1993-11-23
"
QUEENSBURY PLANNING BOARD MEETING
SECOND REGULAR MEETING
NOVEMBER 23. 1993
INDEX
SEQRA Review Variance for Joyce Folsom 1.
SEQRA Review Variance and Site Plan Review 2.
for Rita & Robert Whiteman
SEQRA Review Variance for Thomas R. Bolen 3.
Site Plan No. 56-93 Quaker Village Development Corp. 4.
Subdivision No. 24-1993 Garfield Raymond/Ronald Newell 8.
SKETCH PLAN
Petition for Zone Change Robert & Carolyn Martindale 14.
No. 8-93
THESE ARE NOT OFFICIALLY ADOPTED MINUTES AND ARE SUBJECT TO BOARD
AND STAFF REVISIONS. REVISIONS WILL APPEAR ON THE FOLLOWING MONTHS
MINUTES (IF ANY) AND WILL STATE SUCH APPROVAL OF SAID MINUTES.
QUEENSBURY PLANNING BOARD MEETING
SECOND REGULAR MEETING
NOVEMBER 23RD. 1993
7:00 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
TIMOTHY BREWER, CHAIRMAN
CORINNE TARANA, SECRETARY
GEORGE STARK
ROGER RUEL
MEMBERS ABSENT
CAROL PULVER
CRAIG MACEWAN
EDWARD LAPOINT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-JAMES MARTIN
PLANNER-SCOTT HARLICKER
STENOGRAPHER-MARIA GAGLIARDI
MR. BREWER-Do we have prepared resolutions for these, Scott?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes, for Folsom. Whiteman, and the new one, Bolen.
RESOLUTIONS:
SEQRA REVIEW: RESOLUTION OF INTENT OF THE PLANNING BOARD TO BE
LEAD AGENT IN THE REVIEW OF VARIANCE FOR JOYCE FOLSOM.
MR. BREWER-Okay. Would somebody care to introduce that?
RESOLUTION OF INTENT OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF
QUEENSBURY TO BE LEAD AGENT IN THE REVIEW OF Area Variance No. 100-
1993, Joyce Folsom
RESOLUTION NO.: 27 of 1993
INTRODUCED BY: George Stark
WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION
SECONDED BY:
Roger Ruel
WHEREAS. Joyce Folsom has submitted an application for a
variance in connection with a project known as or described as
construction of a residential dwelling on a vacant undersized
parcel, and
WHEREAS. the Town of Queensbury Planning Board desires to
commence a coordinated review process as provided under the DEC
Regulations adopted in accordance with the State Environmental
Quality Review Act (SEQRA),
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED. that the Town of Queensbury Planning Board hereby
determines that the action proposed by the applicant constitutes a
Type I action under SEQRA, and
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BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED. that the Town of Queensbury Planning Board hereby
indicates its desire to be lead agent for the purposes of SEQRA
review process and hereby authorizes and directs the Executive
Director to notify other involved agencies that:
1) an application has been made by Jovce Folsom for a variance;
2) a coordinated SEQRA review is desired:
3) a lead agency for the purposes of SEQRA review must therefore
be agreed to among the involved agencies within 30 days;
and
4) the Town of Queensbury Planning Board desires to be the lead
agent for purposes of SEQRA review: and
BE IT FURTHER.
RESOLVED, that when notifying the other involved agencies, the
Executive Director shall mail a letter of explanation. together
with copies of this resolution, the application, and the EAF with
Part I completed by the project sponsor. or where appropriate, the
Draft EIS.
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November, 1993, by the following
vote:
AYES: Mrs. Tarana, Mr. Ruel, Mr. Stark. Mr. Brewer
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver. Mr. MacEwan, Mr. LaPoint
SEQRA REVIEW: RESOLUTION OF INTENT OF THE PLANNING BOARD TO BE
LEAD AGENT IN THE REVIEW OF VARIANCE FOR RITA & ROBERT WHITEMAN.
MR. BREWER-Would somebody care to offer that?
MR. HARLICKER-You might want to note that this is also, on the
agenda it says it's just for a variance. The resolution also
includes, they'll be in for site plan review also.
MR. BREWER-Whiteman?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
MR. BREWER-Anybody?
RESOLUTION OF INTENT OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF
QUEENSBURY TO BE LEAD AGENT IN THE REVIEW OF Area Variance No. 101-
1993 and Site Plan Review for Rita and Robert Whiteman
INTRODUCED BY: Georqe Stark
WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION
SECONDED BY:
Roqer Ruel
WHEREAS. Rita and Robert Whiteman have submitted an
application for a variance and site plan review in connection with
a project known as or described as proposed addition of a qaraqe.
lifting and squarinq off existinq cottaqe over qaraqe to fit cars,
and
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WHEREAS. the Town of Queensbury Planning Board hereby
determines that the action proposed by the applicant constitutes a
Type I action under SEQRA, and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED. that the Town of Queensbury Planning Board hereby
indicates its desire to be lead agent for purposes of the SEQRA
review process and hereby authorizes and directs the Executive
Director to notify other involved agencies that:
1) an application has been made by Rita and Robert Whiteman for
a variance and site plan review:
2) a coordinated SEQRA review is desired:
3) a lead agency for purposes of SEQRA review must therefore be
agreed to among the involved agencies within 30 days: and
4) the Town of Queensbury Planning Board desires to be the lead
agent for purposes of SEQRA review: and
BE IT FURTHER,
RESOLVED. that when notifying other involved agencies, the
Executive Director shall also mail a letter of explanation,
together with copies of this resolution. the application, and the
EAF with Part I completed by the project sponsor, or where
appropriate, the Draft EIS.
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November, 1993. by the following
vote:
AYES: Mr. Ruel, Mr. Stark, Mrs. Tarana. Mr. Brewer
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver. Mr. MacEwan. Mr. LaPoint
MR. BREWER-Okay. Next, Thomas Bolen.
MR. HARLICKER-It's a resolution of intent of the Planning Board to
be Lead Agents in the review of a variance for Thomas Bolen.
RESOLUTION OF INTENT OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWN OF
QUEENSBURY TO BE LEAD AGENT IN THE REVIEW OF Area Variance No. 98-
1993 for Thomas Bolen
RESOLUTION NO: 29 of 1993
INTRODUCED BY: Corinne Tarana
WHO MOVED ITS ADOPTION
SECONDED BY:
Roger Ruel
WHEREAS, Thomas R. Bolen has submitted an application for a
variance in connection with a project known as or described as ª-
proposal to build second principal building on a preexisting
nonconforming lot and expand the existing footprint to the rear by
17 feet. and
WHEREAS, the Town of Queensbury Planning Board desires to
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commence a coordinated review process as provided under the DEC
Regulations adopted in accordance with the State Environmental
Quality Review Act (SEQRA),
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT.
RESOLVED. that the Town of Queensbury Planning Board hereby
determines that the action proposed by the applicant constitutes a
Type I action under SEQRA, and
BE IT FURTHER.
RESOLVED. that the Town of Queensbury Planning Board hereby
indicates its desire to be lead agent for purposes of the SEQRA
review process and hereby authorizes and directs the Executive
Director to notify other involved agencies that:
1) an application has been made by Thomas Bolen for a variance:
2) a coordinated SEQRA review is desired:
3) a lead agency for the purposes of SEQRA review must therefore
be agreed to among the involved agencies within 30 days: and
4. the Town of Queensbury Planning Board desires to be the lead
agent for the purposes of SEQRA review: and
BE IT FURTHER.
RESOLVED. that when notifying the other involved agencies. the
Executive Director shall also mail a letter of explanation,
together with copies of this resolution. the application, and the
EAF with Part I completed by the project sponsor, or where
appropriate. the Draft EIS.
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November. 1993, by the following
vote:
AYES: Mrs. Tarana. Mr. Ruel, Mr. Stark. Mr. Brewer
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver, Mr. MacEwan, Mr. LaPoint
NEW BUSINESS:
SITE PLAN NO. 56-93 TYPE QUAKER VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT CORP. OWNER:
LARRY DICKINSON ZONE: HC-IA LOCATION: CORNER OF BAY & QUAKER
PROPOSAL IS FOR A CHANGE OF USE OF A 1.300 SQ. FT. AREA OFFICE
SPACE TO A FELLOWSHIP MEETING SPACE. WARREN COUNTY PLANNING - 11-
10-93 TAX MAP NO. 59-1-16 LOT SIZE: N/A SECTION: 179-23
BOB SEARS, REPRESENTING APPLICANT, PRESENT
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Staff. Site Plan No. 56-93, Quaker Village Development
Corp., Meeting Date: November 23, 1993 "PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The
applicant is proposing to utilize 1,300 square feet of an existing
building as a fellowship meeting place. The building is located in
Quaker Village at the intersection of Bay and Quaker Roads. The
applicant is not proposing any structural changes for modifications
to the site. It is a change of use. PROJECT ANALYSIS: In
accordance with Section 179-38 A., the project is in compliance
with the other requirements of this chapter, including the
dimensional regulations of the zoning district in which it is to be
located. In accordance with Section 179-38 B.. the project was
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reviewed in order to determine if it is in harmony with the general
purpose or intent of this chapter. and it was found to be
compatible with the zone in which it is to be located and should
not be a burden on supporting public services. In accordance with
Section 179-38 C., the project was reviewed regarding its impact on
the highways. There was found to be no significant impact on the
road system. In accordance with Section 179-38 D., the project was
compared to the relevant factors outlined in Section 179-39. The
project was compared to the following standards found in Section
179-38 E. of the Zoning Code: 1. The location. arrangement. size.
design and general site compatibility of buildings. lighting and
signs; No impact. 2. The adequacy and arrangement of vehicular
traffic access and circulation. including intersections. road
widths. pavement surfaces. dividers and traffic controls: No
impact. 3. The location. arrangement. appearance and sufficiency
of off-street parking and loading: No impact. 4. The adequacy
and arrangement of pedestrian traffic access and circulation.
walkway structures. control of intersections with vehicular traffic
and overall pedestrian convenience: No impact. 6. The adequacy
of water supply and sewage disposal facilities: No impact. 7.
The adequacy. type and arrangement of trees. shrubs and other
suitable plantings. landscaping and screening constituting a visual
and/or noise buffer between the applicant's and adjoining lands.
including the maximum retention of existing vegetation and
maintenance including replacement of dead plants; No impact. 8.
The adequacy of fire lanes and other emergency zones and the
provision of fire hydrants: No impact. 9. The adequacy and
impact of structures. roadways and landscaping in areas with
susceptibility to ponding. flooding and/or erosion. No impact.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff can recommend approval of this application."
MR. BREWER-Okay. Scott, you don't have it listed as any, whether
it's an Unlisted, or Type II.
MR. HARLICKER-It's an Unlisted action.
MR. BREWER-So there is a SEQRA?
MR. HARLICKER-A Short Form SEQRA.
MR. BREWER-Okay. Is the applicant here? Maybe you could just put
a sketch up so the public can see it. and maybe you could fill us
in on what you're going to do.
MR. SEARS-My name's Bob Sears. I'm the realtor involved with the
proposal. What we are doing is Building Number Five at Quaker
Vi llage, and we're proposing to use 1.300 square feet for the
Fellowship. The building is approximately, if I remember right.
5600 square feet of building.
MR. BREWER-Okay. Is this going to be a weekly gathering?
MR. SEARS-Yes. It's going to be Wednesday nights, and also Sunday
mornings. There was a notation on the proposal that. when it's
being used typically no one else is in the Quaker Village. as far
as the offices.
MR. BREWER-There's no problem with parking or anything like that?
MR. SEARS-No. It's got upwards of 30 spaces allotted for their
particular uses.
MR. BREWER-And how many members do you have?
MR. SEARS-Twenty-seven members.
MR. BREWER-Okay. So if everybody drove, you still wouldn't have a
problem.
MR. SEARS-We wouldn't have a problem.
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MR. RUEL-You said the membership is 27. What's the maximum number
that the space could occupy?
MR. SEARS-I think it's around 55.
MR. RUEL-And then would the parking be adequate, if you were
successful?
MR. SEARS-Well. I think with the Ordinances in Queensbury. you're
allowed, for every 200 feet of space. you're allowed. you have one
parking space.
MR. RUEL-Is that next door to Temploy?
MR. SEARS-Temploy is right around the corner.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MRS. TARANA-Just one quick thing. They wouldn't have any, they
wouldn't hold sales of any sort there during the day?
MR. SEARS-With the lease. the way it's drawn up, they're allowed to
use it as a Fellowship meeting place. There was nothing specified
in the lease as to sales. My assumption is they would not.
MRS. TARANA-Any day time activity is what I'm thinking of, that
might interfere with the other tenants that are in that.
MR. SEARS-The parking area is very adequate. There is office
space, that's all office space, and some minor commercial space in
there. There is allowed parking for everybody concerned. The only
reason why we're here tonight is because it doesn't fall under the
Ordinance in the speci fied area. If we had 50 people here for
office space use five days a week. every week, we wouldn't be here.
So I guess, to address your question. there's plenty of parking for
everybody.
MR. BREWER-Okay. Scott, I don't see on this plan parking for
handicapped. Is it required?
MR. HARLICKER-It should have been.
MR. STARK-They've got so much parking over there, a total excess of
parking.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
MR. BREWER-Yes, but still if it's supposed to be marked and
supplied.
MR. STARK-It was there before the Ordinance. All the parking was
there before the Ordinance.
MR. BREWER-This use isn't, George.
