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2000-05-08 SP SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING MAY 8, 2000 7:00 p.m. MTG. #23 RES.211A TOWN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DENNIS BROWER COUNCILMAN JAMES MARTIN COUNCILMAN THEODORE TURNER COUNCILMAN DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER PRESENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CHRIS ROUND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY TIM BREWER WORKSHOP 1.0DISCUSSIONS SOUTH WARREN SNOWMOBILE CLUB-JEAN MARINO MR. JEAN MARINO-Presented the Board with a budget for the year 2000 and 2001. Noted that will received an 8,000 dollar State grant this year and a 40,000 dollar grant from the Federal Government strictly for purchase of equipment. Purchase one groomer last year, not used very much, wish to purchase another one this year.. .also working on trail signs (showed model) mounted on poles in ground and placed at all entrances of trails. . . also placed along the trial with maps. . . asking for a commitment for the second year from the Town of Queensbury. UPDATE BAYBRIDGE HOMEOWNERS ASSOC. MR. BOB VOLLARO-President of the Queensbury Homeowners Association Re: Sewer proposal... map, plan and report turned over on April 27th. May 1st. received comments back requesting additional data.. . Noted surprise of the buy in fee to Glens Falls at $1.35 per gallon, times gallons per day usage... to pay to the City, using current usage would be for $10,800. ... one time charge.... Noted he will have to go back to the residents on this. . . COUNCILMAN BREWER-Questioned if this might stop the project. MR. VOLLARO-It might, doing it this way. SUPERVISOR BROWER-Noted that they negotiate with the City on a case by case basis, we are trying to get away from that, we are asking them for a bulk sewer capacity. . . EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROUND-Spoke to the Board regarding his meeting with the Mayor. . . the City does not at this time know the costs associated with the sale of sewer capacity, within two weeks they will come back with costs. . . COUNCILMAN MARTIN-Economic growth and environmentally sound growth is contingent upon good sewer. 1. 1 SIDEWALKS & CORRIDOR BEAUTIFICATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROUND-I. Maintenance policy: (proposed local law passed out) requires that adjacent landowner provide for maintenance, that is snow removal etc. .. After checking with the Association of Towns it was noted that 90% of the Towns do not use special districts for sidewalk purposes... costs are passed on to adjoining landowners. RE: survey of sidewalks 19 municipalities contacted none have special improvement districts for sidewalks Towns estimate to maintain Route 9 sidewalks was 75,000 dollars... UNKNOWN-Questioned if the sidewalks would be on right of way or private property before determining a policy? COUNCILMAN TURNER-Reviewed the areas of sidewalks.. .Rt. 9 in right of way Boulevard-in right of way ... Anything that is County or State is in the right of way. UNKNOWN-Questioned what the right of way is in the Town from the center of the road? EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-It depends on what highway you are talking about. UNKNOWN-Noted if sidewalks were put on Burke Drive snowplowing would cover the sidewalks..the burden of clearing would be on the adjacent property owner. . . EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROUND-Spoke of the same situation in Glens Falls ... SUPERVISOR BROWER-The commercial business on Route 9 noted that they would not keep up with the County of State vehicles as they plow the road, they constantly pile it up ... COUNCILMAN MARTIN-There should be a protocol as to how we approach this...what are we trying to achieve, and develop a matrix how does..three ways to approach this a. Town does it b. Form a special district c. Property owner does it. Considerations that have come up; removal of snow, long term maintenance of the surface and begin to rate how each performs. . . COUNCILMAN STEC-Suggested, sidewalks installed by the Town on Town roads in one group and sidewalks on County or State Roads be treated separately.. COUNCILMAN TURNER-Reviewed for the Board Garrison Road sidewalks.. . maintained by the Town, snow removal by the residents. . . COUNCILMAN MARTIN-Suggested year round function, not only put in sidewalks but we beautify the area, landscape the areas and then we maintain that landscape area. To pay for that establish a policy a minimum amount a percentage of the sales tax revenue will always fund that cost. SUPERVISOR BROWER-The Town is heavily dependent on sales tax.. COUNCILMAN MARTIN-We live on sales tax revenue, we should be taking steps to make sure that it is there every year, keep our commercial areas viable and attractive places to do business. SUPERVISOR BROWER-Discussed a taxing district... people would have the opportunity to have a permissive referendum..ifvoted down they would have to maintain it otherwise the Town would maintain them and be placed on their taxes. COUNCILMAN MARTIN-(used maps of the Town showing sidewalks) Route 9 and 254, and improve Bay Road used to walk on, a paved dedicated walkway separated from the right of way by a planted medium...trees and lights... Use Burke Drive as a test case.. UNKNOWN-Spoke about safety issue on Burke Drive, beautification should be secondary to safety. COUNCILMAN TURNER-Recommended sidewalks only on Burke Dr., special lighting and plantings to be used in the commercial areas. