Parking at popular town locations and Al Casella announces he is NOT affiliated with Casella Carting and cannot help you with your trash bill
The August 10 Town Board meeting, the only Town Board meeting in August covered a wide range of topics.
A proposal to provide a mechanism to have resident parking stickers, enabling residents to park at popular sites, like the Chelsea boat dock which would preclude non-residents from taking up parking spaces. More on that later.
Al Casella read a prepared statement to strongly state that he is NOT associated with Casella Carting and cannot help residents with billing questions, billing charges or any other Casella Carting questions. He did state that he is a customer and provided the amounts that he is charged monthly. He cannot help residents in dealing with Casella Carting.
After the Supervisor recapped a community meeting he attended with the EPA, regarding the Wappingers Creek Cleanup project (the public comment period is open until September 21), the first ward council member, who did NOT attend the meeting, and has never indicated any chemistry or environmental science credentials, decided to take the time to lecture everyone on some possiblity of issues that could occur during the proposed project - which will remove mercury contaminants.
Also the Town Supervisor summarized a traffic study of the traffic on Route 9D -- which has found that the lack of coordinated traffic lights on Route 9 is prompting GPS information to indicate that Route 9D is the faster Route, thus directing a lot of out of state, non-local truck traffic through Route 9D, rather than Route 9. Another factor is that the Village of Wappinger is not enforcing weight limits on traffic through the village.
So the agenda --
Two public hearing with no public comment -
1) Resolution voiding a law in 2020 that was filed but not adopted.
(Dr. Thurston's attempt to get Propane Storage Facilities in the town).
2) Resolution on a proposed local law that would make admistrating the town code more efficient.
This Resolution passed later in the meeting - here are the highlights (red indicating the change)
Building permits required.
No person shall construct, enlarge, alter, improve, remove, relocate or demolish any
building, structure, or any portion of a building or structure, or install any solid-fuel- burning heating appliance, chimney or flue, or perform any work that must conform with the Uniform Code and/or Energy Code without first having obtained a building permit from the Code Enforcement Officer.
Where no applicable standards or requirements are set forth in the Uniform Code, or are contained within other laws, codes, regulations, ordinances or bylaws adopted by the Town of Wappinger, compliance with applicable standards of the National Fire Protection Association or other nationally recognized fire safety standards shall be deemed as prima facie evidence of compliance with the intent of the Uniform Code.
The Director of Strategic Planning and Municipal Codes, Zoning Administrator, the Deputy Zoning Administrator, the Building Inspector, the Deputy Building Inspector, the Fire Inspector, and the Deputy Fire Inspector, and Code Enforcement Clerks are hereby authorized by the Town of Wappinger to enforce the ... building Code
Signs on all new construction or included in a renovation of an existing building’s façade following the adoption of this code shall be illuminated by downward lit lighting fixtures and not lit internally.
Signs located within Hamlet Mixed Use Zoning Districts may be hung perpendicular to the front of the building, shall not exceed 12 square feet in area per face, and shall not project more than four feet from the front side of the building. When suspended over a pedestrian walkway such as a sidewalk or entranceway, the bottom of such signs shall be no lower than eight feet and no higher than 12 feet above the finished grade.
Illumination. One permitted freestanding sign and one permitted building-mounted sign may be illuminated, during business hours only, provided that such illumination shall not be twinkling, flashing, intermittent or of changing degrees of intensity, (except for time/temperature signs, - REMOVED) and provided that the source of such illumination shall not be visible beyond the boundaries of the lot on which it is located.
All signs for a particular site shall be designed in accordance with a comprehensive signage plan in which the size, materials and color are appropriate to the dimensions and architectural details of the structure to which they are affixed or, in the case of freestanding signs, the structure(s) with which they are associated. Signs for any site shall have a design unity. Design unity may be achieved by such elements as coordinated font styles, coordinated colors, coordinated shapes or coordinated materials. Freestanding signs should be integrated with site landscaping where appropriate.
The size and graphic content of any sign shall be appropriate for its intended audience. Signs that are meant to attract pedestrian interest shall be smaller than those meant to attract the interest of persons traveling in vehicles with local destinations, which in turn shall be smaller than those meant to address persons traveling in vehicles comprising through traffic.
The maximum size of any symbol or graphic shall be 10 inches in any dimension. The Planning Board may in its discretion grant an additional inch in dimension for every 20 feet a wall sign for a business or structure is set back from its primary access roadway to a maximum of 24 inches, if it finds that the additional size is necessary or appropriate due to such circumstances as the sign's distance from the road, the design speed of the road or the size of the building on which the sign is placed; or that the symbol or graphic is of special aesthetic merit.
