COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING

STEERING COMMITTEE

MINUTES

April 3, 2006

Present:  Rick Smith, Dave Wood, Al LaRue, Dave Adams, Sally Ellms, Lynda Battenhausen, Marv Schorr, Guy Mitchell, Dorothy Mitchell, Sandy Verola (Town Board), and Mary Kadlechek (citizen).

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M.  A motion was made by Marv Schorr to approve the minutes of the March meeting and seconded by Sally Ellms.  Carried.

Dave Wood shared ideas from the Open Space meeting that was held on March 22^nd, 2006.  He stated there were a lot of topics covered and it mainly pertained to preserving open space and farming.  Dave had handouts from the seminar for those who wished to look at them and he also had the Comprehensive Plan from the Town of Northumberland.   Dave stated there are good ideas in all the publications.   He also spoke with Jennifer Viggiani, who is the Open Space Coordinator for the Town of Clifton Park.  She gave Dave a copy of the town’s plan for tax abatement for open space and historical structures.  Dave also said in Genesee County they are directing development by running water lines for free where they would like to allow development, and in other places anybody could hook up to the lines but they would have to bear the cost. 

Dot Mitchell also attended the Open Space meeting and sat in on the session regarding Towns getting involved in the purchase of development rights.  She came away with a lot of information she feels could help the committee and our town.  Dot said Clifton Park is working with developers and giving them the opportunity to have smaller lots on the eastern part of town in consideration for either purchasing development rights, or putting money into the bank and using it to buy open space.    Dot said another speaker from downstate said they are trying to encourage denser growth around their village and hamlet areas by doing the same sort of thing. 

Dave Wood tried to combine the current Goals into six Goals, and gave everyone a copy.  He felt this could be a starting point.  He selected repeated topics, ones that the committee has been discussing, and ones that came up in the survey.  He selected farming, open space, historical, pride/government/parks, roads/pathways, and seniors.   The bullet points are under each topic.  Dave feels once this is organized and in place, then the Strategies can be assigned to the Goals and Objectives.  Dave spoke with Nan today who said she will be willing to do some of the legwork on what the committee comes up with.  Dave’s hope is that next month’s meeting could be with the Town Board and Planning Board to start to give them information.   Dave asked for volunteers for a subcommittee to re-write what we have, or to react to Nan’s first draft.  Dave Adams, Marv Schorr, and Lynda Battenhausen said they will help. 

Dave Adams stated he has some ideas regarding Zoning and will express them at the subgroup as he doesn’t have them fully developed in his mind at this stage.  Dave Wood also suggested using some of Larry Benton’s suggestions.  Guy Mitchell has looked into the taxing aspect and that information will be used as well.   Dave asked the committee if they had any comments on the list of combined Goals.  Lynda Battenhausen wondered if something regarding public water should be put into the Comprehensive Plan.  Dave Adams stated that if you put water in specific areas, development will follow.  He doesn’t think we should do anything to encourage development; it will happen naturally.  He believes we should control it as it happens, in a manner that will best suit the town.   Dave stated we could promote conservation subdivisions that would both allow development, and leave open space.  He doesn’t think it’s feasible to have a water district in a remote part of town, because from everything we know about the ground water in town, the prospects are remote.  Dave Wood said the subcommittee can take this information and try to work with it.  Dave Adams feels the Plan should not include installing infrastructure such as water lines that would be available for development.  Marv Schorr asked what verbiage could be put into the Plan to restrict expansion of the water district?  Dave Adams said the concept of a PUD, where water can be made available, could be used with a trade-off to preserve open space. 

Dave told the committee that Nan’s plans are to work with the committee and write up anything we need to have her do.  Dave said he will work with her first to save on time.  Once something is written up, it will first be accepted by the committee, and then a meeting with the Town Board and Planning Board would be scheduled.  Lynda said she would like Nan to be here to help with the public presentation and Dave said she will be part of that meeting. 

Regarding preserving historic properties, under Goal 1, Objective 1.3 C, Dave Adams said it states, “extend the Historic District to include properties currently outside the Historic District, i.e., neighboring properties and individual historic buildings throughout the town”.  He said the Historic District regulations were drafted with the current Hamlet in mind and he doesn’t believe they are applicable throughout the town.   While we want to preserve historic buildings outside the Historic District, Dave doesn’t think the Historic District should be expanded to do so.  Dot Mitchell said that wasn’t what she had in mind.  She stated there are a few historic properties just outside of the District that would be good to include.  Sandy Verola stated that the intention is to have the Historic District Commission be the advisory power over historic sites.  Dot suggested forming a volunteer advisory committee of people with expertise in certain fields who would be available to be called upon occasionally by the Historic District if there were architectural questions, etc.  There was more discussion regarding the Historic District.  Marv Schorr suggested talking to the gentleman from Clifton Park who gave a presentation at the town hall.  Dot said his name is John Shearer and he is with the state museum.  Marv believes he could answer some questions the committee has.  Marv also thought it might be a good idea to get thoughts from Jim Poirer, who is the Chairman of our Historic District.  Dave Wood thought it might be good to have Jim Poirer at some of the public presentations.  Dave said there will need to be some educational programs either with the hearing, or prior to the hearing. 

Dave recapped by stating that the subcommittee, which includes Dave Wood, Dave Adams, Marv Schorr and Lynda Battenhausen, will combine ideas and try to get information ready for next month’s meeting.  Dave said the Comprehensive Plan must get approved.  He feels the less specifics that are given at this level, the easier it will be to be approved.  If more specifics are needed as a result of the hearing, they can be added.  He asked the committee if the Goals should be in an order of priority to give to the Town Board, or if it should they be left alone and be presented as is?  Several people felt it was good the way it is; however, Marv said there are one or two concepts that he thinks will need more explanation, such as the PUD. The next meeting will be Monday, May 1, 2006, 7:00 P.M., at the Town Hall.