Planning Board
March 10, 2015
7:00 P.M.
Members Present: Pat Rice, Richard Johnson, John Warner, Walter Giest, Louis Rieg, J Phil Strand, Steve Senske
Others Present:
Brad Lawson, Sally Carlson, Don McCord, Helen Emick, Matthew Wroda, Peter Stark, Rose Stark
Mr. Rice opened the meeting, Mr. Lawson, Zoning C.E.O. gave report. See February 10, 2015 minutes.
Mr. Lawson said there will be a new addition to the building code. A new form will be given to contractors to fill out for building permits in regards to trusses and engineered lumbers. A new law for N.Y.S. on January 1st, 2015 will have a VFR sticker in all homes. This reflective sticker needs to be visible from the road and will assist the fire department with knowledge of the structure during an emergency.
Mr. Lawson said during the past three years in the Town of North Harmony, many homes have been built. These new homes have been split into four separate areas from $20,000 on up.
These areas include:
Lakefront- 9 new homes
2nd tier- 9 new homes
Lake area- 8 new homes
Back 40- 11 new homes
Mr. Lawson feels that more people have been coming here from out of state and/or making summer home improvements to stay after retirement.
Mr. McCord presented the board with copies of maps with boundaries and a draft of the law to discuss.
Some of topics discussed included:
(Sec. 3-5) – definition re: discount grocery store in Ashville,
Hours of operation, address in Site Plan Review.
(Sec.4) – establishing name C1A/ Commercial Residential A
(Sec. 5) – purpose for district- only by right/ single family house, everything else/Special Use Permit.
(Sec. E) – Requirements for Site Plan Review
Mr. and Mrs. Stark reside on Maple St. in Ashville, NY. The Stark’s expressed their concerns to the board in regards to the possibility of the grocery store that may replace the auction center. Mr. and Mrs. Stark feel that that this would be transforming their neighborhood from residential to commercial. They have concerns about the amount of delivery truck traffic, on small roads. Mr. and Mrs. Stark also stated they didn’t have a problem with the auction center because it only ran one Saturday a month and traffic was minimal. The Stark’s do not feel that the grocery store would be a proper use for that building.
Mr. Wroda was told by Mr. Schmucker, the truck traffic would only be two semi trucks per month. The trucks would use the Cedar side road and bypass Maple St.
Mrs. Carlson added that she had made calls to neighbors along Cedar and the King’s, and there were no objections to this grocery store. Mr. Lawson said it was presented to the ZBA with a notification in the Post Journal. As a courtesy the Town of North Harmony also notified the surrounding neighbors within 500ft. The ZBA denied the application and referred it to the Planning Board.
Mr. Rice said the board has plans to restrict/buffer the neighborhood around the use of the property. Using the Site Plan Review would cover the following: lighting, truck traffic, limited hours of operation, and signage.
Mr. Johnson said the Planning Board is trying to help the current owner and the proposed owner to keep the property useful and in good shape.
Mr. McCord suggested possible removal of the ball field from the proposal.
Mr. Rieg made a motion to take the ball field off the proposal for C1-A commercial use. Mr. Johnson seconded. The motion was carried.
Mr. Senske made a motion to change (Sec.B) definition, and recommended to the Town Board with changes of the Site Plan Review and elimination of the ball field that we recommend Town Board approval as so written.
The Town Board will hold a public hearing March 30, 2015 at 7:00 P.M.
Mr. Stark offered to hand deliver notices to the neighbors on Hunt to S. Maple St.
Next regular meeting scheduled for April 14, 2015 at 7:00 P.M.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted
Kristy Vaillancourt
Planning Board Clerk
