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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-10-160 TOWN OF DRYDEN PLANNING BOARD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2003 MEMBERS PRESENT. Chairperson Barbara Caldwell, Natan Huffmanjom Hatfield, Joe Laquatra and David Weinstein ALSO PRESENT: Henry Slater, Penny List — Recording Secretary, Debbie Gross, Debbie Teeter — Cooperative Extension, George }Frantz. Kristie O'Conner AGENDA: (1) Debbie Teeter — Cooperative Ext. Tompkins County 7:23 PM Debbie Teeter of Cooperative Extension Tompkins County was present to discuss the 8 year review of Tompkins County Agriculture District #1. She sated the time line is a 300 day review process and they are about 90 days into that process. She was present to answer questions and get comments on active vs. inactive farm land in the agricultural district. Her question to the board was if there was any land that had been developed that the town expects will be receiving sewer and water. Joe Iaquatra asked Ms. Teeter if she had looked at the draft comprehensive plan and felt that would be worth her looking at. Ms. Teeter also asked if there were any improved subdivisions. Lave Weinstein stated off Ferguson Road there is a subdivision with septic and asked at what point they start thinking they need to take it out of the AG district. Ms. Teeter stated generally it' there is active agriculture going on around a residential area their preference is to keep the residential in the AG district because a significant benefit to farmers is to have the residential land surrounding them be part of the AG district as it gives them some protection. Their (TC Coop. Ext.) goal is to get under or reach the 50% threshold of active farmland in the district. They have to survey all the farmers to confirm how many acres they are farming and total it to say the AG district is "x" number of acres and they can confirm how marry acres is actively farmed and as long as that number is 50% or more, they can keep it in the AG district. If it's less than 50% then they have to take land out. They are not looking to take land out the AG district unless it needs to be. Ms. Teeter stated there is a question in many peoples mind of .what actively fanned is. She stated if something isn't planted in ten years but is mowed every /every other year so it can go back in to agriculture, reasonably that can be considered actively farmed. She said there was always a possibility the state blocking funding of a water district if too many concerns were brought up but typically they could limit the hookups in an agricultural district to existing structures only so if there are any situations such as multiple family homes going up in the next four years in a large scale, the board would want to put water and sewer there in the next eight yews and . that is what everyone should look at. Ms. Teeter stated she does not r- expect any surprises. Deb Gross asked about the requirements of the ag district get enforced or implemented in the Town of Dryden and asked if it was up to each reviewing board to have those requirements on hand. Ms. Teeter stated that is part of SEQR. Further discussion to explain the process to Ms. Grass followed. Joe LaQuatra asked if the board should adjust the Comprehensive Plan and George doesn't feel any adjustment is necessary and also stated that the infrastructure finance section is touched on in the plan. Chair Caldwell asked if some change should be made in the rollback provisions by an individual in that ag district who's enrolled in the plan; does it roll back to the time that the revision took place? Ms. Teeter stated just being removed from the ag district would not have any impact on their taxes. Chair Caldwell stated that Ms. Teeter and Mr. Frantz would speak further on this issue. 7:50 PM Henry handed out a sketch conference for a four lot subdivision for John & Kristie O'Connor. The property is in the 400 block of Etna Road and the person who owns it lives out of state and they had mistakenly gone to record these four lots at the assessment department and the assessment department refused to take them because they felt it fit the definition of the Town of Dryden subdivision and it does. It all has public road frontage and the lots are cookie cutter lots that come out of 187 acres. This is exempt from Health Department review because it doesn't meet the 55 degree rule. This is a "Town road. Joe was concerned there was too many road cuts allowed and Henry stated the county suggests that as recommendations only. Farb asked what was presently there and Henry stated it was a single family home. Ms. O'Connor stated Ardis owns the 187.99 acres and there is no land actively being fanned. Henry slated in the mid 1980' there was a small gravel pit there and the land is quite flat along with the fact there is enough land to do something constructive. Henry also added there is 3000 foot of road frontage. "There was a question to the access to a particular parcel that is land locked and where to put the access to that lot. Tom stated he would like to have that issue addressed now versus later. Ms. O'Connor stated eventually Ardis is planning to put a house in a particular location (showed the Board on the map). Joe asked if provisions should be added now. Natan stated he was not clear where the owner would be putting the cut to access the new house and Tom stated that was the point to the issue he just raised. Tom stated hard to decide where cut should be without looking at the property itself. Mr. O'Connor spoke to where the house is currently and stated there is plenty of space to access the land where the drive is now. Henry stated the wetland and floodplain review would be done at a later time. The board closed that