Planners Approve Controversial Dog Training Facility
by Denise Wright
Even though it was snowing heavily outside on February 1, the Schodack Planning Board was hard at work at its meeting. The controversial dog training retreat on Boyce Road had its site plans and timber harvesting special permit approved. There was some public concern about the facility’s soundproofing impacting “the quality of living” in the neighborhood. According to the town engineer, the walls and ceiling linings will be drywall and sound-deadening board that is “standard practice” and “sufficient” will be installed. Previous concerns for the dog training facility have involved signage, roads, and landscaping. The signage will be a 4×5 building mounted sign with no lights. The owner will add landscape boulders and evergreens, and the passages on the property will be wide enough to handle emergency vehicles. The approved timber harvesting permit has strict regulations about hours, days of operation, and proximity to property boundaries.
Green Dale Community Solar Farm had its resolution to make the Schodack board the lead agency on its Environmental Assessment Review approved. The 129 acres, 7½ megawatt farm located on the border between Columbia and Rensselaer County will need a PDD (Planned Development District) 2 designation. Travis Mitchell from Eden Renewables presented the preliminary site plan review and addressed questions about boundaries and setbacks. A letter will be sent to the building inspector to get clarification about the “determination for the size of the setback.” for this project.
The Hart Commercial Business Park on US Rt. 9 had its plan revisions reviewed. The Town Board asked the Planning Board to make recommendations for conditions for PDD approval. The business park was to have five lots but downsized to a four lot subdivision with buildings that will be approximately 100,000 square feet. The park’s private road, according to the designer, will be “built up to town standards in anticipation of tractor-trailers” and is willing to work with the town to make sure the revisions will be in the town’s best interest.
The final item on the agenda was a change in tenancy at the Villages at 77 Miller Road. One of the suites has been empty since the end of 2020, and an appraisal business with international business ties that is presently on Columbia Turnpike will move into the offices. The next planning board meeting is scheduled for March 1, 2021.