ALTAMONT — A proposal by Curry Patta for an outdoor cigar and hookah area was pulled from its latest submission to the Altamont Planning Board.

The restaurant is located at the Altamont Corners plaza, at Main Street and Altamont Boulevard, owned by Jeff Thomas.

“There was much concern expressed regarding the original request to allow cigar and hookah smoking. After discussion with the owner Jeff Thomas, it has been decided to withdraw this portion of the Special Use Permit Request, as it would be inconsistent with his vision for the property and its patrons,” states the narrative included with the restaurant’s amended permit application. 

The Pakistani restaurant proposed the outdoor smoking area to the board last month.

With smoking stricken from the proposal, the planning board at its meeting on Monday set a June 28 public hearing for the remainder of the proposal: An amendment to Nadia Raza’s special-use permit to allow Curry Patta to expand into a new outdoor space approved by the board in March and to allow for outdoor music and entertainment.  

At its March meeting, the board approved for Altamont Corners a 1,470-square-foot enclosed addition along with a wooden deck and stone patio that, taken together, would add about 1,500 square feet to the project. Since the plaza is owned by Thomas, the building addition was an amendment to his existing special-use permit.

The deck entertainment would be offered on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sundays noon to 9 p.m.

As for the type of entertainment, it will include, “live cultural and seasonal entertainment, including music such as jazz, string/violin, guitar, and caroling,” according to the restaurant’s application.

One issue brought up was the noise level.

The difficulty complying with the Guilderland noise ordinance is that the decibel reading is at the property line and is 50 to 55 decibels, said Don Cropsey, who was speaking on behalf of both Raza and Thomas, “and just us talking at this level may even violate [the ordinance].”

“So, you know, we’re going to require the entertainers to keep their music at a level that’s a low level,” he said.

Cropsey said he thought the Guilderland noise ordinance didn’t apply to Altamont; Chairwoman Deb Hext corrected him and said that it did. 

Raza’s amended application received a negative declaration under the State’s Environmental Quality Review Act, meaning its approval would not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. 

But its approval was a little out of order. 

Hext said, “It’s a little unusual to declare a negative declaration under SEQR , without first having public comment,” but village attorney Allyson Phillips “did not see a problem with that.”

Hext said, “I guess, as far as the sound concerns, I don’t have a problem, I trust, [Raza]…”

Bozenkill Road subdivision

The board also discussed a four-lot subdivision on Bozenkill Road that was approved in 2019; the approval had lapsed. The 24-acre parcel on the Guilderland townline is located on Bozenkill Road between 145 and 147 Bozenkill, and is owned by VAMR Development of Delanson.

“The fourth lot is to remain with the status non-buildable at this time and would need to come before the Planning Board for any approval to build on,” according to 2019 planning board meeting minutes. 

The site contains wetlands and the developer is waiting on a letter from a wetland biologist that states its 2019 map delineating the wetlands is still viable.

Hext said it’s likely a public hearing could be scheduled at the board’s June meeting for July.