MR. HARLICKER-The use isn't, though.
MR. BREWER-Would it be a problem to put one handicapped parking
place in, dedicate one space to handicapped parking?
MR. SEARS-We'd be glad to.
MR. HARLICKER-Okay.
MR. BREWER-We'll note that before your CO is issued.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
resolution.
Make that one of the conditions of the
MR. BREWER-Okay.
I'll open the public hearing.
Is there anyone
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here to speak on this?
PUBLIC HEARING OPENED
NO COMMENT
PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED
MR. BREWER-Do you want to do the SEQRA, Short Form.
MRS. TARANA-Okay.
RESOLUTION WHEN DETERMINATION OF NO SIGNIFICANCE IS MADE
RESOLUTION NO. 56-93. Introduced by Corinne Tarana who moved for
its adoption. seconded by George Stark:
WHEREAS. there
application for:
is presently before the Planning Board
QUAKER VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT CORP.. and
an
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 23rd day of November, 1993, by the following
vote:
AYES: Mr. Ruel. Mr. Stark, Mrs. Tarana. Mr. Brewer
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver, Mr. LaPoint, Mr. MacEwan
MR. BREWER-Okay. Would somebody care to make a motion?
MOTION TO APPROVE SITE PLAN NO. 56-93
CORP., Introduced by Roger Ruel who
seconded by George Stark:
QUAKER VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT
moved for its adoption,
To allow for a change of use of an office space to a fellowship
meeting space, with the condition that a handicapped parking area
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be designated.
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November. 1993. by the following
vote:
AYES: Mrs. Tarana. Mr. Ruel, Mr. Stark, Mr. Brewer
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver, Mr. MacEwan, Mr. LaPoint
SUBDIVISION NO. 24-1993 SKETCH PLAN TYPE GARFIELD RAYMOND/RONALD
NEWELL OWNER: SAME AS ABOVE ZONE: SFR -lA. MR - 5. UR -lA
LOCATION: BETWEEN COUNTRY CLUB RD. AND BAY RD. OPPOSITE SWEET ROAD
SUBDIVISION OF FOUR (4) LOTS TOTALING +30.81 ACRES INTO 3 LOTS OF
14.9 ACRES. 14.91 ACRES AND 1 ACRE. CROSS REFERENCE: Pl-93 TAX
MAP NO. 61-1-16. 17. 41.1 & 44 LOT SIZE: +30.81 ACRES SECTION:
SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
GARFIELD RAYMOND AND RONALD NEWELL, PRESENT
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Staff. Subdivision No. 24-1993. Garfield Raymond/Ronald
Newell. Meeting Date: November 23, 1993 "PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The applicant is proposing to take four lots totaling 30.81 acres
and subdivide them into three lots of 15.72 acres. 14.09 acres. and
1 acre. The property has a large DEC flagged wetland on it. Lot
1 will be 15.72 acres: 14.09 will be zoned UR-1A and 1.64 acres
fronting on Country Club Road will be zoned SFR-IA. Lot 2 is 14.09
acres and is zoned UR-IA and MR-5. The MR-5 zone includes the land
within 1,000 feet of Bay Road but excludes the land located within
the flagged wetland area. The UR-IA zone includes all the land
within the wetlands and that more than 1.000 feet away from Bay
Road. Lot three is one acre and zoned MR-5. PROJECT ANALYSIS:
The following modifications to the plan should be made prior to
preliminary submittal: 1. The zoning districts have to be shown
on the plat. 2. The 1.64 acre parcel on Country Club Road has to
be combined with lot one otherwise lot one will be landlocked. 3.
Because lot three fronts on Bay Road double the lot width is
required. The lot width has to be 160 feet. The interior of lot
one could be difficult to develop because it is isolated by the
wetlands and access to it will require wetland permits from the DEC
and the town. Furthermore. because this subdivision involves a
wetland and a subdivision is considered a regulated activity and
any regulated acti vi ty wi thin 100 feet of a wetland requires a
wetland permit. when the applicant applies for preliminary approval
he should also apply for a wetland permit."
MR. BREWER-Okay. We have a letter from Jim Martin to Tom Flaherty,
reference Raymond/Newell Subdivision, "The above application was
submitted and will have no effect on the water district and as such
will require no further action of this office at this time. Tom
Flaherty. "
MR. NEWELL-Do you want me to put a map up?
MR. BREWER-Would you, please.
MR. NEWELL-Here's lot one, lot two. and lot three, which is the
smallest of the lots on Bay Road. My name's Ron Newell. I'm the
co-owner of the property in question, and as I stated. Lot One is
the 14.08. Lot Two is the 14.09. and Lot Three is the one acre lot
which is fronting Bay Road. As stated. this is the MR-5. There's
a wetland designated by DEC. This is the UR-IA, UR-IA.
MR. BREWER-Wait a minute. If you're going to subdivide this. how
can Lot Two, or I guess this 1,ØØ0 feet back from the road?
MR. NEWELL-Right.
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----------- -- -- --- - -~-----
'-
MR. BREWER-How can one lot have two zones?
MR. HARLICKER-It happens all the time.
situation, but it happens quite frequently.
It's not the best
MR. NEWELL-The problem was, you had the wetlands. and when the
property was re-zoned a while back, this was all MR-5.
MR. BREWER-I remember.
MR. NEWELL-When it was re-zoned, they slipped us into UR-1A. Then
we were before you a couple of times with this.
MR. BREWER-Wasn't it UR-1A and then they re-zoned it to MR-5?
MR. NEWELL-That's right. but the condition was that they would re-
zone it, but only the front part of it.
MR. BREWER-The front 1,000 feet?
MR. NEWELL-That's correct. and that's why it is as it is, and
getting to this point was no easy task, I might add. I think it
was a compromise by all concerned. recognition that the wetlands
were there. and had limited use. and what Mr. Raymond and I are
just trying to do now is for him to have, I guess we could call it
equal. division of the property, and I can have an equal division.
Right now we own it together. We could either separate it by way
of partition. which is not going to serve anybody's purpose, or we
can agree on how to divide it. So basically Garfield's going to
have three, one. and I'm going to have two, and that's basically
what this subdivision's all about, not that we have anything
planned, not that we have anything sold. It's just, he and I are
dividing the property between us.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. RUEL-Would you care to comment on some of the modifications to
the plans?
MR. BREWER-Who owns this lot over here on Country Club Road?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes. That's going to have to be incorporated into
Lot one, otherwise Lot One's going to be landlocked.
MR. RUEL-You're talking about just this?
MR. BREWER-No. I'm talking about this whole piece here.
MR. RUEL-Yes. He said it's got to be incorporated in here.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
line wasn't there.
map, and when they
there.
On the original plat that was submitted, that
We requested that the wetlands be shown on the
came back with the revised map. that line was
MR. NEWELL-The reason that that is there is to designate that that
is a separate parcel coming into the main property. This was
obtained from Wheeler, three, two, and one came in from Wheeler.
This was a separate deed in from LaRose, and that's why the line is
there, to designate the separate sources of title.
MR. STARK-Mr. Raymond owns that land already, though.
MR. RUEL-But Lot One is landlocked, unless you pick up that small
lot on the end.
MR. RAYMOND-I own that.
MR. BREWER-Wait just one second. If he owns that lot, even if it
is a separate lot, how is anybody going to get to Lot One?
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""'--------
MR. NEWELL-Raymond owns this small acre, 1.64. and Raymond will own
Lot One. So Raymond will own them both.
MR. HARLICKER-Well, lets suppose Raymond sells the 1.64 acre parcel
to another party. how do you get to Lot One?
MR. NEWELL-Well. I would have to suggest that that wouldn't be the
smartest thing in the world for Raymond to do.
MR. HARLICKER-Well. I don't think the Planning Board, from the
Staff's point of view, cannot recommend the creation of a
landlocked parcel, even if both lots are bwned by the same owner.
MR. NEWELL-Well, that's your area. How do you feel about that?
MR. RAYMOND-I'm Garfield Raymond, the co-owner of the property. and
I have no problem with making that a condition. because we're just
going to be merging those two pieces anyway. The point is. is that
the original application only dealt with the Wheeler property. It
did not deal with that other piece that came in from LaRose. It
never has been. They continually make it a part of it, and it has
never been a part of any of the applications or any of the re-
zonings that were here before. If you want to make that a
condition, as part of it, that's fine.
MR. BREWER-Okay. Put that all aside. Even if you put that all
aside. Say your cousin owns that lot, how is anybody going to get
to Lot One?
MR. RAYMOND-Through the Country Club Road lot. That is going to be
a part, they're merging.
MR. STARK-He's going to combine the lot he owns with Lot One.
MR. BREWER-Then why don't they combine them.
MR. RAYMOND-I just said we would do that.
MR. HARLICKER-On the Preliminary plat it will be shown as one
fifteen plus acre lot.
MR. RAYMOND-It will be shown as just one piece. as I'm indicating
to you, was never part of the original application.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. RAYMOND-So if they want to make it as a condition, that's fine.
because that's how we're going to do it anyway.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. RUEL-Okay.
MR. STARK-Mr. Newell. you said you were going to get Lot Number
Two. According to Coulter & McCormack's licensed survey, it says
you're going to get Lot Number Three.
MR. NEWELL-No, Two. I get Two, Raymond gets One and Three.
MR. STARK-Then this is wrong.
MR. NEWELL-That's correct. He drove a much harder bargain than I
did.
MR. STARK-I see. Okay.
MR. NEWELL-I get Two.
MR. STARK-Fine.
So you're getting Lot Two?
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------------------- F-~-- ---
MR. RUEL-On your Lot Three, one of the conditions is you'll have to
add eleven feet frontage on Bay Road?
MR. NEWELL-I went through this before, with the Town Attorney, and
I think you'll find that there is no requirement that I have that
addi tional footage. When we were before the Town Board before,
this, there's a section in the Town Law, I know what you're
referring to, that calls for so much footage on the Bay Road. I
believe you can make this subject to an interpretation from the
Town Attorney who I've gone over this with. and this one acre lot
is consistent with Town Law.
MR. HARLICKER-The Zoning Code says residentially zoned property,
which this is Multi Family Residential, but it's still a
residential lot. need double the lot width on roads such as major
arterial and collector roads. That's Section 179-60. I think. So
that's what I was referencing.
MR. NEWELL-I know the section you're talking about. but I can tell
you this, you can make whatever you do tonight conditioned upon it
being consistent with the Town Law.
MR. BREWER-Well. this is not going to be an approval of any kind.
MR. NEWELL-I understand that, but I just want to clarify that
point. We've gone over to the Nth degree with your Town Attorney,
and I can assure that we're in compliance.
MR. RUEL-You will comply?
MR. NEWELL-That's correct.
MR. BREWER-Where is that, Scott, 179 what?
MR. HARLICKER-I think it's 60.
abutting collector or arterial
17989.
No, that's not it. 179-30, Lots
roads, and then it's C, on Page
MR. BREWER-Okay. Then we can ask for determination from the ZBA.
or Zoning Administrator.
MR. HARLICKER-I guess the Zoning Administrator.
MR. BREWER-179-30C. Okay. That comment's taken care of.
MR. NEWELL-Perhaps at the same time, if you're going to make a
formal inquiry to the Zoning Administrator. I would like to write
directly to the Town Attorney, so that we're doing it at the same
time, so that any interpretation of that particular section would
be in synch.
MR. BREWER-It's not up to the Attorney, though.
Zoning Administrator.
It's up to the
MR. HARLICKER-It's up to the Zoning Administrator.
MR. BREWER-It's not up to the Attorney.
MR. NEWELL-But if it's in compliance with the Town Law.
MR. BREWER-Well, if Jim has a problem with it. I'm sure he will
contact Paul, and you're free to write a letter to Paul. Okay.
You will note the zoning districts on the plat?
MR. NEWELL-Yes.
MR. BREWER-I'm just going down through the comments, and you're
going to do Number Two. You're going to combine those two lots.
Three we've taken care of.
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MR. RUEL-There's not too much dry land on Lot One, is there? The
wetlands extends almost three quarters of it.
MR. BREWER-Yes. Okay. Would you care to address the last
paragraph of Scott's comments?
MR. NEWELL-I don't have what you're referring to.
MR. HARLICKER-The comment was that the interior of Lot One would be
difficult to get to because it's surrounded by wetlands, and you'd
need DEC Wetlands Permit and a Town Wetlands Permit to access it.
It's just a comment and an observation.
MR. NEWELL-That's true.
MR. BREWER-You have no plans at all for this land?
MR. NEWELL-Not at all. We've had no offers, no inquires. We've
not been able to market the property in its current state. Rather
than just sit on it the way it is, Garfield's going to go his way,
and I'm going to go mine, and what he's able to do. he's able to
do. and what I'm able to do, hopefully I'll be able to do.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. NEWELL-But there's not been a lot moving on Bay Road. for a
variety of reasons, at least in our area.
MR. BREWER-Does anybody else have any questions?
MRS. TARANA-I just want to make it clear, when you apply for the
Preliminary approval, that's when you'll apply for the wetlands
permits?
MR. NEWELL-I don't think that we're required, at this point. to
apply for a wetlands permit.
MRS. TARANA-Am I reading that incorrectly there, Scott. or do we
wait until something is planned?
MR. NEWELL-I think you have to wait until we're actually starting
to do something. To just apply for a wetlands permit at this
juncture. when we're merely dividing the pro~erty, without putting
it to any particular use, is premature.
