The Prince of Wheeler Hill expresses his dissatisfaction with the Planning Board

Starting right after the holiday period, the January 5 Planning Board meeting had a full agenda. (Note to planning board members, if you miss a meeting -- please read the minutes, view the video -- it is awkward, confusing for the applicants and takes up a lot of time -- when you ask questions that have previously been discussed in prior planning board meetings).

An Adjourned Public Hearing for a Lot Line Re-aligment on Wheeler Hill was first on the agenda. A notorious builder, who as he proclaimed, has made his home on Wheeler Hill for 40 years took exception to neighbors' request in previous meetings that any future building plans, subdivisions take into account that the lots in question are part of an area that is the town's only Nationally Designated Historic Area and is part of the Town's Greenway trail system. The Planning Board has pointed out that the current town code doesn't provide a lot of guidance, and unlike other towns, the Town of Wappinger does not have an Architectural Review Board or a Historic Advisory Committee, so there was not a lot that they could actually prescribe. Well, in this meeting the applicant came roaring into the meeting questioning the neighbors' interests and the rights of the Planning Board to question his judgment. He claimed that he has no intention of building on the lots, that he owns the whole corner and he has done more than anyone to invest in the area. He said that his purchases have been made with his grandchildren in mind and that he has placed deed restrictions on the property (which a member of the planning board pointed out, he could change at anytime). He berated the Planning Board for taking several weeks to make the decision and said that he didn't want his grandchildren to have to review their design decisions with a planning board. He left immediately afterwards, and was not present when the Planning Board voted to approve the Town Planner to write a draft resolution to approve the lot line realignment with the provisions that any future building plans have to go through an architectural review by the Town Planning Board, and that condition is reflected in the deeds to the properties.

A Public Hearing for a request to subdivide a 1.6 acre lot, currently with 1 house on it, into two lots enabling a single family home to be built on Sky Top Drive. Neighbors spoke about their concern that an additional well would impact the amount and quality of their water, because other homes in the area have sulfur in their water. The Planning Board explained that the board of health at the county level would have to make such a determination. The neighbors asked where they could bring their concerns about water - if it was outside the scope of the Planning Board... and they were told, there isn't another place. (that is not a satisfying answer). The neighbors wanted some kind of assurance that if their water was affected and they had to make investments to remediate any water situation, that they would be compensated. There was also a comment that the property is very wet. The planning board is waiting for information from the county board of health.

A Public Hearing for the approval of an amended site plan to Tassone Court on Route 9 was held with no public comments. The Planning Board authorized the planner to draft a resolution approving the amendment allowing personal service use on the property.

Discussions:

The Village Pancake Factory at 1099 Route 9 -Board Approved a resolution authorizing the planner to draft a resolution approving the site plan amendments requested.

Adult Medical Day Care at 1676 Route 9 - need to find original site plan (where is the Town of Wappinger Building Department? should this not be business as usual?) the board and staff recommended several changes which need to be shown on the amended site plan.

Casa Amigos Restaurant - 1515 Route 9 - long discussions about sidewalks (there are going to be so many "orphan" sidewalks - as a result of this common County Planning request ... please look at the sidewalks to nowhere at the corner of Route 9 and Vassar Road -walkable communities are fine... but sidewalks are not the only required element). A public hearing was scheduled for January 21 - especially important because near residents and the updated site plan involves outdoor seating.

Hughsonville Firehouse Replacement - long discussions about wetlands on the property and which map was used to show the wetlands (DEC, Federal, Town etc.). Currently there is untreated stormwater flowing into the wetlands. The architect needs to conclude on all the SEQR questions and then the Planning Board said that they would vote at the next meeting to reverse a previous decision that they are the lead agency, and defer to the Fire Company as lead agency with the provision that they Fire compan will bring the final plans to the Planning Board. There is a bit of a dance going on here, because certain plans/documents have to be in place to issue a Bond, which will require a community vote -- but the applicant doesn't want to spend lots of $$ on plans before the financing is secured. This project will be on the agenda for January 21

Then a conceptual Review.. in which the Planning Board Chairman wondered why the applicants were asked (and had to sit through nearly 2 hours of agenda items) to come before the Planning Board by the Building Department. The property at 1622 Route 9 - formerly the Lash & Bronze Salon - might be repurposed into a coffee shop. Not a restaurant (they may have pasteries). Lots of discussions about the amount of parking required/available etc. It is still not clear why the Planning Board was asked to be involved.

The Planning Board then went to an attorney/client meeting to discuss lawsuit with Downey Propane, LLC and Northeast, LLC.