Valley Avenue Apartment Proposal Remains A Hot Issue
Brunswick Planning Board members were greeted with a large audience last Thursday, August 16, most expecting the adjourned public hearing on the controversial plan to build a 201 unit apartment complex on lands behind the Planet Fitness building on Hoosick Road, to be reconvened. That was not the case however, as the board had stated at their August 2 meeting, there would be nothing more until their September 6 meeting to give all parties times to digest the information, and the applicant time to respond in writing, to the many questions and concerns brought forth at that August 2 public hearing.
Many residents said they had received a letter purporting to be from the town, that the public hearing would resume that night. Planning Board Attorney Andrew Gilchrist made it very clear, the town had not sent out any such letters. Most then left the meeting, with the promise to be back in three weeks. Traffic, sewer, overcrowding at Troy’s School 13 and noise are among their chief complaints.
The board did hold two public hearings that evening, the first on a Special Use Permit requested by William and Deborah Lyons, seeking approval of an accessory apartment on their home at 149 Moonlawn Road. The apartment already exists, constructed under a building permit issued by the town in 2005. The request for the permit is a requirement of their attempts to re-finance. One neighbor expressed her concerns, and stated she received a text message from another couple who where out of town, also questioning the permit. The board decided to keep the public hearing open until their September 6 meeting, to allow for further comment.
Following a public hearing at which there were no negative comments, the board approved a Special Use Permit requested by James and Carolanne Winkler for an accessory apartment on their 50 Colehamer Road home, for their son.
Stewarts Shops are Back.
Stewarts representative Greg Beswick brought the long proposed construction of a new store on Hoosick Road, next to and behind the Howe Brothers building and very near their current Center Brunswick store, back before the board. Mr. Beswick said they have reached an agreement with the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) to construct a two way turning lane on Hoosick Road (Route 7), widening to road for less than one thousand feet on the north side. DOT had previously rejected similar plans that would have widened the road on the southern side, a plan also opposed by the Center Brunswick Methodist Church.
The board has already held public hearings on the proposal, and scheduled possible action on the application for their September 20 meeting, noting the earlier meeting that month already had a lengthy agenda.
Simply Better Auto Center was back as well, requesting a Site Plan Amendment for the sale of small mobile home-type units on their 805 Hoosick Road site. As in previous appearances, their site plan failed to meet the approval of board Engineer Wayne Bonesteel, who stressed that their engineer should contact him to work out the bugs, so to speak.
The board approved a minor change to the Planned Development District site in front of the Brunswick Plaza on Hoosick Road. They had previous approved the construction of a Sunmark Federal Credit Union and a Taco Bell on the land in front of Market 32. Sunmark had requested a slight adjustment in the size and shape of their building. Nigro Companies, owner of the land made some other minor changes to protect green space, parking and pedestrian access.
The board approved.