Members Present:
Paul Slutzky, Chairman
Carl Giangrande, Board Member
Ed Kaplan, Deputy Chairman
Penny Sikalis, Board Member (absent)
Gail Shegerian, Alternate Member (absent)
Harout Dermenjian, Board Member
Also Present: Ron SanFillipo, Olana Costa, Anthony Perre, Alfred Aversa, Peter Kelly, Jen Venable, Chris Soltys, Gary Harvey, Anne Cavallaro, Tom Cannnalonga, Adam Zygmunt, V. Rodrzn
Public Hearing: Hunter Retreat LLC—Tax ID: 164.05-4-3—Site Plan Revision
Chairman Slutzky opened the Public Hearing at 6:45 PM. Applicant’s representative, Ron SanFillipo provided proof of mailing of Notices of Public Hearing to the project abutters and gave a description of the proposed project.
Chairman Slutzky advised he had received several emails about this project in recent weeks from homeowners along Point Breeze road who were concerned about the impacts from the proposed project. He said he would first like to address the following comment from Jen Venable which he received on September 18: “The lack of accountability on behalf of the Planning Board and/or Village Leadership in green lighting this project without going through proper channels first to make sure this project was even feasible (outlined by Olana’s comprehensive email) is what we would kindly appreciate being addressed first at public comment”. Chairman Slutzky advised that this site plan revision first came before the Planning Board at the Board’s August 27 meeting and no approvals of any kind for this project were given by the Planning Board at that meeting. The Board’s only action was to call for this Public Hearing. He also said that Mayor Higgins may have previously indicated that the extension of Point Breeze road and the inclusion of a cul-de-sac on the south of the road would be beneficial in that it would give Village plow trucks the ability to turn around rather that having to back up the hill to exit Point Breeze. But the Chairman emphasized that no authority to commence construction of the extension of Point Breeze and the cul-de-sac was given by the Mayor or the Village Board.
Chairman Slutzky asked for comments, questions and/or concerns from the public in attendance:
Board member and Village Code Enforcement Officer, Carl Giangrande, first advised that he had given a cease and desist order today to the contractor that was hauling dirt and creating the extension of Point Breeze road.
Jen Venable voiced her concerns about how this work was allowed to commence and the negative impacts it would have on her and the other Point Breeze homeowners.
Anthony Pere asked how this project’s proposed use was classified previously in the Gateway Business District. Chairman Slutzky said the proposed use was classified—Hotel/Motel-Less than 10 units. Mr. Pere said he believed it should have been classified Campground/RV Park, which requires Special Permit Use review. He also said he felt it was not right to allow access to a commercial venue via a residential street. He also voiced concerns about the potential for noise, late night partying, and increased traffic through a residential neighborhood.
Ton Canalonga said the Point breeze extension work that was already done was a mess and if allowed to continue would create noise, traffic and drainage problems for him.
Jen Venable said she had spoken with Chris Costello of NYCDEP and he advised he was not previously informed about this project and that if the occupancy of the glamping pods was to be year round, the NYCDEP would need to review the project.
Chris Soltys said he believed that if three glamping units were approved, the applicant would want to install more of them in the future.
Alfred Aversa questioned what the financial viability of this project would be.
Various other members of the public voiced their concerns about the potential issues of noise, increased traffic and drainage problems that could result from this project.
At 7:41 PM, there being no additional comments from the public, Chairman Slutzky said he would not close the Public Hearing and would keep it open until recommencing it at 6:45 PM on October 22 prior to the regular Planning Board meeting. He said Notices of Public Hearing would be sent out again and all the homeowners on Point Breeze would be notified in addition to the project abutters.
Open Regular Meeting: Chairman Slutzky opened the regular meeting at 7:41 PM.
Review and Approval of Minutes of August 27, 2026:
- Giangrande made a MOTION to approve the minutes of 8/27/26. H. Dermenjian seconded the MOTION which was carried with E. Kaplan abstaining.
Privilege of the Floor: none requested
NEW BUSINESS:
8350 Main St Hunter LLC—Concept Plan for 4 Lot Major Residential Subdivision—Abe Stefanski presenting
Mr. Stefanski presented concept plans drawn by Taconic Engineering, DPC, for a proposed 4 lot major residential subdivision. He said that he has decided to have the proposed site plan changed to a 3 lot Minor Subdivision. Chairman Slutzky noted that a Major Subdivision would require the private road in the subdivision to be built to Village of Hunter road standards, whereas a 3 lot subdivision could utilize a shared driveway which does not have to be built to Village road standards.
