by David Flint
Moving ahead on a priority to get the Town’s Land Use Regulations updated, the Stephentown Town Board at their meeting Monday officially established a citizens committee to get it done. At the same time they also heard more complaints about the seeming inability of the Town to do anything about certain places around town considered by some to be environmental hazards as well as horrific eyesores.
Land Use Regulation Review Committee
The Board passed a resolution appointing the committee to review the land use regulations and make recommendations for any suggested changes before the December Board meeting. The members of the committee are Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector Dean Herrick and his Deputy, Owen Cassavaugh, Kevin Carpenter, Fred Haley and one member each, as yet not designated, from the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Town Board.
According to Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt, the task of the committee at this point is not to make any major changes but rather, as a start, to “tweak” the zoning and land use regulations bringing them up to date and in compliance with the International Building Code. He expects this work to be finished by December so that the Board can act on the recommendations early next year.
Eckhardt noted that a Town committee back in the 90s worked on revising the land use regulations. The Town Board never acted on it, however, because it was unclear at that time in what direction the International Code Council and the National Fire Protection Association were heading in setting up a single coordinated set of national model building codes.
Councilman Bill Jennings said that next month the Board expects to start working on establishing an Economic Development Committee to research and advise on how to attract more businesses to the Town.
Junkyard Complaints
Local attorney Brian Baker, having voiced a complaint last month about an open air truck repair shop on someone’s front lawn in the middle of the village, now spoke up about additional eyesores of a similar nature. The two he was particularly concerned about involve sites that abut properties belonging to clients of his. The clients would like to sell the properties but feel that their values have been depressed by what Baker described as the “horrific junkyards” next to them. Baker said that while he has a particular interest in these two sites, they are not the only ones around town, and he urged the Board to find some way to deal with them.
One of the sites is on O’Dell Road off of South Stephentown Road. Baker asked how his client there could sell his property when just 50 feet away there are ten to fifteen junk cars scattered about and a huge oil tank of some sort. Baker said the junkyard is not as bad as it was five or ten years ago when he believed there were over 100 junk cars there but, still he considered it a “disaster for abutting owners.” He also believed that oil or other contaminants could be seeping into the nearby Kinderhook Creek. Baker said that letters to the landowner, Richard Sime, who does not live there, but who, Baker noted, is a member of the Zoning Board, have elicited no response.
Richard Sime, reached later by phone, said that there was never anywhere near 100 junk cars on the site. He noted, too, that the abutting property had been bought in the early 1970s and that for 20 years it was left vacant and the owner had not done anything about a house and barn on the property that were falling down. Children were close by, he said, but apparently neither the Town nor Brian Baker was concerned about it.
Baker said another “disaster” is located at the intersection of Shephard Road and Route 43. This site is a “disgrace,” he said, that has been permitted to grow and grow, diminishing property values all along that road and on Route 43 as well. Neighbors have written letters to various Town and County entities but nothing has been done. At one point, Baker said, a fence was put up which is now falling down, but the site is littered with derricks, cranes, old jeeps and junk cars and trucks.
Baker questioned how the Board could move ahead with planning and updated land use regulations, how create value for landowners attracting more people and generating more tax dollars when such “topsy-turvy junkyards” are allowed to fester. He did not believe it was a matter of poverty that landowners allow this junk to accumulate because, as he noted, scrap metal prices are currently high. Baker said he considered involving NYSDEC but felt the Town Board should be given the lead to solve the problem “in a quiet fashion perhaps.” The County Health Department he believed would probably be of no help because he recalled that in the past in a matter involving rat infestation they had said in essence, “It’s not my job,” and it should be dealt with locally.
Eckhardt agreed that the sites were ugly. He said the Board had discussed at their workshop meeting a letter with pictures that Baker had sent them and they are now exploring courses of action they might take. These actions would involve working with Code Enforcement and the Zoning Board and possibly the Assessor since the Shephard Road site seems to be a commercial enterprise but might not be assessed appropriately. He said litigation could be pursued but that does not necessarily solve the problem. It was hinted that the Town would also not want to end up having to take possession of sites that might be contaminated with hazardous waste. The Board, Eckhardt said, was trying to figure out a way to accomplish a good end without “coming down as the heavy.”
Summer Camp And Swim Program Pay
The Board passed a resolution setting the wage rates for part-time employees involved in this year’s Youth Commission Summer Camp and Swim Program. A Director, Assistant Director or Water Safety Instructor will make $325 per week. Lifeguards will be paid $12 per hour, Counselors $10 per hour and Counselors-in-Training $7.25 per hour. The rates are down somewhat from previous years, reflecting across the board budget cuts that the Board made for this year.
Public Hearing On Revised Alternate Member Law
The Board has been considering changes to the 2007 law that provides for alternate members for the Planning and Zoning Boards. The new law would specify more clearly how and when the alternate member would participate. The Board passed a resolution setting a public hearing to seek input regarding changes to the law. The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 pm preceding the next Town Board meeting on Monday, May 16.
A Welcome Sign
Councilman Jennings suggested that the Town should consider putting up some “Welcome to Stephentown” signs such as Berlin, New Lebanon and other neighboring towns have. He said Stephentown is one of the oldest towns around and yet has no sign. The “Only Stephentown on Earth” signs that Betty McClave put up years ago have all disappeared. Jennings suggested the signs he had in mind might be put up closer to the center of town, or the village area and might include the Town’s coat of arms and its 1784 date of incorporation. Eckhardt and Jennings asked people to think about it and said they would discuss the design of such a sign with the Historical Society and with Kevin Doherty who owns Montauk Signs on South Stephentown Road.
Seniors OK To Use Unexpended Funds
Eckhardt reported that the Stephentown Seniors had curtailed their trips this year because the Town’s lean budget had reduced their funding from the Town. However, the amount budgeted by the Town has ended up being more than what they will be expending for trips so the officers have inquired whether they could use the unexpended amount for in town get-togethers to celebrate Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Board agreed that this was acceptable.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk reported she had turned over the sum of $248.01 to the Supervisor for the month of March. The distribution from the office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund to the Town was $2,340. The Transfer Station deposited a total of $4,762.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $12,853.31 from the General Account and $24,131.96 from the Highway Account.
The Board set their next regular meeting for Monday, May 16, at 7 pm, preceded by a public hearing on the Planning Board/ZBA Alternate Member Law at 6:30 pm.