot freestanding building.
MRS. PULVER-Providing they got the variance.
MR. LAPOINT-Providing they got the variance.
MR. CARTIER-And you woul d al so have something that you had approved that was subject to a vari ance
application, and, again, we haven't done that. I think, Mr. Carr, all we're going to do is spend our
time spinning our wheels. here. I really do. I don't see this getting resolved tonight. I think
the most logical. shortest time frame solution is to do what Mr. LaPoint and Mr. Caimano are suggesting.
in terms of come back in here as fast as you can with a modified site plan for a new approval.
MR. LAPOINT-We're all for you. We want to see this occupied.
MR. CAIMANO-We'll push it through as fast as possible.
26
MRS. PULVER-I don't understand why he just can't come back for this for next month's meeting?
MR. CAIMANO-He can. as far as I'm concerned.
MR. CARTIER-I understand you've got problems, but we also have problems. in terms of setting precedent
and Board policy. and so on we have to protect.
MR. CAI~NO-He can come back next week if he wants to. I don't care. I'll hold a special meeting
for him.
MRS. PULVER-Hold a special meeting.
MR. CAIMANO-I don't care. All I want to be able to do is see it. I'm not going to rubber stamp
something I've never looked at.
MR. LAPOINT-Right. Me. too.
MR. LAPPER-We feel that the Board certainly. the new Board, deserves an explanation of what was approved.
to look at how the Ordinance has changed, because I think it's only very minor. The new traffic, which
is on there, has been done. with money partly from Howard's Group. So, I think this needs a fuller
explanation.
MR. CAIMANO-That's all we're asking for.
MR. LAPPER-And a lot of the application material is in Lee's file. and I think we'll quickly re-submit
that and come back and have a fuller discussion.
MR. LAPOINT-And do it for the new one. I mean, don't go back to what you were doing, you know, the
freestanding building.
MR. CARTIER-Throw that away. Lee. if we schedule a special meeting to deal with this. the Board's
considering a special meeting for this. If we schedule a special meeting for this, what kind of time
do you need to review whatever comes in and so on and so forth and Tom also?
MRS. PULVER-We don't have a meeting next week.
MRS. YORK-No. You do not have a meeting scheduled next week. but are you planning on submitting some
documentation?
MR. CARTIER-Lee, what I'd like to hear. first, is how much time you need, from the time it's submitted,
for you to be able to review it and get it out to whoever's got to review it and so on and so forth.
and then we'll go from there.
MRS. YORK-I would prefer that it came in for Staff Review. that if it was at all possible.
MR. CAIMANO-How much time is that?
MRS. YORK-Okay. Staff Review happens the first Wednesday of every month. It's one time a month. okay.
That's what I'm tell ing you. If you just want my review, that's fine, but I cannot make sure that
another Department Head is going to take the time, during their busy season, to review something other
than at Staff Review. That's what I'm saying to you.
MR. CAI~NO-Okay.
MRS. YORK-And if you're talking about wanting our traffic experts or anyone else to look at it.
MR. CARTIER-As far as I'm concerned. this has got to have a full look see, by everybody.
This is an impacted area of Town, here, okay. Lets not get ourselves into a trap.
MRS. YORK-Okay.
MR. CARTIER-What's that. the 4th of September? We're talking two weeks from now?
MRS. PULVER-Yes. The 4th of September would be Staff Review.
MRS. YORK-Right. September 4th is Staff Review. The submission deadl ine is the last Wednesday of
every month at 2 o'clock.
MR. CARTIER-How soon after?
MRS. YORK-There is information in the existing file that we can supply you with.
27
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MR. LAPPER-We're still going to have to get our engineer to take a look at it. At this point, to do
it right and to explain everything to the Board, we're probably talking October anyway. So. it's not
worth. and we appreciate the offer for a special meeting.
MR. CARTIER-All right.
MR. LAPOINT-Well. even if agendas are full, we'll take that into account and get you in.
MR. CAIMANO-Absolutely.
MR. CARTIER-There's no such thing as a full agenda anymore. I would point out.
MR. LAPPER-At the very least. we wanted to bring everybody up to speed, and we feel there's some
goodwill, here with the Board and the project will certainly withstand scrutiny.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
MR. LAPOINT-Right, and. again, make sure your numbers, if you're dumping 6,000 square feet somewhere,
you're only adding 6.000. I mean, the minute we see anything.
MR. LAPPER-There will be less of an impact. no question.
MR. LAPOINT-Good.
MRS. YORK-And I think there was a concern, previously, in this development, about permeable area.
If you are getting rid of your septic system that's on site, you may be able to create more permeable
area.
MR. LAPPER-Absolutely.
MRS. YORK-By doing something 1 ike that, if you're on sewers now. You may want to consider that, and
an increase in green space in the front of the plaza, perhaps.
MR. CAIMANO-Great.
MR. LAPPER-Thanks for giving us the time.
MR. CARTIER-I know we haven't given you an answer you want to hear, but I think we got some things
sorted out tonight.
MR. LAPPER-Thanks.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Thank you. Okay. Mr. Hatin. Another shopping center.
MR. HATIN-I've asked the owners of Quaker Plaza to come back to you tonight. as I discussed with you.
Peter, 1 ast week. because of some changes that have come up and because of some probl ems that have
been created by the improper installation of what was approved by the Board. Dave Klein. from North
Country Engineering, and Mark Schachner. the attorney representing the owners are here tonight to discuss
that with you. I felt this was more of a change than I was allowed, that I had the latitude to approve.
because it does effect traffic. It does effect the parking lot as it was approved by the Board and
I felt it was best that they come back and get the Board's feelings. Peter did not feel comfortable
making the decision on his own for the Board. So we decided to bring them back. tonight. and that's
why they're here. and I'll turn it over to Mark.
