WETLANDS
ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
March 22, 2005
Present:
Matthew
Mastrantone, Chair
Andy Galler
Eric Lind
John Sussmeier
David Klotzle, Wetlands Inspector
Isabel Lopatin, Secretary
Guests:
Tim Cronin, Sr.
Katlyn
Mastrantone
Richard Sanca
Glennon Watson
The make-up session for the regular March meeting of the Town of Philipstown Wetlands
Advisory Committee was held at Town Hall on March 22, 2005. The meeting
was called to order by Chairman Matthew Mastrantone at 7:34 p.m.
Applicant:
Rose and Richard Sanca
Representative:
Tim Cronin, Sr., Cronin Engineering
Tax Lot:
90.07-1-11
Mr. Cronin brought plans
that supercede those previously distributed.
Mr. Lind wanted to recuse himself because he is related to the applicant
by marriage, but both the Inspector and the Chairman said this was not
necessary.
Mr. Cronin gave an overview
of the project: the applicant wants to
build a garage on an existing 30’x30’ pad that is in a wetland buffer. The applicant currently keeps equipment at
this location. Other areas near the
house are not available for this purpose because they are already in use. Construction is planned to cause the least amount of damage to the
regulated area. A silt fence will be
installed as shown on the plan, footings will be dug, and excavated materials will
be stored on the locations shown, which are far removed from the regulated area. Silt fence will be placed around stored excavated
material and some of it will be used as back fill while the rest will be
removed from the site. The new garage’s
roof leaders will be directed to a dry well as shown on the plan.
Inspector Klotzle inquired
about the front of the property, and Mr. Cronin informed him that it is vacant
land but mostly rock, and that the current driveway is the only entrance to the
property. Inspector Klotzle asked if
the garage was going on the existing pad, and stated that if so, there wouldn’t
be any further filling of the wetlands.
Mr. Cronin confirmed this. Inspector
Klotzle asked when the pad was built, and Mr. Sanca said it was there when he
acquired the property in 1993. Inspector
Klotzle said when it was done, wetland was filled in, and the pad is about 2
feet above the wetland.
The chair asked committee
members for comments. Mr. Sussmeier
said he hadn’t visited the site, and asked if the entire construction area was
in the wetland buffer. Inspector
Klotzle said all, and that it’s very level; Mr. Cronin confirmed this. Inspector Klotzle said he assumed that most
of the pad floods when the stream comes up, but according to Mr. Cronin this is
not the case. Mr. Galler said he needed
to see the property before commenting, especially since the garage is not
intended for domestic vehicles but for equipment. Mr. Cronin said another possible location for the garage is on
Route 9 but is 1,600 feet from the house.
Mr. Lind asked when the house was built. Mr. Sanca said it was built in 1993 and he moved into it in
1995. Mr. Lind asked when the pad was
built, and Mr. Sanca said it was there when he bought the property. Mr. Cronin said the previous owner used it
for equipment.
The Chair asked Inspector
Klotzle for his comments, which were that he didn’t think construction of the garage
would cause any more damage to the wetland.
The Chair said that although it’s in the buffer zone there doesn’t seem
to be anywhere else to put the garage. Inspector
Klotzle commented that placing it at the end of the property would be a long
way from the house, and Mr. Cronin affirmed that it would be too far. Mr. Galler commented that the garage was not
for domestic vehicles but Mr. Cronin said that Mrs. Sanca uses the house garage
for her two vehicles, so Mr. Sanca’s car would go in the proposed garage. Mr. Galler pointed out that the size of the
structure is well beyond that of a garage for domestic vehicles, so Mr. Sanca
and Mr. Cronin listed the other vehicles and equipment that would be kept
there.
Mr. Sussmeier stated that although
the committee had not visited the site [it should be noted that the Chair had
done so] he was willing to accept Inspector Klotzle’s opinion that this was the
only possible location for the garage.
The Chair and the Inspector agreed that the garage could help protect
the wetland because leaks and spills from vehicles and equipment would be
trapped. Mr. Lind asked if the slab
would be poured and the answer was “yes”.
Mr. Cronin said it would be raised six inches and a slab put on top, and
that material excavated for digging the footing might be used for this. The Inspector asked about berming the floor
of the garage to eliminate run-off, and Mr. Cronin said the floor would be 4”
below the wall. He had considered an
oil separator but decided it wouldn’t be needed; Inspector Klotzle commented
that they don’t work very well. He then
asked to be shown a way that the oil and gas wouldn’t get out of the garage,
because of the concentration of vehicles in a regulated area. Mr. Cronin commented that the house and swimming
pool are in the buffer.
Mr. Mastrantone said he saw
no problem with the application and requested a motion from the committee. Mr. Sussmeier made a motion to accept the
application with the structure located as shown, and Mr. Lind seconded that
motion. Mr. Galler abstained from
voting because he hadn’t seen the site, and the motion carried. The Chair instructed the applicant not to
begin construction until he had a permit in hand, and that he must adhere to
the letter of the permit. Inspector
Klotzle stated that he would send a permit to the applicant that must be signed
and returned; that it does not become official until it is returned, and that
he must be notified five days before activity begins so he can monitor
work.