MR. HARLICKER-Well, it just says a regulated activity, and it's
defined as any portion of a subdivision of land that involves any
land in any freshwater wetland or adjacent area, which this does,
and any regulated acti vi ty according to the Town Zoning Code
requires a wetlands permit. Granted. this was written back in 1970
something, so it's a bit outdated. but it's still what we have to
go by.
MR. STARK-Do we have the right to waive that requirement, because
nothing's going to be, if something ever gets done. if he wants to
do something on Lot Two. then he has to get a wetlands permit, but
not now.
MR. HARLICKER-I don't know if the Board has the ability to waive
this or not.
MRS. TARANA-But what they're saying is a regulated acti vi ty is
subdivision of land.
MR. HARLICKER-Is subdivision. the action of a subdivision.
MRS. TARANA-That's the activity. Subdivision is the activity.
MR. HARLICKER-It's a regulated activity. just like construction of
a house, or a road or anything like that. It's in that same
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category.
MR. NEWELL-With all due respect. I would submit that trying to
divide the property shouldn't put us through the task of having to
apply for wetlands permits.
MRS. TARANA-Well. maybe that's another interpretation he needs to
get. I mean. this is just what it says. That's what we're being
told.
MR. HARLICKER-Okay.
MR. BREWER-Anything else? Okay. So we're going to ask Jim to make
a determination on 179-30C. also the wetlands. and you will come
back with Lot One combined with the lot on Country Club Road, and
erase this from the map. area 1.64 acres Other lands of Raymond not
included in subdivision. Maybe you could just eliminate the "not".
and erase that line, or whatever you want to do. The zoning
districts. you're agreed to do that, for Preliminary.
MR. NEWELL-Yes.
MR. BREWER-Anything else? Okay.
recommendation?
Would somebody care to make a
MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF SKETCH PLAN SUBDIVISION NO. 24-1993
GARFIELD RAYMOND/RONALD NEWELL, Introduced by Roger Ruel who moved
for its adoption. seconded by George Stark:
For the property between Country Club Road and Bay Road, opposite
Sweet Road. for subdivision of four lots, predicated on the
following conditions: One, indicate zoning districts on map dated,
March 17th. 1992. Two. combine Lot One and 1.64 acre lot on
Country Club Road. Three, the lot width of Lot Three conform to
regulations subdivision 179.30-C. Four, request Jim to give us a
determination on the wetlands issue, whether a permit is needed or
not.
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November. 1993, by the following
vote:
AYES: Mrs. Tarana, Mr. Ruel. Mr. Stark, Mr. Brewer
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mrs. Tarana, Mr. MacEwan. Mr. LaPoint
PETITION FOR ZONE CHANGE NO. 8-93 RECOMMENDATION ONLY ROBERT &
CAROLYN MARTINDALE OWNER: WILLIAM & MARION MELLON. ERNEST &
CHARMAINE BARNELL. RONALD & JUDY BARRETT. FRANCES & CAROLYN
MARTINDALE. ROBERT & LORI MARTINDALE. FRANCIS MARTINDALE. JR.
PROPERTY INVOLVED: RT. 149. APPROX. 1 3/4 MI.. EAST OF RT. 9.
EXTENDING APPROX. .7 OF A MILE. CURRENT ZONING: RR-3A PROPOSED
ZONING: CR-15 WARREN COUNTY PLANNING: 11-10-93 TAX MAP NO. 30-
1-20. 19. 18. 17.2. 17.1. 16. 13. & 14
CAROLYN & ROBERT & FRANCIS MARTINDALE PRESENT
STAFF INPUT
Notes from Staff. Petition 8-93, Robert & Carolyn Martindale,
Meeting Date: November 23, 1993 "A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The
applicant is requesting a rezoning of 103.45 acres from RR-3A to
CR-15. The property is located on Route 149 near the intersection
of Martindale Road. The proposed rezoning involves eight parcels
along the north side of the road with a stream flowing through
them. The properties are not serviced by municipal sewer or water.
The properties are adjacent to the Adirondack Park and land that is
zone LC-10 A. B. EXISTING LAND USE CHARACTERISTICS Land use in
the vicinity of the rezoning is primarily residential. On the
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south side of the road is a single family home with an old motel
that appears to have been converted to apartments. Agricultural
uses as well as vacant land exist in the area. The area to the
north of the rezoning is land conservation and is vacant. C. ZONE
CHANGE ANALYSIS: 1. What need is being met by the proposed change
in zone or new zone? The applicant states that the need being met
by the proposed rezoning is that it would allow them to develop
their property as a retail and restaurant business. It would also
allow them to subdivide their land into smaller lots that the 3
acre size currently allowed. The need for property that allows
retail and restaurant uses can be met in other areas of the town.
Specifically along Route 149 there is land that is zoned HC-IA that
allows both restaurants and retail and there is land zoned RC that
allows restaurants and other assorted commercial uses. An implied
need is that the applicant will get a much higher return on the
property if it is rezoned. It seems that the needs to be met are
for the benefit of the property owners and not for the general
welfare of the community. 2. What proposed zones. if any. can
meet the stated need? Other zones that allow restaurants and
retail are Plaza Commercial. Highway Commercial, Neighborhood
Commercial and Commercial Residential. Recreational Commercial
allows restaurants and other commercial uses. 3. How is the
proposed zone compatible with adjacent zones? The proposed zone is
not compatible with the adjacent zones, RR-3A and LC-10A. The CR
zone, according to the stated purpose in the zoning code, are areas
which are transi tioning from residential to highway commercial
uses. This is not the case in this area. This area is residential
and not transi tioning to highway commercial. The area along
Corinth Road and Main Street is a typical transition area. The
adjacent LC-10A zone are areas that. due to serious physical
limitations or unique characteristics require restricting
development to very low densities. The CR zone allows for
relatively intense development that would not be compatible. The
purpose of the adjacent RR-3A zone is to enhance the open space and
rural character by limiting development to sparse densities.
Again. as with the LC-10A zone, the CR zone allows for relatively
intense development that would not be compatible with the RR-3A
zone. 4. What physical characteristics of the site are suitable
to the proposed zone? According to the Town Comprehensive Plan
Maps, the percolation rates are 6 inches per hour to greater than
20 inches per hour with a development rating of limited to
unsuitable. Because of the lack of sewer and water service and the
fact that the property is located over an aquifer recharge area.
percolation rates are an important characteristic to consider.
Slopes range from 3% to 25% which have a development rating of high
to low. The stream that flows through the property is classified
as BT which means it can be utilized for swimming and trout
habitat: it is also listed in the Comprehensive Plan as a
regionally significant ecological area. The proposed CR zone,
because of the intensification of runoff and sewage disposal, could
have a negative impact on the stream. 5. How will the proposed
zoning affect public facilities? A rezoning to CR-15 would
intensify development over the existing RR-3A zone. Municipal
sewer and water are not available. The increase in the number of
curb cuts would negatively affect traffic flow in an area that has
a history of accidents. 6. Why is the current classification not
appropriate for the property in question? The current zoning is
appropriate for the property in question. The property is
surrounded by residentially zoned property and property zoned land
conservation. A rezoning of the property to commercial residential
would be very inappropriate. The property was included in a
recently completed corridor study. Some relief for lot size was
included as part of the study. One of the recommendations of the
study was to retain the rural residential zoning but reduce the
minimum lot size to one acre. 7. What are the environmental
impacts of the proposed change? The uses allowed in the CR-15 zone
would permi t development which could have significant environmental
impacts. The commercial density allowed is the same that is
allowed in the highway commercial zone. At 12,000 square feet of
land needed for every acre and 500 square feet of land needed for
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every additional 150 square feet of commercial space, the potential
total commercial development is more than 1,3Ø0.0Ø0 square feet.
Traffic impacts as well as other environmental impacts would also
be considerable. The CR-15 zone also allows for residential lots
of 15,000 square feet. This is far too dense for an area without
sewer and water service and with percolation rates that have a
development rating of limited to unsuitable. 8. How is the
proposal compatible with the relevant portions of the Comprehensive
Land Use Master Plan? The proposed rezoning is in conflict with
several sections of the comprehensive plan as well as the zoning
code. The geological resource section includes goals to encourage
development of less steep slopes. Portions of the land proposed to
be rezoned have slopes of 25% which create severe restrictions for
development. Policies include protecting the aesthetic character
and maintaining the visual image of the Town as a rural community.
The CR zone would allow intense development at a level that is not
compatible with the rural image of the area. Strategies found in
this section include developing land use densities based on soil
and slope characteristics whereby areas with soil limitations or
steeper slopes receive less development. Water resources section
includes goals to protect public health from contamination of the
groundwater and the aquifer recharge areas. This rezoning would
allow intense development in an area without municipal water or
sewer service and with high percolation rates. thereby creating a
situation where the potential for adverse impacts on the
groundwater and aquifer recharge is increased. Policies include
assurances that development does not degrade the quality of streams
and does not aggravate flooding and the problems associated with
flooding. The level of development allowed in the proposed zone
would adversely affect the stream that traverses the property to be
rezoned. Ecological resources section includes goals to protect,
preserve and conserve animal habitats and unique environments for
the benefit of Queensbury's ecological diversity. The proposed
rezoning would allow densities and uses that will adversely affect
the unique ecological habitat identified on the properties.
Transportation resources include goals to limit driveways on
arterial and collector streets. The commercial development and
small lot sizes allowed in the CR zone would permit. and in some
cases necessitate mul tiple driveways. This would create a very
dangerous situation on a heavily traveled road. Avoiding strip
development and limiting access to commercial properties from major
highways is another goal. This rezoning would be in conflict with
this goal. Policies including restricting strip commercial and
residential development along collector and arterial roads. This
rezoning would allow development that would be in conflict with
this policy. Land use goals include locating higher density
housing in areas with adequate sewer and water services. The CR
zone allows for intense residential development with a minimum lot
si ze of 15,000 square feet. Thi s is far too dense for an area
without sewer or water services. Locating lower density housing in
areas without adequate sewer or water service to protect the town's
natural and cultural resources and values is another goal that
would not be met with this rezoning. Land use policies include
reducing densities in areas of environmental sensitivity without
sewer and water. The proposed rezoning would be in conflict with
this policy by allowing intense development in an area unable to
support it. The Zoning Code states that the commercial residential
zone are areas of the town that are transitioning from residential
to highway commercial uses on narrow arterial roads. This is not
the situation in this area. This area is residential in character
and is not transitioning to highway commercial uses. 9. How are
the wider interests of the community being served by this proposal?
The wider interests of the community will not be served be rezoning
this property to commercial residential. The goals, policies and
strategies of the comprehensive plan, along with the zoning code,
were developed in consideration of the wider interests of the
community. If an action is in conflict with those stated goals.
polices and strategies and the zoning code, as identified above, it
is likely that the action is not serving the wider interests of the
communi ty. A reasonable use of the property can be realized
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wi thout rezoning the rural residential property to commercial
residential. D. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS The proposal for a zone
change for these particular properties from RR-3A to CR-15 requires
careful consideration. The zone change will allow for a much more
intense use of the properties that will be direct conflict with
many of the neighboring properties. The rezoning will also have
significant adverse impacts on traffic in the area because of the
curb cuts. A recent study of accidents along Route 149 shows that
from 6/88 to 6/92 this area had the third highest number of
accidents along the road. The properties are not serviced by water
or sewer which greatly increases the potential for adverse
environmental impacts and places severe limitations on development.
The 15,000 square feet required per dwelling unit is very dense for
an area without sewer or water and is not suitable considering the
environmental constraints and rural single family character of the
area. As indicated previously. the rezoning would allow for a
total development of over 1,000.000 square feet of commercial
space: this dense a development would result in significant
problems and is totally out of character with the nearby
properties. The property included in the proposed rezoning was
included in a recent corridor study completed for Route 149. The
study, among other things. looked at expanding the commercial land
along the road. The desired expansion of commercial uses could be
accommodated by expanding the existing commercial nodes at the
major intersections: a new rural commercial zone was proposed to
meet those needs. The study also recommended that the minimum lot
size in the area be reduced to 1 acre with the creation of a new
rural residential zone. The issue of spot rezoning has also been
brought up. In determining spot zoning the size of the area
subject to rezoning. the character of the area that surrounds the
parcel, the nature of the uses permitted by the amendment and the
benefit or detriment to the owner are all factors considered when
determining spot zoning. These factors are weighed and a final
determination is made as to whether the rezoning is in accordance
with the comprehensive plan for the general welfare of the
community."
MR. BREWER-Okay. I'm sure you have some comments.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Carol Martindale. I'd like to ask. who wrote the
all the stuff that Scott just read?
MR. HARLICKER-I wrote the stuff I just read.
MRS. MARTINDALE-You wrote everything?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay. Now. what reasonable use can you foresee on
that property by the way it's currently zoned or proposed zoning?
MR. HARLICKER-Residential use.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay. We have a deed restriction. Did you know
that? The land cannot be used for subdivisions of homes. You
can't subdivide this property. It has to be remain intact, part of
this land.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Twenty acres has to be left intact.
MR. HARLICKER-What about the other 80 acres?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-The other 80 acres is some other people's
property. That's not all ours.
MR. HARLICKER-So that's suitable use as residential is.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Right. but if you say out of 10Ø acres.
you're going to rezone this to one acre. That means you could put
100 houses in there?
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MR. HARLICKER-Run that by me again?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-What the corridor study is saying is that
they were going to rezone it to RR-1?
