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Another interesting planning board meeting tonite with Chairman Piaza running the show from ignoring recomendations by the DEC to granting approvals on projects where a citizen appears to have a legal case why that project should not be approved.
Depot Plaza
Tuesday night Sept 26th 2006. There were five public hearings tonite. What got really interesting was the second meeting which featured the P Haber Depot Plaza project. A Mr. Wolfe insists that he has a right of way over the property that he used as his driveway since 1972 to get to his property, which is land locked, until about two years ago when the owner cut down several trees and left them laying across the right of way. That owner sold to P Haber who refuses to recognize the right of way and it does not appear on his deed. It was unclear to me whether it appeared on previous deeds, but it is mentioned on Wolfe's deeds and the previous deed for his property although it is not clearly described where it is. Anyway there is obviously contention here and Mr. Wolfe made a very good case why the board should NOT proceed with granting approval for the Depot Plaza project. Unfortunately, Piaza tried to make Wolfe appear to be mistaken and uninformed about legal matters by appealing to the board's attorney, Langdon Chapman. Piaza actually appeared to be a bit daunted by Mr Wolfe who is probably 20 years his senior. At one point pictures supplied to the board by P Haber were being passed around among the board members and Mr. Wolfe asked if he could see them. Piaza said "No". The board granted approval despite Mr Wolfe's contention, and his next move is probably into court.
Sullivan Farms
The other interesting item on the agenda was the 11 lot subdivision by Sullivan Farms (aka Duane Roe) of the former Reinhardt Farm on Winterton Road. Although the Board of Health report has not yet come in, Piaza says "they just make things up as they go along anyway". Meanwhile the DEC has asked that the lots be developed to have "as close to zero runoff as possible", and suggested that possibly grass covered roofs be used. Several of the board members laughed at this DEC suggestion. Bill --- said that the lots after they are developed with pavement would have less runoff than they do now as farm fields. No one questioned that reverse logic. When pressed about the DEC request regarding zero runoff, Bill --- said he would develop this project like he did everything else and didn't see why he was being asked to do something different. Piaza asked him if he would do what he could to comply and Bill repeated he would have less runoff with pavement than it does now as farmland. "That was all we needed to hear" Piaza replied. No proof or guarentee is apparently required by the developer -- no means of measuring compliance -- just his word that he would do his best.
Yesiree, your local government is not at work here.
Depot Plaza
Tuesday night Sept 26th 2006. There were five public hearings tonite. What got really interesting was the second meeting which featured the P Haber Depot Plaza project. A Mr. Wolfe insists that he has a right of way over the property that he used as his driveway since 1972 to get to his property, which is land locked, until about two years ago when the owner cut down several trees and left them laying across the right of way. That owner sold to P Haber who refuses to recognize the right of way and it does not appear on his deed. It was unclear to me whether it appeared on previous deeds, but it is mentioned on Wolfe's deeds and the previous deed for his property although it is not clearly described where it is. Anyway there is obviously contention here and Mr. Wolfe made a very good case why the board should NOT proceed with granting approval for the Depot Plaza project. Unfortunately, Piaza tried to make Wolfe appear to be mistaken and uninformed about legal matters by appealing to the board's attorney, Langdon Chapman. Piaza actually appeared to be a bit daunted by Mr Wolfe who is probably 20 years his senior. At one point pictures supplied to the board by P Haber were being passed around among the board members and Mr. Wolfe asked if he could see them. Piaza said "No". The board granted approval despite Mr Wolfe's contention, and his next move is probably into court.
Sullivan Farms
The other interesting item on the agenda was the 11 lot subdivision by Sullivan Farms (aka Duane Roe) of the former Reinhardt Farm on Winterton Road. Although the Board of Health report has not yet come in, Piaza says "they just make things up as they go along anyway". Meanwhile the DEC has asked that the lots be developed to have "as close to zero runoff as possible", and suggested that possibly grass covered roofs be used. Several of the board members laughed at this DEC suggestion. Bill --- said that the lots after they are developed with pavement would have less runoff than they do now as farm fields. No one questioned that reverse logic. When pressed about the DEC request regarding zero runoff, Bill --- said he would develop this project like he did everything else and didn't see why he was being asked to do something different. Piaza asked him if he would do what he could to comply and Bill repeated he would have less runoff with pavement than it does now as farmland. "That was all we needed to hear" Piaza replied. No proof or guarentee is apparently required by the developer -- no means of measuring compliance -- just his word that he would do his best.
Yesiree, your local government is not at work here.
posted by Calvin N. Hobbes at 6:42 PM
1 Comments:
I see you don't update this site at all. Any chance I could talk to you about relinquishing it?
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