DRAFT

Agenda Meeting Minutes

October 25, 2004

 

 

The meeting began at 8:10 P.M.

 

Those present:  Alan, Bob, Dot and Sandy.

 

Supervisor Acunto was excused.  The meeting was called to order by Alan Grattidge.

 

The agenda for the November 8 Town Board Meeting will include:

Approval of the October Town Board Minutes and tonight’s Pubic Hearing Minutes and Agenda Minutes

Abstract of Claims

Supervisor Report

The Town Hall will be closed on Election Day, Veterans Day and for the Thanksgiving holiday.

We will have the status of the printer for the assessor’s office.

There will be a report on the status of a memorial for Jewel Richardson in one of the town parks.

A date may be set for a public hearing regarding changing the language for the alternate members of the ZBA and Planning Board.  The Town Board members would like to see the text of that before a public hearing is set.

Under Motions and Resolutions we will be acting on the 2005 Town Budget and on a purchase for a desktop computer and work station for the tax collector’s office.

 

 

RESOLUTIONS:

 

Alan stated that there were two low bidders for ice control sand at the same price.  After talking with Ron and the suppliers, we have decided to accept both bids and use one as a primary source and the other in case the primary source is unable to deliver.  Both materials are acceptable to the Highway Superintendent.

 

Motion made by Councilman Verola, seconded by Councilman Lippiello that Resolution #94,

A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE BID FOR ICE CONTROL SAND, be approved:

 

                        Approved:            Councilman Grattidge               Yes

                                                Councilman Lippiello                Yes

                                                Councilman Mitchell                 Yes

                                                Councilman Verola                   Yes

                                                Supervisor Acunto                   Absent

 

 

Bob said that earlier in the year, by a motion, we accepted the Rules and Regulations for Metered Service for the Water District and a Fee Schedule associated with that.  It needs to be done as a resolution.  Bob will prepare a resolution for the Town Board Meeting.

Sandy said that earlier in the year she had asked for authorization from the Board to set up a Computer Committee.  She would like to change that and set up a Technology Board.  She has a few people in mind that she would like to ask to be on this Board.  With the new Town Hall being proposed with a phone system, wiring and computer system, she would like to form this committee.  Alan asked if we could put it together in the annual January resolutions like some of the other advisory boards. Sandy said she will come up with the names. Sandy said that based on some of the comments tonight on the budget, she proposes that the Board have another workshop meeting to discuss it.  It was decided that the Board would meet on Wednesday, November 3 at 7:30 P.M. at the Town Hall.

 

The Town Board approved the October bills for payment.

 

At this time there was a presentation by Paul Vosburgh regarding the new Town Hall project.

Survey sheets were passed out to those present.  Paul said that we are currently working on defining the vision for the project with kick off meetings with the Town Board and Historic District Commission.  We are working on a conceptual design review, looking at some of the prior concepts that were in place.  The schematic design phase takes a look at the zoning requirements and some preliminary design concepts regarding plan and elevation for the new Town Hall as well as a statement of probable construction costs.

 

 Paul said he had been provided with the finalized report of the Community Image Survey.  From the survey he extracted the following positive characteristics about our community and the visual values that we hold dear.

 

Regarding the site:      Shade trees and landscaping are very important.  

                                    We prefer hidden parking lots with vegetative screening or fencing.

                                    We like low, small, carved wooden signs.

                                    We like shallow landscaped setbacks with porches and fences.

 

Regarding the building:   We like images that have a residential appearance.

                                         We like primarily two story buildings.

                                         We like peaked roofs with clapboard siding of a neutral color.

                                         We like visible entrances, shutters and divided light windows.

 

Paul said that according to our Zoning Ordinance, this site is in the RA District with an Historic Overlay District.  One of the permitted uses is a community building.  We won’t need a variance.

The site plan will be approved by the Planning Board. The building height and setbacks are as follows:  A maximum height of 40 feet.  A front yard setback of 60 feet.  A side yard setback of 40 foot minimum on one side or a 100 foot on both sides and the rear yard setback of 50 feet.  He showed everyone a picture of the lot with the proposed town hall placed on it with the parking lot and driveways, drawings of several proposed designs for the building and several organizational concepts of the inside of the building.

 

John Tasse – Sweetman Road - Are they all cost equal or are some more costly than others?

 

Paul Vosburgh – We would like to get an idea of image and organization before we get into cost. A two story building by virtue of the elevator means that it will possibly cost more for an equivalent amount….……..Concrete has gone up.  Steel has gone up.  By the time you add the perimeter wall, foundation, additional roof, etc. …………… Right now let’s assume that they are all equal. 

 

Resident – Is one more energy or power efficient over the other?

 

Paul Vosburgh – A two-story building is more economical in terms of energy usage.  However, if you use the attic as the expansion space and it ends up getting built out, it is kind of a wash.  The attic space could be used for storage much as the attic is used here.  The advantage to it is that if that space is fully enclosed and has access via staircases, it is a relatively simple and painless procedure to expand up there in the future as opposed to this concept where you would have to modify some of your existing circulation and (could not understand).  It would cost a little more.

