DRAFT

Agenda Meeting Minutes

June 1, 2004

 

Those present:  Fred, Dot, Alan, Bob and Sandy.

 

The meeting began at 7:35 P.M.

 

Sandy said when the bills were reviewed for the month, there were a couple of bills that were questioned. There were bills that were over $300.00 that she and Dot didn’t know about.  One bill from Mail and More for a water mailing was for $329.00.  Town policy has been that if a bill is going to be over $300.00 it needs Town Board approval.  Alan said that that was like sending out the newsletter.  You don’t know what it will be until you send it out.  Sandy said that when you are purchasing stamps and are paying someone to fold and label, you would know that it was going to be a pretty hefty bill.  $329.00 is a lot to pay for a mailing.  Another water bill was over $400.00 for a consultant to come and determine if we need a surge protector.  Sandy feels if we are going to have a policy of over $300.00, it should be for everyone.  Fred stated that the need for the consultant was for an emergency repair and that doesn’t fall under the policy.  It was decided that all the bills will be placed on the Abstract.

 

Fred talked to the Town of Malta regarding their new Employee’s Manual.  We have a copy of their previous manual.  We will be using it as a guide for our Employee’s Manual.   Fred will be going through it page by page to check it for any changes.  It will be a slow process.

 

Fred asked Dave LaFountain about the lot on Lake Hill Road where the house was torn down.  The Sebast family has contacted him as they are concerned about the condition of the lot.  Dave said he is going to give the man a call to see where things are at.  He should know something in a day or two.   Fred wants to see us move on it quickly.

 

Fred asked Dave about the old school house next to Stewarts that has collapsed.  The building is still loaded.  Leslie was working on it.  There was some discussion and some action taken by Leslie without clearing it through the Town Attorney.  Then it fell between the cracks.  Dave said that the situation is a financial hardship for the responsible party.  It is definitely a violation and definitely needs to be taken care of.  The family is aware of that.  The fire department doesn’t want to burn it down because there may be some questionable material in there and the owners have items of sentimental value in the building.  Dave stated that Leslie was into some conversation with them about the Town taking it down and charging it on their taxes.  He feels that that is probably what should happen.  Alan said that the problem with the way Leslie attacked it last fall was that she insinuated through a letter that the town would send their crew in and charge it on the taxes.  When the Town Attorney reviewed it, the Zoning Ordinance laid out quite a different procedure than that.  Fred suggested Dave give the owner a date to clean it up and tell him that we may have to clean it up and put it on their tax bill but nothing will be done without counsel.

 

Fred has received a letter from DOT acknowledging receipt of the speed reduction request on Crooked Street.  They will be looking into it and advising us when they have made a decision.

 

A Flag Day Parade will be held in Burnt Hills on June 10th.

 

Fred has asked Laura to look into cleaning the Town banner.  If it cannot be cleaned Laura will get prices on having another one made.

 

Party In The Park and Founders Day are coming up.

 

Maggie Schmidt stated that we need to look at the “alternate” law for the town.  Right now, as our local law is written, the only way that the ZBA or Planning Board can use an alternate legally is if there is a conflict of interest.  Our current law doesn’t include illness, long term absence and people being out of town.   Maggie said that as chairman, she would like to use the alternate in more instances.  She asked if we want to see the alternates come to all the meetings.  She doesn’t feel this would be totally necessary but it would be helpful.  The Planning Board sends all their information to their two alternates so they are up to date.  Fred said we will discuss this with counsel and if we need to amend our local law.  We will have a short public hearing and make any necessary changes.      

 

Laura spoke regarding the articles in the paper about the Corbin property.  She said she would appreciate our Town Board saying something to the effect that we would like people to take care of their homes and keep them in good repair.  It is a shame what is happening to that house.  The fence is falling down and the paint is peeling off.  She realizes it is a private thing between the property owners but we should be saying something from here in favor of taking care of our historic properties.  She would like to see some kind of verbal support.  She is very concerned about the Corbin property and the house that was just burned down. She is also concerned because barns are coming down and about the reassessment.  Fred stated that the point that he feels we need to continually get across is that the situation with the Corbin property is a landowner to landowner issue.  The Town Board has no say in it.

 

Laura said she is concerned with the Veteran’s Honor Roll in Gideon Hawley Park.  Mrs. Gatley called Laura yesterday afternoon saying that her son’s name was not on there.  Laura said his name was on the list of the people who called here and it was given to Estella.  Fred said he heard from Mrs. Gatley and has talked with Estella.  Estella said that on the list she has, it doesn’t appear but that name will be put on the Honor Roll.  There was a discussion regarding the criteria required to be on the Honor Roll.  There were questions raised as to how “active” is defined and as to the selection of dates and how they were established.  Fred suggested that Bob and Dot work with whoever they need to talk to nail the criteria down.

 

 

 

 

Councilman Reports:

Alan – In the Subdivision Regulations on Page 9 there is a section regarding Submission of a Sketch Plan.  One is for conventional zoning and the second is for cluster plan development.  It would be my suggestion that we consider dropping the cluster plan development.  From our experience in the last two years over the Crooked Street project, I think it would be something that this Town Board should think about.  Over time the

2 acre zoning minimum lot size has served the Town well and I think it will continue to serve the Town well.  I think that when you open up to cluster/plat subdivisions, you tend to encourage certain development.  It would be my position that we should look into leaving our subdivision at a straight 2 acres.

 

Fred – You are suggesting just a deletion.

 

Alan – Yes.  That was adopted in 1995 when the subdivision books were upgraded.  I haven’t worked on any language for any replacement for that but that is something I would like to put out on the table at our next Agenda Meeting.

