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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-4-16 MINUTES & PUBLIC HEARING - TOWN OF GROTON PLANNING BOARD MEETING – THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2026 AT THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD, GROTON, NY Planning Board Members Present: Planning Board Members Absent: Leon Brockway, Jr.-Chair Edward Neuhauser Ryan Ramplin, Vice Chair Mark Baxendell Monica Carey Sam Rose Dan Cerretani Also Present: Robin Cargian, Town Clerk Tom Bishop, Applicant/Part Owner of LLC Attorney for the Town, Noah Kilmer Public Hearing The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM, and the Chair read the public notice, which was printed in the Ithaca Journal and mailed to neighbors within 500’ of the proposed site. After opening the Public Hearing, the Applicant/Part-owner of Apex Glass Fabrication LLC, Tom Bishop, briefly reviewed the site plan for members who were absent at the preliminary meeting. The application for the property located at 556 Cortland Road is for light industry production of insulated glass windows for wholesale only. No retail onsite sales, and they will not be fixing screens. The Department of Transportation was contacted at the request of the board. DOT will be emailing a statement granting permission to resurface the lot if the highway access is not changed, which there is no plan to do. There has been a change to the application as an issue arose getting enough power to supply their needs. NYSEG has been very slow to respond to the request or even send a quote. A temporary solution is to add a three-phase natural gas generator, for which a building permit has already been approved. The generator will be located to the east of the building, and the applicant noted that noise control was discussed with the other business owners. Mr. Bishop stated the generator was not that loud compared to the bike shop and traffic from the highway. This would only be operated from 7 AM to 4:30 PM; however, should the Town receive a complaint, they would add a fence to muffle the noise. With no one from the public attending to speak, nor any comments received by the Clerk’s office, a MOTION was made to close the public hearing by Member Baxendell, seconded by Member Carey. Ayes – Ramplin, Carey, Baxendell, Cerretani, Rose, Brockway Jr., Resolution Passed Nays – None RESOLUTION #26-07 – APPROVE THE MINUTES MOVED by Member Ramplin, seconded by Member Rose, RESOLVED, to approve the meeting minutes of March 19, 2026 Ayes – Ramplin, Carey, Baxendell, Cerretani, Rose, Brockway Jr., Resolution Passed Nays – None Old Business: Chair Brockway Jr. opened the regular meeting and asked the board if there were any questions regarding the Site plan application for 556 Cortland Rd. Apex Glass Fabrication. Member Baxendell asked about the lighting discussed in the reply letter from County Planning. It was noted, and the applicant agreed that the outdoor LED lighting that was just recently added to the building would angle down as much as possible while still offering security coverage. It would not cause a glare to the highway motorists. New Business: RESOLUTION #26-08– TOWN OF GROTON PLANNING BOARD DECLARES ITSELF LEAD AGENCY FOR THE PURPOSES OF SEQR REVIEW AND DECLARES A NEGATIVE DEC MOVED, by Member Rose, seconded by Member Cerretani, that the Planning Board declares itself as the Lead Agency, and Vice Chair Ramplin then read aloud Part II of the Short Environmental Assessment Form. All questions in Part II received negative responses. A motion was then made by Member Carey that, based on the information and analysis of the SEQR concerning this application, the Town of Groton Planning Board has determined that the proposed action will not result in any significant adverse environmental impact, resulting in a Negative Declaration. The motion was seconded by Member Baxendell with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes – Ramplin, Carey, Baxendell, Cerretani, Rose, Brockway Jr. Resolution Passed Nays - None RESOLUTION #26-09 – APPROVE THE FINAL SITE PLAN FOR APEX GLASS FABRICATION LLC WITH MODIFICATION/CONTINGENCY MOVED by Member Baxendell, seconded by Member Rose RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton Planning Board hereby approves the final site plan with the contingency that the applicant will add fencing to buffer noise from the generator should the Town receive a complaint. Ayes – Ramplin, Carey, Baxendell, Cerretani, Rose, Brockway Jr. Resolution Passed Nays – None Chair Brockway Jr. offered the floor to anyone with other business for the Board. Town Clerk Cargian read a meeting invitation from the Environmental Management Council and Town of Groton Zoning Board of Appeals member Barry Siebe. The EMC will update local boards about their completed projects and what they will be working on next at their May 14th meeting. This will run from 4-6 PM and is located at the Tompkins County Library, Borg Warner East Room. Attorney Kilmer informed the board that Land Use Code changes will be coming soon to add clearer language and definitions. There being no further business, Vice Chair Ramplin moved to adjourn, seconded by Member Cerretani, at 7:50 PM Unanimous. Robin Cargian Robin Cargian, RMC Groton Town Clerk April 16, 2026