 

Ralph Rusilas – Stage Road – Do any of these concepts provide for a cellar?

 

Paul Vosburgh – All of these proposed buildings that have a basement.  We haven’t done any soil borings yet.  We are expecting a fairly heavy soil with some large boulders in it.  Therefore, you have the potential for ground water at basement level.  Adding a basement would require a belt and suspenders approach to water proofing – foundation water proofing, water stops, curtain drain, etc. and perhaps an under slab drain in the basement.  All of these concepts could incorporate a basement.  One of the things we talked about was doing that as an add alternate to the project.

 

Ralph Rusilas – A basement is premium space provided you can get the dryness.

 

Resident – Is there any one of these concepts that is more user friendly (could not understand).

 

Paul Vosburgh – In terms of organization concepts, I would say the concepts that put the town offices closest to the parking lot and closest to the handicapped spaces because they are open more than the meeting room.  That would probably be more user friendly.

 

Jerry Belisle – Stage Road - Would the center location of the meeting room be more practical because you’d eliminate more corridors and halls that would be wasted space?

 

Paul Vosburgh – The original concept was to create a (could not understand) with that meeting room in the center.  Unfortunately, that presents some limitations should you elect to use that meeting room when other town offices are open for business.  There would be noise going back and forth between town offices, people coming in and asking questions, copiers and doors, things that would tend to distract from the use of that space but it does allow some savings in terms of circulation space in that the exit aisles for the meeting room could double as corridors in the office area.  The thing I don’t like about this particular scheme is that I think there are too many seats in the middle and I would hate to try and get in somewhere in the middle.  My proposal for that would be to split it with two groups of five or six seat rows which are easier to get to with a center aisle.

 

John Tasse – (could not understand)

 

Paul Vosburgh – You have some offices that front on that meeting room. The organization is the same.  It doesn’t have the center aisle but it also has the same efficiencies of circulation space.  In this one, an attempt was made to recognize the use of this room during the day and other offices conducting town business.  I think the doors there are both a fire code requirement and an attempt to control noise between the two types of spaces.

 

Laura Linder – You’re saying that the meeting room is to the roadside and the offices are in the back where the parking lots are.  There is more activity with people coming to the office?  It seems like when there is a meeting more people are coming out.  It is more awkward to get from the parking lot to a meeting room in the front than to a meeting room in the back where all the parking is.  When are the higher traffic patterns as far as the use of the Town Hall?

 

Paul Vosburgh – I think in terms of volume, it’s when the meeting room is open.  In terms of day to day activity, I think it is the town offices.  Our first scheme pulled the meeting room out with direct access off the rear parking lot but by adding some doors, this allows it to be used at night without impacting the other offices.  Also, during the day this meeting room is totally self-contained allowing for uninterrupted business.

 

John Tasse – Is any design easier to maintain?  Is any one building more amenable to follow up costs?

 

Paul Vosburgh – I think that relates mostly to the material that would be selected for the exterior of the building.  We aren’t there yet.  It could be clapboard siding, brick, slate or shingles.  I think there are a lot of options that have life cycle cost impacts that directly effect maintenance.

 

Jerry Belisle – Your floor plan organization would have some relationship to the exterior.

 

Paul Vosburgh – Yes.  In all of these concepts, they essentially relate to the scheme where the meeting room is pulled out. 

 

Laura Linder – How much larger than the other buildings in the district is this building?  Is it like 4 times as large as this building, 3 times as large as this building, larger than any of the houses on the street………………………             

 

Paul Vosburgh – This building is approximately 3,500 square feet.  The design as shown here is about 7,500 square feet. It will be slightly larger than 2 times the size of this building.  There are a few things to keep in mind.  The proposed sight plan shows this building 100 feet back from the edge of the road.  As you drive down the road here you have some houses that are close as 15-20 feet to the roadway and some houses that are 40-45 feet back.  This setback is almost double that amount.  As it is pushed back, it diminishes in size.  Our intention is not to overpower the existing residences that are on the street.  We will be respectful of that.  That is why we chose the larger than minimum set back.

 

Marv Schorr – But they would all fit within that footprint, the block itself?

 

Paul Vosburgh – No.  The footprint is 90’ wide by 84 ‘ deep.  The other buildings that are a longer style are 135’ wide.  They take on a little different footprint.

 

Marv Schorr – You’d still meet the minimum setbacks you talked about?

 

Paul Vosburgh – Yes.  Your lot is 270’ wide.  If I take off 100’ I can make the building roughly 170’ wide without encroaching on the setbacks. 

 

John Tasse – What was the maximum height of the building?

 

Paul Vosburgh -  40 feet.

 

John Tasse – Does that include the cupola?