MARK SCHACHNER
MR. SCHACHNER-Thanks, Dave. I think you all know me. Mark Schachner. from Miller, Mannix. and Pratt.
I'm the attorney for Quaker Road Associates, which is the partnership that owns Quaker Plaza. Unl ike
our previous appearances, here, which had to deal with many. many issues. some we thought were difficult
and we think you thought were also difficult. Some were challenging. Some were interesting. Some
were less interesting. We're here. tonight. really, to seek what we consider to be very, very minor
approvals or approvals of two very minor modifications to the site plan. These are not make it break
it, life or death, you know. absolutely, critical. essential modifications. We believe that they both
are slight advantages from everyone's perspective, to the site plan as built. and we would ask for
the Planning Board to consider the modification request and hopefully to approve it, and if the Planning
Board or the Planning Staff feel that the modifications are not to the betterment of the Plaza and
the Town in general then. obviously. you won't approve them. The two minor modifications are basically,
reduction in size of the islands in the front parking area. There are a number of islands. I don't
remember their dimensions exactly. We do have a site plan here. The same site plan you all approved.
We can show it to you and we can show you the proposed reduction of the traffic islands. The basic
reason for this is that I think it's the feel ing that we all knew we were working with a very tight
28
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site. We got the required number of parking spaces in there. I literally just came from there tonight.
taking an elaborate drive through. I went through every which way you can, and I didn't have any
problems. By the same token, it was not jam packed. It is not open yet, some of the area. Obviously.
you all know some of the area .i.! open, and the bottom line is that our consultants. and we think the
Town Building Inspector and we think perhaps the Town Planning Staff. but I'm not sure. would agree
that shrinking the size of the islands somewhat would just allow more clearance and better flow of
the traffic. We're not talking about changing the location of islands or el iminating them. simply
shrinking them in size. and that's the first modification, and the second modification relates to curbing
on the rear parking lot. The initial site plan showed curbing on the rear parking lot as the openings
occur for the tenants that have already opened and as the opening approaches for the next set of tenants
which is principally the O'Toole's Restaurant. and by the way. their principles are here as well if
you have any questions of them. It occurred to our project team. and I think to Mr. Hatin as well,
that nobody really saw a substantial need or desire for the curbing in the rear parking lot. We
discussed it with our consultants. as I said. I believe we also discussed it with the Town Consulting
Engineer from Rist-Frost. and as far as I know, I'm lead to believe that nobody sees a particular need
for curbing on the rear parking lot and, therefore. the second modification we would request
consideration of is simply deletion of the curbing on the rear parking lot. Again, we don't view either
of these as very significant changes. I think that Mr. Cartier was approached with at least one of
the two and his feeling, as was Mr. Hatin's. was that although they are minor modifications, they are
modifications to the site plan, and therefore, it is appropriate to come back before you all, the
Planning Board, for your consideration and hopefully your approval. I think, and obviously. we would
welcome any input from Mr. Yarmowich. I think that on the el imination of the rear curbing, there is
an argument that it might actually improve the stormwater management plan. but, again, we're comfortable
with the stormwater management plan as it already exists and I want to make clear that, unlike some
other instances related to this project that we felt really did involve some challenging and complex
issues. our feeling on this one is they're fairly minor modifications. It's possible they could even
have been approved by the Staff at the Staff level. without coming back to the Planning Board, but
we all want to stay with the appropriate procedures. They are modifications. We seek your
consideration. We seek your approval and we seek your input.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you.
MR. SCHACHNER-Dave Klein is here. the Project Engineer. He can address particular questions. concerns.
issues. He can show you that site plan with the proposed shrinkage. if you will, of the islands. if
you 1 i ke.
MR. CARTIER-Tom. have you got any comments on this?
(END OF FIRST DISK)
29
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MR. YARMOWICH-Regarding the change in size of the islands in the front of the building, I don't see
anything adverse with that. Discussing the available permeability with the appl icant' s engineer. it
was asserted to me that there wouldn't be any need to modify the permeability, or revisit the
permeability issue because adequate permeability. or excess permeability was originally provided.
The site plan statistics indicate 35.6 percent permeable area, and so I don't have any reason to object
or find anything wrong with reducing the size of those parking islands between the retail facility
and the parking lot. I understood that that was two that was involved. Is that correct?
DAVE KLEIN
MR. KLEIN-We've got three islands up front.
MR. YARMOWICH-Okay. You were going to include the one by the bank as well. ok~.
MR. KLEIN-And we've got one by the bank, here, well. actually, two by the bank.
MR. YARMOWICH-There's a total of three in the front?
MR. KLEIN-Three independent islands and then these two that are connected to some peninsulas.
MR. YARMOWICH-Okay. These two small ones over here? Yes. That doesn't seem to be significant. I
was a little more concerned about the one, did have some concerns about the rear parking lot. and the
applicant's representatives can address that. The rear parking lot had a relatively, shall I say.
unique configuration. The parking spaces were in an angular pattern. Am I correct in understanding
that you would like to delete those islands in the back, as well?
MR. KLEIN-No. We will keep the islands. They will be curbed in the back.
MR. YARMOWICH-No perimeter curbing. but you will keep the islands?
MR. KLEIN-This is the curbing that we're talking about deleting.
MR. YARMOWICH-Okay.
MR. KLEIN-A small section over here.
MR. HAGAN-What is objectionable about that curbing?
MR. KLEIN-The snowplow removal. It's very difficult to plow a parking lot with the curb around it.
MR. HAGAN-Okay. Well. the reason I ask that. I think, on the original site plan approval. we questioned,
pretty seriously, how you were going to handle the snowplowing in the back. What are you going to
do with the snow?
MR. KLEIN-In the back, we can plow it in any direction. The real problem is plowing in the front.
