Combined estates renovation sketched out

Town of Rhinebeck Planning Board

Town planners held a sketch plan conference at their Jan. 6 meeting with designers of a combined River Road-Carmel Drive project that includes the former Astor Tea House and Carmelite Sisters Convent.

The 32.4 acre property at 195 River Road was recently acquired by Robert Duffy, along with an 11.7 acre parcel to the east at 31 Carmel Drive, the site of the former convent. Plans call for several accessory dwelling units, including a four-bedroom guest house, along with a garage, a pool, and three security gates, according to architect Christopher Courtney. He said the owner plans to tear down the former convent, take up the asphalt, and return the space to a field and other landscape modifications, including more screening from neighbors.

Since the property is in the Historic Preservation and Hudson River National Historic Landmarks districts, as well as the town’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Area, the project will come under extensive review not only by the planning board but also by the town engineer, the town historian, and the Conservation Advisory Board.

The board declared itself lead agency and requested a detailed lighting plan be included with the application, which the applicants intend to submit in March.

Public hearing set for Red Wing mining permit renewal
Frank Doherty represented Red Wing Properties in applying for a renewal of their special use permit to continue mining operations at 234-286 White Schoolhouse Road as well as to introduce sub-aqueous mining to the property. The process will include site plan review of the 38-acre mining area, which includes a 9-acre, 35-foot deep manmade lake.

The board requested a copy of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s renewed permit, which Doherty said the company received in early December. The board also said the application needed information on traffic volume for the site, which would then be reviewed by the town highway superintendent.

A site visit will be conducted and a public hearing on the application was set for Feb. 3 at 6:45pm.

B&B seeking to fix old variance oversight
Jonna Paolella, proprietor of the Olde Rhinebeck Inn, at 340 Wurtemburg Road, appeared before planners Jan. 6 to address an oversight in a 2004 variance application. At the time, the ZBA granted Paolella a variance for a four-bedroom B & B when three bedrooms was the maximum, and she was given a certificate of occupancy. But Paolella was not told that she needed planning board approval of the site plan, which she only discovered recently. So she applied for that approval since the CO is now void without it. Because zoning changed since 2004 and B&Bs can now have five bedrooms, no variance is required. Planners will conduct a site visit and they set a public hearing on the application for Feb. 3 at 6:35pm.

Zoning amendment recommended
The board voted unanimously, with one member absent, to recommend to the town board the petition by John McGuire for a zoning map amendment to add the Neighborhood Infill Overlay to the Rural Countryside (RC5) District. The district is about 45 acres, affecting 39 parcels, and the amendment is expected to bring the parcels into conformity with the existing code. The NIO already exists in Sepascot Village.

In other action
A public hearing on a subdivision plat for 114 Old Post Road was continued to Feb. 3 meeting because no representatives for the application were present Jan. 6. At the board’s Dec. 16 meeting, Paul Matthies had applied for a lot line alteration because he plans to sell 3.4 acres of 13.66 acres to his neighbors, the Serroukas family…At applicant Jonathan Mensch’ s request, planners rescheduled a Jan. 20 meeting on a proposed hotel and event space project at the Grasmere Farm property on Mill Road to Feb. 18 at 6:30pm. The meeting was to draft a Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement addressing concerns about the project. … Following a sketch plan conference, a public hearing was set for Feb. 3 at 6:40pm on an application by the Quentin Johnson Irrevocable Trust to subdivide property at 12-14 Old Primrose Hill Road. The applicant wants to alter the lot lines in order to consolidate part of the trust’s lands, totaling 9.342 acres, which are cut off from the main property by Primrose Hill Road. The acres would be transferred to the adjacent neighbors, Patrick and Mary Kelly and Carl Meyer, who already have a conservation easement for their properties.

Town of Rhinebeck Zoning Board of Appeals

Public hearing set on garage addition
Sally Culpeck and Kathryn Clark presented their application at the ZBA’s Dec. 18 meeting for an area variance to build a 952 sq. ft. addition for a two-car garage with studio/storage space at 60 Lemon Lane. The addition will bring the building to 2,100 sq. ft where 1,500 sq. ft. is allowed, so an area variance is required. The Conservation Advisory Board has already performed its review and found no issues. The ZBA accepted the application and set a public hearing for its Feb. 5 meeting. The planning board, at its Jan. 6 meeting, had recommended the application to the ZBA.

Hearing held on variance for small home
The ZBA held a public hearing at its Dec. 18 meeting on an application by John Philips to build an accessory structure of 1,352 sq. ft. as a residence on an 18-acre property at 2867 Route 9G so that he and his wife can live near their children and grandchildren. The proposed structure exceeds the maximum of 900 sq. ft. so an area variance is needed. No one spoke at the hearing, and since the county Department of Health had approved the plans, the board was prepared to vote on the variance at its Feb. 5 meeting.