MR. HARLICKER-That's the proposed. yes.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Proposed. Okay. Now what is worse, having
100 houses in there. or having the houses that are there, which is
Billy Mellon's. which is one. Ernie Barnell's, which is two, my
house.
MR. HARLICKER-You rezone that to Commercial Residential. the
potential is there for many more than just 100 houses. The minimum
lot size for residential uses.
MR. BREWER-No disrespect to you, but that's what our job is to do.
If we change this zone to the zone that you're asking. if Barnell's
sell.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-We're not asking that.
MR. BREWER-No, I understand, but they're part of the application,
Fran.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-But they're asked to be rezoned. which the
corridor has, to make them into a lesser lot size. so that they
could give each one of their kids property.
MR. BREWER-That is. potentially. going to happen, the smaller lot
size, but on this application. all those names want to be rezoned
to Neighborhood Commercial.
MR. HARLICKER-Commercial Residential.
MR. BREWER-Commercial Residential, whatever, but if we rezone
yours, and I understand what you're trying to do, and I have no
problem with that. If we rezone yours. and all these other people
on this application. no matter what Fran Martindale does, these
other people have a potential to have commercial development on
their property. So we can't. we have to look at the whole
application, not just yours. You have to understand that. It's
not to pick on you. It's the potential for development on every
piece of property that's being asked for.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay.
applicants?
Timmy. so. could you deny the other four
MR. BREWER-No. We either have to approve this application or deny
it.
MRS. MARTINDALE-You can't approve it with stipulations that only
this parcel here. Tax Map No. 30-1-13 and 30-1-16 be approved. with
the other ones not being approved for the CR?
MR. BREWER-Well, if they're here to say, yes, lets do that, then I
don't.
MRS. MARTINDALE-I am their agent. They gave Bob and me permission
to speak for them.
MR. BREWER-Permission, or is it on the application?
MRS. MARTINDALE-It's on the application.
speak as their agent.
We have permission to
MR. BREWER-We're making a recommendation. If you walk out of here
tonight. and we approve you, doesn't necessarily mean you get what
we say.
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MRS. MARTINDALE-Right. but you could approve with recommendations
that 30-1-13 and 30-1-16 only be approved, denying the other four
land use occupations. the other four.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Because they're going to get picked up in the
corridor study anyway. to make it RR-l.
MR. BREWER-All right. Let me ask you a question. and you might not
like the question. but I'm going to ask anyway. Why don't you try
to get a variance for what you want to do?
MRS. MARTINDALE-We were told we couldn't. Ted Turner said no.
MR. BREWER-Ted Turner is not, any more than I'm the commander of
this Board. They have to be fair to everybody. Fran. and I don't
want to argue with you.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-Timmy. if anybody knows the bullshit that
we've gone through in the last three years in this Town you know.
You've been to ever damn meeting.
MR. BREWER-I know. Don't get mad at me. I'm just trying to find
a solution for you.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-I'm frustrated as hell, and I'm trying to
make a living.
MR. BREWER-I understand that.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay. Let me go and refute the things that Scott
Harlicker.
MR. BREWER-I just want to get something straight. I don't know
how, if I go meet with an applicant. like I did yesterday, and say,
no. you've got to do this. I don't have a right to say that.
because I'm not seven votes. If I had control over seven votes.
then I could say that. but I don't. I have one vote.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Tim, we realize that. Lets get on with the rest of
it, okay.
MR. BREWER-Well, did you try to get a variance? Did you try that
process?
MRS. MARTINDALE-We did with Pat Crayford.
MR. BREWER-Don't look behind you. Look ahead of you.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Well. we went for a variance for some of the
vegetable stuff that you know of. and they denied us.
MR. BREWER-They denied the variance?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Yes. The Zoning Board of Appeals denied us,
saying that we can't bring things from our other farm in Fort Ann,
as far as vegetables.
MR. BREWER-That was a determination that the Planning Board asked
for a couple of years ago. I remember that.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Yes.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-This is the direction that Jimmy Martin told
us to go.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-I went in to Jim Martin and asked him what we
should use for a zone. and he said, CR zone.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
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MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-And we went to the Warren County Planning
Board. and they're wondering why, they used CRt the same thing what
he's saying. CR-15.
MRS. MARTINDALE-But in December Jim Martin asked us to try CR-15.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-I went in and I asked, what zone should we
use? I don't know anything about. We went through the book. and
he said, the best zone for us, for what ~ want, which is a
restaurant. and we want to have maybe a meat and cheese shop, that
type of thing. and that's what he said the zone should be.
MR. BREWER-Lets go through them quickly.
MRS. MARTINDALE-All right. It is my understanding that the land
use is primarily residential because of the zoning restrictions.
I have a summary here of going through all the responses. 30-1-14
wanted it residential and commercial. I don't know where the Town
Planning Department came up with what they came up with. but when
I go through these, I have a whole copy of the 149 Corridor Study
here. 30-1-26.1, 30-1-33. and 36-2-12, residential and commercial
that will illude a quality image. The majority of the responses
here say commercial or residential commercial, but they want to
bring out a good rural atmosphere. which is totally what we want to
reflect. It's nothing contrary to what would be under rural
commercial. as now depicted by the Planning Department, but I have
a whole list here, and there's only three that I can see that
actually say no commercial. and that is basically Jimmy Weller. who
presently has commercial on that road.
MR. BREWER-All right. Lets not talk about anybody else. Lets talk
about what you want to do.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Other uses on this road. in this immediate
vicinity. are auto body repair shop. recreational vehicles,
camping. which is quite intense during the summer. We have mobile
home recreational parks, camp sites. restaurants, architectural and
construction business. plumbing business, gift shop, antique shops,
commercial greenhouse. nurseries. gas stations. These are all
things located right there.
MR. HARLICKER-Within 4Ø0 feet of the property?
MRS. MARTINDALE-On 149.
here.
You've related the 149 Corridor Study
MR. HARLICKER-Yes. but we're talking about the. even the
application says uses within 400 feet. Those uses aren't within
400 feet.
MRS. MARTINDALE-The auto body shop, okay, is further than 400 feet.
All right, then.
MR. HARLICKER-The only real commercial uses was across the street
there. It looks like that used to be an apartment. or a motel.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-It was a floor covering store.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-It was never an apartment. It's apartments
now. but it was never a motel. How could you say it was a motel?
It may look like a motel, but if you.
MR. HARLICKER-I said it appears to be used.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay. The CR-15 zone was suggested by Jim Martin
in December of 1992. This is when this application was first
presented to the Town. The implication that the needs to be met
are for the benefit of the property owners and not for the general
welfare of the community are ridiculous. There is a need to
promote and instruct people on agriculture. Nowhere in the Town of
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Queensbury do we presently have agricultural, as we would promote
it to benefit the community, fresh vegetables, on-site, and within
our properties. which is, by the way. deemed by the highest court
in the United States to promote the general welfare. There is an
educational need that would be met there. Jobs would be provided
to the general public, recreation. tourism, picturesque early
American setting in covered bridges, tax dollars to the community.
That certainly is a benefit to the community.
MR. HARLICKER-The problem is all those are your specific project.
Those are not associated with the CR zone, which is what we're
discussing here. Your particular project would be subject to those
sort of things would come up during site plan review, or a use
variance. not for a rezoning.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Yes. but how
by putting another house in there?
provide busing and road service and
help?
does RR-3A help the community,
All it does is make you have to
everything else. How does that
MR. HARLICKER-That was deemed to be appropriate when the Town did
the rezoning on the Master Plan.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-How is anything going to help the community
if you go in that respect?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-It was, now it's changed.
MRS. MARTINDALE-All right. Let me continue. To buy other land
that are so zoned within the Town would create a financial
hardship. not only on us. but on anybody trying to, that would be
forced to purchase property to do what they wanted to do make a
reasonable living. This land was purchased for the purpose stated.
The view on this property is unequaled throughout the Town. No
other zone on 149 has the view for the project that we want to
commence there, as this area does right here. this one particular
spot. It has the maple trees, everything that is most desirable
and what we need for our project to create the rural, rustic. early
American theme that we have designed for this property.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-And the educational part is people can
actually go out and see maple syrup made and the whole process of
the trees and the lines and the buckets and everything else.
MRS. MARTINDALE-The rural clustered uses as proposed to the Town
would enhance open space and rural character of the area. The
agricultural uses are in character with residential.
MR. BREWER-I don't mean to interrupt you, but how much area would
your proposed project take up?
MRS. MARTINDALE-About three acres in the front.
MR. BREWER-Three acres out of what?
MRS. TARANA-One hundred and three.
MRS. MARTINDALE-It would also be clustered to the front. three or
four acres in the front out of the 37. approximately 40 acres,
clustered all in the front. as you would like in a Highway
Commercial. or Commercial Residential, retaining the back area for
the maple trees and the beauty.
MR. BREWER-Potentially, if you did your three acre thing. whatever
you're going to do, and I know your land's been in your family a
long time, and I understand all that, and I don't mean to be short
with you. but I've heard it all before. You could sell the other,
say 30 acres.
MRS. MARTINDALE-No. It can't be subdivided. It's in the deed.
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MR. BREWER-None of it can be subdivided?
MRS. MARTINDALE-It can't be subdivided, none of it.
acres cannot be divided.
The twenty
MR. BREWER-It says 29.09 on the map. and you're showing 14 acres up
here.
MRS. MARTINDALE-One parcel is 20.02.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-The new survey is 29.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay, and then the other 14 acres would, is on
another deed.
MR. HARLICKER-Can that be subdivided?
MRS. MARTINDALE-Yes.
MR. HARLICKER-Okay.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-I have no need. It wouldn't meet my purpose
at all.
MRS. MARTINDALE-But we bought it for residential purposes. and
that's what we want it.
MR. STARK-Mrs. Martindale, could you please come here and show me
exactly. You're talking. here's your property.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay, where the barn is.
MR. STARK-Okay. I know where the barn is. Here's the barn, where
you sell the fruits and vegetables.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Right. So all the area right here where the barn
is.
MR. STARK-Wait a second. Okay. All of this.
MRS. MARTINDALE-All the front acreage. which according to Scudders,
would be approximately three to four acres of development on the
whole frontage.
MR. STARK-Okay. but now. who's this? That's you. Okay.
MRS. MARTINDALE-This is the other parcel here, which is 14.
MR. STARK-Okay. So where's the restaurant going to be?
MRS. MARTINDALE-The restaurant is going to be right in the front
here.
MR. STARK-Right here. Here's the restaurant?
MRS. MARTINDALE-Right.
MR. STARK-Okay, and this guy has no objection?
MRS. MARTINDALE-No. They're part of our application.
MR. STARK-Okay. So you've got road cuts here now?
MRS. MARTINDALE-We've got three road cuts presently.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-This way, this way. There's a road that we
have in now, and there's this dirt road here that's a way to get in
there.
MRS. MARTINDALE-But we told DOT that we would substitute this one
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here for this one. No, this one here is current, which we got in
1990 or '91 from DOT. We told them that we would not use this road
here. They looked at the site and they said this is better than
this right here, because of the way the land is contoured.
MR. STARK-So you just want an approval for the proper zoning for
this piece. this piece, and this piece?
MRS. MARTINDALE-For just these two here.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-The reason why we put it altogether is
because everyone is going to say this is spot zoning, if we just
went for our parcel nere.
MR. BREWER-But potentially that's what it is, because you're saying
to us these people don't want to be it now?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-No. they do want to be it. because Ernie
Barnell wants to have a little woodworking shop.
MR. BREWER-So then that's what comes back to our main question is
the potential for the development on that land is over a million
square feet of commercial building.
MRS. MARTINDALE-No.
MR. BREWER-Yes, it is. How can it not be?
MR. STARK-Bill had a sled sharpening business there for I don't
know how many years.
MR. BREWER-You have to understand what's allowed in the zone.
George. Bill's not going to live forever.
MR. STARK-No. I'm not talking. Bill's father.
MR. BREWER-Whomever. Do you understand what I'm saying and what
the Staff is saying?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-Timmy, the other two people are looking for
relief, Billy Mellon is trying to get from the three acre zone to
one acre zoning. so that he can give his four kids.
MR. BREWER-He's going to.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-Right. This is being handled. Everything
is being handled except us. We're getting manhandled.
MR. BREWER-I understand that. I'm trying to. but you can't go and
take all these pieces of property and say they want to be all
commercial 15. Ø0Ø square feet. Why don't you try to get a
variance? I don't think you ever really tried to get a variance.
and I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I'm just trying to
give you the best route to go.
MRS. MARTINDALE-I had a card. I had it all filled out. and we were
told it would be denied. Pat Crayford. by everybody in the Zoning
Office.
MR. BREWER-She's not here anymore.
MRS. MARTINDALE-I know. but they said that Mike O'Connor and all of
them would be right there to fight it and that we would not get it.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Do you feel we could show hardship for a
variance? I mean, off the record.
MR. BREWER-I don't think that's the case. You don't have to show
a hardship.
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MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-You don't have to show a hardship for a
variance?
MR. HARLICKER-You have to show an economic hardship for a use
variance.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Yes. you do.
MR. BREWER-I don't think you do. There's five or six criteria you
have to meet. and I don't think that's one of them anymore.
MR. HARLICKER-You have to show you can't get a reasonable use of
the property. and that's been translated to mean an economic, some
reasonable economic return.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-So, if we can't subdivide it, is that. would
you say, if we can't subdivide it, it's in the deed restriction
that that's an economical. for a variance?
