NEW SCOTLAND – With intense development pressure pushing against the Northeast Quadrant, concerns about maintaining rural character in the town contrast those about obtaining municipal water.

Proposed developments on Krumkill Road, Hilton Road, Route 85, and Route 85A, were discussed at last Wednesday’s town board meeting.

The four developments – Maldel, Kensington Woods, the Vista Tech Park, and the Colonie Country Club – are all located in the corner of town commonly referred to as the Northeast Quadrant, bordering the suburban towns of Bethlehem and Guilderland, close to the city of Albany.

A moratorium on large-scale building in the Northeast Quadrant is due to expire in September, a year after it was enacted.

Applications for all of the projects were submitted to the town before the moratorium was enacted, and therefore are not affected by it.

Kensington Woods

Kensington Woods initially came before the board as a planned-unit development (PUD) with 286 lots on 267 acres around Hilton Road. It includes land that was once a country club and golf course, Tall Timbers, and later mined.

The project has now been scaled back to 169 lots on 185 acres. The new plan qualifies as a cluster development, said L. Michael Mackey, the town’s attorney.

Cluster developments don’t require town-board approval, Mackey said.

Peter Barber, the state environmental quality review assessment (SEQRA) attorney for the project, said that a PUD generally has mixed uses within the same district, while a cluster development is more specific and is based on a certain density.

If a developer wants to exceed the maximum density allowed by the zoning law, Mackey explained, he would go to the town board and request a PUD.
The development will offer four styles of single-family homes with different configurations, said Mary Beth Slevin, the attorney for the developers of the project. The idea, she said, is to "create an environment with multiple options" for prospective buyers. The homes would range in price from $300,000 to over $1 million.

Two developers – Masullo Brother Builders and the Michaels Group – are working on the project, Slevin told The Enterprise. The builders have different styles, she said, which adds to the overall vision for the project.

Water is hard to find in much of New Scotland. A water source has been located on the site of the proposed Kensington Woods development, Slevin said. The Enterprise reported in October of 2005 that the well on the site pumped over 400 gallons per minute for 72 hours.
"There is going to be water developed that will service the project, and it is expected to be more than what is needed for the project, and will ultimately be made available" to the town, Slevin said, adding that the decision will be the town’s as to how the water will be used.

In scaling back the project, the parcel owned by the Donato family has been eliminated.

In response to a question from T.R. Laz, a Krumkill Road resident, planning-board Chairman Robert Stapf, who was at the meeting, said that there is nothing that would prohibit the Donatos from developing their property.

The board passed a resolution relinquishing its status as lead agency for the application and referred the project to the planning board, which will now act as the lead agency.

Maldel

Regarding Maldel, a proposed 120-unit condominium development on 28 acres on Krumkill Road, Slevin, also the attorney for that project, requested that the board approach the neighboring town of Bethlehem regarding municipal water for the site.
"It was decided it was more appropriate to look for public water" with this project, Slevin told The Enterprise.

When the project was originally submitted, it was for land located both in Guilderland and New Scotland. At that time, water was to be obtained from the town of Guilderland.

The plan, though, has since been cut back to include property only in New Scotland.
Slevin asked that the board submit this plan to Bethlehem on a "project-specific basis."
Supervisor Ed Clark said that, since the towns have been unable, thus far, to reach a "global" agreement, New Scotland had asked that Bethlehem consider projects using a "piece-by-piece" approach.
"I have no problem approaching them," Clark said.

The board voted unanimously to allow Clark to speak with the town of Bethlehem.

Colonie Country Club

Though the development project at the Colonie Country Club is still in the sketch stage, an agreement has been reached with the village of Voorheesville to provide water to the site.

The water district will be created in the town of New Scotland, but water will come from Voorheesville.

Since the original agreement was drafted, a few changes have been made.
One such change is the requirement for a 50-foot buffer zone, explained town engineer Keith Menia. It’s basically a "no-cut zone," he said, permitting vegetation between the development and adjacent properties.

The draft agreement had a condition that it could be cancelled with five years’ notice. The village thought that was acceptable, but wanted the agreement to be mandatory for the first 10 years, and could then be cancelled with five years’ notice, if a better water source is found.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the agreement.

Vista

The Vista Technology Park is a 451-acre campus located mostly in the town of Bethlehem with about 24 percent, or 120 acres in the town of New Scotland. The New Scotland portion will be primarily office space.

All utilities and access to the site will be through the town of Bethlehem. The entire site is located within the Bethlehem School District.

The New Scotland parcel is a residential zone with minimum two-acre lots, and needs to be rezoned to a mixed economic development district.
"It’s not a zone that currently exists in our town," zoning-board Chairman William Hennessey told The Enterprise earlier. The town board would have to enact a law to create it, he said.

Councilman Richard Reilly has been working out the language of the zoning law, since the moratorium on building in the Northeast Quadrant was enacted in September.

He is working, in part, on the rezone for the Vista project. Only about 41 acres will need to be rezoned, said project attorney Theresa Backner, during a presentation at last week’s board meeting.
When completed, the campus will include about 150 developed acres; "about 219 acres will be left forever wild," said Ray Ursprung from Saratoga Associates.

The buildings will be clustered to allow for green space, Ursprung said, adding that green-building practices and renewable energy resources are encouraged.

Vista Development is currently working with the town of Bethlehem on the master plan process; the plan is expected to be approved at the end of June or beginning of July.

The next step after that, Backner explained, is site-plan and subdivision approval within the master plan. Vista Development will then come to the New Scotland town board for a rezone, she said.