MR. HAGAN-Yes. but aren't you infringing on other property when you do that. though?
MR. KLEIN-We've got the Mallinckrodt adjacent property. right here. that is owned by the same people
that own 73 Quaker Road Associates and also we have a good sized strip of property along here.
MR. SCHACHNER-And. also, is this the side where Northway Floors is located?
MR. KLEIN-Northway Floors is right here.
MR. SCHACHNER-Yes. because there's also an agreement. as I understand it, between the owners of Northway
Floors and the owners of this Center to cooperate in snow removal. I think. Mr. Hagan, you're correct.
I think there was discussion. initially, and, again, I just want to make sure that Mr. Klein is
understood clearly. We're not suggesting that we can't live with the curbing as is. with the current
approval, and if it's your preference to leave it there. it certainly can be done. It's our judgement
that. Number One, it's simply not necessary and, Number Two, it actually would be somewhat of an
improvement to not have the curbing there. but this is not, again. I want to make clear, it's not a
make it or break it type situation and I agree with you that there was that discussion. initially.
One other thing I wanted to point out about the curbing, and this is sUbject to your approval, obviously,
but our thought. representing the project owners. was to leave the curbing in. where it separates the
property of the shopping center from the Hovey Pond Recreational Area and, again. it's subject to your
approval, but our thought was that that made more sense. that you'd probably want that barrier there.
It doesn't seem like it's any place that anybody could drive through. but what the heck. It seemed
to us it made sense to leave the curbing in that area. just to make that delineation absolutely crystal
clear. although. frankly. I think it's clear without it, and. again, if you felt strongly that. in
either direction. I think the owner's applicants would go with your feeling.
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MR. HAGAN-Dave Hatin, since you have reviewed the site more recently than we, would you care to comment
on the curbing issue? I'm just suspicious by nature. that's all.
MR. HATIN-Well, there's a couple of complex issues. right now. Number One is if the Board does require
that all the curbing be put around the parking lot. that is going to stop O'Toole's from opening when
they're requesting. by Monday, okay. That is a given fact. I've already told them that. Number Two
is. from a practical standpoint, I think Dave Klein brings up a good issue. Snowplowing. and I've
plowed parking lots for three years prior to coming to this job. I've run heavy equipment in parking
lots. Every obstacle you put becomes an obstacle that you go through the windshield with at some point
in time. So. it doesn't seem a practical situation. We looked at it from drainage. If anybody had
a chance to visit down there. if you look at the two islands that they're talking about shrinking out
in front of Blockbuster, you can see where the cars have tried to jump over them al ready and actually
drove over them. because people don't know they're there. They're not used to seeing them. Many parking
lots in Town don't have them. So. I believe it's an obstacle that people are not used to. So there
is some potential to. hopefully. stop a traffic problem.
MR. CAIMANO-Dave. your first comment. What's going to prevent O'Toole's from opening?
MR. HATIN-I have already told O'Toole's, as well as the owners. the back parking lot must be 100 percent
complete and the curbing is a part of that and O'Toole's can verify that. If the Board says you can
go ahead without the curbing. then they will just blacktop it and do whatever else you might require.
If the Board requires the curbing, O'Toole's will not be able to open until all the curbing is in,
because I want that parking lot complete.
MR. CARTIER-In terms of vegetation. are there any trees that are going to be planted? Are we losing
any trees as a result of shrinking islands?
MR. HATIN-The understanding I had. and I think Mark can speak to this. also, talking with the owners
last Friday, the trees, Drew Bernstein has committed to all the plantings that were approved by the
Beautification Committee will still go into effect, and he has $40.000 allocated for that. He will
still get $40.000 worth. The trees. I think Dave has designed it so that the trees will still fit
on the islands. but just shrink the length of the islands down. So. I don't think you'll see any
difference in the plantings. other than the islands will be smaller.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Lee. have you got any comments on any of this?
MRS. YORK-I was just having a discussion with Tom about some of the potential impacts here. because
I haven't had a real chance to review this, and I will defer to his judgement in this matter.
MR. YARMOWICH-The original concern that I stated appears not to be what the applicant's proposing.
If the islands for the back parking lot are left. I believe the organization of the parking lot will
effectively remain. and there won't be any problem with circulation. If the curbing is deleted on
the north side of that rear parking area, that which adjoins what was the lands of Northway Floors.
or is the lands of Northway Floors, and the other parcel between that and the restaurant, there needs
to be a minor effort made in grading to ensure that all that parking area, in fact. flows into the
catch basin. It's relatively insignificant. Other than that, the remainder of the grading will be
such that the deletion of the curb around the southern and western boundary won't effect drainage
patterns as it originally proposed, if the grading is maintained.
MR. LAPOINT-So, what you're saying is the north end of the parking lot has to come up about a half
inch?
MR. YARMOWICH-Six inches. Just warp it up enough so that it stays within the confines of the site.
MR. LAPOINT-And drains back towards the. is that doable from the applicant's perspective?
MR. KLEIN-That's fine.
MR. SCHACHNER-It's not a problem at all. My understanding is the drainage already does what Tom is
requesting. but it's not a problem at all to make sure that it does.
MR. LAPOINT-What Tom's concern is, is draining off site.
MR. KLEIN-And going on to Northway Floors.
MR. LAPOINT-Right. So. that would make three changes. then.
MR. KLEIN-I think the grading could be amended to go along with the curbing.
MR. SCHACHNER-I kind of think it's that way already.
MR. YARMOWICH-I think the deletion of the perimeter curb back here will facilitate better maintenance,
in the long run.
31
'----'
---./
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Anybody else. here?
MR. LAPOINT-I like it.
MR. BREWER-It sounds fine to me.
MR. HAGAN-I just think that the curbing should be left adjoining the Hovey Park, there. or whatever
they call that.
