Staff Notes SP 27-2017 & SUP 7-2017 Seaton_9 18 18
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
September 18, 2018
Site Plan 27-2017 SEATON PROPERTY HOLDINGS
308 & 310 Corinth Road / CLI – Commercial Light Industrial / Ward 4
SEQR Unlisted
Material Review: petition for zone change application, long environmental assessment form, site
plan drawings C1-C4.
Parcel History: SP 27-2006 Self storage bldgs., SP 65-2013 A-1 Treeworks (Logging Company),
DISC 1-2017; AV 28-2017
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Requested Action
Planning Board is to provide a recommendation to the Town Board for a proposed change in the zoning code language for
wood processing
Resolutions
1. PB Seeks Lead Agency
2. PB Accepts Lead Agency
3. PB conducts and completes SEQR
4. PB provides a recommendation to the Town Board
Project Description
(1) Zoning Referral: Planning Board is to provide a recommendation to the Town Board for a zoning change request, the
special use permit specific criteria to allow interior wood processing on lots of 5 acres or less. (2) Site Plan & Special Use
Permit description: Applicant proposes operation of a wood processing facility with a new 15,000 sq. ft. enclosed pole
barn for wood products and to install two 1,200 sq. ft. kiln units on the site. Project includes merger of lots 308.16-1-55, -
56, -58 & 61. Project includes continued auto facility for C& J automotive and current use of expanded material storage
area. Project includes maintaining 4 existing buildings on the merged properties, additional clearing, installation of a
gravel parking area and material storage area (logs, woodchips etc.). Pursuant to Chapter 179-3-040 and 179-10-040 of
the Zoning Ordinance, light manufacturing – wood products, logging company, and Special Use Permit for wood product
facility shall be subject to Planning Board review and approval.
Staff Comments
The applicant has provided a Petition for Change of Zone application to the Town Board to change language in the special
use permit requirement from a minimum of 100 ac to a lot at least 5 ac in size with specific requirements. The conversion
of the logs to be completely internal in an enclosed buildings would be the requirement. The applicant proposes the
language in bold italics:
Article 10 (Special Use Permits)
§179-10-070. Specific Standards
W. Sawmills, chipping mills, and pallet mills. Sawmill, chipping or pallet mills are allowed on lots of at least 100 acres in
size. However, a business which is engaged in tree removal and which converts logs into dried firewood, pellets and/or
mulch shall only require a lot of at least 5 acres in size, provided that (1) the conversion operation occurs completely
within an enclosed building, and (3) the lot is not located within the Adirondack Park.
Current Review of Site Plan and Special Use Permit
The applicant’s proposed project has been in the review process since April 2017 as the applicant had met with both the
Planning Board for recommendation and the Zoning Board for relief requested for lot size. The project applicant has been
working with the Town Board to develop language for the particular use for conversions of wood products to a smaller lot
size for an interior operation. The applicant had noted with the board’s the proposed conversion of wood products was
not consistent with the perception of the industrial size description of sawmill, or chipping and pallet mills.
Previous Site Plan
SP 65-2013 – Parcel 308.16-1-61 was previously approved for a Logging Company- (LOGGING COMPANY-a business
associated with the harvesting of timber, logging or other forest management activities where equipment, supplies,
machinery and materials are stored and maintained for use at another location.). The board’s resolution also included
staging of firewood, wood chips for sale, and cutting logs to length. The project plans also note a 50 x 100 ft equipment
storage building as part of the approval. The applicant is operating on the specific parcel for log storage, staging of
firewood, wood chips for sale, and cutting logs to length
Comprehensive Plan
Section E. Industrial Corridors/ Economic Development -The Town’s Comprehensive Plan discusses Industrial Corridors
and the role they play in the economic development of the community. The Comprehensive Plan did not specify uses but
it discouraged retail from being the main focus of the industrial centers.
Referral review
The Planning Board may suggest questions for the Town Board review to ensure the updated language is inclusive of the
activities of the Logging Company and the additional language for W. Sawmills, chipping mills, and pallet mills for lots
of at least 5 ac with conversion to occur inside. The site plan and special use permit that is in mid review identifies a 75X
200 sq ft processing facility, two 50 X12 ft Kiln buildings, an area for wood chip storage, and a log storage area.
Suggested questions
1) Is the kiln externally loaded or is the wood brought in the buildings to be loaded internally?
2) Wood chips storage area –are wood chips created on site or brought in from other sites
State Environmental Quality Review Act:
The applicant has submitted a long environmental assessment form completing part 1. The Town Board has consented to
the Planning Board being lead agency for the zoning language change, site plan review, and special use permit. The
Planning Board may conduct the environmental review of the project Part 1 of the long environmental assessment form.
Site Plan and Special Use Permit
The review process for the additional language to be included with the Special Use requirement W. Sawmills, chipping
mills, and pallet mills for lots of at least 5 ac with conversion to occur inside is pending review and decision of the Town
Board.
Summary
SEQR –The Planning Board may conduct SEQR based on the application materials submitted for the additional language
to be included with the Special Use requirement W. Sawmills, chipping mills, and pallet mills for lots of at least 5 ac with
conversion to occur inside.
Referral -The Planning Board may discuss the recommendation to report to the Town Board to include information on the
kiln operations, wood chips storage and any additional information the board may identified.
Meeting History: PB: 4/18/17 PBR, 7/25/17 tabled, 9/17/17 tabled, 11/18/17 tabled, 12/19/17 tabled;
2/20/18 tabled; 8/21/18 tabled;
ZBA: 4/19/17 tabled, 7/19/17 tabled, 9/20/17 tabled, 12/20/17 tabled; 5/16/18 tabled;
8/22/18 tabled;
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