Town Board Meeting Notes
taken by a town resident on August 14, 2018
1. Peter Reilly, town attorney for Planning and Zoning Board has retired.
2. Presentation from Kee to Independent Growth re: the proposed Veterans Home that has frontage on Rt. 50 and is across from Saunders Road and across from Wakeman. If the town board gives approval for this project to be built, 42 acres will be purchased by Kee and frontage along Rt. 50 is crucial because that gives veterans access to the bus line. It was pointed out that currently there is a women’s and a men’s shelter in Ballston Spa. The goal at the shelters is to find permanent housing. This project is the permanent housing needed for the veterans. Kee intends to borrow money for the land and the initial building. Grant funding is intended to pay for the housing and the drop-in center. The apartments are for veterans only. City water is there, no sewer. Kee is paid by Medicaid of NY State. Kee is seeking HUD grants but not veterans’ grants. It takes years to walk thru the process for veterans’ grants. Councilwoman Stewart asked if this is in the Ag District, and then answered her own question by saying she would be able to tell by looking at a map. The town supervisor said “This is a perfect fit for our community”.
3. Terry Quinn from Tyler Tech. made presentation on Incode Software, a system the town board is considering purchasing to keep track of all town business. Supervisor said, “a lot of benefits, likes the integration piece, especially with our water billing which is labor intensive”. Councilman Goslin said, “Lets do it.”
4. Resolution 18-137 re: Peter Reilly recognition. Passed unanimously.
5. Reports:
Library was awarded money, and the new water bottle filter is great.
Sewer Committee presented by Kim Kotkowski:
a) Adirondack finished the edits for Ballston Lake sewer district plans and gave them to DEC as well as other agencies. When they are returned they will then go out to bid.
b) An eminent domain attorney has been chosen, and a letter will be sent out to those who have not signed easements this week.
c) There will be a public hearing in September regarding the use of eminent domain in the Ballston Lake sewer district.
d) the sewer use law still needs to have changes reviewed and then voted on at the September board meeting.
e) The Edu’s that are assigned to a property to figure out how much sewer tax is owed….are constantly changing, depending on changes made to a property over time. The town will send out a query to homeowners in the Ballston Lake sewer district once a year so that the town can position itself to know those numbers.
f) there already have been new user requests to use the Ballston Lake sewer. The county needs to address these first to check on whether or not they even have the capacity to add to the system. After checking with the county, then the town board can address the requests.
g) Ianellos contract: there is 400-600 left there, it is getting low.
h) Carpenters Acres proposed sewer district: The Map Plan and Report (MPR) is not done yet. The board is asking the public to join a new sewer committee. Mr. Goslin explained that “a subgroup of the sewer committee needs to be formed to review the MPR beforehand, and the town board will then decide what to do.
i) Mr. Goslin stated that as for taking lake properties by eminent domain law, the board needs to act tonight. A public hearing will be scheduled for this. It will be a legal proceeding with a stenographer and the reason for this is in case this is challenged in the future in a lawsuit. The public hearing will be on September 17th at 6:30pm.
j) Mr Goslin said he had a conversation with Dick Doyle about how the sewer committee has been going for 5 years and it needs new blood. Looking for volunteers to be on the sewer committee.
Financial report passed unanimously.
Supervisors report: there was vandalism at Firemans Grove. All board members now have a key to Firemans Grove. Also, all board members are expected to attend a workshop on Sept. 29 from 8a-1pm that has to do with how the Town Hall is now a certified Red Cross Center.
6. Zoning Update:
a) TDR- Supervisor wants guidance on this. Mr. Curtiss said he is in favor of TDR not being mandatory. Mr. Antoski said it is a voluntary tool. Mr. Goslin said it allow the Little Farm to have 600 units (condos) as currently written so it needs more work.
b) Signage- Mr. Goslin said it is not part of the original zoning. Supervisor said it causes pain for the planning and zoning boards.
c) Square footage size of buildings- Supervisor said, “we need to include a square footage breakdown” and wants the board to read all of the info and be prepared to give guidance to Sophia at the next agenda meeting on this.
d) Farm worker housing- the Supervisor had a conversation with Nan, Mr. Curtis, Sophia and Brian on this and made a determination. He will give The Colakowski’s a summary of this determination after tonites board meeting. Mr. Goslin then told the Colakowski’s that he has a solution for them that will solve their problem and he will tell them later.
