HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 2, 2025 - Town of Enfield Planning Board Meeting Minutes1
Town of Enfield Planning Board MeeƟng
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
7 PM
In-Person and via the Zoom MeeƟng Plaƞorm
Present: Chairperson Dan Walker; Planning Board Members, Ann Chaffee, Rich Teeter, Mike Carpenter, Henry
Hansteen; Planning Board Alternate Greg Hutnik; Code Officer Alan Teeter; Town Clerk Mary Cornell.
Call to Order: Chairman Walker called the meeƟng to order at 7:03 PM
Review Minutes: Chaffee moved and Hansteen seconded to approve the March 5th minutes; All AYE, Carried.
Sketch Plan Review: 87 Griffin Road, Ryan Sherry: Dan shared a map of the property. The resident would like
to create another landlocked parcel, which the planning board does not support. The property owner originally
purchased several lots, which is why there are so many separate parcels. He currently owns four lots, and with
this subdivision, it would create a fiŌh lot, which would be the landlocked parcel. Discussion conƟnued.
Agriculture Summit - Dan and Greg aƩended an agricultural summit meeƟng, which had speakers from Cornell
University who spoke on agriculture under solar panels (what crops can be grown and how they could grow).
Caleb ScoƩ spoke on Sheep farming, as Sheep can assist with keeping growth down. The research focused on
easy crops that could be grown and how animals can assist with vegetaƟon management. Discussion conƟnued
on the summit.
Comprehensive Plan Review: The Board resumed in the land use secƟon, respecƟng Enfield’s rural land
character. We are saying that we like farming and everything that we do, as far as site plan review or
subdivisions, we are always considering what the impact on farming would be. Do we want to have a project to
encourage homesteading? Ann asked what the current definiƟon of homesteading is. True homesteading was
land that was never used for anything or developed. Greg, when I think of homesteading, I think of a smaller
lot, with nut trees/fruit trees, and vegetable growing. Farming is more than an acre and is sustainable farming
(cash crops or dairy). They may have jobs in other fields to support their families. Dan is tempted to take this
secƟon out. Everything that we went over in the agriculture secƟon goes over this, so it is already covered.
Rosy asked what a small lot is, Dan and Ann responded an acre or less, which is what Enfield allows. Enfield
does not want to have a lot of large subdivisions. The Kinny property subdivision was not high-density. They
kept the lots larger, which kept with the land iniƟaƟves that Enfield wants. We want to keep Enfield as it is now
and not allow for larger subdivisions with high density. We have to be careful when you have too many
limitaƟons that you are geƫng into zoning. The Water ProtecƟon CommiƩee has developed a survey that they
would like to send out to residents to determine if they want public water and sewer. We recognize the Enfield
Main Road between Bostwick and Mecklenburg Road is considered the original hamlet. Which would be all the
houses on the main road. There is currently no definiƟon of the area at this Ɵme. Ann asked who would put up
the funds to do this for a small porƟon of the Town. Would the whole town need to pay for this? Dan said,
currently, they are just evaluaƟng the potenƟal need for a water district, and those in the district would be the
ones directly financially impacted by this development. It was asked what the Town center is and how the
public perceives it. The Town Courthouse, Fire Department, Grange, and Town Hall are considered the business
center. The Skatepark is an example, and the school is a part of this, too. He is not sure about the scenic vista
parts, and he is not sure how many scenic vistas there are in the town. On the Top of Rothermich and Harvey
Hill Road, there is a beauƟful view of the valley. Maintain the roads so that everyone can travel on them. Dan is
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not sure that this is a reasonable goal. Greg, some of this can be done through the SEQR process. If the Town
has not done a scenic view study, it should come down to the municipality to have a scenic study completed in
order to enforce this. Ann Chaffee stated that the average person in this town, if you ask them what an SEQR
study is, they have no idea what it is. When the water study was completed, requirements were added to the
site plan review law. Rosy Carpenter asked about cleanup days and offering a volunteer service to pick up trash
from residents’ properƟes and take the trash to the clean-up days. Clerk Cornell suggested she aƩend next
week’s Town Board meeƟng and bring this topic up. Discussion conƟnued as the board went through the plan.
Rosy asked how the meeƟng announcements get to residents and why a reminder for them is not put up at the
corner store. She would be willing to post flyers there. Dan the Town needs to have a Town Road map. The
county has offered to help. Greg said that he would be willing to help create the map. Informa Ɵon is available
on the County GIS system. Discussion conƟnued as the board reviewed a few more secƟons.
Adjournment: Hansteen moƟoned, and Teeter seconded to adjourn, adjourned at 8:33 PM
Respecƞully submiƩed,
Mary Cornell
Mary Cornell