MR. KLEIN-We were planning on leaving it along here where we're close to the dam.
MR. HAGAN-Okay.
MS. CORPUS-Mr. Chairman, that may be in one of the agreements. also. I don't recall exactly what the
terms were of our various agreements. but that may be in there. too.
MR. SCHACHNER-Yes. There is. especially, one agreement about maintenance of that common property
boundary. To the best of my recollection. there is not a curbing requirement. but as I said, we
discussed deletion of that portion. also. and our feeling was it was probably in the best interest
of the Town to leave that there. and that's fine.
MR. LAPOINT-And that's as proposed?
MR. KLEIN-Right.
MR. SCHACHNER-Correct.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Anybody else? Is anybody prepared to make a motion to incorporate these three
changes?
Jl)TIOII THAT THE APPROVAL OF SITE PLAII 110. 68-90 BE AJEflDED AS FOLLOWS: ONE. THE IIITERIIAL ISLAJlDS
BE DOWNSIZED PER THE DRAWIIIG SUBMITTED AUGUST 20. 1991, AT THIS MEETIIIG. lVO. THE CURRIE III THE BACK
PARKIIIG LOT IS TO BE ELIMlllATED EXCEPT THE AREA THAT SEPARATES THIS SITE FROM THE HOVEY PCJI) SPILLWAY.
THREE. III LIEU OF CURBING. All ADJUSUÐT HAS TO BE MDE IN THE BACK PARKIIIG LOT AID LOADIIIG AREA ON
THE IIORTH SIDE OF THE BACK PARKING LOT BE GRADED SO THAT DRAlllAGE REMAIIIS ON SITE.. Introduced by
Nicholas Caimano who moved for its adoption, seconded by James Hagan:
Duly adopted this 20th day of August. 1991. by the following vote:
AYES: Mr. Hagan, Mr. LaPoint. Mrs. Pulver. Mr. Brewer. Mr. Caimano. Mr. Cartier
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mr. Martin
MRS. PULVER-Dave. some other business to come before the Board. I would like to know, or I would like
to hear from you. and I don't know if maybe other Board members would like to know at this time, what
our enforcement policies are. in the Town of Queensbury? When this Board, we are not an authority
board. We approve something. we pass a motion with stipulations. If the applicant does not comply
with the stipulations, what type of enforcement, or what can the Town do to protect. or what does the
Town do. I should say?
MR. HATIN-Well, I can tell you what we have done. Basically. we try to work with the personnel first.
Right now. my inspectors are required. at the final inspection of any new commercial establishment
that required site work. to take a copy of the site work out and make sure that all the things. with
the exception. usually. of Beautification. We usually don't get into that right away. and make sure
that all the other site requirements are met, with the exception of Beautification, and then if that
becomes a problem down the road. or we get a complaint, we will go back and review that part of it
to make sure that the applicant complies. We usually talk with the applicant first. If that gets
us nowhere, we send them a legal notice. If that gets nowhere, we usually send out another notice
telling them that within a certain period, if that is not met. the requirements are not met. that they
will be issued a court summons. and then it will be followed up with a court summons to the Court of
Queensbury.
MRS. PULVER-All right. Tell me what effect a Stop Work Order would have.
MR. HATlN-Unfortunately. a Stop Work Order probably woul dn' t have that much effect because usually
we don't look at the site requirements until the end of the project.
MRS. PULVER-Okay. That's what I'm afraid of. Now, you know that I've been getting calls from Norton
about Sears. and this has been going on and on.
MR. HATIN-I'm familiar with it as of today. even.
32
MRS. PULVER-And, not from you. but Pat told Sears, even, to call me. Why. I have no idea, because
I don't even care to hear his story. and I've told everyone to keep calling here. Apparently. as of
Friday. the equipment was still there and I drove there to see it myself.
MR. HATIN-All right.
MRS. PULVER-Now, the neighbors are still calling me. I don't want them to call me. I can't help them.
MR. HATIN-I don't know why they're calling you. We are definitely the person to call.
MRS. PULVER-Because they called Pat and Pat told them to call me.
MR. HATIN-I don't want to speak for Pat. I only know what I do and how I handle things. I did talk
to Pat tod~ and she did ask me to go out to the Sears place. Unfortunately. because of today's events,
I just didn't have a chance to make it out there. I do plan on going tomorrow morning. and I've already
told her that if I see the equipment on site, Frank Sears will be told to remove it or he will have
a court summons this week. I'm not going to pl~ games with him. There's obviously. you don't know
the whole story, I guess, this is another family feud that we're dealing with here. between neighbors
on the same street.
MRS. PULVER-I'll tell you, I do understand it's a neighbor, family feud. but he still is not in
compliance.
MR. HATIN-And I agree that he had the equipment. and he did remove it. Pat did hold up issuing his
building permit until all his equipment was removed. Unfortunately. he keeps bringing it back.
MRS. PULVER-Exactly.
MR. HATIN-As of today. or Friday, he told her that he was using the equipment on site to grind up trees
and things. That's what I was supposed to go out and check today and see if that was, in fact. the
truth. I didn't make it today. I do intend to make it tomorrow.
MRS. PULVER-All right. Now, let me ask you another question. Who is the enforcement? Is it you or
is it Pat?
MR. HATIN-Both of us, really, either one of us can take an enforcement action. As you are aware. when
the Zoning Administrators powers were taken away from me. the Board still gave me the enforcement duties.
as well as Pat. So, we both have enforcement. We both can issue court summons. So, there is no.
I guess, no territorial dispute there.
MR. CARTIER-So. if we get a question. here. we can direct that person to either you or Mrs. Crayford?
MR. HATIN-Basically, yes.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. All right.
MRS. PULVER-Okay. and you're going out tomorrow, now, and check Sears?
MR. HATIN-Yes.