The maximum height of any letter shall be 10 inches. The Planning Board may in its discretion grant an additional inch in dimension for every 20 feet a wall sign for a business or structure is set back from its primary access roadway to a maximum of 24 inches, if it finds that the additional size is necessary or appropriate due to such circumstances as the sign's distance from the road, the design speed of the road or the size of the building on which the sign is placed.
Color. The use of fluorescent or iridescent colors is prohibited.
Setting. The supporting structure and accessory components, such as planters, poles or brackets, shall provide a setting that enhances the purpose of the sign and contributes to the overall aesthetic quality of the surrounding environment. The post- and-panel and low- profile ground forms are the preferred construction of freestanding sign structures; single- post structures are not permitted unless obstructed by a monument base, except for post- and-single-arm mountings; low-profile, two-post structures are allowed. Lower sign heights are encouraged.
Consent Agenda (all Approved)
Resolution Accepting the Resignation of J. Peterson as Building Inspector.
Resolution Accepting the Retirement of J. Owen as Dog Warden
Resolution to support the NY Association of Town Bill of Rights
1. Protection and defense of municipal home rule, recognizing that towns, as the level of government closest to the people, are best positioned to balance competing interests and make decisions that shape daily life;
2. Local control of land use and zoning, free from statewide zoning rules that override the voice of resident taxpayers and the officials they elect;
3. Freedom from unfunded mandates, so that local taxpayers are not made to bear the cost of orders imposed by State and federal authorities without the resources to carry them out;
4. Modernized transparency, accessibility, and engagement, including reform of outdated public-notice requirements that consume scarce municipal dollars on print notices often missed by the public; and
5. A meaningful voice in State decisions affecting the hometowns that towns govern, so that town government is treated as a true partner rather than an afterthought or a hurdle to clear
Non - Consent Agenda
Voided local law #1 of 2020 because it was not adopted -- the law, under another administration - was attempting to allow propane gas storage in Wappinger - Approved the voiding of the law
Resolution Accepting Easement of water improvements at Gas Land Property in Hughsonville - Tabled - the engineer has determined that the easement is NOT ready for the town to accept it, several outstanding issues (oh why are some council members concerned about this and seem to want to get this wrapped up quickly?)
Resolution Authorizing 2027 Budget Amendment - moving around of funds to better match the actuals - Approved
Resolution Authorizing Delegate to Legislative Meeting of the NY Association of Towns. - a meeting in Albany in September for the Towns - Approved
Resolution introducing a local law re: Parking Permit Requirements - Public Hearing September 14
This law would provide a framework -- that at the beginning of each year the Town Board would designate areas in the town requiring a Residents Parking Permit (free) .. and where non-Residents either could not park, or would be required to buy a non-residents parking permit. The intention is to keep popular areas, paid for by town residents, open to them. The initial thinking is the Chelsea Boat dock, but could in the future include such areas like sports fields, pickleball courts etc.
Resolution appointing a code enforcement inspector - Passed
Resolution funding the construction of parking at Brexil-Schlathaus park - enabling 64 cars to park, 50 more than are currently there - no trees will be cut - ADA compliant - passed
Items for Special Consideration
J. Cavaccini - commented on the storm that evening - where 750 residents stil without power and said highway team clearing trees that fell
Marked special events in the Town
Farmer's Market - each Monday
Mesier Reenactment - September 12th at Carnwath
Last week of Summer Concerts
Naturalization Ceremon held at Ketcham High School - next month will be in Wappinger on Constituion Day
Press conference celebrating the $800K grant enabled by Congressman Ryan for HIlltop water systems
Cranberry purchase finalied July 9
Goats are clearing invasive species at Carnwath Farms -- and becoming an attraction
EPA meeting outlining proposed clean-up of Wappingers Creek Superfund site
Glenn Scofield Sr.'s Passing
Route 9D traffic study
A. Casella - NO RELATION to Casella Waste Management
July 22 - Tyler Adams Welcomed
Cleaning of Pnds in town -- including Reese Park
National Pickleball day
C. Phillips
MIke Miner (TOW videographer) - filmed for World Cup Games
Highway Department clearing roads from evening storm
H. O'Dell
Ran Chelsea run supporting Chelsea Fire Department & Scholarships
No Child left Inside Project with Cornell Cooperative Extension - encouraging young people to get outside
B. Beale
"Best Medicine" TV show filming in town - he thinks it is well written.
Promises Popup event at Schlathaus Park before end of summer
10th annual first responders award scheduled for September 13.
Car Carriers unloading on shoulder of roads
Would like a law requiring Lock Boxes on Commercial Establishment enabling emergency personnel to get into buildings on off hours in the event of an emergency - to be installed before a certificate of occupancy is issued (oh, that would have been a good idea to add to the resolution updating the building codes that just went throught the whole process of writing, updating, public hearing etc.) -
Executive Session - 2 items of litigation - 1 - re: Challenge to Valuation on Commercial property for tax purposes and 2 - Clarification on Stipulation with Developer