Grafton Planning Board Action – Like A Butterfly

by Kieron Kramer
Like a butterfly, the life of a plot map approved by the Grafton Planning Board is ephemeral, unless it is filed with the County within the time limit set by the County. If the deadline is missed the subdivision, lot line adjustment or site plan review must be voted on again by the Planning Board, and the map must be signed again by the Planning Board Chairman. At the Grafton Planning Board meeting on Monday, March 18, the only order of business was to resign a map.
[private]After the Planning Board hearing on September 17 the minor 2 lot subdivision application submitted by Norman A. VanDervoort for his property at 74 Clickner Road was approved unanimously by the Board. At the time Bill Darling represented VanDervoort in the subdivision process and described the subdivision. He said that a seven acre parcel would be “cut out” of the existing land and sold to William Crandall, Jr. with 27 acres remaining.
Although not present at this meeting, Darling had assured  Planning Board Chairman Tom Withcuskey earlier that there are no changes in the subdivision or the map to be filed with the County. At this meeting Withcuskey said he had reviewed the map and there were no changes in it. He made the motion that the application be reapproved and the map resigned. The Board voted unanimously to do so.
Informal Discussion
In October Surveyor Brian Holbritter, representing Lawrence “Jamie” Meracle, Jr.,  discussed a possible subdivision, located both  in Pittstown and Grafton, of the old Harbinger estate on Edelmann Lane which is near Tamarac Road. He updated the Board during the informal discussion on Monday.
In its present configuration Meracle’s development is composed of six lots in Pittstown and three lots in Grafton. Of the lots in Grafton, which will be considered a minor subdivision, two lots will developed and one, of about 144 acres, will be “remaindered.” A road starting at Edelmann Lane to provide access to all the parcels will have to be constructed by the developer. Holbritter had originally planned to have the road end in a “hammerhead” just over the Grafton line. He thought it would add a little more frontage to the Grafton lots. Withcuskey thought that the hammerhead should be in Pittstown, abutting the Grafton parcels which would still have enough frontage to satisfy the Board. The Pittstown Planning Board and Withcuskey felt it would be more efficient if the road was entirely in Pittstown with the construction supervised by its planning board. Holbritter said that he and his client were agreeable to this change. The Pittstown Planning Board Chairman, Tim Donlan, attended this meeting and said that he was for it as well, and he added that the Pittstown Town Board had categorically rejected the possibility of taking over the new road. A homeowners’ association will have to be established to maintain the road.
Grafton Highway Superintendent Herb Hasbrouck was present. He told the Planning Board that it should stipulate that the new road meet the Grafton road specifications. This would guarantee that the road would meet the Grafton road specifications if the remaining 144 acres in Grafton were ever developed. Hasbrouck said that the hammerhead, which he described as a T turn-around, could be moved later if there were any more development there. Withcuskey and Hasbrouck had visited the site together. They both agreed that the topography makes the remaindered 144 acres almost inaccessible. There probably won’t be any more lots developed up there Withcuskey said. Holbritter said, “Never say never.”
Withcuskey gave a copy of the Grafton road specifications, which were updated in 2007,  to Donlan. He seemed happy to have them. “Ours are 45 years old,” he said. Withcuskey suggested that he, Hasbrouck and Grafton Fire Chief Jim Goyer meet with Holbritter, Donlan and the Pittstown highway superintendent and fire chief so they would all be on the same page. The meeting will take place in the Grafton Town Hall at a date to be determined.
For those who are waiting with bated breath for news about the proposed Grafton Fish Farm, no news was available by press time.[/private]