MRS. PULVER-Good.
MR. HATIN-I will be there sometime tomorrow, hopefully tomorrow morning.
MRS. PULVER-Ok~. I just wanted the Board to hear it so we all kind of know.
MR. HATIN-The mechanism is there. One thing I'll tell the Board, though. and you didn't mention
something tonight. make sure that, the enforcement problem we're having is a lot goes back to some
old approvals, is that nothing was put in the approval. It may have been talked about. but it was
never agreed to at any form in time, or it was never agreed to in the approval, and that does present
a problem to us because if it's not in the approval, or the appl icant did not agree to it. and
unfortunately, the minutes of past board meetings before I came here were very vague. They were
consolidated minutes, I guess is the best way to put it. So, we don't have anything to go back in
and find, so it makes it very hard for us to say. well, he agreed to it, but we can't find proof of
that. So, I have no proof to take to court. so you have to be very specific in your approvals. If
you want the applicant to adhere to something or you discuss something that he agreed to, please. by
all means put it in the approval. It makes it much easier for us to enforce.
MR. LAPOINT-The minutes themselves. The notes don't count? You have to get it in the approval?
MR. HATIN-If the applicant agreed to something during discussions and said. we will do this. okay.
that is good. unfortunately. we have to go back through and research the minutes and hopefully it's
in the minutes which we found out, sometimes. it's not. So. if it's in the approval. it makes it much
simpler for us. from an enforcement standpoint.
33
MR. CARTIER-Yes. and it also makes it a lot cleaner from a legal perspective.
MR. HATIN-And then the applicant is advised right then, too. so it's not something that he talked about
and forgot about.
MR. BREWER-Carol, didn't we stipulate. in the conditions of that approval. that he could keep that
equipment there while he was building the house?
MRS. PULVER-No.
MR. HATIN-No. The agreement was that the equipment would be removed prior to the issuance of a building
permit. if I remember right. Unfortunately. he's telling her now, he's bringing it back to work on
the property. Now, if that's the case, I can't really do much about that. but what I can do is when
the CO is issued. if the equipment's still there, I can make him remove it.
MRS. PULVER-Well. it all depends on what he needs to build. I mean, if he's building an apartment.
does he need a logging, boom crane?
MR. HATIN-If I feel that games are being played, here, I will be very straight with the applicant and
tell him exactly what I intend to do so that there's no game.
MRS. PULVER-Well. I'm very much for business in this community. except that is a residential neighborhood
and the neighbors are complaining.
MR. HATIN-And it was a business that had no business belonging there, as well as the other one. So.
they were residential areas. They were not legally there.
MRS. PULVER-Okay.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Other things on the buffet table, here. The 29th of August. I'm meeting with John
Goralski. Tom. and the LA Group people with regard to the Great Escape to put together the details
of the FEIS, and I want to just pick up and make sure I have everything covered that you want covered.
here. Ed. you said you wanted a map showing adjacent properties. owners. and distances, right?
MR. LAPOINT-Correct.
MR. CARTIER-Jim Martin's not here, action wise. and then I've got just general issues. pedestrian traffic
safety. parking issues. traffic patterns. noise impact. hour of operation. wetlands buffer. 1 ighting
on a roller coaster. visual impacts. compliance with previous site plans, effects on Glen Lake, drainage,
fire access, sound barriers. plantings, impacts on adjacent properties. filter system west of Route
9. Is there anything else that occurs to you?
MR. HAGAN-I left my list at home. Could I call you tomorrow some time?
MR. CARTIER-Better yet, send me your list.
MR. HAGAN-No. You covered most of it.
MR. CARTIER-Okay.
MR. LAPOINT-What date was this?
MR. CARTIER-29, August.
MR. LAPOINT-This is what you're telling back to the LA Group?
MR. CARTIER-Yes. I just want to make sure that. between John, and Tom. and I and whoever else is tangled
up in here.
MRS. PULVER-Don't you, I mean, I think some of those things are unrelated to the roller coaster.
MR. CARTIER-Possible. I don't know how to separate them out.
MR. YARMOWICH-Carol. when the comments are made and given to you. if it's the applicant's impression
that they are not relevant. they may so state. If you want to adopt that as this Board's position
in the preparation of the FEIS, you may do so.
MRS. PULVER-Ok~, because during the public hearing. there were many times that I felt it wasn't the
roller coaster. it was the park or, I mean. there were things relating to the park.
34
MR. YARMOWICH-This meeting is specifically intended to call out repetitive and unrelated information
from a response which would have no bearing on this Board's determination of significance. The FEIS
is not intended to be encyclopedic. Data for data sake is not the purpose of an FEIS. It's simply
to uncover issues, significant issues.
MR. LAPOINT-Now. Mr. O'Connor, listed at length, he did have a point by point. I mean, in his minutes.
what he read into there. and I'm for the coaster and what have you, but he had a good arguments, case
by case. as he went along. In fairness to everyone involved, I think we kind of shut him down a little
bit. I mean. we probably should have let him get it out. I think that's what we should look into.
He had the only objective argument against it that whole night.
MR. YARMOWICH-Well, the abi 1 i ty of thi s Board to respond to comments, and they usually come through
the applicant. is directly related to the specificity. That Mr. O'Connor's comments were more specific
will make it easier to deal with.
MR. CARTIER-And he was supposed to have submitted something in writing. He's got three more days to
do that.
MR. LAPOINT-But he was specific. No one else was.
MS. CORPUS-They're preparing something. I believe.
MR. LAPOINT-Good.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. Last. but not least, Mr. Brandt, did you want to address this Board or talk to this
Board or anything?
MI KE BRANDT
MR. BRANDT-I'm not here to make an official statement. I'm really here to explore. I sat through
the meet your candidates night. I think I heard you guys get beat up on more than me. That's unusual.
