Town Board

February 15, 2007

Due to inclement weather the February 14, 2007 regular meeting was rescheduled for February 15, 2007. Supervisor Michael Flaherty called the meeting to order at 7 P.M.
Present were Board members Thomas Hitchcock, Charles Kutcher, Elaine Warfield and Harry T. Wilson.
Also present were Building Inspector Thomas Cross, town residents Michael McCrary and Barry Esbin. Romanna Balan from Kaaterskill Associates, newspaper reporter Mike Ryan and the town clerk.

The Public Hearings were opened on Local Law #1 to Local Law #6 of 2007.

Local Law #1-NYS Building Code. There was no comment from the public.
Local Law #2- Senior Citizen Exemption. There was no comment from the public.
Local Law #3- Disabled Exemption. There was no comment from the public.
Local Law #4-Gold Star Exemption. There was no comment from the public.
Local Law #5-Adult Use Moratorium. There was no comment from the public.
Local Law #6-Major Subdivision Moratorium.
Romanna Balan from Kaaterskill Associates said she was speaking on behalf of her clients and asked if applicants would be allowed to continue with planning. She said, “Ultimately, it puts people out of work and if there is no development, there are no additional taxes being generated.”
Councilman Wilson responding said, “Our purpose isn’t to make all subdivisions stop. Jewett is revising its Comprehensive Plan and part of what they are doing is looking at the town’s infrastructures. Government leaders want to review all possible complications related to larger developments before finalizing the document. The Plan will be presented in a public forum.”

The public hearings were closed.

Supervisor Flaherty made a motion to adopt Local Law #1 of 2007, 2nd by Councilman Kutcher and carried.

Councilman Wilson made a motion to adopt Local Law #2 of 2007, 2nd by Councilman Hitchcock and carried.

Councilman Kutcher made a motion to adopt Local Law #3 of 2007, 2nd by Councilman Wilson and carried.

Councilman Hitchcock made a motion to adopt Local Law #4 of 2007, 2nd by Councilwoman Warfield and carried.

Councilman Wilson made a motion to adopt Local Law #5 of 2007, 2nd by Councilman Kutcher and carried. Councilman Hitchcock voted Nay.

Supervisor Flaherty made a motion to adopt Local Law #6 of 2007, 2nd by Councilman Wilson and carried.

Councilman Hitchcock made a motion to accept the minutes of the January 10, 2007 regular meeting, 2nd by Councilman Kutcher and carried.

The Supervisor’s monthly report was given to the Board and bank statements were made available for review.

Building Inspector Cross gave his monthly report to the Board. He said there’s a slow down on permits at present but he expects that to pick up in the spring.
He gave an update on unsafe building.
Councilman Hitchcock made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Wilson and carried to accept the building inspector’s report.

The Board reviewed the Zoning Officer’s written report. A motion was made by Councilman Hitchcock, 2nd by Supervisor Flaherty and carried to accept the report.

The regular March Board meeting was rescheduled on a motion by Supervisor Flaherty, 2nd by Councilman Kutcher and carried.
The regular monthly meeting will be held March 7, 2007 at 7 P.M. instead of March 14, 2007.

Under courtesy of the floor:

Mr. Barry Esbin gave his gratitude and commended the highway department on the excellent job done on town roads during yesterday’s snowstorm.

Courtesy of the floor was closed.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator Bob Beyfuss sent a letter to all mountain top towns. He would like to conduct an educational meeting about the tent caterpillars that caused tree defoliation last year. The Board recommended the Supervisor set up a Saturday meeting for the Town of Jewett.

Annual financial reports for 2006 were received from the Jewett and East Jewett Fire Protection Districts.

Discussion on outdoor furnaces was tabled for the March meeting.

The Emergency Management Plan or NIMS, National Incident Management System. was adopted on a motion made by Councilman Kutcher, 2nd by Supervisor Flaherty and carried. This system synchronizes federal, state and local agencies during events requiring a shared response.

Councilman Hitchcock made a motion to accept the Supervisor’s December financial report, 2nd by Councilwoman Warfield and carried.

The finance committee of Councilwoman Warfield and Councilman Hitchcock audited the bills prior to the meeting.
Councilman Hitchcock made a motion recommending the Board approve the audit. Councilwoman Warfield 2nd by motion and all Board member voted Aye.
The general fund was $62,605.39 on abstract #2, claim numbers 15 to 47. The highway fund was $27,093.76 on abstract #2, claim numbers 6 to 27.

Councilman Hitchcock asked the Board to withdraw any consideration of a resolution concerning the county sheriff.

Supervisor Flaherty said the compensation packages were being worked on and there should be a form for the Board to review soon.

There was a letter in paper from Rene VanSchaack about conservation easements. Supervisor Flaherty said that all agencies would be required to notify local municipalities when they are purchasing an easement.