MR. BREWER-Yes.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes, but then the argument comes back then, is it
self-created? Did you know that when you got the property?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-When we bought the property. this zone was
not in effect.
MR. BREWER-Okay. So then that's not a problem.
MRS. TARANA-That may be a reason to give a variance. That may be
it.
MR. BREWER-Don't get mad. Try to talk to us and think about it.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-We've done this. We've come to the Planning
Department, when this first went up through. Dave Hatin says. go
through site plan review, and we'll get this all taken care of.
Every time we've gone from a recommendation from the Planning
Department. all we've gotten is referred to another thing.
MR. BREWER-And what's that tell you? Don't go to the Planning
Department. Go fill out an application for a variance. apply for
it, and you get it or you don't get it. Then you don't have to run
around in circles.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-And then we go for a zone change?
MR. BREWER-No. What I'm saying is, if this study goes through. you
can talk to Jim before it's through at the public hearings and say.
why don't you include me in the RUC-1A. That's Rural Commercial.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-But they won't do that.
MR. BREWER-How do you know?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-He won't.
MR. BREWER-He doesn't make the rules.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-He's made the whole study.
MR. HARLICKER-But it's the Town Board that has the ultimate
decision as to what portions of the study are actually adopted.
These were simply recommendations by Staff.
MR. BREWER-This RUC zone, if this thing is approved, and it's not
in stone yet, come here, I'll show you. Your property's here,
okay. RUC ends here. There's several owners. They're all your
neighbors. If they extended that down to this Mobile Home Overlay
zone, there's nothing so obtrusive in here that's going to create
- 23 -
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that much commercialism as the zone you're asking for now. So.if
you ask the Town, say, gee, this zone is right here. a stone's
throw from our land. Why can't you extend that. There's deed
restrictions. We can't subdivide the land. Include us in the RUC.
Don't think everybody's against you. Fran. you've asked all the
wrong people. because Scott can't tell us what we want to do.
anymore than we can tell the Town Board what we want to do. We
make the recommendation.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-You made the recommendation on this Corridor
Study?
MR. BREWER-No. We're making a recommendation on this change of
zone to you. and I can tell you right now that I won't vote for
that zone, not with all those pieces of property in there.
MRS. MARTINDALE-We are willing to exempt those, and they gave us
permission to do so.
MR. BREWER-Then they're going to come back and say that it's spot
zoning.
MRS. MARTINDALE-No, it's not, because if they can do it at Bay Road
and Ridge Road. which is less than 40 acres.
MR. BREWER-It encompasses the arterial and the cross section here
in a big area. to allow for the commercialism.
MRS. MARTINDALE-On forty acres?
Tim.
There's not forty acres there.
MR. BREWER-There's not forty acres right here? I don't know.
MRS. MARTINDALE-There isn't forty acres, and that is spot zoning.
If they apply at all intersections. we are at the intersection of
149 and Martindale Road. It goes right to the barn.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-It comes to 149, not to our barn.
MRS. MARTINDALE-It's the intersection of Martindale Road. That's
where the barn is. Our own property is right across from that.
So. if they were to extend the Rural Commercial at all
intersections. we would be part of it, but they wouldn't listen.
We asked them right at the 149 Corridor Study. They are totally
ignoring everything we ask. This is why we're here for the CR-15.
You can exempt the other people from it.
MR. RUEL-Tim, this recommendation is to who?
MR. BREWER-The Town Board. The Town Board ultimately makes the
decision, not us. They can take our recommendation for what it's
worth. If they want to ignore it, they can ignore it. If they
want to.
MR. RUEL-When do you think this will be in effect?
MR. BREWER-I would say the first part of the year.
got to have some fine tuning, like these things.
people up here want to be in the RUC. Maybe the whole
be RUC. I don't know.
I mean, it's
Maybe the se
thing should
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-That's what we wanted. the whole thing from.
that's what we asked for. to have the whole road Rural Commercial,
and then, because.
MR. BREWER-Not strictly Rural Commercial, RUC is different than RR,
isn't it?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-What's RUC?
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MR. BREWER-RUC is Rural Commercial.
MR. HARLICKER-The Rural Commercial, yes. That was primarily the
expansion of the existing commercial nodes.
MR. BREWER-And that makes. for sure. for buffers?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes. It's one acre lot size. and principally
commercial uses that are consistent with the Rural area.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-Parking in the back of the building.
MR. BREWER-Where does it say there's going to be parking in the
back?
MRS. TARANA-In architectural review. yes. it's all in there.
MR. BREWER-It says parking in the back of the building?
MRS. MARTINDALE-Yes.
MR. BREWER-Why don't you want the parking in the back of the
building?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-Because there isn't room.
MR. BREWER-Three acres isn't room?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-When you put the parking in the back of the
building. you're putting the parking in the scenic part. which
would be the brook, the mountain areas that you're trying to dress
up and make look nice.
MRS. MARTINDALE-And we don't want people falling over or anything
like that.
MRS. TARANA-Well. that's a recommendation in that zone.
doesn't mean that that has to be, but that is recommended.
That
MRS. MARTINDALE-You have to go for a variance.
MR. HARLICKER-You' re putting the court of three miles ahead of
everything else.
MRS. MARTINDALE-No, we're not.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
MRS. MARTINDALE-I can show you where we've been to eight different
meetings and been tested right down to the english language usage
itself.
MR. BREWER-Yes. but what I'm saying is, you have no active plan
right now. I mean. you do, but you don't. No active application
for your restaurant or whatever. You don't have any application
in. so nobody knows. I mean. everybody knows that you want to put
a restaurant. They don't know what it is. They have no idea.
MRS. MARTINDALE-The Town Board has seen it, and the Planning Board
has seen it. two years ago.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Tim. during the Planning Board meeting. Mr.
Cartier says. I want to see a conceptual drawing of this, and I
said, what do we need a conceptual drawing of a restaurant for,
when all we want to do is sell vegetables.
MR. BREWER-I remember it. I was here, but Pete Cartier's not here
anymore. is he?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-I know, but why did we have to go through
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that?
MR. BREWER-I don't know.
everything.
I can't give you an answer for
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-The other thing is, why should we spend more
money just to have somebody sit there and say no? I've got over
$20,000 tied up in this project. and all I've got out of it is. no,
no, no. Go to this agency. Go to this committee. Go to this
Board. Do this. Do this. I have not been able to walk to one
person, find the right direction, here again I'm in front of you.
and now I'm told I'm in the wrong committee. I'm on the wrong
Board. I should be applying for a variance. What am I paying
these tax dollars for for people to be telling me what to do that's
supposed to know what to do in this Town, and they're not.
MR. STARK-Tim. I have something to say. You know. the new Town
Board, not the incoming Town Board, but this Town Board was
supposed to make everything more user friendly. okay. The guy's
jumping through hoops for the last two, three years. What's the
matter. she's willing to exempt everybody else except her pieces of
property, okay. They can't be subdivided. So you don't have to
worry about 50 houses in the back of all these acres and all this
stuff, you know. She's willing to stipulate that. We can
stipulate that in a motion of the recommendation that it's just for
this piece of property and this piece of property. She has on file
the right to speak for these other people. They could care less.
What's the matter with making a recommendation for that? Then it
goes back to the Town Board, and they can do with it what they
want. What's the matter with that?
MRS. MARTINDALE-That's all we ask is for you to please listen to us
and work with us, and give us a chance to do something for this
Town, that you'd be very proud of.
MR. STARK-I'd like to comment, too. Tim. it seems that the needs to
be met are for the benefit of the property owners. You bet ya.
That's why they're property owners. You know. Scott, I don't think
that was very appropriate, and not for the general welfare. They
don't care about the general welfare of the community. They're
trying to run a business, the same as I'm trying to run a
business.
MR. HARLICKER-Well. rezoning should reflect the general welfare of
the community. and not just the benefit of the property owners, and
the general welfare of the community has been, not by myself, but
generally corresponds with going along with the Town Comprehensive
Plan, or a municipalities comprehensive plan.
MR. STARK-Tim, if you've got a chance to help somebody in the
community. I think you, you know. we're not breaking any laws or
anything else.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-And it's tough enough to try to start a
business in this day and age. and even risk going into business in
this day and age.
MR. BREWER-I understand that, Robert. and I'm not trying to prevent
you from doing that. I really am not.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-I know where you're coming from.
MR. BREWER-But if you're agent for all these people. and I know, as
I sit here tonight, people are going to give you a hard time.
They're going to say it's spot zoning.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-Good.
time.
Let them sue us and give us a hard
MR. BREWER-I'm not saying they have to sue you, Fran.
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MR. STARK-Who's going to say something?
MR. BREWER-Well, whether anybody says anything or not. in my
opinion. it is spot zoning. That's my opinion. Maybe you might
not like it. I'm sorry. but, and I'm not trying to prevent you
from doing anything. I think you have a wonderful plan, but I
think, in my opinion, the process should be. you should get a
variance. Tell them it's a hardship because of the reason you
can't subdivide it. No other acti vi ty can go on there but the
restaurant. There could be stipulations made to that. I just
think, in my opinion, it went around the wrong way. I don't think
all those properties should be zoned that.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Okay. So we're just asking you to exempt them and
recommend it for us. We would be wi II ing to stipulate that the
area in front. the first 500 feet from the road or whatever.
whatever it is that we need, according to the architects, they know
how it has to be done to put the project together, and leave it to
their discretion. They had told me, verbally, that's three or four
acres. and out of the total acreage in question, that's certainly
not unreasonable. It's just the road frontage. We want the back
to remain rural. animals, everything. We need it.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-We were thinking about having sleigh rides
through the sugar bush. I mean we're not going to wipe it all out
and put houses in there to have that.
MRS. MARTINDALE-And picnic table for people to sit out there and
have fun eating lunches and watching the animals.
MR. BREWER-Hypothetically. what if the guy down the street from,you
wants to come in and put a junk yard in there. and wants it zoned
Highway Commercial?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-It's his property.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-It's his property. He can do what he wants.
MR. BREWER-You think he should be able to do that? In the middle
of a rural residential zone you think a guy should have the right
to put a junk yard in there? I don't.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Timmy. we're not asking for that.
MR. BREWER-I know you're not, but suppose somebody does, is what
I'm saying.
MRS. MARTINDALE-They won't if you exempt them from it, and just
give us ours.
MR. BREWER-Just give you yours and give nobody else the right to
put a junk yard or anything else?
MRS. MARTINDALE-No, no. The ones on the application. They've been
taken care of. the Board. the rezoning.
MRS. TARANA-It hasn't been passed yet. the new rezoning.
MR. BREWER-I know it hasn't.
get a variance.
That's why I'm saying he should go
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-I have one more question. Scott, you're
saying with 400 feet. all this depends on 40Ø feet from our
property, what it does. or what were you saying that for? When we
were saying. well, there's other commercial businesses around you
said, within 4Ø0 feet?
MR. HARLICKER-I was just, the
deemed adjacent nearby areas.
application asks. that's what is
That's what they're looking for.
- 27 -
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MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-But they're looking at 400 feet? They don't
care if it's 600 feet?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes. or a mile down the road at Bay or whatever.
They had to set a cut off. I didn't do up the application. They
had to set a cut off point somewhere. It was done at 400 feet.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-And your study said about these accidents.
Can you read that again. please.
MR. HARLICKER-That was the third highest.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Okay. From where to where?
MR. HARLICKER-From your property up to OxBow Hill, documented from
DOT.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-DOT?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Okay. I'd like a copy of that.
MR. HARLICKER-Okay.
MR. RUEL-But can't a recommendation be that we just want to take
the package and give it to the Town Board. and let them look at it?
MR. BREWER-Yes.
MR. STARK-Why don't we make a recommendation for approval. with the
except that. with the stipulation that these two parcels are going
to be zoned such and such.
MR. RUEL-Well. you can put some conditions in it. but it seems to
me that we can just recommend to the Town Board. let them take the
action, and they have the option to say, well. you should get a
variance, if they want to.
MR. STARK-Is the Town Board aware of the fact that Ted Turner told
you. forget about coming in for a variance. you're not going to get
one? Did you go in front of the Town Board, the whole Town Board.
and say?
MRS. MARTINDALE-I mentioned it in several meetings with the Town.
MR. STARK-And what did they say about that?
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-We don't want to get into it. because that's
not our decision at this point.
MRS. MARTINDALE-I have openly stated that there's been too much
poli tical behind the scenes actions of certain people, that we
would like the Town Board to take. the present Town Board. to take
action right now. to rezone it, rather than wait. This is what
we've been back and forth for the past two years.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-What has happened, in January of '92. we came
to the Town Board for a rezoning, and they said. well. we're going
to have a Corridor Study. So we'll put you off for three months.
They asked. can you get this done in three months. and they gave
them a time limit, three months. We II, it's been eight, nine
months now and it still hasn't been done yet. So we're saying, we
can't wait any longer here. We've given them a reasonable amount
of time, triple the amount of time of what they were allowed to
begin with. How long is it going to take to get this done?
There's nobody saying that January 1st, this is going to be done.
MR. STARK-What's the harm in making the recommendation to the Town
Board? Then it falls on the Town Board's shoulders.
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MR. RUEL-That's what I said.
MR. BREWER-It's going to fall on their shoulders anyway.