I think that if there's a reflection that in the community there are some bad feelings about what the
Town is doing and I have some bad feel ings about what the Town is doing. So. as a land developer,
I look at a piece of land and I s~. what is the character of that land and what do you do to preserve
it. and having lived in Queensbury 30 years. I've come to certain characteristics of Queensbury that
I associate with Queensbury, and. to me, to see some fox along the road at night is part of Queensbury.
You see a deer now and then. You see a flock of turkeys now and then. You see some beautiful birds
and hawks and what have you. It's all part of Queensbury. and in the name of planning, we've enacted
an Ordinance which basically, it seems to me, clearly has been said will be used to slow down development
in the Town, and it hasn't, and you sit here every day, going as an administrator of that Ordinance.
I don't know where the hell they get the time to do it. I couldn't imagine it. I mean. I would be
so insulted, listening to the crap you're listening to. I think I'd walk right out. So, to me, that's
not planning. It has nothing to do with planning. If you want to plan a town, you plan a town. You
say. here's green belt. We ought to save some of this forest. There ought to be a place for wildlife.
There ought to be a place for walking paths. This Town is going to fill up in the next 100 or 200
years. None of us are going to be here, but whatever the hell is left is the heritage for the next
generation and the one after that and the one after that, and. to me, in the name of planning. we are
not doing it. You guys set off and you did a Comprehensive Land Plan. and it's a beautiful document
and it's a start. We've, to date, alienated every land owner that I know of in this Town. and I'm
one of them. We've alienated virtually every businessman in this Town with this Ordinance. You put
a businessman, I mean. a Town Plan. to me. says that there will be business conducted or you can't
maintain the Town. If you're going to say that, then you have to put it in your law, and a businessman
should have a right to conduct his business. and that means making the necessary improvements to stay
competitive as the markets change, or he can't make it, and if he can't make it and he knows that he's
pitted against his neighbors in a forum like we conduct. here, I mean. I've seen this for 20 years.
MR. HAGAN-But, Mike. what you're s~ing, right here. is the problem we're dealing with all the time.
In your past two paragraphs. you've already contradicted yourself.
MR. BRANDT-No. I haven't. Hang on. I haven't made a statement. I've said what's wrong. What's
wrong is we're not planning.
MR. HAGAN-No. You said. you'd like to see a few deer. You'd like to see a few birds. On the other
hand. we're restricting business. you're saying, but the record shows we haven't restricted business.
MR. BRANDT-Hell. you come back here 100 years from now, and you're going to have a suburb from the
mountain top to the next mountain top to the river. You haven't got a plan to save green belt, and
a plan doesn't just include the Planning Board. A plan, for God sakes, includes the Town Board. You've
got sewer districts. right now. that cost so much money that people can't afford the taxes to live
on them, and you know it and I know it. The answer to that is high density development in the sewer
districts. It's not to sewer the whole Town. It's cluster development. Hell. everybody knows that
except us as a Town.
35
MRS. PULVER-Excuse me. I know that.
MR. BRANDT-Okay, but it's complicated because it's a free market and there's a fifth amendment to the
constitution and what we tell people, as a Town. is you don't have any fifth amendment rights. We're
going to take your, we're going to down zone that piece of land and we're going to save it. We told
that to the City of Glens Falls, and you know what, all you do then is you go and lawsuits and then
you go 1 itigate the damn thing and it costs us money as a Town. It costs, the community money and
that's money that isn't put in saving land.
MR. CARTIER-Okay. How do we get to where you're talking about wanting to be?
MR. HAGAN-Yes. I was just going to say. What are you proposing?
MR. BRANDT-Well, I think we've got a hell of a job in front of us, as a community, and that jOb includes
looking at transferable development rights. It looks at making a Town Plan that the Town cOl1lllits to.
and that includes a recreation plan. that includes a plan where the water district'S going to be
extended. That includes a plan where the sewer district's going to be extended. When you start putting
water districts out in rural areas. they're damned expensive. You look at people's tax bills and what
are they, they're sewer. They're water. That's the big tax bill that we're associated with.
MR. HAGAN-By God. I'll show you mine and it isn't on mine.
MR. BRANDT-You're not in those districts?
MR. HAGAN-Not where I live.
MR. BRANDT-Well, where people live. let me tell you it is.
MR. HAGAN-And I'll put my tax rate for two and a half acres against anybody's two and a half acres.
MR. BRANDT-Well. I'll tell you. we are building tremendous pressures on land when we extend water
districts all over hell. Tremendous pressure to develop. and what we're going to have to. look at
England. England has a tremendous population. and yet you go in England, there's countrysides. There's
farms. There's forests. There's green belt. and what you do is you cluster develop and you put high
density development where the sewer lines are. or where the water lines are and you preserve open space.
but so long as you have a farm and you allow people to build houses around it, pretty soon. Jesus,
that horse shit stinks. I know. I was raised on a farm. It stinks no matter where you are, in the
mid west or here or anywhere else. but farms are an important part of open space. God, we've pretty
much wiped out farming out of our Town. That's not good planning. I don't think. Economics may wipe
it out, but I don't think we should wipe it out. You can't let a farmer sit there and wonder whether
he can have 10 horses or 6 chickens and do you weigh the horses and do you trade them off for the weight
of chickens or what the hell you do. I mean, to me, this is absurd. I'm telling you that I think
this Town needs to rethink what it's doing. I think that a zoning law can be administered by a
professional administrator just as well as can be administered by you guys. I don't know that. I
just bel ieve that. I think we have to rethink. I think we should all be rethinking it, because we've
got to find a better answer than what we've got, and it isn't a simple thing. It doesn't involve just
you. It involves the Town Board. It involves the whole Town. You sit here and you talk about what
we're doing at, what is it, Hovey Pond. What the hell are we doing at Hovey Pond? Do you know? I
certainly don't know. I've gone and looked. Does the Planning Board know? Does the Recreation Board
know? I don't think so. Does the community know? I don't think so. If we're going to COllllliit to
a plan. then the Town has to commit its resources to that plan. and that includes buying land and
improving land, and one thing the Town better do is start buying raw land that it wants to save. rather
than making real expensive developments that it may not need right now, because once that raw land
is gone. it's gone, and it gets very, very expensive after that, and I'm here to tell you. we ought
to all do some hard thinking about it. because we've got an enormous job, and that's to create a plan
that is a plan that works. that saves what we've got. Sure. we've got some deer yet, and we'll have
them 10 years from now, well. I'm not sure you're going to have them 50 years from now or 100 years
from now. I think there's some unique things about this Town, the frontage along the Hudson River.
