Planning Board Minutes

Members Present:                     

Paul Slutzky, Chairman

Richard Volpi, Deputy Chairman (absent)

Gary Goodrich, Board Member

Ed Kaplan, Board Member

Carl Giangrande, Board Member

Gail Shegerian, Alternate Member (absent)

Public Present: Harold Goldberg, Nick Fox, Penny Spring, Frank Novinante, Abe Stefansky

Public Hearing:  Spring Minor Subdivision—Restoration of Lot Line—73 Botti Drive

Chairman Slutzky opened the Public Hearing at 7:00 PM.

E. Kaplan, recused from the Board on this project, presented proof of mailing of the hearing notices to the abutting property owners and gave a brief description of the proposed two lot minor subdivision. Abutting neighbor, F. Novinante, asked to speak and advised that now that he understands what the subdivision is about and he is fine with it going forward.

As no other persons requested to speak, Chairman Slutzky closed the Public Hearing at 7:08 PM

Open Meeting:

P. Slutzky opened the regular Board meeting at 7:08 PM

Review and Approval of the Minutes of October 27, 2022 Planning Board Meeting:

After review, C. Giangrande made MOTION to approve the minutes as presented.

E. Kaplan seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.

Privilege of the Floor:
H. Goldberg inquired if any of the Board members had attended the joint Town of Hunter and Village of Hunter Public Hearing for the proposed annexation of the Scribner’s Cabin project lands into the Village and if so, what transpired. Chairman Slutzky advised he had attended the hearing and gave a description of what was discussed at the hearing and what the outcome was.

New Business:

Sign Permit Application Review—Bluebird Hotel

C. Giangrande presented a photo of the previous Hunter Inn sign with sign size measurements, and a rendering of the proposed Bluebird Hunter Lodge sign. No sign permit application or permit fee was included. Chairman Slutzky noted the sign size indicated on the rendering was far in excess of the allowable size for ground mounted signs. As the new sign has been erected for many months with no sign permit having been requested or issued by the code enforcement officer, the Board urged C. Giangrande in his capacity as C.E.O. for the Village to make it known to the hotel management that a sign permit must be filed for and approved or their sign will have to come down.

·         Sign Permit Application—AK Lodge

C. Giangrande advised once again that sign permit application had not been received and $50 check for application fee was incorrectly made out to Town of Hunter. As the Lodge sign has been in place for several years now, the Board requested C. Giangrande, in his capacity as Village C.E.O. to advise Lodge management to submit a sign permit application for approval or take the sign down.

·         Sign Permit Application—Casa Marquis-The Lodge

The Board reviewed the sign permit application and renderings of the proposed ground mounted sign. After discussion, G. Goodrich made MOTION to approve the permit application with the conditions that the new sign would be placed where the former Sedgewick sign was located and the lighting would be downward directed  as shown in the rendering. E. Kaplan seconded the MOTION which was carried by all.

·         Sketch Plan Review—Tax Lot #164.06-1-8 Off Garfield Avenue—Siting of Pool on Vacant Lot—H. Goldberg presenting

Board reviewed site plan map prepared by Kaaterskill Associates and noted the proposed pool centrally located on the lot owned by Dana-Elyachar-Stahl and the associated 15 foot wide ingress/egress easement connecting the lot to Garfield Avenue through the lot of Julia and Susan Mack. After discussion, the Board agreed the pool would be a “customary accessory use or structure” as defined in the Village Zoning Law. As this project is in the Village Residential District, the Board agreed this is a permissible use requiring no site plan review. H. Goldberg was advised that applicant only needs to file for a building permit and maintain the lot setbacks spelled out in the Zoning Law for this use in the Village Residential District.

