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Home My WebLink About2016-10-20Page 1 of 4 TOWN OF GROTON PLANNING BOARD Minutes of Regular Meeting - Thursday, 20 October 2016 - 7:30 PM Town Hall Court Room – 101 Conger Boulevard – Groton, NY Members, Groton Planning Board (*Absent) Others Present Edward Neuhauser, Chairperson Victoria Monty, Town Attorney Lisa Maloney Hahn, Vice-Chair Rick Fritz, Town Code Enforcement Officer Monica Carey Joan Fitch, Board Secretary Barbara Clark *Mark Baxendell Bret Wyllie Leon Brockway, Jr. Applicants & Public in Attendance Erich Haesche, Applicant; Michael Jones, Applicant; Krissy Donohue for NYS Mesonet, Applicant; Ed & Amy Vorhis, Applicants; Gary Moore, Applicant; Leah Haesche, Jeremiah Haesche, Levi Haesche, Debbie Holley; Town Board Member Kelly Smith. REGULAR MEETING The Regular Meeting of the Town of Groton Planning Board was called to order by Chairman Ed Neuhauser at 7:30 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 15 SEPTEMBER 2016 A motion was made by Member Barbara Clark to approve the Minutes of the 15 September 2016 Planning Board meeting, as submitted. The motion was seconded by Member Bret Wyllie, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes: Chairman Neuhauser Nays: None Member Carey Member Clark Member Maloney Hahn Absent: Member Baxendell Member Wyllie Member Brockway Motion carried. This becomes Action #56 of 2016. OLD BUSINESS Erich Haesche (dba Lubricants & Fuel Solutions), Applicant/Reputed Owner – 97 Ogden Road – TM #28.-1-34.305 – Preliminary Site Plan Review – Proposed Warehouse Facility (Note: At the September meeting of this Board, Chairman Neuhauser advised the applicant that the Board needed to time to review MSDS, Hazardous Materials Inventory Statement, and Hazardous Materials Management Plan regarding this application, so the matter was postponed until this meeting. Reference is made to the 15 September 2016 Minutes of this Board.) Chairman Neuhauser recognized Erich Haesche and he asked him to please provide his name, address, and date on the materials he had submitted to the Board at their request. He also asked the applicant what DEF meant, and Mr. Haesche explained, and also answered other Board member’s questions. (T) Groton Planning Board Minutes of Regular Meeting 20 October 2016 Page 2 of 4 Chair Neuhauser then asked the applicant if he had environmental liability insurance; Mr. Haesche stated he did not. When asked to explore this, Mr. Haesche stated that he could not afford that. Chair Neuhauser asked him to check into this and come back to the October meeting with what he had found out. Member Monica Carey was concerned about the time limit for this application, but Chair Neuhauser commented that the application was not yet complete as the Board is still asking for information. The sixty-two days starts from the time the application is considered complete, he stated. Mr. Haesche still needs to update the sheets submitted, and also research the liability insurance. Town Attorney Victoria Monty concurred that the application is not complete at this time, and there are “two more meetings to go.” Mr. Haesche questioned if the Board had jurisdiction over the insurance issue; he did not have the answer to that. Attorney Monty stated that the Board could make certain reasonable conditions on their approval which is something they would have to discuss as a Board. In response to Chair Neuhauser’s question, Mr. Haesche stated that the building had been inspected by the Fire Marshall; a letter had been submitted previously to the ZBA. Member Leland Brockway commented that he felt the likelihood of a spill is “pretty light.” With no further discussion, a motion was made by Member Lisa Maloney Hahn to postpone the Preliminary Site Plan Review for the proposed warehouse facility until the 17 November 2016 meeting of this Board to allow the Board sufficient time to review the new information provided. The motion was seconded by Member Brockway, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes: Chairman Neuhauser Nays: None Member Carey Member Clark Member Maloney Hahn Absent: Member Baxendell Member Wyllie Member Brockway Motion carried. This becomes Action #57 of 2016. NEW BUSINESS Michael Jones, dba Jones Portable Welding, Applicant/Reputed Owner – 384 Smith Road – TM #25.-1-10.2 – Preliminary Site Plan Review – Proposed Fabrication/Welding Shop Chairman Neuhauser recognized the applicant who was seeking to move his existing business across the road to this location where he planned to construct a 60 ft. by 80 ft. Essex steel building, as shown on the Estimate accompanying the application. He stated he will be doing the same thing he does now, but has run out of room where he is. It will b e just one floor in the new building. A motion was then made by Member Brockway to approve the Preliminary Site Plan Review for the proposed Fabrication/Welding Shop, as requested, with the Public Hearing set for 17 November 2016 at 7:30 p.m. The motion was seconded by Member Wyllie, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes: Chairman Neuhauser Nays: None Member Carey Member Clark Member Maloney Hahn Absent: Member Baxendell Member Wyllie Member Brockway Motion carried. This becomes Action #58 of 2016. (T) Groton Planning Board Minutes of Regular Meeting 20 October 2016 Page 3 of 4 NYS Mesonet, Applicant/Peter Clark & Katherine Wolfe, Reputed Owners – 194 Old Peruville Road – TM #36.