REMINDER:
The South Peak Subdivision has a public hearing scheduled for the
Planning Board Meeting on
Tuesday February 20th 2007 at 7:30pm
at the Frank D. Greco Senior Center on Market Street in Saugerties
(near the entrance to the playing fields)
=============================
Although it is difficult to predict exactly what will happen on the
day, it is likely that the South Peak project will appear towards the
end of the list of Public Hearings. To the best of my knowledge,
another large and controversial development of condos in Barclay
Heights will be ahead of us on the schedule. Thus it’s possible that
the South Peak session will not start until some time after 8:00pm
It is vitally important that the local community attend this event. We
need to show that we are interested in the process and that we are
paying attention to the details.
It would be a good idea for as many of us as possible to have letters
to present to the Board. You do not have to get up and speak if you do
not want to (of course you are more than welcome to do so), but the
more folks who can write notes with anecdotes about the historical
drainage issues, water well problems, traffic and wildlife, the
better. Some attention to the philosophical question of rampant
development in Saugerties is welcome, but we should be aware that the
Public Hearing section of the Planning Board process is not really
meant as a forum for larger discussions. It is meant for specific
discussions about the specific project.
On Tuesday February 20th, the night of the meeting, I will be flying
back into Albany airport, due to arrive at 6pm. This will make it
tight for me to get to the beginning of the meeting. is there someone
on the mailing list who will stand in for me? See the end of the email
for contact details
==============================
Some notes about recent meetings:
On Tuesday the 6th I met with William LaRose, the Permit Engineer for
the NYS DOT Ulster County section. We examined the proposed
road plan for the development and then we walked around the Osnas Lane
and Rt 212 area. I showed him the drainage blockage points, pictures
of recent floods and discussed how the proposed development might
affect the area. His questions were pointed and relevant. Of course,
his office will concern itself only with the curb cut on Route 212 and
the drainage under Rt 212. He said that the drawings sent to his
office were not in the form that they wanted them and that the
engineers had been told to make changes to the proposal and send them
back. The traffic and Safety Division would then examine the exact
sight distance from the proposed curb cut and comment. If the sight
distance was not enough they would say so and the developer would then
have to move the curb cut further east (towards Saugerties) so as to
gain enough sight distance. There could also be arrangements made with
the neighboring property owner (South Peak Veterinary Hospital) about
cutting back foliage to provide better sight lines.
Later that afternoon I had a brief chat with Greg Helsmoortel, the
Town Supervisor. I had spoken with him about the flooding problems on
Osnas Lane 18 months ago and he wanted to be updated. When I mentioned
that nothing had changed and that we had had more flooding in October
06 he seemed perturbed. He suggested a meeting between he, me, the
Town engineer (Dennis Larios) , the Town Highway Supervisor (Bernie
Ellsworth), the chair of the Planning Board (Bill Creen) and
Commissioner Nancy Campbell. We would all sit down and try to
understand what the problem was on Osnas Lane and how the proposed
development might affect it. We would also touch on the issues
involving the Town Highway Department being given responsibility for
the new road and the impact it would have on Cottontail Road.
On Wednesday the 7th I met with Dennis Larios, the Town Engineer and
Nancy Campbell (a Town Commissioner). Highway Supervisor Ellsworth and
Town Supervisor Helsmoortel were unable to attend. Chair of the
Planning Board Bill Creen ducked in briefly. He mentioned that the
developer had called him to register his concern that we were meeting
without his engineer being able to give his side of the story. Creen
said that he told the developer that we were just meeting “to get our
ducks in a row” and that this was not a formal decision-making meeting
of any kind.
Larios had the latest plans and the Stormwater Drianage Plan,
submitted two days earlier and not yet in the public record. I showed
him and Commissioner Campbell pictures of the most recent flooding in
addition to earlier pictures and i was able to use the maps to point
out the locations and orientations of the pictures. We discussed the
various blockages, some history, town rights of way and possible
solutions. Dennis Larios said that his office was still reviewing the
drainage plan and that on a brief first examination the engineering
seemed solid. Looking at the road profile, the consensus was that it
was “not an easy project”. “Most of the easy land in Ulster County was
developed in the 50s and 60s”.
The Town Engineer said that he was inclined to recommend to the
Planning Board that they not approve the plan until the
drainage/flooding situation on Osnas Lane was dealt with in some way.
=============================
I asked at the for a copy of the Stormwater Drainage plan for the
public file but was told that there was only one copy in the Planning
Board offices and that all of the Board member would be fighting over it.
==============================
Repeating earlier points to be made at the Public Hearing:
*Have the board make a positive (yes, positive) declaration of
environmental impact. A full EIN should be done.
*Clarify what “improvements” are to be made to Cottontail Lane. Does
this include the culvert?
*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?
*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.