MR. RUEL-Scott, I've got a question. Was all of this known when
the Corridor Study was being made? Was it taken into
consideration?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes, it was looked at.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Why was this Corridor Study started? Wasn't
one of the main reasons why was because we had a workshop. and Jim
Martin was there. and he said. well. we're thinking about doing a
Corridor Study, and we're the ones that kind of implemented this to
get going. You weren't around here at this time, and that was one
of the reasons why, because the Corridor Study really got into full
phase. is because we wanted to rezone this, and plus we went into
a workshop to begin with, and it seems like. on our application. if
you look at our application. everybody on our application, this
Corridor Study. is served what they want. except us.
MR. RUEL-Well. apparently they took into consideration your
requirements during the study. They must have, and if they did
nothing. it's obvious that they didn't want to grant that.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-But there's only three people in the area
that are against this. and we had a petition for selling our
vegetables and everything else that we presented to the Board, over
two hundred people in the neighboring area. This isn't people from
South Glens Falls, that are for it.
MR. RUEL-I've only been on the Board for a year. So apparently a
lot of this transpired before I came here. So I'm trying to
evaluate it on the basis of the Corridor Study and what you're
saying.
MRS. MARTINDALE-According to the Corridor Study, if you were to
take into consideration the things I was reading to you, out of the
49 people that responded. like approximately three people responded
no commercialism. They wanted it retained residential on the road.
MR. HARLICKER-And we are expanding the commercial zones, just not
your particular piece of property. You're not getting what you
wanted, and now it sounds like it's sour grapes. and I'm sorry.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Scott. you don't even reside in the Town, and
you're using our tax dollars to make a living to benefit yourself.
You refuse to buy land in the Town claiming it's too expensive. We
own land and we're paying those expensive taxes. and you shouldn't
even be making the laws.
MR. HARLICKER-I'm not making laws.
,
i
¡,
MRS. MARTINDALE-You shouldn't even be recommending anything.
MR. BREWER-All right. Lets not get personalities involved. please.
MR. HARLICKER-The Staff took an objective look at the corridor.
MR. STARK-I'd like to make a motion that we recommend it to the
Town Board with the stipulation that. blah. blah, blah.
MR. RUEL-This can go on all night.
MR. STARK-Either you do it or you don't. I'm all for it.
MR. RUEL-Well, I'm in favor of it. but based on some of the
conditions that you mentioned a moment ago.
MR. STARK-Well, you know, they're just going to put a restaurant in
- 29 -
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'/
and forget everybody else.
MR. RUEL-Yes. certain limitations.
MR. STARK-The land can't be subdivided.
that.
So that takes care of
MR. BREWER-I think what you're saying. George. is fine. but
suppose. and I'm not saying it'll ever happen. suppose they don't
end up putting a restaurant there? Suppose they put some of the
other I isted use s in there? You have to consider that. in all
fairness to the people that live next door. George.
MR. STARK-I don't know Mr. and Mrs. Martindale. You know Mr. and
Mrs. Martindale.
MR. BREWER-And I think they're honest people.
MR. STARK-Okay. They're telling you something. You know. if she
told me, I'm going to put a restaurant there. maybe she would and
maybe she wouldn't. because I don't know Mrs. Martindale.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-We went to the expense of doing this, to put
a restaurant in.
MR. BREWER-I understand that. and I'm not saying you're going to
change your mind.
MRS. MARTINDALE-There's $7,000 in that one, alone.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-There's $7,000 sitting right here on the
table that never should have been done.
MR. STARK-You know, if they're telling you they're going to do
something. you know the people. I believe them. Have they ever
given you a reason not to believe them?
MR. BREWER-No.
MR. STARK-I go by you.
MRS. MARTINDALE-A man's word is his honor.
MR. BREWER-I understand that.
MR. STARK-They're not going to put a car lot there. or something.
MR. BREWER-It doesn't matter what we decide, right here tonight. it
does not matter what we decide.
MRS. TARANA-Remember what other people have told you. You've got
to look at the big picture of what you're approving. and forget the
personali ties, forget the proj ect that may come down the line.
That's not what we're being asked to act upon. We're asked to act
upon this rezoning for all of these properties.
MR. STARK-Well, she's willing to stipulate.
MR. BREWER-She's willing to stipulate that the other properties
will not be involved, and I just don't think that this Board should
recommend. in my opinion. and it's nothing to do with anyone of
you people. I like you all. but I think. in my opinion. that's
spot zoning. I'm sorry. I mean. that's just a fact of life.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Wouldn't that be up to a court to decide? In other
issues, Tim.
MR. BREWER-I'm not going to recommend to do that. From what I've
read, and what I've heard on this Board for the last two and a half
years. that. to me. from what I've been explained by attorneys. by
- 30 -
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other Board members, by Planning Staff. by going to seminars. that
is spot zoning.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-But would a variance be spot zoning. Tim?
MRS. MARTINDALE-Mike O'Connor.
MR. BREWER-I'm not talking about Mike O'Connor.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Just listen one minute.
MR. BREWER-I've been fighting with Mike O'Connor for two years now.
I don't care what he says anymore. I never did.
MRS. MARTINDALE-At our Planning Board meetings. when Mike O'Connor
was there, he openly stated to my brother that we should seek a
zoning change. He was on the opposite side, against us. and he
said that we should seek a zoning change. and this is one reason
why we applied for a zoning change. is listening to him. Also. in
previous Planning Board meetings, when we've attended. and one was
Wal-Mart. There was a medical petitioner there. and he claimed
that you should not grant the Wal-Mart to go through because he
personally had a business there. and he had a lease. and you said
the legalities of it do not pertain to this Board. and this is one
thing I'm saying to you.
MR. BREWER-Of that lease.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Of that lease. yes. but the legality. that's a
legal question. The legal question of whether this is spot zoning
should not concern this Board. That is something that the Town
Board and the Town Attorney should discuss.
MR. BREWER-They're asking us for a recommendation on changing this
zone. and if I think. and I really don't want to argue with you.
I really don't.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Would a variance be spot zoning, though?
MR. BREWER-A variance is exactly what it says. It's varying from
the zone. or the setbacks. or whatever you're varying from. You
see, if the variance says you can put this here, on this piece of
paper. and you want to put it here. you get a variance. and you
vary from the law. saying that you can't put it anywhere but there.
That's what I'm saying to you. and I think that's more appropriate.
MRS. MARTINDALE-George. did you make a motion. or a recommendation?
MR. STARK-What does the vote have to be, on this Board, right now,
tonight? Three to one would pass it?
MR. BREWER-No. Four to nothing.
recommendation. It doesn't mean
anybody else is going to vote.
and it's not a vote. It's a
anything. I don't know what
MR. STARK-Well, you just said you were against it. but how are we
helping the people of this Town?
MR. BREWER-I think what should have been done is when they went to
file this application they should have been told to go get a
variance. That's my opinion. Whether they were or they weren't,
that is my opinion. I think they unjustly directed these people to
us to get a change of zone.
MR. STARK-Well. the Town Board has seen fit to send it to us.
MR. BREWER-The Town Board doesn't send it to us, George.
MR. STARK-No. They sent it to us. They did.
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MRS. MARTINDALE-They made a resolution to send it to you.
MR. STARK-Look at the Town Board's resolution in here.
Board made a resolution to send it to us.
The Town
MRS. TARANA-They do that every time there's a zone change. though,
they do that.
MR. BREWER-But when they go in to make the application, the people
helping them make the application out should have told them. I
think you should get a variance. That's. again. my opinion doesn't
mean anything, and I don't want to create anybody a hard time. I
just th~nk tnat this is the wrong way to do it. Where does it say
that. George?
MR. STARK-Right here. Resolution authorizing the Town Clerk to
submit petition for change of zone. blah. blah. blah. to the Town
of Queensbury Planning Board.
MR. BREWER-Any time anybody comes in for a change of zone, they
have to give them that. They have to do that.
MR. STARK-But the Town Board voted on it.
MR. BREWER-To send it to us. because somebody applied for that.
Anybody. I can go apply for the zone change myself tomorrow. and
they have to let me.
MRS. MARTINDALE-No. If the Town Board chooses not to let it go
forward. it's dead, right there.
MR. BREWER-I think anybody can apply for anything.
have a right to apply.
You have to
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-If the Town Board would have said no. not to
send it to you. then we wouldn't be before you.
MR. BREWER-Maybe the Town Board did you an unjust service.
MRS. MARTINDALE-No, they didn't.
MR. BREWER-I'm
anybody else.
just speaking for myse If. I'm not speaking
I think you should get a variance. Fran.
for
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-You aren't going to get it.
MR. BREWER-How do you say. you know. if you think you're not going
to get it. you're never going to get it. You've got a hardship.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Tim. we've wasted so much time in the past three
years. They won't listen to that.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Who does anybody. if I was just starting,
brand new, I would say. I would go to the Planning Department. and
ask. what should I do? I know nothing about anything. Why should
I have to spend money on a lawyer to tell me what I have to do and
we're paying tax dollars to a Planning Department to tell us what
to do.
MR. BREWER-You shouldn't. I'm not saying you should have to spend
money on a lawyer. I'm saying you should get a variance.
MRS. MARTINDALE-That's not what they told us. That's not what Jim
Martin told us.
MRS. TARANA-I thought he didn't advise you at all on this project?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Yes. He did.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Jim Martin advised us, in December of 1992. when we
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filled this out.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-I talked to Jim to see. what zone do I need
to get into here. to get what we want, and that's what he said.
MRS. MARTINDALE-There was no 149 Corridor Study at that point.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-There was no 149 Corridor Study when we first
started out.
MR. BREWER-As I remember. you came in to us about the vegetables
and whatnot at the barn.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Right, and then we had a workshop.
MR. BREWER-And I remember it. and somebody asked you about. well,
what are you going to do with that property. and it ended up you
bringing us the plans of what you want to do. and I think it's a
wonderful plan. but I think the procedure to go. in my opinion, is
to get a variance.
MR. FRANCIS MARTINDALE-But the procedure we were told to do. after
all those meetings.
MR. STARK-They're doing what they were told to do.
MR. BREWER-All right. Can't I have a right to my opinion?
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Yes. You've got a right to your opinion.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-But I just want to finish this one before
starting another one, because we never finished with the Planning
Board.
MR. BREWER-Okay. No matter if we say no tonight. it still goes on
to the Town Board. and they make the ultimate decision.
MR. STARK-Okay. I'll make a motion.
MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE TOWN BOARD TO APPROVE PETITION FOR A
ZONE CHANGE NO. 8-93 ROBERT & CAROLYN MARTINDALE. Introduced by
George Stark who moved for its adoption. seconded by Roger Ruel:
With the stipulation being only Mr. and Mrs. Francis Martindale's
property. two pieces of property. be changed to CR-15. not
everybody else's.
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November. 1993, by the following
vote:
MRS. TARANA-I'm voting no, and I just want to point out that I
don't believe to go for a zoning change. I don't believe it meets
any of the criteria that are required to get a zoning change, and
I agree with Tim. that they probably should have been directed to
a Zoning Variance.
AYES: Mr. Stark. Mr. Ruel
NOES: Mrs. Tarana. Mr. Brewer
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver, Mr. MacEwan, Mr. LaPoint
MR. BREWER-I'm sorry. I truly am sorry, but.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-It's your opinion. Everyone in this world is
entitled to their opinion. That's what we wanted.
MRS. TARANA-I think that you've got to understand that we have to
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make the zone change according to criteria. None of them are here.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-If this doesn't go through. then we'll go for
a variance. I guess. That's the next step.
MRS. MARTINDALE-Thank you very much.
MRS. TARANA-I don't understand Jim being part of this project, and
being dropped out. in and out.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Well, he's not in because he lives on 149,
and he doesn't want to get in the Corridor Study because it could
be the ethics. and.
MRS. TARANA-But he shouldn't be advising you at all.
MR. BREWER-That's right. He shouldn't tell you what to do. then.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Yes. but see he advised us before this
Corridor Study started, because this actually went through before
the Corridor Study was even initiated.
MRS. TARANA-He's still got a conflict of interest.
MRS. MARTINDALE-So doesn't Betty Monahan.
MRS. TARANA-That could be.
MR. ROBERT MARTINDALE-Betty Monahan owns property down there. and
she's working on it.
(Discussion on Al Cerrone's project)
MIKE O'CONNOR
MR. 0' CONNOR-AI Cerrone is, by contract. taking over Potvin's,
Clendon Brook. We've met here a couple of times. One time when we
were talking about density. We were talking about layout. and you
sent us to the Zoning Board of Appeals. We got a variance so that
we would have 16 lots there. We made an agreement with the
neighbors. We then came back and got concept approval, and what
we're asking for tonight is simply permission to clear the road. to
begin clearing the road. Tomorrow. we have a map here for
preliminary approval. Everything will be filed for preliminary
approval and it will be on your agenda for preliminary approval in
December.
MR. RUEL-And dedication of land. in lieu of recreation fees?
MRS. TARANA-I'm lost.
MR. STARK-Just draw us. what you want to do. I'm lost, too.
MR. O'CONNOR-Okay.
fits into this.
Right here is this piece right here, and it
MR. STARK-Okay. This was the piece that went on the corner. they
were going to put a road.
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. It's this piece right here.
MR. STARK-Okay. Yes, because Timmy and I went out there. You want
to come in here?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. Come in this way and come around the loop and
come back out. It's a little different than most subdivisions.
even before Preliminary approval. because the road is dictated by
what's there.
MR. STARK-These houses are there?
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MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. they are.
MR. STARK-Okay. Timmy and I walked back in through here.
MR. RUEL-But these houses aren't here.
MR. STARK-Yes. They're all here. Here's the new development right
here.
MR. RUEL-Is that it there?