·         Sketch Plan Review—Lot Line Adjustment & Architectural Review Law review—8350 Main Street—owner Abe Stefansky presenting

Abe Stefansky presented lot line adjustment survey map drawn by Peter Brabazon and described the proposed lot line adjustment with his west side neighbor, Charles Country Homes LLC. A strip of land 12.3 feet wide by 259.43 long would be granted by his neighbor to him so that he could effectively deal with dead ash trees on that strip. A. Stefansky advised this formerly commercial property would now be used only for residential purposes. He further advised that  siding on the main building would be replaced with vertical board and batten wood strips and an addition would be added to the front of the building. He presented renderings of the east and west elevations of the proposed building changes.

After discussion, chairman Slutzky advised the following materials should be presented to at the January 26 Planning Board meeting to continue the Lot Line Adjustment review:

$50 Lot Line Adjustment fee

Completed Application Form marked for Lot Line Adjustment and Architectural Review

Signed Owner’s Authorization Form from Charles Country Homes LLC

Village endorsement block placed on survey plat

Grantor and Grantee proposed deeds

Completed Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 1

Copies of any covenants and/or deed restrictions on either of the two parcels

After discussion, E. Kaplan made MOTION to waive the calling of a Public Hearing. C. Giangrande seconded the MOTION which was carried by all.

Board then discussed the relevant provisions of the Architectural Review Law with A. Stefansky. He was advised to bring the following materials to the January 26 meeting to continue the review:

Rendering of elevation of front of building to be seen from Route 23A

List of type of materials to be used for building renovation, such as for siding, roofing and paint colors

Type and location of proposed exterior building lighting

Landscape plan

Old Business:

Spring Minor Subdivision—Restoration of Lot Line–Sketch Plan Review—73 Botti Drive

E. Kaplan, recused from Board for this project, presented deed descriptions of the proposed lots and copies of the Declaration of Covenants, Easements and Restrictions for the Four Seasons Land Corp subdivision including the First and Second Amendment to them. He also presented copies of the survey map for the proposed two lot subdivision. The Board reviewed the Declaration and amendments and found no issues relative to this project.

Under SEQRA review, the Board reviewed the Short EAF Part 1 submitted by applicant.

After discussion, the Board agreed the proposed action should be classified as Unlisted Action. Board then reviewed the eleven questions under Part 2 of the Short EAF and determined there were No, or Only Small environmental impacts that might occur as a result of the subdivision. After discussion, C. Giangrande made MOTION for negative declaration under SEQRA. Motion seconded by G. Goodrich and carried with E. Kaplan abstaining.

After further discussion, G. Goodrich made MOTION to approve the two lot minor subdivision as presented on the Frederick Metzger survey plat dated October 31, 2022.

C.     Giangrande seconded the MOTION which carried with E. Kaplan abstaining.

Chairman Slutzky and applicant’s representative signed the survey maps in preparation for filing.

Architectural Review Law review—8236 Main Street—proposed small home—

Nick Fox presenting

N. Fox presented the requested landscape plan on his laptop. While the Board agreed the plan looked good, N. Fox was advised that full size paper copies would need to be furnished to the Board for review. The Board had a lengthy  discussion as to whether the proposed cargo box home should be classified as a mobile home, which can only be sited in a Mobile Home Community in the Residential District and must have a minimum of five acres. Board reviewed the definition of MOBILE OR MANUFACTURED HOME in the Zoning Law and agreed the cargo box home did not fall under that definition.

The Board reviewed the applicable provisions of the Architectural Review Law regarding materials of construction, quality of architectural design, the harmonious relation of the proposed building to the architectural environment in which it is to be located, the historic and architectural value and significance of the proposed building and its relationship to the historic an architectural value of the surrounding area, and the appropriateness of the proposed exterior design, scale, texture, materials and architectural details.

After further discussion, E. Kaplan made MOTION to table the discussion on this project until the January 26 Planning Board meeting.

Chairman’s Report:

Chairman Slutzky gave an update on anticipated projects coming up for review in near future including the Hunter Peaks project and the Scribner’s Cabins project, both of which he anticipates will be on the agenda for the January 26 meeting.

Adjournment: