Minutes - February 1, 2005

Chairman Jonathan Bass called the public hearing to order at 7:32 PM.

PUBLIC HEARING

Joe Potrikus - Site plan approval, storage shed - 467 County Highway 26, Cooperstown (#114.00-1-74.00)

Joe Potrikus was present. He clarified that his mailing address is 116 Day Road, but the address of the property in question is 467 County Highway 26. Chairman Bass asked whether anyone was present to speak about the proposed project, but no one responded. Paul Lord moved to close the public hearing. John Phillips seconded the motion and it was carried, 5-0.

REGULAR MEETING

Chairman Jonathan Bass called the monthly Town of Otsego Planning Board meeting to order at 7:33 PM. Board members present were Bass, Paul Lord (vice chairman), John Stucin, Wes Ciampo (who arrived after the public hearing), and Donna Borgstrom. Also present were Zoning Enforcement Officer Jane Berry and Planning Board clerk Bill Deane. Board member Lin Vincent and Town Attorney Margaret McGown were absent.

The Board reviewed the minutes of the January 4 meeting, prepared by Bill Deane and mailed to the members. Paul Lord recommended two corrections: on page 2, paragraph 2, the words "red osier" should be added before "dogwood"; and on page 2, paragraph 5, "tin" should be "steel." Lord moved to approve the minutes as amended. John Phillips seconded the motion, and it was carried, 6-0.

Jane Berry gave a report of her position. She issued just two permits in January, but again fielded a lot of inquiries concerning subdivision. Berry also announced that she had resigned her position effective February 9, as she had accepted a full-time position closer to her home, working as an assessor for the Town of Greene in Chenango County. She complimented the Town of Otsego Planning Board and said she had enjoyed working with its members. Berry said she had offered to stay on as a consultant for the Town of Otsego, to help with the transition process. Chairman Bass thought that was a good idea, and said he would talk to the Town Board about it. John Stucin questioned whether Berry's employment by two different townships would constitute a conflict of interest.

Chairman Bass reviewed correspondence received since the last meeting:

a.. A filing notice from the Office of the County Clerk, dated January 26, 2005, regarding the Lise Harrell subdivision (filed).
b.. A January 11 letter from K. Wayne Bunn (filed), asking to be put on the Planning Board's February 1 meeting agenda for a sketch plan conference for his proposed replacement of a camp within 500 feet of Otsego Lake. Berry said she had spoken to Bunn, and agreed to put him on the March 1 meeting agenda instead.
c.. An Otsego County Soil & Water Conservation District flier brought in by John Stucin, with information pertinent to the Planning Board.
d.. The January-February, 2005 issue of Talk of the Towns & Topics, distributed to members.
Chairman Bass then moved on to applications.

AGENDA APPLICATION

Joe Potrikus - Site plan approval, storage shed - 467 County Highway 26, Cooperstown (#114.00-1-74.00)

Paul Lord read the minutes of January 4 relevant to the application. Chairman Bass asked whether there had been any changes made to the application since then, and Joe Potrikus said there had not. Shirley Trinkaus, a neighbor who arrived too late for the public hearing, was invited to speak; she said that she had no objections to the project. Bill Deane noted that one neighbor letter, to Fred Maxham, had been returned, "not deliverable as addressed."

John Phillips moved to approve the site plan. Wes Ciampo seconded the motion, and it was carried, 6-0. Chairman Bass stamped the application "approved" and signed it.

APPLICATIONS ADDED TO AGENDA

Joe Siracusa - Sketch plan conference, installation of tents and signs at Farmers' Museum - Lake Road, Cooperstown (#115.00-1-9.00)

Joe Siracusa, Director of Operations for the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) described various plans for the Farmers' Museum and NYSHA, which he noted are separate entities. He said that he planned to come before the Planning Board at least once a year to describe proposed projects for their benefit, and keep the lines of communication open.

Siracusa said that annual attendance at the Farmers' Museum had dropped by almost half since the late 1970s, and they hoped to make the facility more attractive. They plan to relocate the Cardiff Giant tent, install two new tents, and put up three to five free-standing, two-sided signs or banners for May through September.

