Members Present: Paul Slutzky, Chairman
Carl Giangrande, Board Member
Ed Kaplan, Deputy Chairman
Penny Sikalis, Board Member (absent)
Gail Shegerian, Alternate Member
Harout Dermenjian, Board Member
Also Present: Darrin Elsom, PE, with Kaaterskill Associates representing 7776 Main Street LLC;
Haley Bigando, PE, with LaBella Associates and J.C. Alten representing Finn Partners, Fran Clark, Gary Goodrich, Marta Fedyshin, Sylwester Serafin
Open Regular Meeting:
Chairman Slutzky opened the regular meeting at 7:00 PM.
Review and Approval of the Minutes of the Planning Board Meeting October 23, 2025:
- Dermenjian made a MOTION to approve the minutes as presented. C. Giangrande seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all, except E. Kaplan who abstained as he was not present at the October meeting.
Privilege of the Floor: none requested
New Business:
- 2741 Route 296-Sketch Plan for 3 Lot Minor Subdivision—Sylwester Serafin presenting
Serafin presented copies of survey map and tax map for parcel ID #148.17-1-8. He advised he is in the process of acquiring this lot from current owner Adam Kownacki Boxing, Inc., with the plan of creating a three-lot Minor Subdivision. And he is trying to determine if he has sufficient access to the eighteen acre lot, to construct the subdivision.
After review, the Board agreed that Brooks Lane was a Village road only up to the Joanne Goodrich lot and was an unimproved driveway from there to the southern boundary of the Kownacki lot. The Board was not able to determine if the Kownacki lot had a legal access from Brooks Lane. The Board also discussed possible access to the Kownacki lot via an existing blacktop driveway from route 296 to the southern edge of the lot. S. Serafin advised the Kownacki lot has a twenty foot wide easement over this driveway to access the lot. Chairman Slutzky said a driveway can only be utilized to serve a maximum of three lots under the Village Subdivision Law and this existing driveway is already serving more than three lots.
After further discussion, the Board advised S. Serafin to contact a title company that would be able to search the deed history of all the involved parcels to determine if the Kownacki lot had sufficient access to construct the proposed three lot subdivision, which he said he would do.
Hunter Firehouse Relocation—7960 Main Street—Site Plan Review—Jesse Fraine, P.E., with Delaware Engineering presenting
- Fraine presented and reviewed the proposed site plan and building plan for the project. He advised the firehouse has a footprint of about 7,000 square feet. He said water and sewer service lines would be connected to existing lines on Margaretten Lane via existing easements. He added that while the building is currently located in the 100 year floodplain, it is anticipated that as soon as the existing firehouse is demolished and the Bridge Street bridge is replaced, the increased water flow of the Schoharie will remove the 100 year flood plain designation from the new firehouse location. He said a SWPPP has been submitted to NYCDEP for their review.
Chairman Slutzky advised that a 239 Referral review would have to be submitted to Greene County Planning due to the location being within 500 feet of NYS Route 23A. He added that an Agricultural Data Statement would also have to be presented to County Planning as the location was within 500 feet of a farm operation located in an Agricultural District.
After discussion, the Board agreed that the Architectural Review Law would not apply to this project as the new firehouse would not be visible from Main Street.
After discussion, the Board determined the project was located in the Village Business District and would be reviewed as a Public Facility requiring a special permit use.
After discussion, the Board determined the project would be classified as an unlisted action under SEQRA. The Board determined that as the only required permits were ministerial in nature, the Board would conduct an uncoordinated review of the project under SEQRA. The Board then commenced the SEQRA review by going through Part 1—Project Information of the submitted Short Environmental Assessment Form with J. Fraine. After completing review of Part 1, the Board reviewed Part 2—Impact Assessment of the Short EAF. The Board determined that No, or Small Environmental Impacts may occur in response to the 11 questions of Part 2. After further Board discussion with J. Fraine, E. Kaplan made a MOTION for determination of Negative Declaration under SEQRA as the project will not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts. C. Giangrande seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.
- Giangrande made a MOTION to schedule a Public Hearing on the project for Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM. G. Shegerian seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all. Chairman Slutzky advised J. Fraine to mail the Notice of Public Hearing via certified return/receipt mail to all abutters and others designated by the Board and to bring the proofs of mailing and delivery to the Public Hearing.
Old Business:
- 7776 Main Street— Site Plan & Preliminary Major Residential Subdivision Plat Review—Le Jardine de Hunter—Darrin Elsom, P.E, presenting
The Board reviewed the Will Serve Letter dated October 13, 2025 from Mayor Higgins to the applicant, which spelled out the conditions under which the Village could supply water to the project.
The Board reviewed the Preliminary Plat provided by D. Elsom, which is unchanged from the site plan for the project, which the Board reviewed previously. After review and discussion, G. Shegerian mad a MOTION to accept the Preliminary Plat as complete. H. Dermenjian seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.