The key element, now, she said, is to get the roundabout built in the appropriate location on the Route 85 bypass.

The public hearing on the rezone that was scheduled for la

st week’s meeting was canceled because the project is not yet at that stage.

Other business

In other business at its June 13 meeting, the town board:

– Adopted a facility-use agreement with the Albany County Board of Elections for use of Town Hall and the Wyman Osterhout Community Center as polling places for the Sept. 18 primary election and the Nov. 6 general election;

– Heard from Mackey that the Capital Bicycle Racing Club is seeking town approval to travel over County Route 301 in the town of New Scotland during its second annual bicycle race on Aug. 11. The board approved the same request last year.
Public Safety Commissioner Doug Miller said that last year there were problems with inadequate law enforcement and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and a man nearly died. EMS and Rescue authorities have not been contacted about this, Miller informed the board. "We need to have enough people," he said.

The board opted to postpone approval until next month, so that the appropriate officials can be informed;

– Amended the 2007 contract with the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society. In the current contract, stray animals, at the end of the redemption period, become the property of the shelter. In the amended contract, the society will not become the owner of the animal.
"If we don’t take animals there, we don’t get charged," explained highway Superintendent Darrell Duncan.

The board also discussed the possibility of adopting a local law that would raise the fees associated with lost dogs.

Duncan said that representatives from the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets visited the town’s garage and two staging areas, and the town is exploring the cost of portable cages to house animals. If the town decides to keep stray animals, the garage would be considered a full-time facility and would need to be staffed.

Because Kevin Schenmeyer, an animal control officer, is also a full-time highway employee for the town, Duncan said that Ag and Markets seemed agreeable to this plan.

Only the amendment to the contract with the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society was approved;
– Appointed the building department as "keeper of the records" for education and training of planning- and zoning-board members. Building Inspector Paul Cantlin will notify those members who may be short on hours. Town Law requires that board members have a minimum of four hours of training each year.

The town board has the ability to waive the training requirement if a board member cannot attend training, said planning-board Chairman Bob Stapf. He added that extra hours could be carried over into the following year;

– Increased the maximum amount of money to be spent on the Clarksville Water District Extension 7 from $432,000 to $495,000. At its May 9 meeting, the board adopted a resolution to increase the amount, but it was subject to a permission referendum, Mackey said. No petitions were presented.

The board also approved a contract with Cranbrook Construction for the project at a cost of $495,000;
– Heard from Councilwoman Peg Neri that the New Scotland Historical Association would like to implement a lease agreement with the town for its space at the community center. The State Board of Regents chartered the association and recommended the formal document, Neri said. The association has been nervous about losing its space, where it has a good deal of money invested, she said. What the historical association adds to the town is "priceless," Neri said;

– Heard from Duncan that the town’s geologist and a geologist from FEMA ( Federal Emergency Management Agency) met at the Krumkill Road site where the road was heavily damaged as a result of flooding in April.

Duncan also announced that the highway department will pave Western Avenue in Feura Bush this summer and also will replace a deteriorating piece of pipe that runs under the roadway. The catch basin will need to be moved from one side to the other, he said; he hopes that the project doesn’t create any problems downstream;

– Approved the payment of $75, allowing Diana Bortell to obtain a Notary Public license;

– Announced that the town was awarded a grant for water meters. The town asked for $75,000, but the amount awarded will not be known until the end of the month;

– Appointed Councilwoman Neri as New Scotland’s representative on the Albany County Municipal Services Board to explore the potential for savings from shared services and resources;

– Appointed Lance Moore as an alternate for the town’s zoning board of appeals. The position has been vacant since former alternate Todd Britton was appointed to serve on the board when Ronald Von Ronne retired at the beginning of the year. Moore has been a builder for many years and has recently passed the code-enforcement examination, said Councilman Reilly, who made the motion to appoint him;

– Heard from Reilly that Albany County has set up a task force to look at the lack of affordable housing in the county and has appropriated $300,000 for this.

Reilly also discussed the Dunn Commission, which was established a few years ago to look at town courts in the state. New Scotland’s town court was visited a few weeks ago, and the town should be informed as to the findings, he said;

– Heard from Safety Commissioner Miller that the Onesquethaw Fire Company, in the past year, responded to 105 fire-related calls and 177 EMS calls, with 2,477 people responding; there was one fatal fire and one severely-burned patient. He also announced that the fire company is in the process of getting a new ambulance in service, and it should be ready for use in a few weeks;

– Heard from Councilman Douglas LaGrange that R. Mark Dempf, an engineer with Stantec, the town’s engineering firm, is working on adjustments to the comprehensive plan, and also on a water inventory for the town. A comprehensive-plan committee meeting has been scheduled for July 17 at 7 p.m. The group is working on assigning budget numbers for the Quality Communities Grant it was awarded;
– Heard from Reilly that the town’s recreation program is going well. LaGrange said that he, and others in the community, are uncomfortable that the town is sponsoring a trip to a casino. "We’ve had comments before on adult-movie night, too," Duncan joked;

– Councilwoman Deborah Baron asked for the board’s permission that Duncan be allowed to bid on power-washing and painting Town Hall. She said that she has received numerous complaints about the appearance of the building. She also requested that he seek bids for a new roof;

– Announced that Norma Walley was recognized as a New York State Elder Volunteer from Albany County. Susan Kidder, the town’s senior liaison, nominated her; and

– Heard from Neri that 2007 marks the 175th anniversary of the town. Baron asked if a committee to explore a celebration would be appropriate. Neri said she would look into something in conjunction with Clarksville Heritage Day on Aug. 4.