MR. STARK-Yes, way up here. Okay.
MR. RUEL-Is this road in?
MR. STARK-No. That's what he wants to do. He wants to cut a road
here.
MR. O'CONNOR-I want to begin clearing the road.
MR. RUEL-Just clear it?
MR. O'CONNOR-Clear the road. and we're going to come through with
the regular Preliminary. regular approvals.
MRS. TARANA-And when are you coming?
MR. 0' CONNOR-This December.
tomorrow.
This month.
This will be filed
MRS. TARANA-And when are you going to do this?
MR. O'CONNOR-We'd like to start next week. as soon as it's staked
out. It's in the process of being staked out by Van Dusen and
Steves.
MR. STARK-Okay. and you're going to have a buffer between the road
and this guy here?
MR. O'CONNOR-No. That's this side line. That's his side line.
MR. RUEL-Where's the Brook?
MR. O'CONNOR-Clendon Brook? Way over here. This is Clendon Brook
right here. and we're over in this piece here. I've given you the
map for the second letter that I've gotten. and that's just to get
it on record. When we went to the Zoning Board. they told us to
offer this parcel over here in lieu of recreation fees. So we want
to get that process started. You approved the concept.
MR. STARK-Yes. I know that. What's the problem? You can't clear
cut?
MR. O'CONNOR-In the Subdivision Regulations. if you clear cut a
parcel. you cannot subdivide it for five years.
MR. STARK-You're not going to clear cut this?
MR. O'CONNOR-No. Well. if we do the road. that's considered clear
cutting.
MR. RUEL-It is?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes.
MR. STARK-Who said that?
MR. O'CONNOR-If you look at the interpretation of clear cut, that's
what I think it is.
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MRS. TARANA-Wait a minute. I'm really confused. You got approval
for this subdivision with no road?
MR. STARK-No. with the road. These plans came through.
MRS. TARANA-We voted for sketch.
road showing.
You've gotten sketch, with no
MR. O'CONNOR-No, with the road showing.
MR. STARK-With the road showing. We've seen these plans.
MR. O'CONNOR-And, in fact. we got a waiver from this Board for this
radius as part of the concept approval.
MR. STARK-Remember we were talking about. the road's going to end
here, instead of here. and all this stuff?
MRS. TARANA-Right, but you can't do this road until you get
Preliminary approval?
MR. O'CONNOR-We can't clear the road until we have. if you read the
Ordinance, we can't clear the road until you have final approval,
the Subdivision Ordinance.
MR. RUEL-Tree cutting. 183-30?
MR. O'CONNOR-A182-2.
MR. RUEL-182?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes.
MR. STARK-I don't see how. if you clear out some trees for a road.
they consider that, you can't subdivide that.
MR. BREWER-What do you mean?
subdivide it.
If you cut trees. you can't, you
MR. STARK-That's considered clear cutting, and you can't subdivide
the property.
MR. BREWER-He's not going to clear cut it.
MR. STARK-Well. that's what I said. He's going to clear off the
road, but he said it's clear cutting.
MR. BREWER-Clear cutting is clear cutting.
MRS. TARANA-Putting a road through.
MR. BREWER-Is not clear cutting.
MR. O'CONNOR-The Subdivision Regulations use the definitions out of
the Zoning Ordinance. The Zoning Ordinance says. if you take all
the trees off the parcel. it's clear cutting.
MRS. TARANA-But you're not taking all the trees off.
MR. O'CONNOR-I asked Jim. Jim said it would be better to come to
you. so that we don't have a problem when we come in.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes. Jim asked me to express his concern about this.
He believes that it probably shouldn't go through. There's
variables that are involved.
MR. BREWER-Clear cutting. the definition is. the cutting of more
than 50 percent of any trees over six inch in diameter. four and
five tenths feet above the ground level. over the entire area of
the cutting.
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MR. O'CONNOR-Of the cutting. So if we clear cut the road.
MR. RUEL-And you have trees that size. and you have more than 50
percent.
MR. BREWER-So if you cut 10 square foot, that's clear cutting?
MR. O'CONNOR-Of that piece. It should not be of the cutting. It
should be of the parcel.
MR. HARLICKER-Of the parcel, yes.
MR. O'CONNOR-And that was an interpretation Schermerhorn got from
somebody when he clear cut, or almost clear cut. over next to the
Northway behind where the Glens Falls City Dump is. He's got a
Light Industrial parcel in there. off Luzerne Road, and they took
off 80 percent of the trees and were told that was permissible.
MR. RUEL-Excuse me. Would you consider this opening up the clear
cutting as used for inspection? Well, the reason I mention that is
it says. except. all right. The exception is for vegetation
removed in connection with required surveying, engineering tests.
and inspections. Clear cutting for inspections is okay, according
to this.
MR. O'CONNOR-Okay. There's another provision in here. though.
Roger. that says you can waive these rules and regulations to the
Subdi vision thing if it's not going to effect the health and
welfare of the Town. okay. and I'd rather have you do it, and then
not have a problem at the end of the month.
MR. RUEL-Did you know about this. Scott?
MR. HARLICKER-I found out about it today.
MR. O'CONNOR-Jim told us to come last week.
MR. HARLICKER-Okay. He just asked me to say that, in his belief it
kind of sets a bad precedent.
MR. BREWER-Now. let me ask you this. if you cut them. that's what
you're going to have is 14 lots. not 16, not 20? You're going to
have the 14 lots?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. This is what we agreed upon with the neighbors.
and you're going to get this exactly done tomorrow. The only thing
they're going to do. when I looked at it today. I tried to get a
set to bring to you today. This thing here should. this line's got
to slide this way a little bit so that it's a full acre. It's
43,256 square feet, and I think it's got to be 43,480 square feet.
So. I've got to slide it this way. We've got a variance for one
through thirteen. with this configuration, with the widths and
everything else. We did not get a variance on these. and this was
just drawn in wrong. So he's going to change that tomorrow
morning.
MR. BREWER-Why would you need a variance, if you're just going to
adjust?
MR. O'CONNOR-Because it's less than an acre. It's one acre zoning.
MR. BREWER-Yes. but if you adjust this line so it is an acre.
MR. O'CONNOR-We won't.
MR. BREWER-You don't want to adjust it?
MR. O'CONNOR-I am going to adjust it. so I don't need a variance.
MR. BREWER-Right.
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MR. STARK-And this already is an acre. and an acre. and he's got
the variance.
MR. O'CONNOR-It's unique in the sense that we can't really build
the road some place else. and that's why I don't think we're really
setting a bad precedent. There's no other way of building that
road in there, and if you had a question in your mind. and if at a
Preliminary approval you're going to change your road or change the
configuration of the road. I could see where you might not want us
to clear cut. because what we clear cut then might become part of
the lot.
MRS. TARANA-The only risk I see. and it's more a philosophical one.
is to be allowing the project to go ahead. only at sketch plan. is
a little bothersome to me. because we could have applicants coming
in and wanting to do something before they've even gotten
preliminary, and they shouldn't be doing anything until they've
gotten final. I mean. that's the bottom line.
MR. O'CONNOR-Except that we've been here three times already.
MRS. TARANA-I know. but you've only got sketch.
MR. O'CONNOR-Okay. but I mean. this thing has been planned three
different ways. with this being the final plan. There aren't
alternatives. if you're going to suggest an alternative to us,
that's. we're willing to stipulate this is what we're doing. We're
stipulating, we're coming in tomorrow with a full set of plans for
preliminary approval.
MRS. TARANA-What if somebody else comes and tells us this plan is
no good? I mean, I'm just concerned that it's only at sketch.
MR. 0' CONNOR-They've already looked at it at the ZBA. and they
looked at it before it went to concept.
MRS. TARANA-I mean.
preliminary and final?
way it will be.
if that were the case. why even have
Because you're saying this is exactly the
MR. 0' CONNOR-When I come in on the corner property across the
street. okay. there are 15 different configurations. There are 15
different road cuts that could be made. and that is a little bit
more meaningful than this thing here. where you've got a tail end
of something that somebody else already.
MRS. TARANA-Yes. but I don't know that there can't be 15 here.
MR. O'CONNOR-Well. let me show you.
MRS. TARANA-Well. what I'm saying is. what if a planner. somebody
else. says, there are other options there? I don't know that there
aren't other options there.
MR. O'CONNOR-I don't think there are.
MRS. TARANA-I don't know. I just worry about doing this at sketch.
MR. O'CONNOR-We will not get final approval on this until probably
January. if everything falls. if we get the right timing on the
meetings and notices and all that stuff. So we wouldn't be into
this until some time in late January, as opposed to now. It's just
an ideal time to do it.
MRS. TARANA-But how long ago did the sketch get approved?
MR. BREWER-It was under different ownership then.
MR. O'CONNOR-It was in July that we got the sketch approval. and
since that time. we've negotiated with a couple of different
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builders. and I've asked both prior people and present people. We
were. in fact, doing business with another builder before Mr.
Cerrone signed a contract. put $5.000 down. and gave everybody the
go, and that was done. if you want. just as a reference. that was
done wi thin the last 10 days. I'm sorry. It was done November
9th.
MR. STARK-Suppose we stipulate that this road has to be kept here
for any development?
MRS. TARANA-Well, once it's put there, it would have to be kept
there. There's no changing it anyway, once it's there.
MR. O'CONNOR-We have no problem with that stipulation, if you want
to make it. Most front yards are clear cut anyway to some degree.
So even if you shift the road a foot one way or the other. you're
not going to prejudice somebody.
MR. BREWER-What do you feel about it, Scott? Did Staff look at it?
MR. HARLICKER-In this particular situation. there's not a whole lot
of different ways the road's going to be configured. It might be
off a little bit. and then you would have the clear cutting on
somebody's property. but I'm like Corinne. it's just. it seems a
bit premature to let somebody cutting in for a road cut prior to
even preliminary approval. This particular case. maybe not so bad.
It's a philosophical. somebody comes in on a different situation,
and they point to this and say. well. you let him do it here.
MR. O'CONNOR-I don't think you have a precedent problem. If you
take a look at the actual waiver section. and you talk about
requirement. you have to determine whether it's a requirement
required in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare.
Should we wait in the interest of one of those items. I don't see
any purpose in waiting. because we're trying to come at this in a
business like manner.
MR. HARLICKER-But then you're tying yourself into a plan that you
might not. in the future. turn out to be the best for the piece of
property.
MRS. TARANA-Well. that was my question.
MR. O'CONNOR-We've been here three times. Two Boards have told us
that this is the best for the property. Now. if they tell us it's
not the best for the property. then I'm going to be upset wi th
them.
MRS. TARANA-But it's at preliminary where they could change it if
they wanted to. could change it.
MR. O'CONNOR-You. this Board. as the Board.
MRS. TARANA-Right.
MR. O'CONNOR-Are you going to change it?
MRS. TARANA-I don't know. I can't speak for anyone else.
MR. O'CONNOR-Why did you give us concept approval?
MRS. TARANA-Getting concept approval is not final approval.
MR. O'CONNOR-I know. but you should be able to rely upon it.
MRS. TARANA-You can rely upon it through the sketch process. to get
to preliminary. I mean. putting the road in would seem to me like
a final.
MR. O'CONNOR-We've gone out and gotten the roads engineered. We've
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got the contours on the roads.
MR. RUEL-Aren't you here just for one request?
MR. BREWER-Yes. How did we give you a waiver at sketch?
MR. O'CONNOR-We asked for it. Because I knew that the
configuration of the roads was tight, and it was going to have to
be fixed early on. You, in fact. set that road when you gave us
that waiver. because we can't make that turn into three hundred
degree radius. If you remember right at sketch, the only issue you
had was whether or not we had shown this road to be 40 feet, and
your approval says it should be 60 feet.
MR. BREWER-Yes. I remember that.
MR. O'CONNOR-And that was what the issue was. That was the only
issue. I've been trying to do this thing since the early part of
the year. by get this guy here to give us a road through him to get
back to Luzerne Road. and never was able to.
MR. BREWER-Yes. because we wanted to have him at least 60 foot to
get to his lot. didn't we. for a driveway or something?
MR. O'CONNOR-You just weren't comfortable with 40 feet.
MR. RUEL-Aren' t we supposed to just discuss the clear cutting
tonight? I mean, you're getting into other things?
MR. BREWER-No. We're just talking about what was previously talked
about. How long is that total length?
MR. O'CONNOR-Sixteen hundred and fifty feet.
MR. BREWER-What time would the trucks be pulling in and out of
there to get rid of the trees?
MR. O'CONNOR-Usually by eight o'clock in the morning they'll start?
MR. BREWER-Start cutting you mean?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes.
MR. BREWER-Because I wouldn't want to see trucks come out of there
at eight o'clock in the morning when everybody's going to work. or
at five o'clock at night when everybody's coming home.
AL CERRONE
MR. CERRONE-No. They won't start until that time. and three
thirty. four 0' clock it starts getting dark anyway. It's just
conducive to do it now because the leaves are off the trees. It's
a lot easier.
MR. STARK-I don't have any problem with that. because they're not
going to change this next month. He'd submit the same plan, except
with this line going this way five feet or something. a couple of
feet.
MR. BREWER-I wouldn't have any problem if it was stipulated that
you don't do any cutting any earlier than eight o'clock. and you
wouldn't be coming out of there with trucks when people are coming
home from work.
MR. CERRONE-That's no problem.
MR. BREWER-I mean, that would be the only consideration for the
people that live there. '
MR. O'CONNOR-Truck traffic limited from 8 a.m. until 3:30.