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROUND-In planning the local law, look at street type and then new facilities you want to look at planning those specific to safety demand or commercial/beautification type project, and funding. . . portion of the sales tax also look at County and State ownership as a means for identifying maintenance. . . spoke about an access management plan for Quaker Road and Route 9. COUNCILMAN MARTIN-Would support Route 9 project along with beautifying the corridor.. . need a survey of the area. . . Board agreed to have the Burke Drive area surveyed, topo and a distance of 25' off the right of way... and locate all the facilities. . . resolution to be prepared for a week from tonight. SUPERVISOR BROWER-Re: sidewalk policy we can separate districts, commercial, residential even high volume residential such as townhouses.. Discussion held regarding sidewalks near schools. . . use the GIS system for positioning of the proposed sidewalks. . . COUNCILMAN MARTIN-Sidewalk policy two tier- Multi family and Commercial and Office would be one district and single family residential another tier the residential tier would be a policy where the individual homeowner maintains their own sidewalks. In all instances the town does the capital work. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROUND-Noted he will draft up notes summarizing what was talked about tonight and then I will discuss that with the Town Attorney in regards to issues he will review... also look into Block Grant for the sidewalks on Burke Drive... T -21 Transportation Enhancement program will be looked into.. DISCUSSION HELD - EXIT 18 CORRIDOR Noted survey has been done in the area, many areas the right of way runs up to the houses. . . 1.2GIS SUPPORT SERVICES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROUND-there is no money for support of the GIS, a SARA Grant has been sought and we will know by the end of June if we have received any funds...the County does not provide a digital tax map base they only provide a paper copy they hope to be on line in 2001. To up date our system is approximately two thousand a year another couple thousand is maintenance of the GIS system such as technical support to produce maps. . . Applied GIS has done this work. . . generally we budget 7,000 per year and I am looking for these funds. . . Also looking for a summer intern to do some projects so we could reduce the GIS support cost, but there would be a salary cost from somewhere else that we have not allotted for. Other GIS projects we are working on a build out analysis, the County has been helpful in providing those services. The GIS we are using every day it is not working correctly because the BAS application our building permit system application is not Y2K compliant and that is why we are purchasing the Govern System and we are going through the Govern Conversion process right now until we get that on line we do not have access to current data. Will contact the Comptroller to see where funding can be obtained... DISCUSSION ON BIKE PLAN DIRECTOR ROUND-Monday May 15th is the ribbon cutting for the Warren County Bike Bridge over Quaker Road... Town of Queensbury Bike Plan, we are looking at Sherman Avenue as a preferred bike travel route looking at Potter and Dixon Road as a route and a connection from Sherman Ave. south, Veterans Road, Richardson to the Feeder Canal and looking at a connection in the City from Bay Road where the bike trail crosses Bay Road down Webster across to Crandall Park ... we are looking to provide connection to the school to the residents to open space recreation areas. Give draft to Town Board on May 15th. 1.3ETHICS BOARD SUPERVISOR BROWER-Listed applicants who were interested in the Ethics Board... Board requested that interviews be held.. .Interviews at 6:30 on Monday night. 1.4ANNUAL ROAD TOUR Board recommended Road Tour on a Saturday Morning... DISCUSSION HELD EMPLOYEE ID's COUNCILMAN BREWER-Questioned how the Board felt about Employee ID's, Water Dept., Highway Dept., Building Inspectors, Gurney Lane Employees. . . suggested that a memo be sent to the Department Heads to obtain their opinion... SUPERVISOR BROWER-Will check with the County on what the cost would be... RESOLUTION TO ADJOURN MEETING RESOLUTION NO. 211a INTRODUCED BY: Mr. James Martin WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Daniel Stec RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Special Session. Duly adopted this 8th day of May, 2000 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Martin, Mr. Turner, Mr. Stec, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Brower NOES: None ABSENT: None Respectfully submitted, Miss Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk-Queensbury