Alpine Commons Public Hearing set for August 22

Three Public Hearings were held at the June 27th Zoning Board of Appeals meeting:

1) A request for a set-back variance to install an above ground pool on Red Hawk Hollow Road. - approved

2) A request for a set-back variance to legalize a screened-in porch on DeGarmo Hills Road. This required removing steps to the porch, but the request was approved.

3) A request for a variance on fence height for fences on Spook HIll Road and Roberts Road. The hearing included comments from neighbors that the construction debris, parked trucks and questions about the garage being used as living quarters caused the board to pause and adjourn the public hearing to the July 25th meeting. The Building Inspectors will be visiting the site to ensure that the property is appropriate cleaned up and the building projects are progressing as expected (the applicant said that the goal is to complete the work before winter/beginning of the new year).

Three Appeals were discussed -

1)Middlebush Road - a block building to be used as a construction storage area cannot be renovated as had originally been planned, and a new building on the same footprint - requiring set-back variances is proposed. Because of wetlands, septic systems etc. - the building cannot be reoriented or have larger set-backs. A site visit for July 22nd is planned, with a public hearing scheduled for July 25th.

2) A request for a variance for a set-back to install an in-ground pool on Fox Hill Road was heard, with a site visit for July 22nd planned and public hearing set for July 25th.

and then a Client Attorney session was announced with the Zoning Board and the Professionals leaving for about an hour to discussion the Alpine Commons Multi-Family Workforce Housing Project. When they returned - the attorney for the developer explained that a variance for parking would no longer be required, so the developer is coming to the board with a variance requests re: the height of the buildings and the number of units (density). There is a change in the number of acres to be used for the site - now 16.06 acres. There was discussion about a letter received by the board from the attorney at 5:55 pm before the board met, and the board explained they have not had time to digest the information in the letter, and that there were details like Storm Water management, lighting plans etc. to still be detailed. There are additional questions about Public Transportation options, information from the county, blasting and cut & fill plans that will need to be discussed with the town engineer. However, a public hearing was scheduled for August 22 - and the Town Planner was directed to draft a negative declaration approval letter (so guess no new information is expected during the public hearing).

The Zoning Board closed with a change to their schedule - there will only be 1 meeting held each month in July and August, with the July 11 and August 8 meetings cancelled.