 

Fred – In the meantime, why not research it with Bob.  It would take a public hearing to change it but it doesn’t require any change in the wording.  It is just going to be a deletion.  Is there anything else you are suggesting?

 

Alan – I would like to discuss the possibility of – on the exempt subdivisions, there is discussion within the Planning Board that they require public hearings for every single subdivision on the exempt.  Exempt was put in for people who come in with a one-lot subdivision and run it by the Board and get approved.  You meet all the requirements.  They had public hearings last month for a 34-acre subdivision and an 18-acre subdivision.  It would be my position that those subdivisions do not require public hearings.  Up until 1995, you could subdivide 2 lots if you met the zoning requirements without even coming to the Planning Board.  In 1995 the rules were changed to have each subdivision come before the Planning Board.  The exempt subdivision was put in so somebody could come in, meet all the requirements and be approved.  Now it has turned into a full-fledged….

 

Fred – So that will be a change in wording.

 

Alan – Yes.  It’s on the flow chart in the Subdivision Regulations.  I will do a little more research.  I’ll talk to the Planning Board.  I really haven’t run this by the Planning Board yet.  It would be under the exemption subdivision part of the ordinance.

 

Fred – I will put it on our next Agenda Meeting.

 

Alan – My third items is that when they put in the Subdivision Application Guide, they started requiring cards to be sent out to neighboring properties.  I think this is an imposition on the applicant.  I believe public hearings should be conducted the way they are conducted with the Town Board.  With every other surrounding town, you give public notice when you are going to have a public hearing.  If the public wants to come fine.  Right now the applicant has to come in and fill out a bunch of cards.  There is no real verification.  I think it is something that should be dropped.  It is only in the Subdivision Guide.  It was never in the Zoning Ordinance.  It would take an amendment to the Subdivision Application and Review Guide.

 

Fred – My concern with it is that we don’t have the best line of communication.  We can’t rely on the media because they aren’t here all the time.  The web page gets a certain number of hits.  If somebody is living close to a subdivision how will they know what’s going on.  They will see surveyors out there and so forth.

 

Alan – Public notice.  It is listed in the notices.  You post it in the town hall.  You run an add in the paper in the legal notices.  You put it on the web site.  In our Zoning Ordinance we require a hearing for special usage permits, when there is going to be a change in the usage but as far as a subdivision, there is no reference to that in the zoning book or the subdivision book.  This is something that was put in the Application Guide.

 

Laura Linder commented that the Comprehensive Plan has been talking about clustering and that the water, land, etc. may necessitate cluster housing.  It doesn’t work on every lot.

 

Alan – The clustering works when you have water a sewer and you art trying to cut down on the amount of infrastructure you are putting in.  What has served Charlton well over time is having the requirement of the frontage and the acreage.  That is why new roads haven’t been built in this town.  The latest one was the one on Crooked Street and that was 49 lots.  If we heard one comment we heard a thousand comments asking where is the 2 acres zoning.  The road frontage will sell over time no matter what you have for zoning.  It is what you require when then have to build a road.  I think we will be much better served to continue with a minimum of 200’ and especially if people want livestock and animals, it is 300’ or even more. 

 

John Tasse – I am very concerned.  This has not been brought before the Planning Board.  I would encourage you to solicit the input of the Planning Board.  I’m a little surprised that without even mentioning it to the Planning Board he is floating this to you folks.

 

Alan – I’m not proposing that we act on it at the next meeting but these are concepts I would like the Board to consider.

 

 

Councilman Reports:

Alan stated that Party in the Park is this weekend.  Everything is rolling along.  We will be having a meeting with the Town Hall consultant on June 16 at 7:30 P.M. at the Town Hall.  It is a public meeting.

 

Dot – Nothing at this time.

 

Bob – John is looking into having the fences replaced at the pump house in sections so that if works needs to be done they can be removed.

 

Sandy -  Bob, Dot and Sandy attended the Historic District Commission Meeting.  Doris would like herself and Jim Poirier to switch positions.  He would be Chairman and Doris would be Vice-Chairman.  They would like to set up a workshop with the Town Board the end of June.  They would like to have a Town membership in the Preservation League.  They currently have an individual membership in Doris Stauffer’s name as Chairman because it is cheaper.  The Town membership would be $40-$50 more but there are benefits that might outweigh the savings.  The fee for attending the conference in Saratoga Springs would be less.  Fred stated that per State law an advisory board cannot have a budget.   Dot stated that they had had a budget up until this administration.

 

Resident – Stated that she lives near Mill Pond Park on Crane Street.  She is concerned about the bridge that was built in the park.  She feels that it never met safety specifications.  When it was built it was a very sturdy bridge but was propped up on stones with no handrails.  It is very narrow and has a dangerous step up for older folks.  Now it has rotten boards that could lead to litigation problems.  Fred stated that he would have the Park Committee and Ron inspect it.

 

Resident – What is the landfill you are making in the park?  Alan explained that that came from the shoulder work that was done on Newman Road.  There was a misunderstanding of property lines.  The property where it was filling belongs to the Gillespie’s.  We will remove some of the dirt that was put in there and built a small mound and put up appropriate signage.  The Town actually owns from where the sign is towards the old roadbed.

 

Laura said that tomorrow morning she is giving her annual slide presentation to the 4^th graders at Charlton Heights School.  She has been spending a lot of time surveying the community for pictures.  She expressed her concern over School House #2 next to Stewarts.  It is a terrible eyesore.  She doesn’t understand why the community doesn’t do something to help clean it up.  Laura missed the earlier discussion.  Fred said that the Zoning Administrator is working with the owner to try and get it cleaned up.  It may need to be removed and charged against his taxes.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:35 P.M.

 

                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                                                    Gail Hanchar

                                                                                    Town Clerk