HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-03-24Town of Dryden
Planning Board Meeting
Thursday March 24, 2022 at 6:00pm
Minutes Approved 4-28-22
Present: PB Members Diane Tessaglia-Hymes, , Tony Salerno, Dan Bussmann, Joe Wilson ,
Alice Green, Simon St Laurent, John Kiefer, Linda Wagenet
Absent: Craig Anderson
Other Attendees Included: Ray Burger, Dan Lamb, Sam Gordon, also see attached sign-in list
Hybrid Meeting Call to Order 6:00 p.m.
1. Chairman Kiefer activated alternate PB member Alice Green.
2. Review/approval of the 2/24/22 minutes was postponed to the April meeting to give PB
members additional time to review them.
3. Chairman Kiefer opened a Public Hearing to receive comments on the draft Dryden2045
update to the town comprehensive plan. Kiefer gave an introduction to the draft, including:
• New York is a Home Rule State which means state law grants Towns, Cities and
Villages the right to create local laws on certain topics such as land use.
• NY Law encourages municipalities to have a Comprehensive Plan to guide elected
officials and lawmakers in setting priorities and development of local laws.
• The Comprehensive Plan is a technical document that includes results of public
outreach efforts.
• Tonight’s public hearing is part of the outreach process. The comment period, which
welcomes written comments including by way of the form on Dryden2045.org, will
remain open until the end of March.
• The Planning Board is serving as the Steering Committee for the comprehensive plan
update. Next steps are for the PB to incorporate changes to the draft based on public
input and then to recommend to the Town Board that the draft is complete. The TB
then reviews the draft and conducts another public hearing. Then the TB can make
edits and adopt the update.
4. Following is a summary of comments from members of the public at the meeting. .
• The relationship between Dryden2045 and the 2005 Plan is not clear.
• There are too many action items in the update. There aren’t enough resources to get
them done. The PB should prioritize the list.
• Dryden2045 should include the recommendations from the 2005 Plan that were
accomplished/not accomplished.
• The word “node” is used too many time times and it is not clear what it means.
Town of Dryden Planning Board
Meeting Minutes 3/24/22
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• 25% of the children in Dryden are living in poverty and the update should cover that.
• The sections on affordable housing needs improvement. See Charles Geisler letter on
the topic. Please be sure affordable housing projects are climate ready.
• Zoning requires a Special Use Permit for multi family housing projects and that
discourages developers.
• NYS and other states have or are considering a requirement that zoning allow up to 4-
plex housing types anywhere single family homes are allowed.
• Dryden’s population is dropping because people can’t afford to live here. It is not clear
how the recommendations in Dryden2045 will help with Dryden’s housing problems.
• Compared to some surrounding municipalities, Dryden’s zoning laws are overly
restrictive and cause developers to build elsewhere. Developers will build what is
allowed by right. Dryden2045 should include specific recommendations to streamline
and simplify zoning laws for building/project types that Dryden wants to promote.
• Dryden2045 is too long and is difficult to read.
• The town should give a presentation on Dryden2045.
• Some of the maps, using data provided by the county, are inaccurate.
• Dryden2045 should include input from the town’s two villages.
• The Nodal Corridor (on the Future Land Use Map) north of Dryden Village does not
make sense for the land owned by Dedrick’s Farm Market.
• The update should talk about how solar PV can successfully coexist with ag lands.
• The update makes frequent reference to the benefits of the Dryden Rail Trail. The Trail
will have little positive financial impact on the town. Property owners of the proposed
trail path between Freeville and Etna don’t want the trail on their property.
• The update should recommend biosequestration for Dryden’s ag lands.
• The update should have a stronger focus on commercial development to ease the tax
burden and provide local jobs.
5. Ray gave an update on possible future projects:
• A sporting complex on the land along Rt13 recently used by Bellisario for staging.
• Relocation of the greenhouse near NYSEG to the above site for cannabis farming. That
would likely be regulated by Ag and Markets.
• The townhome project at 1061 Dryden Road is looking to amend their PUD
• RMS Gravel is renewing their gravel mining permit and expanding mine by 44 acres
There will be a hearing before the Town Board on 4/14/22.
• 2 SUP applications are coming to the Town Board for new businesses at 366 Virgil
Road and 297 Ringwood Road
4/4/22 jak
Town of Dryden Planning Board
Meeting Minutes 3/24/22
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