The Board continued the SEQRA review. Chairman Slutzky asked D. Elsom to respond to the NYSDEC comment in their Lead Agency Request response letter of June 20, 2025, that “this project may be ineligible for coverage and therefore require an individual SPDES permit.” D. Elsom advised that it probably would require an individual permit and he did not foresee this presenting any significant obstacles. He also advised the project SWPPP was nearly ready to be submitted to the NYCDEP.
The Board then reviewed Part 3-Evaluation of the Magnitude and Importance of Project Impacts of the Full EAF. D. Elsom advised that he did not think there was any necessary additional language needed to be added to the Full Environmental Assessment Form Part 3 Supplemental Narrative that the Board reviewed in detail at the last two meetings. After further discussion, C. Giangrande made a MOTION to issue a Negative Declaration for the Determination of Significance for this Type 1, Unlisted Action under SEQRA. G. Shegerian seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.
Chairman Slutzky made a MOTION to schedule a Public Hearing on the Preliminary Plat for Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 7:30 PM in the conference room at the Village waste water treatment plant at 8430
Route 23A. E. Kaplan seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all. Chairman Slutzky advised D. Elsom to mail the Notice of Public Hearing to all abutters to the project site via return/ receipt certified mail and to bring proof of mailing and delivery to the Public Hearing.
Chairman Slutzky asked D. Elsom if the applicant has retained an architect for the project and if any work was underway by the applicant to draft the condominium offering plan and the single family home HOA document, both of which need to be submitted to the Attorney Generals office for review and approval, which can be a lengthy process. D. Elsom was not sure if work had been started on these documents, but he said he would pass on our concern to the developer.
- Creekside Retreat House-7961 Main Street—Site Plan Review and Architectural Review
Haley Bigando, PE and J.C. Alten, Project Manager, presenting
Chairman Slutzky presented the Notice of County Planning Board Decision on Planning and Zoning Referral for the submitted 239 Review referral, which was marked LOCAL DECISION WITH COMMENT. He pointed out that the County 239 Staff Report included the following: “Requested area variances for lot width and setbacks are typical for Main Street and will not create new conflicts.” He said their primary recommendation was that any work in the NYSDOT right of way shall require that the applicant obtain necessary permits from NYSDOT prior to the commencement of construction.
Chairman Slutzky advised that the Zoning Board of Appeals at their November 3 meeting had accepted the applicant’s application for zoning variances as complete and they have scheduled a Public Hearing on the variance requests for January 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the waste water treatment plant conference room.
- Bigando presented new copies of the proposed site plan for the project and advised that the only change from the previously reviewed site plan was the reduction in size of the wood deck at the rear of the building by 20 square feet to more accurately show its proximity to the floodway of the Schoharie Creek.
- Bigando reviewed her responses to agency comments from NYCDEP, Greene County Planning Board and NYSDEC relative to the project information that was presented to them via the Board’s Lead Agency request letter of October 27, 2025, for the SEQRA review process.
The Board reviewed Part 2 Identification of Potential Project Impacts of the Full EAF. The Board reviewed all 18 of the Potential Impacts and determined that none of the potential impacts would be considered Moderate to Large. The Board then reviewed Part 3 of the LEAF–Evaluation of the Magnitude and Importance of Project Impacts. After further discussion, E. Kaplan made a MOTION for Negative Declaration for this unlisted action under SEQRA. G. Shegerian seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.
- Kaplan made a MOTION to hold a Public Hearing on this site plan on January 22, 2026 at 8:00 PM in the conference room of the Village waste water treatment plan at 8430 Route 23A.
- 52 Maple Avenue Lot Line Adjustment—Tax ID: 164.05-8-25.1
Marta Fedyshin presenting
- Fedyshin presented notarized Owner’s Authorization Form signed by all four of the owners involved.
She also presented copies of the revised deed description and a completed Short Form EAF. Chairman Slutzky advised that in accordance with the SEQRA Law 617.5 Type II Actions, (C), (16)–the granting of individual lot line variances and adjustments are not subject to review under SEQRA.
- Fedyshin and Gary Goodrich advised there were no covenants or deed restrictions on the portion of lot to be conveyed. Chairman Slutzky said the $50 review fee had been paid to the Village Clerk.
- Giangrande made a MOTION to approve the proposed lot line adjustment. G. Shegerian seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all. Chairman Slutzky then signed the endorsement block on the paper and mylar prints and advised M. Fedyshin that the mylar and two paper copies of the maps had to be recorded at the Greene County Clerk’s office within 62 days from now.
Chairman’s Report:
Chairman Slutzky presented several different drafts of a dumpster law that he created with the aid of Chat GTP and Google Gemini for discussion. After discussion, he asked the Board Members to review and mark up the draft consistent with our prior discussions and bring to the January Bard meeting for review and discussion.
Adjournment:
- Giangrande made MOTION to adjourn at 9:07 PM. G. Shegerian seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.
Transcribed By:
Paul Slutzky