Planning Board, Regular Meeting

1. 0:02additional work on it. I call them an engineer. I do review the status of the application. So, we provided a new letter dated July 13th. There's a few more technical comments that we'd like to address, which we're happy to see that people are in addition. So, we'd ask for this letter to become a condition of any approval. And at the end of the letter, we've listed out other conditions of site plan approval that we recommend. The first one is the payment of all fees. Issuance number two is issuance of a will serve letter from the Hudson Water and Sewer Department. Number three is New York State DEC approval of sewer extension. Number four is the road right-of-way improvement signed off by the Hudson Department of Public Works. Number five is confirmation whether the access easement between the former library and school is dissolved or retained or whether it's retained should be noted on the final plans. Number six is update the bulk zoning table to identify all existing non-conforming elements of the
2. 1:06bulk bulk zoning requirements. And number seven is notes shall be added to the site plans to reference the conditional approval from New York State Office of the OHRP, which is the historical review regarding the two items that they had in their requirements, which was A, existing and proposed windows to be submitted for review and approval, and B, the HVAC system needs to meet the standards in terms of deep casement of patient size and concealment of or finish of the ductwork system and utility lines. So, we just want to make sure that they get their sign-off. >> Does the applicant have any hardship issues here? >> Okay. >> There was one discussion which the board had a few meetings ago regarding the exterior lighting. >> Yes. >> Uh And I I don't know whether that had legs and whether it made its way >> They had a complete lighting plan which we reviewed with the comments on
3. 2:09reviewed it and we were happy with their lighting plan. >> [clears throat] >> Any discussion from our lawyer about this application? >> No, I think the comments laid out by the engineer were appropriate and they could be included in the potential final action and I believe with regard to issue number one was the required payment of all escrow fees. So that'll be included to any potential action. Other than that, the board should be ready to proceed to take final action on the application. >> Before we move, is does the applicant have any questions or comments that they'd like to make? All right. So a motion for the board to approve this application is in order. >> So given the conditions that have been outlined by our engineer. >> Okay, Jean. >> Second. >> Thank you. Second. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Yes, here. >> Yes. >> We're home. >> Yes. >> Can't get worse. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yes, we do. >> So the motion to approve and the application has been granted. Congratulations.
4. 3:11>> Thank you. >> Thank you both. >> Thank you. >> Great. Good morning to both of you. Okay. >> Before we deal with old business, we have four items that are part of our regular meeting. Do we have bills to approve tonight? No bills to approve. Approval of the minutes of June 9th. Motion to approve based on the minutes that were distributed uh to us via email. >> [clears throat] >> Any amendments or edits or changes to the minutes? What are you saying? >> We we have So a motion to approve is in order. >> [laughter]
5. 4:15>> Fairly it's your turn. >> Oh yeah, yeah, I mean the motion here. >> Motion to approve a second. >> Second. >> Peter seconds. Um so we have a liaison relationship uh uh between us and other organizations. Are there any updates or reports? >> I have a >> There is. I was at the C's meeting. Um there was a question apparently there's a state has passed this 30 by 30 thing which is a law um all um municipalities to preserve 30% of open space and for I don't know about 2030. Um and they sort of had a question for us of like whether we could potentially to us if our finances would be impacted by this. I was like I don't think so unless the
6. 5:17us city does. But I said I'd have to ask >> Come with me when I when I do it. Yeah. >> Prior to this question, I don't know but I can certainly find it out for you. I'm like well I don't know. >> Uh they were curious about this. I know they they were sort of just curious about a variety of questions which were amounted to like would you have any advice economists I don't know about Uh they they also had ideas. And I think my my basic feedback to them was like you can't do that in regression but like you should be advocating to the council to and then the attorney with you know seeing that. >> And just to clarify this committee can apply for a board they can submit materials for the board's consideration like >> Yeah, we can I invite you to just stop. >> Yeah. >> Perfect. >> Yeah. >> And I will give you the 30 back then. >> Yeah, thank you. Um mandatory training reminder. Well, I can do that or you can.
7. 6:19But uh we're required to do 4 hours of training a year. Uh we're halfway through the year. Yes. >> Here's seven I think we should do that. One and 10 hours. Maybe we can add three. >> Yeah. And then I'm doing the training tomorrow with Logan at the club. With the HHA. Training is tomorrow, isn't it? Oh, that's right. Sorry. [laughter] >> You're not. >> You're not. I've got to keep forgetting who is associated with what boards and commissions. Um So so we're we're halfway through our year so uh uh it's not going to stack up on us. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> I don't know anything about this. >> Huh? >> I can you remind me what the words of the trick that you have is the same >> I just want to back up a little bit. So you're required to have a >> 4 and 1/2 hours of training per year. Some is 6 hours of training per year. >> Uh generally the training has to be
8. 7:20approved by the municipality and I'll see what exactly Hudson is doing. Mostly these are approved if they're given to the Department of State and any county resources and there's a bunch of free trainings available online too. >> We did support >> Right. In this >> [clears throat] >> Okay. So let's move on to old business. Uh 810 Ben Wiegel Road. Is the applicant present and would you like to make comments? >> Yeah, I just grabbed the board out of your office. And I should just state for the board's benefit the applicant's attorney called me on this and informed me he was not able to be here. Okay, so we were here a couple months ago. I'm John the district deputy city engineer. So we were here a couple months ago. Um our main goal a couple months ago was just to use the project sunset. We responded to the engineers and the engineers comments.
9. 8:24This thing started in 2024. I think it was a clearly different board at that time. Uh and I did have a review engineer as well. So one of the big concerns was stormwater regulations have changed since this was approved in 2006. So we looked at it and we thought the simplest way to attack the the stormwater issue would be to even you know, redesign the entire basin to meet current standards. So the improvement would essentially address stormwater for the entire phase two. Um not just the quantity control but the quality. So it's going to filter and uh the stormwater runoff the water coming out of the site is going to be cleaner than what it is today. Um other than that um you know, the appearances of the buildings are going to be the same as what's existing there. I know we have a new round of comments that we need to address. Uh a number of it's technical. There's a
10. 9:27couple of uh you know, major uh things I wanted to discuss. Not really major but um Speakers wanted to. So we reached out to the city and and got this administrative change in 2004 to be a the original CEQA the original model. CEQA I'll call that information for when it was approved. We also recently reached out to CT Man who got it approved originally. Nobody can provide us with anything. So, we had nothing other than those approved plans that we submitted with the submission. I guess I'm looking for direction on how the board wants to address CEQA, you know, that it could be affirmed. If not, then it should be reopened. Is this a candidate for the new, you know, CEQA regulation in the city office being a type two action because it's residential, multi-family, lot of disturbed site, access to existing infrastructure, and
11. 10:32all that. >> What that would be the confirm CEQA >> To start out with, our comments were recommending to if we could get that information, then it's a matter of the board can reaffirm it. And just saying, "Yes, you're within it." But it's hard for us to do that without knowing what the past board said. I don't know if there's any way that the board or planning department can try to look through and see if we can even even get the old resolution cuz I think easiest way. Um I don't know if Asia wants to jump in on that. Like if you can't find that, what would you recommend then? >> Concern if we can't find any of this previous CEQA documentation is what are we reaffirming based on? We need some sort of basis, otherwise that could potentially be arbitrary. So, we need to see what we can get from the applicant and see if we have any historic materials. If not, I think the recommendation would be to reopen CEQA just due to the lack of information here. And your your point is well taken about how it would be potentially the to the type the new type two list where this would fall in under I forget which
12. 11:36section it is. But, I think we need a determination that there's no materials for us to review. And if not, then this board would have to reopen seeker. But, we need to know what path we're going to go down. I think it might be too early to make it a determination right now. I think some sort of last push to locate these historic documents could be appropriate. I don't know what the I don't know what the magnitude receipt for that is. If it's some monumental undertaking, then it would be more straightforward for the board likely to just reopen seeker and look at it. But, then So, I think it may be just procedurally while you the applicant has comments to address for the next >> Yes, yes, yes. >> If you can provide any seeker materials to us in anticipation of that meeting, we would be in a good spot to look at it then. And if not, I think this board would be then in a good [clears throat] spot to reopen seeker and start that process. Otherwise, we're So, this board will be in a reactive
13. 12:39state. We'll either get some materials to look at or we'll start anew. >> [clears throat] >> Any comments from the board? Questions? >> Worried about whether we'll have to go and find this filing. >> And I didn't mean to start some wild goose chase. >> It's all about the waste >> It is a big waste of time. >> So, the other piece attached on to that is that this was originally a PUD approval. >> Yes. >> Which when that happens, it creates its own bulk regulations for the project. So, that's one of our running comments is we'd like to see what those are. And have you put that on the plan so that it's it's consistent. So, I don't know is that available? Do you Do we have that in the >> I don't know. I can't remember if those are approved plans or not. I don't know. I hope so. >> Okay, cuz if Lynn is looking, then I think that would be Now, what was that the bulk standards or bulk density? >> That was a lot. I think the other thing I think we should discuss is the the HOA.