Applicant: Carlson
Construction Company
Representative:
Glennon Watson, Badey & Watson
Tax Lot:
Mr. Watson introduced the
application by stating that Carlson Construction company bought the parcel with
the intention of subdividing it into five lots. Its only improved physical access is over Torchia Road, which is
a private road serving nine houses.
There is a 50-foot access strip on Route 9, but Mr. Watson didn’t think
it should be considered for access because Clove Creek flows through it. In addition to a Wetlands Permit,
application has been made for approval of a five-lot subdivision, and for
alternate road standards. The intent is
to reconstruct Torchia road, reconstruct an existing bridge, and make a
hammerhead turnaround. Eventually, a
private road to a conventional turnaround would be constructed to serve two
lots. The bridge must be replaced and
storm water must be managed. The
current bridge is unsafe; there are currently eight homes reached by crossing
this bridge that are not served by emergency services because of this. Mr. Carlson will replace the bridge when the
subdivision is approved because the householders on the road have not been able
to get this done. A state permit has
been issued for bridge construction.
Storm water quality issues are being addressed with a proposed grading
system and detention pond; water will go from there into a wetland. Mr. Watson is looking for a positive
Wetlands Permit recommendation to be given to Town Board, which is the lead
agency for the alternate road permit.
(Planning Board is reviewing the subdivision application.)
Inspector Klotzle stated
that the wetland near the bridge is not specifically associated with the
stream, but he hasn’t been to the site because of snow. Mr. Watson stated that the bridge is strictly
associated with the stream and the road is in the wetland buffer. Inspector Klotzle asked about vegetation in
the bio-retention filter, and Mr. Watson said it had not yet been
specified. Inspector Klotzle said he
wanted to see a planting plan. Mr.
Galler asked about existing roads and driveways. The existing road that serves a house may be altered to get it
away from the wetland but a turn has to be made safe for vehicles; the plan
shows an attempt to get out of the wetland as quickly as possible. Mr. Galler asked if Town Board shouldn’t make
its decision before the application goes anywhere else and there was discussion
with Mr. Watson. For Mr. Galler, the
big issue is whether the town should consider this type of road (reduced
right-of-way access and hammerhead) before WAC should be consulted, and Mr.
Watson disagreed because wetlands impact should be understood first.
The Chair ended the
discussion by proposing that this application should be tabled until Inspector
Klotzle and committee members visit the site individually. It will be on the April 12 agenda.
Applicant: Garrison
Golf Club
Representative:
Glennon Watson, Badey & Watson
Tax Lot:
Mr. Watson began by stating
that a dual application has been submitted to the Town: one part is for a Planned Development
District (PDD), which is a zoning change, and the other is for site plan
approval, which is a requirement for the PDD.
An environmental impact statement was submitted and the period for
public comment is drawing to a close. Town
Board is the lead agency. The PDD will
take up the entire main parcel of the Golf Course and will be devoted to golf
activities with the exceptions of a parking area, a new pro shop, a 32-unit
inn, and a bar and grill. There are no
drainage structures in place today, and storm water runs north to Philips Brook
Road. Noticeable erosion has occurred
in the last forty to eighty years. He
is proposing a closed drainage system that will capture storm water at key
points and carry it to an area adjacent to Philips Brook, which will be
composed of four bays . This will take
the initial charge from the flow and slow it;
it will then flow over into a detention basin, whence a spillway and rip
rap arrangement will carry it to the brook at a much slower rate. The brook is highly silted, and this plan will
remedy erosion and scarring of the slope as well as end siltation of the
brook.
Inspector Klotzle commented
that there is currently silt piled up against an existing dam, and he thinks
the dam could break down if more material from the dirt roads piles up above
it. Mr. Watson acknowledged the
problem. He then requested that WAC
make a site visit and send a report to Town Board.
Mr. Lind pointed out that
the pitch is all downhill and wondered if velocity will be slowed by routing or
material that will slow the pitch, or if that is the purpose of the basin. Mr.
Watson replied that the basin is a slowing device and again mentioned the four
stone bays. Mr. Sussmeier asked about a
velocity dissipater. Inspector Klotzle asked if the velocity wouldn’t be
tremendous; Mr. Watson agreed and said
the outflow device was designed to handle it.
Inspector Klotzle asked about detaining water at the top of the
hill; Mr. Watson said it had been
considered but the slope is so great there wasn’t a large enough place for a
detention area of sufficient size. Mr.
Mastrantone asked if the pond would be cleaned when the work was finished and
Mr. Watson said it would have to be cleaned periodically. Inspector Klotzle asked about crossing the
stream to get access to the pond for cleaning, but Mr. Watson said that would
not be necessary because the road crosses the stream. He further stated that the biggest impact on the landscape would
be clearing along Philips Brook Road, for which there is a landscaping
plan. The basin is located at the only
good place on the site. Inspector
Klotzle agreed.
