by Kieron Kramer
The Grafton Planning Board held two public hearings before its regular meeting on Monday, June 20. One was for the application by Peter Dubacher of the Berkshire Bird Paradise for permission to install three small wind turbines at the bird sanctuary to help defray energy costs. No one spoke at this hearing which began at 6:30 pm. It was acknowledged by Planning Board Chairman Tom Withcuskey that the Bird Paradise is a big asset to Grafton and anything that helps it continue is a good idea. During the regular meeting, the Planning Board reviewed Dubacher’s application and voted unanimously, 3-0, to approve it and to “keep birds warm,” Board Members Owen Grandjean and Arthur Surprise being absent.
Bailey Road Subdivision
The second hearing, held at 6:45, was for the four lot subdivision on Bailey Road applied for by Wayne and Heidi Crandall. Several people spoke about this application.
The Crandall subdivision was described by William Darling, surveyor, who has been representing the Crandalls in this application process. Darling showed a pasteboard with a survey map of the proposed subdivision. Parcel one, of 3.34 acres, is located on the road next to the creek just after the bridge. This is to be sold. Parcel two, of three acres, is the lot on which Wayne’s parents’ house sits. Parcel three, where Wayne and Heidi Crandall live, has been expanded to 5.5 acres. Parcel 4 is approximately 79 acres.
David Hunt, an ecologist who organizes the Capital District Field Group outings on the Rensselaer Plateau and who is influential in raising public awareness of the beauty of the Plateau and of the flora and fauna that live on it, spoke next about the Crandall subdivision. His property frontage is on Jay Hakes Road, but the back of his land abuts parcel four of the Crandall subdivision. Hunt was clear that he does not object to the subdivision; he just wanted to raise awareness about the possible impact on rare flowers (particularly an orchid found in only two other sites in the County), the hardwood swamp there and the forest interior that is used as a pathway for large mammals to cross the Plateau. He added that there are several porcupine dens near parcel four. He has kept the thirty-two acres of his property that abut the Crandalls’ land as a nature preserve. Hunt acknowledged that the Crandalls have always kept their property open as a nature preserve, too, and that he, the Crandalls and the Maxfields rely on each other as neighbors to maintain the forested area. He said, “It works, as an ecologist, if only one house, one septic system and one acre of cleared land is developed [on parcel four].” He would not like the 79 acre parcel to be fully developed, but if it is he hopes that the Crandalls would keep a buffer strip along the southeast property line. Hunt said he would be willing to contribute money to help do this.
During the discussion of the Crandall subdivision later in the regular meeting it became clear that there will be no further development of parcel four for the foreseeable future. The Crandalls want to keep parcel four in the family for as long as possible; it is their homestead after all. But since the future is not foreseeable, Planning Board Chairman Withcuskey said that if the large parcel were subdivided at all it would result in it being considered a major subdivision and “would put this in a different reality.” The long Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) would have to be filled out, the DEC would have a stake and there would be other hoops to jump through for a major subdivision that, Withcuskey said, would be very expensive. Board Member Scott Newell said that a statement that further subdividing would result in major subdivision status must be included on the survey map when it is filed.
Withcuskey said that the Crandalls had been very cooperative in meeting the Town’s concerns about the possible future use of Bailey Road. They agreed to a fifty foot right of way easement in case the Town must widen the road someday. A cul de sac at the head of the road to be used as a turn around was also agreed to, with the Town respecting Wayne Crandall’s request that the stone wall near the cul de sac be preserved. Darling and Withcuskey will meet to see how the right of way, the cul de sac and a passing lane will be entered onto the survey map. Highway Superintendent Herb Hasbrouck recused himself from the application process because Wayne Crandall and Hasbrouck’s wife are first cousins so Town Engineer Russ Reeves inspected the site with Withcuskey. Happily, after inspecting the bridge that was mentioned last month as a possible problem, they found that the underside of the bridge is in pretty good shape and the gravel road is “satisfactory to carry existing traffic.”
As a result of all this good news, the review of the short EAF resulted in a finding of no adverse effects on the environment and no adverse cultural or historic impact, and the Board voted 3-0 to approve the subdivision.
The proper forum for public comments about an application is the public hearing. Nevertheless, Peter Gundrum had something to say about the Crandall subdivision during the regular meeting. Basically his point was that, like everyone else in Town who pays property taxes, “Mr. and Mrs. Crandall should be able to do what they need to do with their land.”
The meeting concluded with an informal discussion regarding a two lot subdivision application by Joe and Kathy Bly. They were represented by William Darling who described the subdivision as essentially a property line adjustment. According to Darling, the Blys have one lot that they received from their parents in 1971 and subsequently received a 9.5 acre adjoining lot. They want to take some acreage from the 9.5 acre lot to make the small lot three acres with a new tax map number. Their house is located on this lot with a septic system in place. Withcuskey said. “This is a pretty straightforward two lot subdivision.” Newell said that a survey of the entire property would need to be submitted with the application. Withcuskey asked that Darling provide any documentation of the location of the septic system that he can find. Since no problems were foreseen, the application was put on the agenda for the July 18 meeting, and Darling submitted the short EAF and the application fee at this meeting. The meeting adjourned at 7:19 pm.