We're ignoring it. You go into a major metropolitan area and some day this is going to be filled out.
Look at birth rates. That's what the hell does it. Then you want walkways along that river. You
want jogging paths, and you don't want jogging paths down the road with cars. That doesn't make any
sense. You've got all this land the City owns. We should be sitting with the City and making some
kind of a joint water system. I know there's a few motions in that direction, but that should include
a recreation plan and a land plan. and it may mean transferring some of our money so that we can maintain
those things, and save them, and we can't just take their property rights and we can't take property
rights away from property owners. We need their good graces and we need to find a way to work with
these people, all of them.
MR. HAGAN-Then how are you going to stop the farmer from developing his land into housing?
36
MR. BRANDT-Well. if he makes the decision to develop, then he's made a decision to get out of the farming
business. Fine. That's a decision. and I don't know anything about this man's case that was here
today. but I'm just saying, I could tell you communities where they're whole thrust is to save the
farm. Down on Long Island. where they're trying to find the way to transfer development rights as
a commodity, so a guy who owns this land and he wants to save it as a farm can sell off his property
rights and his taxes go down to where they belong and then you can move those development rights where
there's a sewer and put high density there. We've got to do a lot more thinking than what we're doing.
and that's really what I just wanted to mention to you.
MR. LAPOINT-I know it seems like we might have made a big deal out of this gentleman's farm, and if
you could drive by and see the eyesore that this place is.
MR. BRANDT-I don't know the man's farm.
MR. LAPOINT-Yes. It's really not a farm. even close.
MR. BRANDT-Well, it's been there before I was here.
MR. LAPOINT-Exactly, but not in it's present condition, and you see what's around him and what Pickle
Hill Road looks like and what have you. and you'd probably understand what we're talking about here.
MR. CAIMANO-What you say is absolutely right, but lets say we do that and then this Board or that
Admi ni strator or whoever it is that you. whoever all of us appoi nt to watch over thi s, that we say
to protect, says. you can't do something here because we're protecting it. and then you get apple pie
thrown on your head. What's the difference between this and that?
MR. BRANDT-You'll also have to understand, in my philosophy. government can't solve every problem.
MR. CAIMANO-That's exactly right.
MR. BRANDT-Sometimes neighbors have to talk to neighbors.
MR. CAIMANO-That's right.
MR. BRANDT-And I think that when the government tries to solve every damn problem. all you do is create
more than you ever saw. but sometimes you've got to walk away from them and say. Jesus Christ. those
things are blue. and some people don't like them, you know.
MR. LAPOINT-I've been on for a year. and it seems to me that we get the best out of an appl ication.
We let the people do what they want to do with their development, site plan, or subdivision, and we
extract as much as we possibly can out of them. that in the best interest of the Town, traffic lights.
MR. BRANDT-But do we have a traffic plan? To put more lights up doesn't necessarily flow traffic.
MR. LAPOINT-Exactly. but you need alight for a specific strip shopping mall and have the developer
pay for that rather than the Town.
MR. BRANDT-That's all fine. but until you've got a traffic plan, putting up more lights may, in fact.
work against you.
MR. LAPOINT-But you can't stop someone from developing the property, conversely to what you've said.
MR. BRANDT-Absolutely, and you're going to have to live with what you've got until you change it, but
my God, we should be putting our resources on developing that traffic plan and on limitations, and
I'll tell you something else we should do, the whole damn Town. every official in it. should be signing
to a code of ethics that he/she/they lose their job if they protect their own personal interests rather
than interests of the Town. Right now you've got a whimp code of ethics. We need a code of ethics
where a guy doesn't have to go to an Article 78 and hire his attorney to go after someone in the Town.
You need a code of ethi cs where he can go to a mechani sm and say, thi s guy is representi ng hi sown
personal interests and he should be off that Board and he ought to be off the Board. and we don't have
the best record on that. you know. and if you want people to have confidence in our government. we
better clean it up. I'm a candidate, damn right. and I'm going to be articulating these things and
I thought I'd talk to you guys directly, first. and I'm open to hear you. I'm no expert in this field.
I've thought about my piece of land for 30 years. and I've got my own ideas on it.
JAMES MARTIN
MR. MARTIN-I'll tell you what's, personally, very disturbing to me. as someone who's a Planning Board
member, who works essentially as a volunteer and tries to do the best I can. and then to read, in
writing, in black and white, that I'm a power mongering ego maniac, that, sir, is very disturbing to
me, and totally unfounded.
MR. BRANDT-Did I say that?
37
--.-/
MR. MARTIN-No. I'm just saying that is very disturbing to me. I'm not saying anybody, it's in black
and white and repeated verbally, and that, to me, is very disturbing.
MR. CAIMANO-I think that this group here. tonight. correct me if I'm wrong, Mark. is an example of
how much this Board has bent over backwards for business. You guys come in here with a project. and
you had a rush project on. We jumped through some hoops. We cut some corners. We did everything
we could do. We had no authority to do anything about your architectural review. There is no. and
I have heard nothing but crap from the business people of this Town about how this Board is
anti-business. and your group, not you. but it's your project.