Mr. Galler and Mr. Watson
then discussed the PDD and the uses to which the property may be put. Since part of it will be an inn, Mr. Lind
asked whether there would be a sewage plant, to which Mr. Watson replied in the
negative. The existing system failed
last year and application was made to the County Board of Health for a repair
permit. Full construction has been
permitted, but it can only be used for current activity. There is, however, a large leaching field
capable of handling 13,000 gallons a day that will support anticipated
usage.
Mr. Watson stated that an
application has been made to the State for stream disturbance. Mr. Lind then asked about the network of
little creeks and ponds that exists on the property, to which Mr. Watson replied
that this network courses out on the other side of Snake Hill Road and no
activity is planned near there.
Inspector Klotzle requested
copies of the map used in this presentation, because the committee members do not
have them. Mr. Galler requested that
the retention basin be flagged prior to the site visit, which Mr. Watson said
could be done next week. Mr. Galler then
commented that the basin looked like it would be 120 - 140 feet across, which
Mr. Watson affirmed. Mr. Sussmeier
consequently asked about pipe size, which Mr. Watson reported would be 30
inches. Mr. Mastrantone said there
would be a site visit and that the matter would be taken up at the next
meeting; Mr. Sussmeier requested that
the map be distributed before that. The
Secretary gave Mr. Watson the addresses of the committee members so he could
mail the maps directly to them, and requested that a copy by sent to Town Hall
for the WAC files.
Applicant:
Garrison Highlands LLC
Representative:
Glennon Watson, Badey & Watson
Tax Lot:
Mr. Watson began by
detailing the history and complexity of ownership of this property. Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is the lead
agency for a Special Use Permit which will allow a country club to exist in a
residential area. It was mandatory that
Planning Board be asked for a recommendation, and a positive one was made. ZBA will hold a public hearing about the
application. The major activities will
be work on the swimming pool area, reconstruction of the parking area, and
storm water management. He showed a map
that included regulated areas as delineated by Steve Coleman.
Inspector Klotzle asked if
storm water should go through a filter before entering the pond, and Mr. Watson
said that no physical structure is being proposed. Mr. Sussmeier asked what is meant by treating the water, to which
Mr. Watson replied that letting water sit for 24 hours is a form of
treatment. Mr. Lind inquired about the
relationship between the little wetland to the south and the brook. Mr. Watson responded that they must be
getting the same groundwater, and distributed Mr. Coleman’s report. Inspector Klotzle read this statement from
the proposed plan: Mr. Watson confirmed that these ponds were
meant. Chairman Mastrantone asked when
the work would be done and Mr. Watson’s answer was Fall. Inspector Klotzle commented that the water
comes from Castle Rock and the Giuliani property, so it is good water, and a
cleaning attempt would be a plus.
Mr. Lind asked about
alternatives since the retention basin is in the flagged wetland. He wanted to limit disturbance to the little
south wetland. Mr. Watson said that
this wetland is not functioning well, it’s a constrained site. Mr. Galler and Mr. Watson discussed the
number of parking spaces. Mr. Sussmeier
requested an updated plan before the site visit, and Mr. Watson said he would
provide one the next day. Mr. Sussmeier
asked about the vegetated strip. Mr.
Mastrantone concluded the discussion of this application by saying that
everyone would look at the site individually and it would be discussed at the
next meeting
Applicant:
Dominick and Debra Santucci (Mountain Trace)
Representative:
Tim Cronin, Jr., Cronin Engineering
Tax Lot:
Neither the applicants nor
their representative were present. Mr.
Mastrantone distributed the negative recommendation he wrote to present to
Planning Board in two days. It features
the need to make a positive SEQRA declaration.
Ms. Lopatin, who was chair of the committee when this application was
considered previously, pointed out that the committee is now unanimous in its
negative recommendation, so the wording should be changed. There was discussion of attaching information
to bolster the request for the positive SEQRA declaration,
Inspector’s Report
Inspector Klotzle reported
on the Jones application, saying that work had been stopped. There was no Health Department permit and no
self-contained septic unit will be allowed.
He also mentioned that there is activity at the Bird and Bottle.
Minutes of February 8, 2005
Ms. Lopatin pointed out a
typo in the minutes. Mr. Sussmeier
moved that the minutes be adopted with this typo corrected, and Mr. Lind
seconded the motion, which was passed unanimously.
Other Business
Mr. Sussmeier asked what
Board of Health approval means on a subdivision application, and Chairman
Mastrantone said he wasn’t sure. Mr.
Sussmeier then wondered how Dennis Santucci got this approval for property he didn’t own.
Closing of Meeting
Chairman Mastrantone
requested a motion to adjourn, which was made by Mr. Lind with Mr. Sussmeier
seconding, and the motion passed unanimously.
The time was 9:46.
Respectfully Submitted
_________________________________
Isabel Lopatin, WAC
Secretary