discussion at 8:07 pm. 8:09 PSI Barb stated after the last meeting with the Town Board there were some things for George to address tonight. The Planning Board thought they • had it settled in May and Maholn said they had not and there needs to be an infonnational hearing and then take the plan back to the board. There were questions as to when to put the Comprehensive Plan on the town website and it was decided to be put on before the informational meetings. The Planning Board decided to have a few informational meetings and at a later time have a public hearing on the Plan. f=urther discussion of some. changes followed. One suggested change was to the water /sewer service area map. Another issue was to the zoning ordinance and having additional setbacks off.' Ferguson /Irish Settlement Road. George stated it will take a .week to ten days to make the changes. Tom suggested adding two or three sentences on the ag district. The board decided to have three informational meetings: 1) Varna Community Center; 2) Freeville and 3) Dryden Fire hall with a definite time (Le. 7 -9pm). David motioned for the Planning, Board request the Town Board for $3,000 or a sufficient amount for mailings to inform the public of these meetings. The Planning Board unanimously passed that motion. If the funding in not available, the board will go to other resources. The Planning Board decided to have George make the following changes and put it on the website: l) revise water /sewer north of the village; 2) check on the agricultural protection plan and develop a language; 3) Ferguson /Irish Settlement Road — low access thruway (people coming 38 South to avoid Dryden) and having big setbacks and few roadcuts; 4) in Varna, change the highway to Main Street to give drivers the feel of "Main Street" and slow the speed down. The board decided to go with the previous changes and put the • Comprehensive Plan up on the website by the 30'h. The meetings will be held as follows: December 9 "' — Freeville /Etna; December I 1 to Varna/Ellis Hollow; 18 "' — Dryden. Henry was to coordinate them with the time to be 7 -9pm. Superintendent Varvayanis was present and Chair Caldwell spoke to him regarding the monies for mailings and he was okay with that request pending the Town Board approval. 9:04 PM Joe LaQuatra handed out a newsletter and CD Rom to the board for their review, "Partnering for a better New York ". 9:06 PM Chair Caldwell stated the last item on the agenda is for the board to provide input on the expansion of the Commercial /Residential subdivision on Dutcher Road in the late 1980's /early 1990's. The parcels on Dutcher road were designated residential and the Inner Loop where this facility is across from Mullen's Body Shop was designated by the zoning district as commercial. The Yellow Freight Company evolved shortly after the subdivision was approved and all the residential lots have been sold and built on. The Yellow Freight Company lasted about. a year as a transfer station. David Duff offered to buy the property in 1996 and sells water treatment products. lie's grown to the point where he needs additional storage. When the approval was given to Mr. Duff. it. was suggested that one of the things he would do if he wanted to expand; by special use pennit, was to present to the planting board for their review and • comments and recommendations on 1) appropriateness for the neighborhood where it is situated and 2) to avoid piecemeal development. Henry stated not he was not sure on an individual site what piecemeal development would mean and stated that with any expansion it is done a piece at a time. The question is should he be considered by putting some storage on this site is a piecemeal and maybe next year he wants to do something different to expand his business capabilities or should he be planning to make one big addition at once. Mr. Duff informed Henry he. had no plans to do anything other than provide this warehousing capability for his growing business, The one thing Henry stated to the board for possible consideration was what Mr. Duff is planning on storing in the tanks. Mr. Duff has been asked and has not responded to Henry at this date. David asked if there had been any neighbor complaints and there had been none. The nearest neighbor is 300 feet away. Chair Caldwell was concerned about the possible storage of hazardous materials. Henry suggested the Planning Board voice the concerns to the "town Board. As the business has grown, he could be storing, these materials already and the Town doesn't know. Mr. Duff sells to large operations by truck with no walk -in business. The Planning Board asked if there are any state or town regulations for this and wondered if the town should check with the DEC. "rhe simplest thing to do would be to ask him for his MSDS forms and that describes what the product is. Henry stated as far as the storage is concerned, there are building code regulations and Kevin does the . inspections at this facility. Natan stated ifs Mr. Duff is going to a larger facility it would be assumed to be more secure. Henry stated any building code violations have already been fixed and the Planning Board is raising recommendations for the Town Board. Joe LaQuatra suggested having Debbie Gross do some research such as the type of materials are being handled and what applicable regulations come in place here (i.e. federal, State or local). If Mr. Duff' is handling anything hazardous it should be listed with FEMA and the board needs to know that. The Board recommended the following: v1r. Duff be prepared at the time of the public hearing to explain what's in the tank and what assurance of what's in the tank won't end up in the ground water or what might be on site at any one time. The board closed the meeting at 9:20pm.