MR. MARTIN-Right, and then when you do have a development like the Route 9 Million Dollar Half Mile,
well. what the heck did you do there? Look at all the traffic problems. God, development's going
crazy up there. What did you do there? God, you didn't do your planning right, there, and then when
you try and plan, now your anti-development and now your not serving the interest of business.
MR. BRANDT-I'm not telling you don't have to make laws on curb cuts. You have to.
MR. CAIMANO-Right. If we had made the right laws on curb cuts on the Mill ion Dollar Half Mile. Dave
Kenny and Mike Baird and everybody and their mother would be down here cutting my fingers off.
MR. BRANDT-Tough shit. and I'll tell them that, because a traffic jam like they've got doesn't help
their business.
MR. CAIMANO-We had an applicant threaten the planner and that application has been tabled.
MR. CARTIER-Mike, understand what we're talking about, here, is I've agreed. I can agree with about
95 percent of everything you've said. All we're talking about doing is trading the people who are
going to complain about the Planning Board. from one set to another. So, basically. we're going to
get it no matter what happens.
MR. MARTIN-Right. It's a thankless position.
MR. BRANDT-Peter. think back through your history when you did the Comprehensive Land Plan. You involved
a lot of people. You made it a general Town input. and that's what we've got to do. We've got to
get people involved again and make harder laws, even. and then they're understandable. I'm a developer.
I know the development business. Part of it is understanding the ground rules when you walk in.
MR. CARTIER-I do not mean to sound like I'm denigrating the present Planning Board when I say this,
but I'll say it anyway. the best work I ever did was serving on the Land Use Advisory Committee.
MR. BRANDT-I think it was a superb jOb that was done for Town wide. I wasn't involved in it. but I
looked at it and I couldn't believe the depth and the number of people that were involved in it and
the input you took and I think that's what we've got to do a lot more of, but it's got to include
recreation It's got to include preservation of land. It's got to use. to get into transferable
development rights in some manner. That concept has to move. You've got to reflect the free enterprise
system we've got. work with it and make it work so we come out with a piece of land and a Town we're
all proud of. when we kick the can. and I think it can be done. I think it's doable and I want to
bring that focus as part of my campaign. Whether I get elected or not isn't all that important. ~at
is important is that we do something with this piece of land that we're all happy with. We're all
going to live here the rest of our lives, so we might as well do it and be proud. and I think there's
a lot of room for your input, your suggestions, and I think we could change the way you design the
government so that we aren't as adversarial to the people we're dealing with. That may be a pie in
the sky, in other words. that really comes by getting their input. I also think that the Town
Government's got a commitment. You can't have recreation going in one direction. water department
going in another. sewer going in another, and the general Town pl an. It's got to all be integrated
because it's all part of it. If you don't integrate it. it can't work. Thank you.
MR. CARTIER-Thank you. Anybody else care to add anything?
DAVE BARRY
MR. BARRY-I just want to make one statement if I could. I live in the Town and I'm a newcomer to the
Town. and I, personally. think that you folks are wasted. You could be better doing a lot of other
functions. and a lot of the petty stuff that I've heard here tonight. could be better handled by a
Zoning Board. You have a Zoning Department. You passed a zoning law. now let a Zoning Board handle
this. I think, possibly, what Mike was trying to get to is that you, gentlemen and ladies. could be
best be served by planning for the Town and the future of the Town by getting the input. I take it
none of you. gentlemen and ladies are engineers. I am not an engineer. Well, you've got one engineer.
I'm a retailer and if somebody came to me with a plan like this, I wouldn't know what the hell he's
talking about.
MR. CARTIER-This Board has more expertise than you may think it has.
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MR. BARRY-Well, possibly so. but I've been in several communities in my 1 ife and this is the first
time I've heard of a Planning Board where you have six or seven people decide whether somebody can
and can't do something when simply a Zoning Board could make a very simple call. It's in the Ordinance.
MR. CAIMANO-It's in every Town in New York State. Dave.
MR. BARRY-It's not in the Town of Clay. let me tell you.
MR. MARTIN-This Planning Board and its powers are grounded in State Enabling Legislation and all powers
that are given to this Board are mandated out of State Legislation. It's not something that you can
simply direct to a Zoning Board or a Planning Board. Certain specific duties and powers are granted
by the State and that's how things work.
MR. BARRY-And that Zoning Board couldn't handle it a little better than. like you say, your Master
Plan that was written up. It was a nice piece. and it does need some follow up, but it was a beautiful
piece of legislation.
MRS. YORK-The Zoning Board is also grounded in State Law. They are two separate entities. set up under
State Law. which is written up in a volume called Town Law, and each Board has their own specific rules
and regulations and the things that they review, and they can't step outside of those boundaries.
They can't cross over.
MR. BARRY-Then possibly a petition should be made to the State of New York to change things. then.
MR. CAIMANO-Good luck.
MRS. YORK-That could be something you want to consider.
MR. BRANDT-There is a motion to change State Law. and as a Town with a plan. you can go in there and
help move those laws. because, with State Legislators don't necessarily know what's best for the Town.
MR. CAIMANO-Can we talk about one thing. before we leave? We have a letter, here, from Pat, regarding
our letter regarding the farm stand at the corner of Tee Hill Road. Who made that decision? It sounds
to me like Pat made the decision. right?
MRS. YORK-Yes. I sent Pat a memo. My request to her was, would you please tell the Planning Board
under what authority these farm stands are set up and why this does not need any review, and that was
her response to my memo.
MR. CARTIER-Do I hear a motion to adjourn?
On motion meeting was adjourned.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.
Peter Cartier. Chairman
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