NEW SCOTLAND – A storage building got unanimous planning board approval Monday night after some residents raised concerns. The site falls in an industrial zone.

Gary Menia owns a business on New Scotland South Road that cleans, re-lines, and repairs chimneys. He stores some of his supplies outside, which causes added congestion, he told the board. The building would be used as dry storage, he said, for items such as scaffolding, stainless steel, and chimney caps.

Martha Oden, who lives just a few houses from the proposed site, had some concerns. She first said she did not receive notice from the town about Monday’s public hearing until her mail came on Saturday afternoon. She said that the town is responsible for giving the public five days’ notice of a public hearing.

Oden proposed putting off the application until next month, in order for area residents to think over the proposal.

Robert Stapf, chairman of the board, did not feel that was necessary.

The five-day notification, Stapf said, is for listings in the newspaper, and both local weekly newspapers had posted a notice of the public hearing.
"This is an industrial district," Stapf said. "What Mr. Menia is proposing is a permitted use."

Oden said that Menia’s property is bisected by a Class C stream – the Vloman Kill – that she worries might be subject to pollution from the storage building.
"The ‘C’ is part of a ranking system that ranges from the highest level, ‘A,’ for drinking water, to ‘B,’ for water that is used in contact recreation like swimming, to ‘C,’ the lowest level. Waters labeled ‘C’ alone are not protected," Rick Georgeson, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Conservation, previously told The Enterprise.

Menia assured the board and the concerned residents that he would not be storing any vehicles, petroleum products, ashes, or any other potential pollutants.
"I’d like the DEC to get involved and look at this site," Oden said.
"DEC regulations are out there, and they cannot be violated," Stapf said.
The storage building that Menia is proposing will be designed to look like a barn, he said. "I’m trying to make it fit in," he told the board. He said he owns three houses in near-proximity to the property.

Menia is considering installing rough-cut wooden siding on the building to make it look more rustic, he said and he has no plans to install water or sewer, and will use minimal electricity, inside the facility only.
Resident Jennie Furbeck said the building is "certainly going to bring down the value of the land next to it."
"A storage building is a permitted use," Stapf reiterated.

Neighbor Daniel McKay offered the only public opinion that was favorable toward Menia’s application.
"You have been a very quiet business on the street, which we appreciate," he said to Menia. "I think this is off to good start."
Just prior to the board’s vote, board member Beth Stewart said, "I don’t think there is pollution that will affect the stream and I think we should approve it."

The proposal was approved with the stipulations that there be a 100-foot buffer zone from the center line of the stream, and there be no exterior flood lights.

Other business

In other business at the November planning board meeting, the board:

– Held a public hearing on an application by Velocitel, on behalf of Freedom Broadcasting, on a proposal to replace three antennas on an existing tower on Beaver Dam Road. The antennas would be replaced by six new antennas at the same height as the existing antennas.

There was no opposition from the public, and the application was approved in a unanimous decision;

– Held a public hearing on an application submitted by Susan Rooney that would allow her to replace an existing mobile home, with a newer, larger mobile home on her property on Upper Flatrock Road. The new home will be no larger than 1,344 square feet, and will be installed in the same general location as the existing home.

There was no public opposition, and, in a unanimous decision by the board, the application was approved, with the stipulation that a certificate of occupancy cannot be issued until the old home is removed;

– Approved an application submitted by Christopher Mielke allowing him to construct a pond on his property on Woodwind Drive. The pond will be about six feet deep with a radius of 20 feet. It will be used for fire protection and recreation. The pond will not affect the wells of any neighbors. The board required that Mielke install 12- to 15-feet of a gradual slope into the pond; and

– Scheduled a public hearing for next month on a proposal submitted by John Jeffers on behalf of his business, J.J. Maddens at 1903 New Scotland Rd., allowing him illumination on a detached sign. The board also recommended a favorable response to the zoning board of appeals for Jeffers in his application to erect a sign within a front-yard setback.