14. 13:41We we've met we have met the HOA and the attorney agreed to meet with the HOA. We did talk to some members outside at the last meeting. I know their concern is noise, construction, so you know, how how we are going to work on that. You know, maybe a condition and I don't know. That might be a approval time, but we should talk about it now. You know, construction times to limit noise. I know that the review engineer made a comment about one building at a time, which I I don't see an issue. I would maybe make a recommendation that you know, one building fit up at a time, but while interior work has started on one building, maybe we could start, you know, working on site on another building. That's another one. Cuz this is a, you know, a tight area over here with a a lot of existing residents. So, you know, trucks coming in and out of there, I could see that being a problem. We've we've had sites like this before. It's it's difficult to you know, stage three of this construction at one time. So, I'm
15. 14:45looking for feedback from the board on that. >> When you say one building at a time, do you mean one residence or a building a block of units? >> Yeah, three three units one building. Yeah. >> Um >> [clears throat] >> I know there was a Well, did you did you mention the drainage? That's like one of the things you were >> Yeah, it was you know, and that was the other area of concern with the drainage. Yes, so that's had Is that That Yeah, so that's being reviewed. We have some technical comments we'll address, but I think we're we're headed in the right direction on that. I think it's a >> And for the board's benefit, I'll just fill you on in on the the applicant. Certainly spoke to me, obviously unable to be here tonight. He confirmed to me that they would look into conditions designed to satisfy the HOA, limit disruption where possible. They don't have any potential conditions yet, but something this board should be considering such as a construction hours, noise, staging, hours of operation for construction. Things of that nature.
16. 15:48And that's something the applicants could could represent and be willing to do. Work into and consider. >> And you can propose times on the plan itself. And that's something we can talk about if they can have something to go on. >> Yeah, I would recommend that you give a proposal. >> Okay. >> You know, just put down what you think is is going to make the HOA happy because this board would then hear it at the public hearing. So, if you can be ahead of that and have that worked out, then they would already know ahead of time what you're proposing to do. >> Okay. Proposing to >> Any other questions, comments? Okay, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Before we adjourn, I'd like to comment on the uh first order of business tonight. I was really uncertain how to bring this topic to the board. And uh my hope was that we could create a threshold that was low enough that we could actually do something constructive. Um I see ahead of us a difficult path. It's
17. 16:50going to be challenging. And as I said earlier, to the degree that we can reduce that ambiguity uh and fix uh certain aspects of the law or or the zone or the codes that prevent fighting, that that helps us later on when we are engaged in this project. And it's been an ask of us to be the very best board we can be. Um and I appreciate that what I sense was a coming together tonight uh where at least a similar idea well let's put something in writing and move on down the road. But I look to you all for guidance as we get into some of these more challenging topics to not just think about the politics but think about how do we what kind of discipline do we have as a board to allow us to perform at our highest and best for the community? And I think one of my objectives on some of the more complicated projects is how do we navigate to reduce the possibility for injury and damage to the community. And I think that's one of our
18. 17:54opportunities to to offer real leadership and and and build a stronger community as I said the the infrastructure of a constructive mature disciplined decision making is such an important part of of what we do. So thank you all for participating with that. I'm sorry if I took us down a path that you didn't want to go but I thought we got someplace with a generally a single voice and thank you. With that a motion to adjourn is in order. Unless there are comments let me offer the opportunity first. Any comments? Thank thank you Senator. Motion to adjourn. Adjourn. Yes. Yes. Second. Adjourn. Adjourn.

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