Town Board acts on committee requests
Approximately 40 people attended the May 16 Town Board meeting, either in person or online. The Board heard updates from Citizen Advisory Committees on their current work:
Zoning Update Committee Chair Angus Eaton asked the Board to approve a small subcommittee of the Zoning Update Committee to devise a solar law for the Town of Chatham. Earlier this year the Board established a moratorium on certain types of solar development pending the adoption of a solar law, and Eaton noted that there is some urgency to develop and adopt a law.
Climate Smart Committee (CSC) Chair Eaton announced that the CSC has secured a number of grants that can be used by town government to support various climate smart initiatives. A $50K grant from NYSERDA will need attention soon, when the details of the grant become available, due to a short turnaround time. The Town Board will have the opportunity to discuss and approve the best use of this and other awarded funds in the near future.
Communications Committee Chair John Wapner said that the use of Artificial Intelligence to create meeting summaries won’t be pursued at this time. The committee is currently working on development of a policy for the Board’s consideration related to the publication of correspondence to the Board, as requested.
Housing Committee Chair Destiny Hallenbeck said that she will submit a resolution to the Board at the next meeting to hire an engineering firm to complete an environmental assessment of town property near Town Hall to determine the suitability of that land as a potential site for housing in the future.
The Housing Committee and the Zoning Update Committee will host a forum on June 8 at Tri-Village Fire Company on CR 13 in Old Chatham, from 2 – 4 PM to update the community on their work to date. The two committees have been meeting jointly to define and describe potential housing options for a variety of housing needs in the Town. Committee Chair Destiny Hallenbeck and ZUC Chair Eaton both emphasized that the committees haven’t yet made specific recommendations for housing options. The forum is an opportunity to get feedback and guidance from the public on the work they are doing.
Parks and Recreation Committee Chair John Wapner announced that planning for Crellin Park Day is ongoing. The committee is actively working on a revision of the Park Plan and will be conducting a survey of individuals and families who utilize the park and other interested residents to inform the
revision. Wapner said the goal is to have a draft of the plan available in September.
He reported that the committee worked with Chatham Area Recreation Project volunteers to staff the Kids Garden Cleanup last month; and said volunteers have been cutting downed trees at the park to make firewood available to town residents. More information on the firewood program will be forthcoming.
Invasive Species Committee Chair Abi Mesick announced that the committee received notice that they succeeded in obtaining a PRISM grant, and will be meeting on 5/31/24 to outline the scope of work they will undertake as a result of this resource.
Chair of the Traffic Safety Working Group Donal Collins announced that he met with NYS Department of Transportation representatives in North Chatham to discuss options to address speeding and safety in the hamlet. DOT representatives clarified that it isn’t necessary for a crosswalk be anchored to a sidewalk on either side of the road.
Collins proposed a relatively inexpensive option to the Board, i.e., to paint crosswalks on SR 203 to allow crossing in front of the North Chatham Library and the US Post Office. He estimated that signage for the crosswalk would cost approximately $1,000, and proposed filing for a Highway Work Permit.
The Board endorsed these suggestions. Collins said that a similar project could be explored for the hamlet of Old Chatham, near the post office.
In other business the Town Board:
Heard an extensive report from Supervisor Collins on his work as a member of the Board of Supervisors. Of note, Collins said that relative to this time last year, the town’s share of County sales tax is down 4.7% and the mortgage tax distributed to the town is significantly lower, as well. As budget planning for 2025 commences, these realities will have to be taken into account. At the current decreased rate, Collins said that the difference in allocations would be $160,000 less at the end of 2024 compared to 2023.
Collins said that volunteers from the Frisbee Golf group joined him and Highway staff to install the planned small pavilion at the back of the Town Hall parking lot.
The board formally “abandoned” a 54-foot segment at the dead end of Electric Park Road near Kinderhook Lake, thereby eliminating the need to maintain and plow that section of the road.
The board resolved to request that NYS DOT establish a speed reduction on NYS Route 203 in North Chatham from a current posting of 35 mph to 30 mph.
Agreed to apply for a NYS matching grant to provide financial resources to pay for some of the Chatham Village Police Department patrols previously approved for traffic speed mitigation in the town.
Renewed an annual contract with the Stonykill Disc Golf Club, which operates and sponsors recreational disc (Frisbee) golf events at Town Hall Park.
Heard from Attorney Tal Rappleyea that an application for a rooftop solar installation was suitable for a variance from the solar moratorium due to a documented hardship. The Board supported a hardship variance for the project and referred the matter to the Zoning Board of Appeals for an expedited review.
Approved the appointment of Corey Macfarlane and Abi Mesick for the two “Alternate” Board openings on the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board. Each alternate position is for a one- year duration. Supervisor Collins said that this final decision on the makeup of CPFAB will allow the Board to complete necessary training and begin functioning as a working board.
Heard from Abi Mesick, one of the planners of the Community Picnic on Saturday July 18, that the event will be a collaboration with the Town Board, PS 21, and Chatham Area Business Alliance. Plans to provide wagon rides from the Summerfest event on Main Street to the Community Picnic at Crellin
Park are currently in the planning stage. Other details of this event will be coming soon.