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MR. RUEL-Four.
MR. STARK-Where do these trucks go?
MR. CERRONE-They're going to, grinding of the stumps and
everything. and we're hauling it out of there. to McLaughlin's.
MR. O'CONNOR-McLaughlin's Landfill.
MR. BREWER-You don't have any intention of paving at all? You
can't anyway because the plant's closed. Just cut the trees. How
do you feel. Roger?
MR. RUEL-We're talking about clear cutting?
MR. BREWER-We're talking about cutting a 50 foot path.
cutting. to me. I think that definition is wrong.
Clear
MR. RUEL-The roadway. the proposed roadway. Yes.
MR. BREWER-It's all surveyed and everything?
MR. O'CONNOR-It will be.
MR. BREWER-And we can get verification before you cut a tree?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. We don't want to cut more than we have to cut.
Particularly the lots along the back. we want to keep as many trees
as we can because you're backing on Birch Road.
MR. BREWER-Did Queensbury Forest cut the road there. before they
got final, in Phase III?
MR. HARLICKER-I don't know.
MR. BREWER-I think they did.
MR. RUEL-How wide's the road?
MR. O'CONNOR-Fifty feet.
MR. BREWER-Not the paved part of the road. It's going to be.
MR. O'CONNOR-No. You have to clear the whole. by Town specs. you
have to clear the whole 50 feet.
MR. RUEL-Yes. even if the road was only 30.
MR. O'CONNOR-I think the road is 28 feet, 24 foot with a two foot
shoulder.
MR. RUEL-The right-of-way. Town property.
MR. O'CONNOR-No. it's 50 feet for the Town property, but we put in
a 28 feet wide pavement.
MR. RUEL-You're going to take stumps out and everything?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes.
MR. RUEL-Level it out?
MR. CERRONE-Yes, somewhat graded.
MR. RUEL-So you can drive through it. Yes.
MR. BREWER-Did you think about preparing any comments at all about
it. Scott, or not?
MR. HARLICKER-On this?
I really didn't find out about it until
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just recently. Jim had just asked me to express his concern that
he's not really for it. but it's up to you to decide.
MR. BREWER-He called me and asked me if they could come in and talk
to us. and I said sure. under items of other business.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes.
MR. RUEL-It's a request for waiver. right?
MR. BREWER-Does it have to be a formal application for the waiver.
or not?
MR. O'CONNOR-Some place in the Subdivision Reg's it says you have
to apply in writing for.
MR. BREWER-Did you do that?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. It's right there. That's the letter.
MR. BREWER-This is the letter. When's that dated? November 23rd.
Today. Okay. So. answer my question. Roger. what do you think?
MR. RUEL-Yes.
MR. STARK-Fine.
MRS. TARANA-I really have a number of problems with it. One is
getting something on the day of the meeting. I'm very
uncomfortable with that. with that kind of a procedure. and I'm
also very uncomfortable with granting permission for a waiver at
sketch.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. STARK-What would happen if you didn't get it? Then you'd have
to wait until final. and you'd start in January. when all the
snow's.
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes.
MRS. TARANA-But there's not going to be any building taking place
now anyway. Is there?
MR. STARK-Well. he's not asking for building lots.
asking to clear cut a road.
He's just
MRS. TARANA-Then why does the road have to go in there?
MR. STARK-It's available now. He can do it.
final approval. he can start in on the lots.
Then when he gets
MR. CERRONE-If you own a piece of property. and you're not going
into the subdivision situation. and you went out in the back and
just cut a few trees down, you wouldn't need permission.
MR. O'CONNOR-My reading is that. I agree that there's a problem
with the definition. Maybe that ought to be looked at. but given
the definition the way it's written now, we'd have a prohibition.
We couldn't subdivide the rest of the parcel for a period of five
years, if you held us to it. We'd be prohibited from subdividing.
There's a penalty built into the Ordinance. If you clear cut a
piece of property without this Board's permission. by waiver. we
can't subdivide that parcel for five years.
MR. RUEL-Yes, that's right. It's in there.
MR. BREWER-But the thing that bothers me so much is you're not
clear cutting the parcel. The parcel is the whole parcel. to me.
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MR. 0' CONNOR-I agree. but it's just one of those things that
nobody. maybe nobody has focused on it before.
MR. HARLICKER-It hasn't come up. Yes.
MR. BREWER-I think that's the problem. If I wanted to go out, I've
got two and a half acres of land. and if I wanted to go out and cut
a half acre of land on my property. I have a right to do that.
MR. STARK-But then you wouldn't be able to subdivide it for five
years.
MR. BREWER-If I own two and a half acres. and I cut a half acre.
that's not clear cutting to me. George. Lets decide and vote.
MR. RUEL-It's just a matter of accepting a statement in there. and
saying, yes. it may be in effect. and we better give him a waiver.
That's all it is. We're just voting on a waiver. granting a
waiver.
MRS. TARANA-But maybe what the waiver should be is that they could
subdivide within five years, or whatever.
MR. BREWER-If they cut.
MRS. TARANA-If they cut this, they will not be penalized the five
year time period that they can't.
MR. RUEL-Well. we'll put that statement in the resolution.
MR. BREWER-I don't think that's the waiver we have to give him. We
have to give him a waiver to cut the trees. The definition has to
be changed in the Ordinance.
MR. 0' CONNOR-I'm going to come back to this Board in the next
couple of months. It's going to be this Board who's going to
penalize me. So I'm comfortable with you giving me what you think
is necessary. as long as you know that. hopefully Monday, if this
thing is staked out. we will have people up there cutting out the
road.
MR. BREWER-After we have our verification of it.
MR. O'CONNOR-Okay. I don't mind that.
MR. BREWER-I mean. only so that it matches the map within. give or
take.
MR. O'CONNOR-Staked out. and we're going to have somebody from the
Building Department come and look at the stake out.
MR. BREWER-I would feel better if we had a verification of where it
is.
MR. O'CONNOR-Okay. That's not a problem.
MRS. TARANA-And if something changes at preliminary. you have to
change the road?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. When's your first meeting in December?
MR. BREWER-We haven't set it yet.
What's the third Tuesday?
The third Tuesday usually.
MR. O'CONNOR-Well. it will be cleared.
MR. BREWER-And we'll go out and see it.
MR. HARLICKER-There's a nice little system of trails you can walk
through back in there. with gorgeous and nice views of the
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property.
MR. BREWER-Lets decide what we're going to do.
MR. RUEL-Grant them a waiv~r
.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. STARK-Fine.
MR. RUEL-Do you want me to read what I have. and see if you agree
with it?
MR. BREWER-If you'd like to. sure.
MR. RUEL-AII right. The motion would be to allow clear cutting,
proposed road area, of Al Cerrone property, subdivision known as
Clendon Brook Phase II. and grant a waiver from. and then I would
quote. "No parcel of land may be subdivided which has been clear
cut within the previous five years". Section A183-2 of the
Subdivision of Land Code, on Map 92121. with a condition about
cutting to be limited from the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
MR. BREWER-They can cut at eight. but I would rather not see any
trucks going out of there, until. like. 8:30.
MR. STARK-They're going to be cutting for two days.
MR. RUEL-Eight thirty.
MR. BREWER-All right. Two days. Fine. George. how would you like
to come out of your place to go to work in the morning and get
behind three truck loads of stumps?
MR. STARK-For two days. it's not the end of the world.
MR. BREWER-All right. Well. it's not the end of the world for them
either. and he agreed to it.
MR. BREWER-All right. A motion's been made.
MOTION TO ALLOW CLEAR CUTTING PROPOSED ROAD AREA OF AL CERRONE
PROPERTY SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS CLENDON BROOK PHASE II. AND GRANT A
WAIVER FROM ·NO PARCEL OF LAND MAY BE SUBDIVIDED WHICH HAS BEEN
CLEAR CUT WITHIN THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS· SECTION 8183-2 OF THE
SUBDIVISION LAND CODE. ON MAP 92121. Introduced by Roger Ruel who
moved for its adoption. seconded by George Stark:
With a condition about cutting to be limited from the hours of 8:00
a.m. to 4 p.m.
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November, 1993. by the following
vote:
AYES: Mr. Stark, Mrs. Tarana, Mr. Ruel. Mr. Brewer
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver. Mr. MacEwan. Mr. LaPoint
MR. 0' CONNOR-Thank you very much. There's a second thing there
which I just filed with you. Okay. Under the Parks and Recreation
business. under our variance. we were going to ask to request that
the Town accept the 29 acres, which is to the west of Phase I, in
lieu of recreation fees.
MR. BREWER-That's over by the Brook.
MRS. TARANA-We haven't made a determination yet about these
recreation fees.
MR. BREWER-Yes. we did. We accepted Jimmy Girard's land last week.
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Jim is getting that for us.
MRS. TARANA-He's getting a determination?
MR. BREWER-Yes. Does Al own that?
MR. 0' CONNOR-Yes. He's going to buy these two in one piece.
They're the same Tax Map Number.
MR. BREWER-Just to call to everybody's attention. December 6th. it
would be a good idea if we all attended the Town Board meeting. I
think it's going to be a regular Town Board meeting. Hudson Point.
MR. HARLICKER-Before everybody take~ off. there was one thing held
over from last week. the Route 149 Corridor recommendation. We
have to take care of that tonight.
MR. O'CONNOR-I'm also trying to meet with Fred Champagne and Carol
Pulver, just for your information, first.
MR. BREWER-When was that on?
MR. O'CONNOR-Next Wednesday.
MR. BREWER-And I'm invited to that with Jim?
MR. O'CONNOR-Sure. You're invited. It's not a public meeting.
MR. BREWER-No, I understand. but I think Alan asked me if I would
go, also.
MR. O'CONNOR-I should have. at that time. an actual map showing the
reduction, showing the road configuration.
MR. BREWER-Can I get an extra copy of that?
MR. O'CONNOR-Yes. if we have it.
MR. HARLICKER-There was one item from last week that has to be
cleared up, the recommendation on the 149 Study.
MR. RUEL-Just the modifications?
MR. HARLICKER-Well. the whole thing. The Town Board is looking for
your input. for your recommendation. After you make a
recommendation. it goes to the Town Board for their review. It can
be done in a motion. and there'll be more modifications once it
gets to the Board. It just means that. it furthers the procedure
on, and if you have anything of substance that you'd like changed,
now's the time to speak your mind.
MR. BREWER-Can we do that. Scott? Do we have time? If we get
everything in and done. could we have our meetings the 14th and the
21st next month?
MR. HARLICKER-That would be fine with me. because I won't be here
the 22nd.
MR. BREWER-Okay. Can we schedule that way, so that we can get our
notes and everything by the 14th?
MRS. TARANA-The 14th and the 21st.
MR. BREWER-The deadline's tomorrow. So if we have our meetings the
14th and the 21st. it keeps it back from Christmas. and then after
Christmas. we won't have to come back.
MR. HARLICKER-Yes. We'll have to check to make sure the room's
available. and that sort of thing.
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MR. BREWER-Yes. Let me know.
MR. STARK-And the site visits are the 8th.
MR. BREWER-The 8th.
MR. STARK-Now, what do you want to do with the Corridor Study? I'm
going to vote against it.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
approve or deny.
We've got to have a motion to recommend to
MRS. TARANA-What I wondered about that. was there a very specific,
architectural review and all that for that zone?
MR. BREWER-We can still make written comments to the Town Board,
can't we?
MR. HARLICKER-Yes. This is just the Board's recommendation.
There'll be a series. I suspect.
MOTION TO RECOMMEND DISAPPROVAL OF THE ROUTE 149 CORRIDOR STUDY,
Introduced by George Stark who moved for its adoption. seconded by
Corinne Tarana:
Duly adopted this 23rd day of November, 1993. by the following
vote:
MRS. TARANA-I have questions I'd like to raise about it.
MR. BREWER-You still can. There's going to be a series of public
hearings on it.
MRS. TARANA-I want to just make a statement about it now. There
are very specific things in there. like the parking in front of the
building and everything. that we don't have in any other zones.
which I feel we should have in other zones, and I don't know that
that's appropriate for just that one zone.
MR. BREWER-Okay.
MR. STARK-Fine. When can we make the recommendation?
MRS. TARANA-I'm going to go to the public hearing.
MR. HARLICKER-Nothing's been set yet.
MR. STARK-So we don't have to approve anything tonight?
MR. HARLICKER-Well. it was on your agenda last week. The Town
Board is looking for input from the Board as a group. similar to
what you do with the rezonings.
MR. STARK-Well. we're not happy with the way it is.
MR. BREWER-And there can ultimately be changes made.
MR. RUEL-It's a start. of course. It's very flexible. and there'll
be many changes before finalized.
MR. BREWER-I'm sure there will. That's why I would say to approve
it.
MR. RUEL-It's a good starting point.
MRS. TARANA-Well. that's why I would say to disapprove it. because
I think they got very. very specific in that zone, where it is not
in any of the other zones.
MR. BREWER-Maybe in certain things. but if you want to stop and
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fine tune it.
MR. HARLICKER-You're talking about the Rural Commercial zone? That
was the intent. to be very specific in that zone. It was written
to be similar to the other commercial zones. with the same.
AYES: Mr. Stark. Mrs. Tarana
NOES: Mr. Ruel, Mr. Brewer
ABSENT: Mrs. Pulver. Mr. MacEwan. Mr. LaPoint
On motion meeting was adjourned.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.
Timothy Brewer, Chairman
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