-1-63.2 – Preliminary Site Plan Review – Proposed Weather Station Chairman Neuhauser recognized Krissy Donohue, representing the applicant who was seeking approval to erect a 33 ft. weather station, including weather monitoring equipment, at this location. Reference is made to the Town of Groton’s ZBA Minutes of 24 August 2016, for more detailed information. It is not a commercial tower where the landowner has any financial benefit; they will receive the weather information. The tower/equipment is solar powered. It’s single use and nothing else will be placed on the tower which can be erected within 5 to 7 days, and has a four-foot base. There will be a 3±-foot lightning rod on the top of the fully fenced in tower. After a very brief discussion, a motion was made by Member Clark to approve the Preliminary Site Plan Review for the proposed Weather Station, as requested, with the Public Hearing set for 17 November 2016 immediately following the first public hearing. The motion was seconded by Member Maloney Hahn, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes: Chairman Neuhauser Nays: None Member Carey Member Clark Member Maloney Hahn Absent: Member Baxendell Member Wyllie Member Brockway Motion carried. This becomes Action #59 of 2016. Edward & Amy Vorhis, dba A & E Automotive, Applicants /Steve & Linda Cute, Reputed Owners – 1100 Peruville Road – TM #35.-1-21.24 – Preliminary Site Plan Review – Proposed Motor Vehicle Repair Shop Chairman Neuhauser recognized the applicants who were buying a new house on Peruville Road and would like approval to conduct a two-person, part-time automobile repair business in the existing garage until such time as they may need to construct a separate facility, perhaps in the spring. CEO Rick Fritz advised Board members that he has provided the applicants with information regarding this, as they had provided Rick with their timeline for opening the business. After a brief discussion, a motion was made by Member Wyllie to approve the Preliminary Site Plan Review for the proposed Motor Vehicle Repair Shop, as requested, with the Public Hearing set for 17 November 2016 immediately following the second public hearing. The motion was seconded by Member Brockway, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes: Chairman Neuhauser Nays: None Member Carey Member Clark Member Maloney Hahn Absent: Member Baxendell Member Wyllie Member Brockway Motion carried. This becomes Action #60 of 2016. Gary Moore, Applicant/Reputed Owner – 839 Spring Street Extension – TM #25.-1-15 – Preliminary Site Plan Review – Proposed Garlic Barn w/Commercial Kitchen Chairman Neuhauser recognized the applicant who was seeking approval to construction a 30 ft. by 32 ft. pole barn for garlic storage and containing a commercial kitchen. Water, hot and cold, would be supplied to the kitchen which he utilizes to prepare chicken for barbecues. He may also sell turkeys. Mr. Moore stated there would be a “bonus room” on the second floor which would only be used for storage. Member Maloney Hahn commented that Health Department approval would be needed; Mr. Moore stated he was not sure, but he would meet with them. There will also be electric service, he said. (T) Groton Planning Board Minutes of Regular Meeting 20 October 2016 Page 4 of 4 At the end of the discussion, a motion was made by Member Clark to approve the Preliminary Site Plan Review for the proposed Garlic Barn w/Commercial Kitchen, as requested, with the Public Hearing set for 17 November 2016 immediately following the third public hearing. The motion was seconded by Member Maloney Hahn, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes: Chairman Neuhauser Nays: None Member Carey Member Clark Member Maloney Hahn Absent: Member Baxendell Member Wyllie Member Brockway Motion carried. This becomes Action #61 of 2016. OTHER BUSINESS • Chairman Neuhauser advised a presentation had been made to the Town Board regarding a proposed Commercial Solar Installation at 48 Old Peruville Road. He explained the process that a company would have to go through to do this pertaining taxing of the facility vs. a PILOT program. The applicant for a proposed facility on Old Peruville Road wants the Planning Board to consider acting as the Lead Agency under SEQRA. We have to respond within sixty (60) days. Attorney Monty noted that at this time there is no application as of yet, and they are “testing the waters.” At the conclusion of an extensive discussion, a motion was made by Member Maloney Hahn that the Town of Groton Planning Board agrees to act as Lead Agency under SEQRA for a proposed Commercial Solar Installation. The motion was seconded by Member Clark, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes: Chairman Neuhauser Nays: None Member Carey Member Clark Member Maloney Hahn Absent: Member Baxendell Member Wyllie Member Brockway Motion carried. This becomes Action #62 of 2016. ADJOURNMENT At 8:25 p.m., a motion was made by Member Clark to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by Member Brockway, with all members present voting in favor. Joan E. Fitch, Board Secretary Emailed to Supv., Town/Deputy Clerks, CEO Fritz, Attorney Monty & Board Members on 11/7/16.