Other action
At its Dec. 18 meeting, the board approved several variance application, including Sung Lee’s application for a side yard variance of 10 feet instead of the required 50 feet, at his property at 270 Route 308. Lee is adding a bathroom to the house which will be within the current non-conforming setbacks for the house. Lee owns the adjoining parcel and has already applied to join the two. The application had been recommended to the ZBA by the planning board at its Dec. 16 meeting. …Following a planning board positive recommendation, the ZBA granted Peri and Marcus DeGrazia of 15 Old Farm Road a front yard setback variance to reduce the amount of the required setback from 100 to 89 feet in order to build a garage. …The board also approved a request by Darin Page of 20 Hutton St., Rhinecliff, for an area variance for a 10-foot fence where 6 feet is maximum

Village of Rhinebeck Planning Board

Thompson-Mazzarella Park receives expansion approval
At their Dec. 17 meeting, village planners unanimously approved the special permit and site plan for the Thompson-Mazzarella recreation park to begin phase one expansion. The approval is pending final permitting by state DOT and the county health department for the roadways and sidewalks in the plan and the site’s proposed septic system. The expansion plan was also approved Dec. 16 by the town planning board, with planning board member Richard Murray voting against and one member absent.

Hotel-spa gets conditional approvals
Rhinebeck Village Place, a 50-room hotel, wine bar, and spa proposed for 46 W. Market St. went to the planning board Dec. 17 and Jan. 7 for site plan review and discussion. At both meetings, the adequacy of the proposed 80 parking spaces was discussed. The applicant, Ed Kellogg, feels that a parking analysis done by consultants addressed the concerns. On Dec. 17, he was given conditional approval of the site plan to be extended for 120 days. At the Jan. 7 meeting, he received a recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a front yard setback variance. A public hearing on the variance was set for Jan. 16 ZBA meeting.

Hair-nail spa approved for W. Market St.
Jenn Martin Spa, a proposed hair and nail salon at 11 West Market St., received a negative declaration of environmental impacts and planners voted unanimously to approve the site plan and special permit on Jan. 7. The actions followed a public hearing at which one resident expressed concern that there are already too many salons in the village. The board said that issue was not within their purview.

Crystal Lake Lodge site plan approved
James Dell’Olio’s application for site plan approval for a project called Crystal Lake Lodge, at 6342 and 6346-6348 Mill Street, was OK’d on the condition that local codes be followed closely during construction and a rain garden installed for drainage. A year ago, Dell’Olio received a non-conforming use variance for the project, which would create a 6-unit multi-family dwelling arrangement on two parcels: a smaller one with a farmhouse that will be renovated, and a second one with two buildings, one of which will be demolished, and two new structures added.

In other action
Rhinebeck Bank’s application for a new canopy at its location at 6414 Montgomery Street, within the Historic District Overlay, was approved on the condition that the canopy be solid blue with no logo … Roberta Schiff of 16 South St received site plan approval for an addition to her house, constructed of the same materials as the rest of the structure. …Clinton and Ida Kershaw of 27 Platt Ave. received a negative recommendation to the ZBA for an area variance on an accessory apartment. They had first proposed turning the 650 sq. ft. garage next to their mother’s home into a 999 sq. ft apartment, which was considered too large an increase under zoning code. They returned with a 929 sq. ft plan, but the board said it was still too large since the code recommends increases of 25 percent or less.

Village of Rhinebeck Zoning Board of Appeals

Public hearings set
The board set a public hearing for its Jan. 16 meeting on the continued appeal for an interpretation and decision on the status of 47 W. Market Street, owned by Daniel Colnaghi and the subject of a cease and desist order sent by the village zoning enforcement officer Aug. 15. Also there will be another public hearing Jan. 16 on an area variance application by Sharon Collins and James Strong of 60 South Parsonage Street for placing a pre-fabricated garage 5 feet from the rear and side property lines where the required setbacks are 25 feet from the rear and 10 feet from the side lines.

Town of Red Hook Planning Board

Brewery at Migliorelli Farm approved
Town planners granted conditional approval, pending all appropriate permits, to Jacob Cirell on Dec. 16 for his application to create a 500 sq. ft. brewery in an existing 10,000 sq. ft. agricultural storage building at Migliorelli Farm on 245 Guski Road. When fully operational, the brewery will produce approximately 300 to 400 barrels of beer or hard cider per year, which Cirell intends to sell to farmers markets; there will be no sales, tasting, or public consumption on the brewing premises.

