To The Editor:
This letter is in reply and an update to the issues and comments of Tyler Sawyer and his Ham Hill Farms. His comments were made at the [August] Grafton Town Board Meeting and published in this newspaper.
Tyler Sawyer is a former Grafton Town Supervisor – 2007, former Planning Board member – 2008 and presently the Town of Grafton’s Bookkeeper.
Mr. Sawyer talked about the “lots of communications” he received and “none of the complaints are consistent with the current Town Code.” He is probably correct. But, the complaints he received were from his concerned neighbors. Apparently Mr. Sawyer feels he can snub and disregard his neighbors and cause potential pollution of the watershed at Babcock Lake all because he has the Town Code on his side. Maybe the Town Code should be looked into to determine if it is written in such a way that the Grafton Town tax base and tax payer property values can be impacted in negative ways by one person.
Mr. Sawyer talked about the issued permit and took “offence at the insinuation that there was impropriety in the issuance of the permit.” Mr. Sawyer, although offended did not mentioned his threats to the Lake Community to build Ham Hill Farms to raise hogs and pigs on a plot of land approximately 110 ft. x 115 ft. with residences right next door to this enterprise. I am sure the Town Code Official who issued the permit for Sheds was following the Town Code.
Mr. Sawyer started “this issue,” when he apparently felt slighted that he was denied the opportunity to swap his newly purchased lots for land next to his house. With this denial, he had let it be known that he did not care about his neighbors and community. He refused to accept the same restrictions that dues paying members of Lake Estates (he is not a member) had to obey for a deed swap. In his lack of concern, he let it be known that because members did not respond fast enough to his demands that he would now build a pig and hog farm a half mile from his private residence but next to other residences.
The article also went on to say that “he (Mr. Sawyer) had received many emails and no one approached him in person.” From my understanding he had spoken to members of the property owners association in person and other residents. In fact the Board of Directors went way overboard in their communications and conversations with Mr. Sawyer. The article went on to say, he thought that “this issue was overblown.” If he felt it was overblown at the Town Meeting, how would you feel if a person who lives in your community, your neighbor, was given the appearance that he was attempting to affect your property values and a way of life.
Yes, Mr. Sawyer did withdraw his building permit. This withdrawal, coincided with the report that an Article 78 would be filed in this matter. Although the Code Enforcement Officer is somewhat correct in his statement, “The matter is now considered a personal matter between Sawyer and the residents of Lake,” I believe it has far more importance to the Town’s tax base, which has numerous residential areas on the numerous lakes. Just look at the pig and hog farm that shut down in West Hoosick. Could that same company come to Grafton and start another pig farm because as Mr. Sawyer said, “There is nothing in the Grafton Town Code to stop it.”
Mr. Sawyer brought up “failing septic systems at the lake right now.” Mr. Sawyer was Town Supervisor for many years. He apparently was aware that some residences might have septic issues. Yet as an elected Town Supervisor he failed to provide assistance to those taxpayers or to protect the watershed. In fact he might have stopped the Lake Community’s request for Town action a few years ago to insure the continuous protection of the lake from the use of gasoline/oil powered engines.
Town Board Member Fredricks asked Mr. Sawyer, “If there was going to be a specific number of pigs, 4 or 5?” No answer was recorded from Mr. Sawyer.
A Mr. Jason Sawyer is reported to have told The Grafton Town Board, that he plans in “bringing in some animals to my own property, too” at the Stonybrook subdivision (the Hemlock Valley Way Inc., Homeowner’s Association). That might be fine for his area where the average residential property is in acres, while the average Lake residence lots are in feet. I understand his house is on Dyken Pond.
There is a chance that this issue will be before the citizens of Grafton and the elected officials again. Maybe the Board should consider the term “residential areas.” As we all know the “residential areas” are made up of taxpayers and voters. Not pigs and hogs.
Would it not be easier and advantageous to Mr. Sawyer to have one pig and hog farm with his son on his mutable acres, than on a plot of land less than a quarter acre and less than 30 feet from a residence – a residence of one who has lived there for 70 plus years.
Town resident O’Dell commented, “We had a right to farm law and many would not have eaten without one.” Our Lake Community is 90 years old, and I have been here for forty plus years and thankfully, I have not seen or heard of any person not having food, substance, denied a vegetable patch or living happily at the Lake, until now. If that issue arose, I am sure the Community would not allow it to happen.
Mr. Sawyer did not even attend the landowners meeting when the vote was taken. He did not appear to express his desires, request a swap or answer questions. In fact Mr. Sawyer when given the opportunity by a vote to approve a swap, refused the terms that all dues paying members have to obey. Mr. Sawyer is now cutting trees on the plot of land he owns for some enterprise. Who knew!
Thank you.
Pat Ivory
Babcock Lake, Grafton
PS: Hoosick apparently is in the process of having some form of Land Use Regulations. Will Grafton be last or Petersburgh in Rensselaer County to protect the Tax paying Homeowner?
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