By Doug La Rocque
In November, the Berlin School District placed a subdivision proposal before the Town of Grafton Planning Board, to divide the former Grafton Elementary School property into two lots.[private]
One lot would encompass the school building and a 25 foot boundary around it, which the District planned to sell to an unnamed developer, to be used for senior housing. The District planned to retain the rest of the land. The proposal offered the developer an easement onto the District’s retained property to access the sewer system. This met with strong opposition from the planning board, who expressed its concern that the idea would not meet with Rensselaer County Health Department approval.
Fast forward to this Monday’s Planning Board session and the School District again presented the same proposed site map, along with the requested full environmental impact study. Planning Board Chairman Tom Withcuskey countered with a letter from the Health Department, addressed to Berlin School District Superintendent Dr. Stephen Young and copied to the Planning Board. In the letter, Rensselaer County’s Director of Environmental Health, Richard Elder wrote, “The parcel proposed for the subdivision does not include the area where the septic absorption field and related tankage and piping are constructed. This area should become part of the parcel conveyed to the developer. The parcel should be large enough to allow construction of an expanded or replacement field in the future.” Elder urged the expansion/replacement concept be addressed in the engineering report and shown on engineering plans. Chairman Withcuskey then offered up a compromise solution. He asked the School District to consider redrawing the line dividing the two parcels to run along the tree line from west to east. This would convey all the open space, along with the building, to the proposed developer and he believed it would satisfy the concerns of the Board and the County Health Department. Superintendent Young and School Board President Frank Zwack seemed amenable to the solution, and told the Eastwick Press they would present the idea to the full School Board. Surveyor Fred Haley told the Planning Board that if the School Board approves, he could have all the site plan revisions ready for the next Planning Board meeting.
The actual number of senior housing units proposed for the building has not yet been brought forth, and even if the subdivision were to be approved, would still require its own presentation to the Planning Board. At the November meeting, Superintendent Young indicated the district might convert the remaining acreage into a nature trail and preserve. At Monday’s meeting the possibility was mentioned that the land might be used for solar power generation. That too would require separate Planning Board action. Whatever the eventual outcome, Chairman Withcuskey said the whole Board was encouraged by the proposal and eventual re-use of the building.
Hearing no other business, the Planning Board adjourned with the announcement that January’s meeting would be pushed back to the 25 because of the Martin Luther King holiday. Chairman Withcuskey and the Board also wished all residents of Grafton a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season.[/private]