NEW SCOTLAND — Two long-term projects — the Country Club subdivision of the LeVie farm and the Kensington Woods housing development — are closer to completion after the planning board here gave approvals for both at its April meeting Tuesday.

Country Club subdivision

The planning board closed the preliminary public hearing for the 18-lot subdivision on 22 acres on Route 85A, adjacent to the Colonie Country Club after no one from the audience spoke about the project slated for the former LeVie farm.

“We’ve seen this one, now, for quite some time,” said planning board Chairman Charles Voss. The planning board had previously approved the project but the application had expired. Voss asked the board to waive the public hearing for the final plat, and the board approved the waiver. The board then approved the preliminary and final plat for the project, after listing landscaping provisions for the developer and for future homeowners.

“You’re all set,” Voss told engineer Daniel Hershberg, who represented Country Club Partners LLC.

The planning board also reviewed a site plan for the construction of a maintenance building on the site of the historic Hilton-LeVie barn, and set a public hearing on the application for its May meeting.

Plans for moving the barn remain undisclosed although the county executive hinted it would be used near the rail trail.

Once the town removes the barn, which the country club had used to store equipment, a new larger but relatively smaller structure will be built, Hershberg said. He said that the proposed building’s roof is 20 feet lower than that of the Hilton barn.

“One major issue that was contested was sight distance,” he said. The property sits at the arch of Route 85A between the New Scotland hamlet and Voorheesville.

The building would have concrete floors, a beige exterior color, and a drive-through bay.

“The only real residual problem is the prominence of the structure as a main entryway to the village,” said board member Thomas Hart. He suggested that architectural elements could be added to the building.

Hershberg said that the project does not include real windows on the building to keep outsiders from seeing the equipment, but that false windows on the exterior could be added.

“Obviously, they have a vested interest in keeping this area nice near the Colonie Country Club,” Hershberg said of the developer.

Terresa Bakner, an attorney working on the project, asked the board to approve the building design at the meeting.

“We would hate to have that slow up removal of the barn,” Bakner said.

Voss, however, said that he did not want to separate the building from the full site plan.

“We still need to do a review of the SWPP,” said Building Inspector Jeremy Cramer, referring to a stormwater pollution prevention plan.

About the building suggestions from the board, Bakner said, “We didn’t expect it because it had been approved before.”

“We just want to be sure we have this locked down,” Voss said of the project.

Kensington Woods

The planning board agreed to send a positive recommendation to the zoning board of appeals for an area variance application for a water tower for the proposed Kensington Woods subdivision.

The planning board also agreed to act as lead agency for a State Environmental Quality Review Act determination, and set a public hearing for the board’s May meeting for the final plat for the subdivision.

Previously, town resident William Cade took the town to court to stop the development after the town approved the water tower. The suit cited the failure of the municipal boards involved to properly coordinate throughout the lengthy planning process.

Plans for the 169-house cluster subdivision on the old Tall Timbers golf course on Hilton Road have been underway since 2004.

Planning Board Attorney Jeffrey Baker told the planning board, “You’re re-adopting the SEQRA findings from last time.” The environmental quality findings were affirmed in court, he said.

“Subsequently, there wasn’t anything wrong with the SEQRA,” he said.