The meeting held in the Municipal Building on Saturday February 3rd concerning the Colgate Lake dam had a “good turnout.”

There be no further business the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 P.M. on a motion by Councilman Wilson, 2nd by Councilman Kutcher and carried.

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Patricia Merwin Town Clerk

Planning Board

February 1,2007

TOWN OF JEWETT
PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES
FEBRUARY 1, 2007

Roll Call: Chair: Jane Bostrom
Members: Gene Beers, Joan Kutcher, Carol Muth, Janet Nicholls, J.R. Quackenbush, and Paul Rosedale

Agenda Item 2: Approval of Minutes of January 4, 2007.

Mrs. Nicholls made the motion to approve the minutes of January 4, 2007. Mr. Rosedale seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.

Agenda Item 5: Application for Sign Permit for Lilla Godlewski of 765 Maplecrest Road (Co. Route 40) and 187 Hauser Road, Jewett, NY; Tax Map #113.00-4-4; District: Rural Residential.

We conducted this business next because Ms. Godlewski had left a child alone at home and wished to get back to him.
Ms. Godlewski said she was supposed to remove the sign by the road and put the smaller 12” x 24” sign in its place. She handed the Planning Board the photograph to prove that she had done so. She said the bigger sign has been removed and will be installed on the driveway once she has made further modifications to the sign such as removing the directional arrow. The sign will continue to contain information pertinent to her business such as business name, phone number, and open hours. Mr. Rosedale requested a photograph of the bigger sign once the work has been done. Ms. Godlewski agreed to do this. Mr. Rosedale then asked whether we could approve the sign, since one is finished and the application was for two. Mr. Beers replied that since the signs are not installed yet any way, we are where we would be if the signs were not up yet. Mrs. Bostrom checked on the sign law to make sure the actions taken fit within the scope of the Jewett Town Sign Law; they do. Mrs. Kutcher suggested that we approve the ordinary sign application. We know the signs are acceptable and where they are going to be. Mrs. Kutcher made the motion to approve her application; Mr. Beers seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously with the condition imposed by Mrs. Bostrom that when she installs the second sign we need a photograph for our file. Ms. Laubmeier gave Ms. Godlewski a copy of the Notice of Action for Sign Permit; photocopy on file and one given to the ZEO.

Agenda Item 3: Public Hearing for Special Use Permit for Carol and Nathan Miles of 173 Beaches Corner Road, Jewett, NY; Tax Map 130.00-4-33.21; District: Rural Residential. Two Family Residence.

Mrs. Muth made the motion to open the public hearing; Mrs. Kutcher seconded. The motion carried unanimously. The Planning Board had received by mail from the Miles accurate copies of the map as requested last month. At the meeting, the Miles turned in a letter of certification for the sign posting and the mail receipts from notifying their neighbors. The Planning Board had received a letter of complaint from Efthymios Kateris objecting to the Two Family Residence, but he did not give a reason for his objection. Mrs. Miles stated that he does not have a house on his land nor does her Special Use Permit directly affect him. Discussion of the Planning Board was in agreement with this. The Planning Board assumed that he may have feared significant development projects, which is not the case. Mrs. Kutcher made the motion to accept the application since we have all that we asked for and the Miles have been in compliance. Mr. Beers seconded the motion; the motion carried unanimously. Mr. Rosedale then made the motion to approve the Special Use Permit; Mr. Quackenbush seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Ms. Laubmeier and Mrs. Bostrom filled out the Special Use Permit and Notice of Action. The Special Use Permit was given to Mrs. Miles and a copy put in their file. A copy of the Notice of Action was given to the ZEO and put in their file.

Agenda Item 4: Application for Sign Permit for Gene Gordon Realty, Inc., broker for William King of Round Hill Road and County Route 40, Jewett, NY; Tax Map #s 113.00-2-19 and 113.00-4-19: District: Rural Residential and Rural Conservation.

Before discussion of the case, Mrs. Bostrom reported that she still had not heard from the Jewett Town Board regarding the Planning Board’s suggestions for improving the sign law. They have not yet taken action on it, so we must follow the law as it is currently written.
Mr. Gordon has taken the sign in dispute down. The sign is twenty-four square feet in size in compliance with Jewett Town Sign Law. He brought copies of the map highlighting where he will relocate the sign where it will not impede visibility from the road. Mr. Gordon and Mrs. Bostrom spoke separately to Mr. Paul Harvey, the County Highway Supervisor, upon the relocation of the sign. Mr. Gordon reported that Mr. Harvey said the sign needs to be eight feet from the edge of the pavement, unless there is a ditch then it might need to be ten to twelve feet. Mrs. Bostrom said that county roads are use roads and are not deeded. Technically, a sign needs to be twenty-five feet from the center of the road, but this is not always true for this type of road. Mr. Gordon answered that the proposed relocation of his sign is ten feet from the edge of the road. Mr. Rosedale made the motion to approve the application for the Sign Permit; Mr. Quackenbush seconded the motion. It carried unanimously. Ms. Laubmeier and Mrs. Bostrom filled out a Notice of Action and a Sign Permit. Copies of both were put in his file. Mr. Gordon was given the Sign Permit and Notice of Action given to the ZEO.