 

Paul Vosburgh – We just did a church. Churches are exempt from that requirement unless your zoning precludes it.  I haven’t gotten that far in there yet.

 

Jerry Belisle – You mentioned parking in the front of the building area.

 

Paul Vosburgh – Along the roadways at overflow times.  The roadways are 20’ wide.  There are two 8’ travel lanes, one in each direction and a 2’ shoulder.  There is parking for 78 cars in the back and you could pull in on the lawn.

 

John Tasse – Is this the only poll you are going to take on this?

 

Paul Vosburgh – It is the first poll.  I think Sandy’s intent is to take some of these schemes and put them on the web site.  You all took the time to come here tonight and listen to me so I would like to get the benefit of your comments, suggestions and concerns while you are here.

 

Dick Lupi – I have a question about the building with respect to the zoning.  You said earlier that with the distance and permitted uses, you would not need a variance.  Then later on you said you hadn’t looked at the Zoning Ordinance?

 

Paul Vosburgh – At the cupola.

 

Dick Lupi – When you looked at the Zoning Ordinance, did you look at the Local Law that created the Historic District with permitted uses?

 

Paul Vosburgh – Yes.  We are in the RA District.  Note 3 says, “Seek Historic Overlay District Permitted Uses”.  In that Historic Overlay District, community building is one of the permitted uses.

 

Dick Lupi – It is?

 

Paul Vosburgh – Yes.

 

Dick Lupi – I thought private residences were the only permitted uses (could not understand) pre-existing conditions in the hamlet and the district that are grandfathered in. My recollection is permitted use is a private residence.  The tabular arrangement of the Permitted Uses for the various districts had a line for Historic District.  Permitted Uses were private residences.

 

Paul Vosburgh – That is one of them.  The other are library, police, fire station………………

 

Dick Lupi – (could not understand) on that line.  I may be wrong.

 

Paul Vosburgh – This is my understanding of the way that reads and community buildings are included.  I would be happy to go through it with you.

 

John Tasse – Are there any savings in the design cost if we select the case that we have already spent some money on with a previous architect or is that not up for consideration?  Are you going back to square one (could not understand).

 

Paul Vosburgh – Essentially we are starting from square one.  We are using what has been developed to date and building on it but we are trying to bring some fresh ideas to the table and to the community, that is why we are looking for your input tonight.  Our preliminary cost estimate based on our work to date accounts for three major areas of spending: 

 

·        Site Development – You are going to develop about 2 ½ acres which will be about $90,000 an acre or $225,00.00.

·        Building Construction – Based on the footprint we were given and we think that may have to grow a little bit.  (Changed tape)

We are currently looking at 7,560 square feet @ $180.00 per square foot  

                 or $1,360,800.00.

·        Furniture, Furnishings and Equipment of $100,000.00.

 

We are in the pre-design schematic design phase.  We have just about completed our interviews.  From here we’d like to define 1 or 2 organizational concepts and 1 or 2 architectural styles which we would then develop into schematic designs in color on the site and present them to the town.

 

Bob Lippiello – Did you say that preliminary meetings with departments have indicated that you may need more space?

 

Paul Vosburgh – Correct.  We don’t think there is near enough storage in the vault and there are a few people who I think we should plan offices for at the town hall which aren’t in the current plan.

 

John Tasse – We spent some money on a previous design firm.  How are you going to make sure we are successful this time through the design phase vs. what you may know about the last project?

 

Paul Vosburgh – I don’t know anything about the last project and I don’t know why it wasn’t successful but I am here tonight to work with you to ensure that this project is a success.

 

Midge Dube – Sweetman Road – What are you doing in terms of trying to conserve energy?

 

Paul Vosburgh – That will happen in a future phase once we set the organization and appearance of the building, then we’ll start looking for ways to obtain (could not understand) grant for energy conservation.  It could range anywhere from lighting to solar panels.  We will look at that in a future phase.

 

Alan Grattidge – One concern of the original concept that some of the people that worked in the town hall had was that you had the center room and everyone was working around it facing each other.  When we worked on the next design, we tried to address that and get the meeting room on its own end of the building having low volume offices down at that end and having the offices that get the most amount of traffic at the end where the parking lot is.  We talked about the cost of the elevator the other night.  If you had a full basement, a first floor and a second floor, a 3 station elevator would cost around $125,000.00.

 

Paul Vosburgh – If you do it now.  If we do it later it might be over $200,000.00.

 

Deborah Herrin – On November 1 at 7:00 P.M. there will be Comprehensive Plan Informational Meeting at the Charlton Freehold Church Academy.  We will review the maps that have been developed, the Image Survey which was referenced as part of the Town Hall plan, the Community Survey that was mailed out as well as the Built-Out Analysis and the Vision and Goals that were drafted.   All maps and survey results are on the town web site.

 

After everyone had the opportunity to speak who wished, the meeting was adjourned

at 9:15 P.M.

 

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                                        Gail Hanchar

                                                                        Town Clerk