Turkey Hill Road lot line adjustment discussed
Discussion continued on Paul Doherty’s application to adjust the lot line between two of his lots, a 17.6 acre one in the AB District and a .09 acre lot in the (RD3 District), to create one 10-acre parcel and one 8-acre parcel. The board said a conservation easement of 80 percent of the property is necessary, which could be accomplished with a different acreage split. Doherty agreed to return at a later date for more discussion.

Village of Red Hook Planning Board

Three new businesses get sign approvals
Jonathan Nandor won planning board approval of the signs for a new mixed martial arts training center in the old Red Hook movie theater building at 23 East Market Street. The signage will be on the existing marquee, including internal lighting, and will use the original red letters to advertise the business. The board also approved a sign application from Lauren Grady of Vibe Dance Studio, which is currently located in Hardscrabble Plaza. The studio is moving to 33 Market Street and will share space with a new business called The Arts Oasis, which will offer classes in gardening, photography, yoga, cooking, and more. Grady intends to put up two signs, which together will encompass 12 sq. ft., within the code.

Milan Planning Board

Verizon cell tower debated
The public hearing on the proposed Verizon cell tower on Academy Hill Road was continued at the board’s Jan. 8 meeting. Several residents questioned whether Verizon’s application had proven the necessity of putting in a new tower instead of using existing towers. Verizon representatives maintained that they have a right to build another tower if they need one to provide coverage. The hearing was continued to the board’s Feb. 5 meeting.

Hearing set for South Road Farms subdivision
South Road Farms is applying for a two-lot subdivision at 148 South Road that would create two parcels, one 10 acres and the other 81 acres, with a shared driveway and separate septic systems and wells. According to county records, there is one existing residence. Permission from the county for a new driveway has been withheld because of inadequate sight distances, so the engineer, Mark Graminski, is pursuing an easement for a common driveway. A public hearing will be held at the planners’ Feb. 5 meeting.

Review continues on Spring Lake Rd lot line adjustment
The planners did hold a public hearing on an application by property owner Paul Doherty to make a lot line adjustment between two properties he owns on Spring Lake Rd. Doherty said he needed the adjustment because renters of a home on his property wish to buy it and an additional driveway is needed. There was no public opposition, the hearing was closed, and the board will continue to review the application at its Feb. 5 meeting. Part of the lot is in Clermont, so the planning board there is also reviewing the plans.

In other action
A continued public hearing will be held Feb. 5 on the application by Lauren Munsch of 212 Round Lake Road to create a two-lot subdivision. Mark Graminksi, project engineer, said more work was needed to sight the driveway because of sight distance requirements and elevation changes… Brian Trudell requested a lot line adjustment between his two properties at 123-125 Brooklyn Heights Road. One lot is 250 by 80 feet and the other is 6.73 acres. The board asked that Trudell file a completed Open Development Area checklist. A public hearing was set for Feb. 5…. The Jan. 8 public hearing for a two-lot subdivision proposed for 6-15 Barrett Lane by Patrick Barrett was adjourned to the planning board’s next meeting Feb. 5 at the applicant’s request.

Clinton Planning Board

New deck, bath house approved at Omega Institute
The Omega Institute, of 150 Lake Drive, received planning board approval Jan. 7 to add a deck to a dormitory and demolish an existing bath house in order to build a new one. The planners voted to waive the public hearing requirement for the projects, noting they were upgrades to the existing site plan and were in compliance with zoning law. The deck will be 12 ft. by 24 ft. with a 12- foot elevation, added to the front of an existing dormitory. Representatives told the planning board Jan. 7 that the current bath house, located 40 feet from Lake Drive, needs a total renovation so Omega wants to demolish it and build a new one 183 feet from Lake Drive instead. Omega had been on the planning board’s agenda since October.

Public hearing held on Stissing Drive subdivision
Nancy Packes of 29-37 Stissing Drive has applied to subdivide her 26.1 acre property into two lots, a 10.02 acre lot and a 16.08 acre lot, which will share one driveway. Local zoning, however, requires separate driveways and the county Department of Public Works must review and approve the location of the second one. Packes is seeking the subdivision in order to renovate an accessory building into a primary residence on one of the lots because she already has the maximum number of residences allowed. At the public hearing Jan. 7, one neighbor on Slate Quarry Road asked whether the second driveway would ever be used and Packes’s representative, John Andrews, said it would not be. The public hearing was closed and the board may act once DPW rules on the driveway.

Special permit renewal for 137 Hollow Road delayed
Maria-Claire Gladstone, of 137 Hollow Road, asked planners for an extension on a special permit that she believed would run out after 12 months. Gladstone plans to build a one-bedroom guest house using an existing accessory structure. But, upon review, the board found that the special permit had never been officially approved because the application lacked the square footage of the primary residence. Once that is provided, a 12-month special permit will be granted.

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