Planning Board

June 10, 2019

Attending: John Kincart, John Savoca, Willima LaScala, Rich Fon, Aaron Bock

The board’s attorney advised the applicant that he needs a ZBA variance for the second lot. It was agreed that in order for the applicant to be able to file the preliminary plat, the board would amend its earlier approval resolution adding a condition that the applicant needs to get the ZBA variance. The filing can take place while the applicant pursues the variance.

2. 345 Kear Street, Gramercy outdoor seating permit

(See Planning Board, 11-5-2018.) The applicant showed the board a revised plan that reflected its earlier concerns about the sewer easement. The board went into special session and approved the outdoor seating permit.

3. Southern NY Beagle Club, Hunterbrook Road

The club wants to build a garage next to its existing clubhouse to store equipment used to maintain its grounds. The board had no issue with the plan and anticipates approving a special permit at its next meeting.

4. Envirogreen Associates, East Main Street, Mohegan Lake

The applicant advised the board that the DEC has again rejected the site plan that the board wants, despite a letter from the board’s former attorney explaining the board’s position. He explained that before he can appeal the denial to the agency’s administrative judge, he needs the board to adopt a SEQRA negative declaration. He felt confident that the judge would accept the board’s plan. Mr. Tegeder will prepare the negative declaration for adoption at the next meeting.

5. 1131 Stonegate Road, side yard setback issue

The board went into special session to legalize a deck, built 5 years ago, that only has a 2.7’ setback where the board requires a 3’ setback.

6. Proposed solar law

The board unanimously agreed that it opposes allowing solar farms in residential zones as a primary use. The board was okay with allowing solar installations as a primary use in commercial zones and as an accessory use in residential and commercial zones. Mr. Tegeder will draft a memo with these recommendations to send to the Town Board.

Mr. Tegeder identified the following commercially zoned sites as possible locations: Route 6, southwest of the Taconic Parkway, the 5 acre Peterson property, State Land property on Route 202, the 11 acre Adrian parcel on Route 202 across from BJ’s and a site east of Navajo Road on north side of Route 6 although he said that there had been some recent activity on the last parcel he mentioned.

Earlier in the discussion, when Mr. Fon noted that the representative from Clean Engery Collective had not supplied a map indicating possible sites for solar installations, Mr. Tegeder, reading from his notes, said the applicant had said the following were the company’s minimal criteria: a minimum of 10 acres, 0.4 miles from a possible connection (Mr. Bock noted that this distance limitation was subject to change based on changing technology) and that the slopes were no greater than the slopes on the Underhill Avenue site.

The board briefly discussed, but rejected as impractical, a provision that would have identified specific types of sites for possible installations, such as unused agricultural land or brownfields and landfills.