Jane Berry noted that the Land Use Law is silent about temporary structures and signs in the recreation/education (R/E) district. The consensus of the Planning Board was that they were not inclined to rule on tents, noting a similar previous situation involving the Yacht Club. As for signs, they do not come under site plan review, and the Farmers' Museum need only apply for sign permits.

Paul Lord moved that no site plan review be required for the tents, given the precedent of non-permanent structures in the R/E district, and the fact that tents are not addressed by the Land Use Law. John Phillips seconded the motion, and it was carried, 6-0.

Siracusa also discussed preliminary plans to install sidewalks along State Highway 80, around the Farmers' Museum and NYSHA. Any trees removed may be replaced under the institution's proposed annual tree-replacement plan. The sidewalk project would have to be approved by the New York State Department of Transportation. The consensus of the Board was that they would like a courtesy copy or presentation of the plans when they are ready, so they can offer input.

Joe Siracusa - Sketch plan conference, improvement to NYSHA fishing camp within 500 feet of Otsego Lake - 800 Lake Road, Cooperstown (#115.00-1-4.00)

Joe Siracusa described the plan to repair the Native American Fishing Camp located behind the NYSHA building, along Otsego Lake, and to improve the drainage around its perimeter by raising the foundation about one foot and adding gravel. The existing pathway will also be reconstructed using gravel. The plan is to do this in mid-summer.

Paul Lord, who expressed familiarity with the camp, had concerns about the water run-off from the reconstructed path, and its impact on the lake, as well as the aesthetics of the gravel. He suggested laying wood mulch above the gravel, and a dry-wall along the path, as close to the camp as possible.

It was the consensus of the Board to require site plan review, and put this application on the March 1 meeting agenda. Board members then offered informal suggestions for the museum and its marketing.

OTHER BUSINESS

The Board held a work-shop on potential Land Use Law revisions. The first item of discussion was self-storage units. Chairman Bass pointed out that these are already addressed, in Sections 2.06 (special permitted use #5) and 2.07 (special permitted uses #4, 11). It was the consensus that #11 could be eliminated. The Board discussed factors that could be addressed, including lighting and positioning of doors. The definition of "commercial storage" should include the word "enclosed." Paul Lord volunteered to draft up suggested new wording for storage unit issues.

During this discussion, it was agreed that the General Business-2 (GB-2) District needs to be clearly delineated.

Perc test requirements were discussed. After reviewing and discussing the Subdivision Regulations, Section 5.2, the Board reached a consensus to leave the requirements as they are.

Jane Berry suggested that the minimum acreage and lot averaging laws be reviewed. She also listed other issues she thinks the Planning Board ought to address in the future:

a.. "Prohibited uses" should be defined. She will submit some suggested language for this and some of the following issues.
b.. Fences should be addressed by the Land Use Law, which is currently silent about them.
c.. The section on signage needs to be redone.
d.. The definition of side- and back-yards for corner lots should be less flexible, listing examples.
e.. In the hamlet business and general business districts, everything is "special permitted use," which contradicts the whole concept of business districts.
f.. The definitions section needs to be cleaned up.
g.. Elderly housing, including independent and assisted living, should be addressed. The Town should consider designating an overlay district just for these. Paul Lord remarked that this was a good list that the Board should check back on from time to time.

Chairman Bass said that George Casey and other representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers had agreed to meet with the Planning Board and Town Highway Superintendent in March, but it would have to be a Monday or Thursday. Possible dates were discussed, and will be discussed further during the March 1 meeting.

Chairman Bass said that he and Town Supervisor Tom Breiten had met with the Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA), discussing the Town's possible implementation of a Geographic Information System (GIS). Bass said he would try to get the OCCA to do a presentation for the Planning Board at some point. Jane Berry noted that there is unused money in the Town budget for computer systems.

At 10:16 PM, John Stucin moved to adjourn the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Deane

Planning Board Clerk