7. Resolutions:
a) 18-139 passed unanimously. No details given. Stated details will come out after the agreement with the town of Glenville is signed. This has to do with continuing to use water from Glenville as one of our two water sources.
b) 18-140 passed unanimously. Authorized spending $9500 to demo Fireman’s Grove pavilion, using Katz Construction.
c) 18-141 passed unanimously. Authorized spending $30,500 to construct new pavilion at Fireman’s Grove using Double O Builders.
d) 18-142 passed unanimously. Authorized spending $892 plus expenses to send Highway Supt. Joe Whalen to a conference.
e) 18-143 Set public hearing for eminent domain process for Ballston Lake Sewer District for September 17 at 6:30pm.
Privilege of the Floor:
1. Tom Shaginaw talked about concerns re: the proposed new telephone system. Mr. Goslin said it has no impact on the library.
2. Sue Robbiano suggested using video surveillance at Fireman's Grove and informed the board that the Baptist Church on Kingsley just had white paint graffiti sprayed on their brick building and they have motion-detector lighting at night and that did not deter the vandals.
3. (I missed the third speaker)
4. Kathy Wilcox said she doesn’t want to spend $75,000 on a referendum for a proposed sewer in Carpenters Acres if the people there do not want the sewer.
5. Nancy Colakowski asked who will be included in this meeting that will occur after tonight’s meeting. Supervisor responded it would be himself, Mr. Curtiss and the town attorney.
6. A woman spoke about the speeding cars on Outlet Road and how the speed limit must be lowered. She recommends a reduction to 25-35mph. Mr. Goslin wants a resolution to petition the county to decrease the speed limit from 45 to 35.
The board then went into Executive Session to discuss personnel, with anticipated action to be taken.
Kelly agrees with Bill G and need have a consensus for the TDR's and PUDD square footage. She feels that they are intertwined and can't be broken down.
Tim feels like they have talked in length about the PUDD's
Kelly does not want pieces taken out of the PUDD..
Sophia thinks the maximum foot print piece the board should be able to approve. The TDR and the PUDD are interchangeable.
Sophia talked about how to establish what is available for development.
There is 23% receiving stock that fell into the study and 77% fell out of the study. Some is residential and some commercial.
John A said some of the pieces make sense. the PUDD will trump anyway.
Chuck C said that they need to get some things passed to get things done.
Tim is in agreement that they want to move forward.
Sophia spoke about density of homes. She referred to the conservation subdivision law.
There is a maximum footprint for redevelopment and they want a 4 to 1 ratio land requirement for land use.
The Town clerk will be removed from the code for annual relicense for the mobile homes and junk yards. The Town clerk never did it anyway. The zone is very restrictive for mobile home parks.
There will be fines $50.00 to $250.00 per week per violation for construction without a permit. The Planning Board will re enforce this. The dollar amount for the fines in is line with Milton, Malta, Stillwater and Charlton. Fees were voted on all Ok'd
Tim wanted the Boards thoughts on the feedback they received on the square footage.
Bill G- The Southern end that no building would be bigger than the CVS building. The rural highway would be 10,000 square feet. (Not sure where that would be).
For the North they will keep it at 90,000 where it is now.
Bill is concerned with the zoning for the large apartment complexes. He wants to put a hard limit on the units. No more than 4 units per building lot, and 24 units per site. He wants to hold the line for Rt 50 for apartment complexes.
The community has to have a discussion in the South for PUDD limit on Rt 50.
This will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Bill G is in favor of the horse farm to add an additional single-family home for workers on the farm. It is in agreement with Farms First. He thinks it is a reasonable request. John A understands but does not want to set any presidencies down the road. Tim wants to have a meeting with himself, Chuck Curtiss, Sophia and Nan and they will make a decision.
Bill G said the TDR is the biggest challenge. The Little farm could be 600-unit development and feels no one wants that.
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