Mr. Stefanski reviewed the concept site plan and indicated where the three home lots and houses would be located. Chairman Slutzky voiced concerns about the steepness of the homesites and the stormwater issues that could present. He also had concerns about the access to the lots being a gravel driveway and how that could hold up in periods of heavy rain given the driveway has up to a 14% grade. The Board discussed the projects hook in to Village water and sewer systems and whether transportation corps would be required for the water and sewer mains.\
After further discussion, Chairman Slutzky advised the applicant the following would be required to further the formal subdivision review:
- New application for 3 lot Minor Subdivision
- Revised site plan
- Long Form EAF—the Board would likely seek Lead Agency status in a coordinated SEQRA review
- Minor Subdivision review fee of $150
- 239m Review Referral to Greene County Planning
- Copy of existing deed for lot ID: 163.08-1-31
- Copy of LLC Articles of Incorporation and names of principal owners
- A Public Hearing
The Chairman also advised Mr. Stefanski to inquire with the Village water and sewer departments if the ability to hook into the Village systems was likely. Mr. Stefanski said he would be ready to be on the October Planning Board agenda.
OLD BUSINESS:
Hunter Retreat LLC—Tax Lot: #164.05-4-3—Site Plan Revision—Ron SanFillipo presenting
- SanFillipo gave a brief history of how the proposed project came about. He said the applicant hoped in the future to build a wellness spa with cabins on the site and the ingress and egress for it would be from 23A only. He said if that were to happen the three Conker glamping pods would be removed and access from Point Breeze would be closed off. He advised that when he was first contacted by an abutting property owner on Garfield Avenue that clearing work was going on for the cul-de-sac at the south end of the paper road (Point Breeze), he advised the applicant to stop the clearing work.
Chairman Slutzky said that as the Point Breeze homeowners pointed out in the Public Hearing, the work did not in fact stop and was continued with multiple loads of excavated material from the Village’s new firehouse project dumped on the Point Breeze road extension beginning in front of Mr. Cannalonga’s property. He said he and Mayor Higgins agreed that this road extension work was not authorized or permitted and the material hauled in would not have been acceptable, even if it had been permitted, because it was uncompacted and didn’t come close to meeting Village road standards for road construction.
Chairman Slutzky said the review would not be able to commence until the Board has clarity on how the unauthorized clearing and dumping of fill was going to be remediated by applicant.
7740 Main Street—Botti Lot Line Adjustment—Gary Harvey with Harvey Associates Land Surveying and Planning presenting
Mr. Harvey presented a Letter of Authorization from Jolanta Botti, owner of Four Seasons Land Corporation, authorizing Mr. Harvey to act on her behalf to effectuate the transfer of a portion of her lot at 7740 Main Street, via lot line adjustment, to Lands of Hunter Project LLC, owners of 7742 Main Street. He then presented Lot Line Adjustment map showing 0.39 acres of 7740 Main Street being transferred to 7742 Main Street resulting in 7742 Main Street consisting of a total of 1.29 acres.
After discussion, E. Kaplan made a MOTION to approve the Lot Line Adjustment between 7740 Main Street and 7742 Main Street. C. Giangrande seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.
Chairman Slutzky signed the Lot Line Adjustment maps and advised G. Harvey to file them at Greene County Clerk’s office within 62 days.
Chairman’s Report:
Refuse Control Law—Chairman Slutzky said that as soon as the Secretary of State has acknowledged filing of the new law, he will ask the Village Clerk to have it posted on Village website. He said we need to draft a cover letter to be attached to the new law so that we can distribute the law to all residential and commercial properties that have dumpsters and to residential properties utilizing garbage pick-up vendors.
Four Seasons Hunter LLC—Chairman Slutzky reviewed the meeting he had with the Mayor, Village Attorney and applicant to determine what the district designation for the lands to be annexed to the Village would have.
Correspondence: none
Adjournment:
- Giangrande made MOTION to adjourn at 9:51 PM. H. Dermenjian seconded the MOTION, which was carried by all.
Transcribed by: P. Slutzky