Petersburgh Town Board Action – Planning Board Front And Center

by Alex Brooks
At its March meeting, the Petersburgh Town Board agreed to a request from Planning Board Chairman Dave Miller to add a Planning Board page on to the Town web site. Miller said Planning Board Member Frank Sheldon had sent some material to Town Clerk Callie Crisp to be used to start the Planning Board page.
Miller said he would eventually like to post the full Site Plan Review law and the subdivision regulations on the site, along with forms and instructions for applications.
Miller said they have been proceeding with revisions to the subdivision regulations and expect to have them finished by the end of the year.
The subject of setting fees under the Site Plan Review law was raised for the third time this year after being tabled the first two times, and the Board agreed to leave them as they have been until revisions to the law have been completed.
The Board received a letter from Margaret Weinland critical of the Planning Board. Schaaphok said it was similar to a letter given to the Board at last October’s meeting. Apparently Weinland felt she had not received an adequate response to it, although Schaaphok said he had discussed it with her at length at the time. The Board suggested that Schaaphok answer it in writing. A short description of the original letter is available in the Eastwick Press report on the October Town Board meeting on the paper’s website.
Dave Miller said the Planning Board has hired Dennis King as its attorney. King is the attorney for the Hoosick Planning Board also. Miller said that after King had read the Petersburgh Site Plan Review Law, he said it was the best one he had ever read.
Supervisor’s Report
Supervisor Peter Schaaphok said the Water District is “in a hole,” meaning it had overspent its budget. Schaaphok said the Water District will have to raise fees at some point to make up for the shortfall.
Schaaphok also said the derelict building in the Mill Yard has fallen down more. The County seems to have no intention of taking it and since the roofing material was found to have a small amount of asbestos in it, demolishing it and removing the material would be an expensive proposition. Schaaphok said if you “do it right” it would cost about $40,000 to take down the building. No one had any answer as to what should be done, so no action was taken.
Highway
Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison said they have been plowing snow, filling potholes and cutting trees. He said after last week’s ice storm, his crew spent days cutting trees out of the roads.
Right To Farm Law
Town Clerk Callie Crisp said she had neglected to file the Right to Farm Law that was passed a year ago, so the Board changed the number of the law so it can be filed now. Dave Green asked that signs saying Petersburgh has a right to farm law be posted at entrances to the Town.
Town Clerk Callie Crisp said the 2011 transfer station permits will be available for purchase starting April 1. Residents must buy the new permit by May 1 in order to keep using the transfer station.
Amy Manchester thanked the Town on behalf of the Rescue Squad for letting them hold their State training class in the Town Hall.