Feb 2, 2007 – Current Situation - Trouble with Terramor Overdevelopment

IMPORTANT DATES:

Town Board Meeting – Wednesday February 7th , 7pm at the Senior
Citizens Center

The subject of a moratorium on development in the Town of Saugerties
will probably be discussed. There is a strong feeling in parts of the
board that we need to step back and examine where the Town is going.
To the best of my knowledge the Town supervisor and at least one other
Commissioner are against a moratorium while the balance is in favor.
(Another Town Board meeting takes place Feb 21)
Contacts for town Board members:
Fred Costello Jr. 914-466-4080
Leanne Thorton 246-5652
Nancy Campbell 246-0553 nancyo@hvc.rr.com
Bruce Leighton 845-246-0871 bruce@leightonenterprises.com

Planning Board Meeting – Tuesday February 20th, 7pm
This will be the Public Hearing for the new version of the South Peak
development. Obviously, the more people we have there, the better. Goals:
Have the board make a positive declaration of environmental impact. A
full EIN should be done.
Clarify what “improvements” are to be made to Cottontail Lane.
Clarify whether the initial curb cut approval for the Rt. 212 entrance
can be applied to the new location of the access road.
What remedies does the Board suggest for Osnas Lane? Can the Board go
further in it’s desire to have the Highway Supervisor involved in the
remedies?
Is the SWPPP finished?
Is the stream disturbance permit issued?
Nail down the issue of the storm water ponds. Are they community
property? If so, will there be a homeowners association to take care
of them. Initial plans did not call for a homeowners association. What
other duties will the association have.? What sort of charter?
Do NOT close the public hearing so that concerned folks may write to
the Board with their concerns. If they do not close the public
hearing period, at least allow an extended comment period.

Details:

Dear All,
In the fall, after many months of inactivity, the South Peak
development started to show signs of activity.

Here are the highlights:

The project was on the agenda for the September 19th meeting.

The week before I sat down with the developer, Steve Faust, and
apprised him of our doubts and worries. He was very accommodating and
was at pains to explain to me that this was his first such project and
that he wanted to do it properly. “We live here too”

I also spoke on the phone with the project engineer about the situation.

At the September 19 meeting they told us:

*The project has been shrunk to 24 houses (from 41)
*The road for the project will now run from Rt. 212 through the
development and out via Cottontail Lane. There will not be any loops
or culs de sac.
*The lead engineer for the project is now Dewkett Engineering from
Rhinebeck. It was Kathy Dewkett who presented the new sketch.
* Given the rise in traffic, the Planning Board decided to make the
improvement of Cottontail Lane a prerequisite for approval of the
project. It has not explained what it means by “improve”. Presumably
resurfacing. But widening? We don’t know.

I had a chance to sit down with her and explain in some detail the ins
and outs of the drainage in the Osnas Lane area and the worries over
well water overall. She paid attention and appeared to take it on
board, while noting that she was standing in for the project engineer,
who knew the whole development better than she.

The following morning the project engineer, Bob Capowski, arrived on
Osnas Lane with a colleague to look around. I took the opportunity to
walk him all around the lower end of the development, showing the
drainage situation from the edge of the South Peak property, through
Osnas and across Rt. 212. He made copious notes and we spoke at length
about the culvert under Osnas Lane. It was his opinion as an engineer
that the culvert is undersized.

About a month later I obtained a preliminary sketch of the new proposal
The majority of the
Then it was on to the December 19th Planning Board meeting.

From the December 19 meeting minutes: (note use of “Oasis”instead of
“Osnas”)

2. Major-212 Developers, LLC / South Peak-Rt. 212-Maps presented by
Robert Capowski-24 building lots. Construct a Town road through to
Cottontail to Rt. 212. Comments discussed were grade of road highest
is 10%- more houses on higher dryer land for better septic which is
on crest of hill. There are 7 retention ponds on individual owned
lots. Development will pay to maintain and develop on one phase.
Finishing up SWPPP and need permit for stream disturbance. Submit
full long Seqr. Army Corps reviewing wetlands (3 wetlands). Will
disturb 1/3 of an acre and will re-create a wetland. Need curb cut
updates. Chris Round-discussed access for Lots 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9
grading of 10% slope, can revise and reduce lots for stormwater ponds
and there is a lot of roadway maybe you can phase it. Also prove
that you will not be flooding Oasis Rd. Capowski-were going to have
loops but through road is better. Will have surveyor
review Oasis Rd. but feels it is because the culvert pipe should be at
3ft. Round-show Town Hwy. for them to fix. A motion by Furman,
seconded by Hayes to have Town of Saugerties Planning Bd. be Lead
Agency. All in favor, none opposed, carried.