===============================
Comments gratefully received:
Home 845 679 9907
REMINDER:
The South Peak Subdivision has a public hearing scheduled for the
Planning Board Meeting on
Tuesday February 20th 2007 at 7:30pm
at the Frank D. Greco Senior Center on Market Street in Saugerties
(near the entrance to the playing fields)
=============================
Although it is difficult to predict exactly what will happen on the
day, it is likely that the South Peak project will appear towards the
end of the list of Public Hearings. To the best of my knowledge,
another large and controversial development of condos in Barclay
Heights will be ahead of us on the schedule. Thus it’s possible that
the South Peak session will not start until some time after 8:00pm
It is vitally important that the local community attend this event. We
need to show that we are interested in the process and that we are
paying attention to the details.
It would be a good idea for as many of us as possible to have letters
to present to the Board. You do not have to get up and speak if you do
not want to (of course you are more than welcome to do so), but the
more folks who can write notes with anecdotes about the historical
drainage issues, water well problems, traffic and wildlife, the
better. Some attention to the philosophical question of rampant
development in Saugerties is welcome, but we should be aware that the
Public Hearing section of the Planning Board process is not really
meant as a forum for larger discussions. It is meant for specific
discussions about the specific project.
On Tuesday February 20th, the night of the meeting, I will be flying
back into Albany airport, due to arrive at 6pm. This will make it
tight for me to get to the beginning of the meeting. is there someone
on the mailing list who will stand in for me? See the end of the email
for contact details
==============================
Some notes about recent meetings:
On Tuesday the 6th I met with William LaRose, the Permit Engineer for
the NYS DOT Ulster County section. We examined the proposed
road plan for the development and then we walked around the Osnas Lane
and Rt 212 area. I showed him the drainage blockage points, pictures
of recent floods and discussed how the proposed development might
affect the area. His questions were pointed and relevant. Of course,
his office will concern itself only with the curb cut on Route 212 and
the drainage under Rt 212. He said that the drawings sent to his
office were not in the form that they wanted them and that the
engineers had been told to make changes to the proposal and send them
back. The traffic and Safety Division would then examine the exact
sight distance from the proposed curb cut and comment. If the sight
distance was not enough they would say so and the developer would then
have to move the curb cut further east (towards Saugerties) so as to
gain enough sight distance. There could also be arrangements made with
the neighboring property owner (South Peak Veterinary Hospital) about
cutting back foliage to provide better sight lines.
Later that afternoon I had a brief chat with Greg Helsmoortel, the
Town Supervisor. I had spoken with him about the flooding problems on
Osnas Lane 18 months ago and he wanted to be updated. When I mentioned
that nothing had changed and that we had had more flooding in October
06 he seemed perturbed. He suggested a meeting between he, me, the
Town engineer (Dennis Larios) , the Town Highway Supervisor (Bernie
Ellsworth), the chair of the Planning Board (Bill Creen) and
Commissioner Nancy Campbell. We would all sit down and try to
understand what the problem was on Osnas Lane and how the proposed
development might affect it. We would also touch on the issues
involving the Town Highway Department being given responsibility for
the new road and the impact it would have on Cottontail Road.
On Wednesday the 7th I met with Dennis Larios, the Town Engineer and
Nancy Campbell (a Town Commissioner). Highway Supervisor Ellsworth and
Town Supervisor Helsmoortel were unable to attend. Chair of the
Planning Board Bill Creen ducked in briefly. He mentioned that the
developer had called him to register his concern that we were meeting
without his engineer being able to give his side of the story. Creen
said that he told the developer that we were just meeting “to get our
ducks in a row” and that this was not a formal decision-making meeting
of any kind.
Larios had the latest plans and the Stormwater Drianage Plan,
submitted two days earlier and not yet in the public record. I showed
him and Commissioner Campbell pictures of the most recent flooding in
addition to earlier pictures and i was able to use the maps to point
out the locations and orientations of the pictures. We discussed the
various blockages, some history, town rights of way and possible
solutions. Dennis Larios said that his office was still reviewing the
drainage plan and that on a brief first examination the engineering
seemed solid. Looking at the road profile, the consensus was that it
was “not an easy project”. “Most of the easy land in Ulster County was
developed in the 50s and 60s”.
The Town Engineer said that he was inclined to recommend to the
Planning Board that they not approve the plan until the
drainage/flooding situation on Osnas Lane was dealt with in some way.
=============================
I asked at the for a copy of the Stormwater Drainage plan for the
public file but was told that there was only one copy in the Planning
Board offices and that all of the Board member would be fighting over it.
==============================
Repeating earlier points to be made at the Public Hearing:
*Have the board make a positive (yes, positive) declaration of
environmental impact. A full EIN should be done.
*Clarify what “improvements” are to be made to Cottontail Lane. Does
this include the culvert?
*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?
*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.
===============================
Comments gratefully received:
Home 845 679 9907
Work redacted
Mobile redacted
email:
zipszig@hvc.rr.com
mark@southpeaknabe.com
www.southpeaknabe.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southpeakneighbors/
Mobile 845 633 6845 (especially Feb 16 to 20)
email:
zipszig@hvc.rr.com
mark@southpeaknabe.com
dubmsclvr@yahoo.com
www.southpeaknabe.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southpeakneighbors/
(originally published on the Yahoo Groups site February 11, 2007)