Agenda 6: Application for Minor Subdivision for Floyd Dart of 878 Route 13, Jewett, NY; Tax Map 128.00-5-14.1; District Rural Residential. To subdivide 15.501 acres from 42.99 acres.

Anthony Marino, builder, represented Mr. Dart at this meeting as Mr. Dart was unavoidably out of town. The question arose whether the Planning Board needed a letter of authorization for Mr. Marino, but it was decided that this was not necessary since he is only temporarily representing Mr. Dart. Mr. Marino provided the Planning Board with a copy of the application, the Agricultural Data Statement, the septic approval, and five copies of the site map as to the pieces they wish to subdivide. Mr. Beers read the septic approval and found it in order.
The new map illustrates the proposed house and driveway on lot 1. The driveway is eight to nine hundred feet long and runs alongside lot 2. Mr. Marino said they designed it this way because of drainage and the grade. They have designed for a free flow septic system to avoid installing a pump. The septic will be in front of the house. The rest of the property drops off to a wetland with less than a 15% grade. The water source will be a drilled well.
The question arose whether this was in an Agricultural District. Mrs. Muth read from the December 7, 2006 minutes when this was discussed. At that time the Jewett part of the property was not accurately rendered on the map; perusal of the new map indicates that this is now accurately rendered. The acreage has changed slightly with the new survey: the new acreage is 15.845. The map now contains all that the Planning Board said was necessary. Because of the Agricultural District, this application has to go to the Greene County Planning Board.
Mrs. Nicholls made the motion that we appoint ourselves Lead Agency for the SEQR; Mr. Quackenbush seconded and the motion carried unanimously. The Planning Board completed the SEQR and a motion was made for a Negative Declaration by Mrs. Muth; seconded by Mrs. Kutcher. The Roll Call vote: Mrs. Muth – aye; Mr. Beers – aye; Mrs. Kutcher – aye; Mr. Quackenbush – aye; Mrs. Nicholls – aye; Mr. Rosedale – aye; Mrs. Bostrom – aye. The motion carried unanimously.
Discussion followed about a Public Hearing, which cannot be held until the Green County Planning Board reviews this proposal. Allowing for time, this cannot be held until April. Ms. Laubmeier is to call Ed Diamante of the Greene County Planning Board to insure that all appropriate materials are included in the review packet she is to mail them. The decision was made to classify this as a Minor Subdivision. Motion made by Mr. Beers; second by Mrs. Nicholls. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Dart will need to pay a subdivision fee of $200 for his two lots. Mr. Marino promised to bring that in next day. Mrs. Bostrom requested that Mr. Dart or a representative attend the next meeting of March 1, 2007 to keep appraised of the situation.

Agenda 7: Report from County Planning Board Representative Gene Beers

Mr. Beers attended the meeting and reported that the County Planning Board had passed out awards to member Planning Boards, but that no one on the mountain top had won.
Mrs. Bostrom had received a letter from Kathleen Bronson, the new Senior Planner at Greene County Planning and Economic Development. She is interested in attending a meeting of the Jewett Town Planning Board to introduce herself and speak to us about meeting our local planning goals. Two training events will be held on Monday, April 23 at Greene County Emergency Operations Training Center in Cairo and on Thursday, April 26 at Columbia-Greene Community College, topics and times to be announced.

Agenda 8: Other Business
The Major Subdivision Moratorium set until February 9, 2007 will be extended for another six months. Subject to this moratorium are an application for Sketch Plan Review for Lars Peters of Acorn Drive, Jewett, NY, Tax Map No. 112.00-3-81; District Rural Residential and an application for Sketch Plan Review for M.C. Windham LLC of Round Hill Road, Jewett, NY; Tax Map No. 113.00-3-23 and 113.00-1-22.11 (Windham); Districts: Rural Conservation and Conservation.
Business still pending is an application for Minor Subdivision for Linda and Charles Nicholls of 941 Scribner Hollow Road, East Jewett, NY; Tax Map 147.00-2-9; District Rural Conservation.

There being no other business, Mr. Beers motioned to adjourn meeting; Mrs. Kutcher seconded. Seven ayes carried the motion. The meeting closed at 9:15pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Susan Laubmeier, Clerk

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Jane Bostrom, Chair