NEW SCOTLAND – Plans for two more developments have been submitted to the town.

A six-lot subdivision is being proposed by New Salem Properties LLC and would be constructed off of Meadow Brook Place. The other, a 15-parcel subdivision, is proposed by Boswell Engineering to be constructed off of Tekawitha Road.

The sketch plats were presented to the planning board at its April 3 meeting; both were passed along with favorable recommendations to the zoning board and will be presented to that board on April 24.

New Salem Properties wants to subdivide a 40-acre tract of land located in a residential agricultural (RA) district; it would be divided into six lots, varying in size – five lots would be roughly an acre, and the sixth would be about 33 acres, and would remain open for possible future development.

Access to the lots would be over a proposed 1,000-foot-long cul-de-sac, which would be constructed off of Meadow Brook Place.

Each lot would have its own well and septic system. Two wells currently exist on the property. One is 47 feet deep and pumps more than five gallons per minute; the other is 50 feet deep and pumps an average of eight gallons per minute.

The board asked that the applicant contact the New Salem Fire Company to be sure that it is able to access the location with a fire truck. It also requested that light posts with 911 street numbers be installed in front of the homes.

The board also asserted that its biggest concern is with drainage, and required that all appropriate storm-water management measures be taken.
The proposal from Boswell Engineering, named "Westover Subdivision," consists of about 30 acres in an RA district. The land is owned by Bruce Boswell and has 50 feet of road frontage on Tekawitha Road, located off of New Scotland South Road, which will provide access for a 1,650-foot cul-de-sac to access the subdivided parcels.

The area has no municipal water or sewer services so individual wells and septic systems are planned for each parcel. The lot sizes will range from just more than an acre to three acres.

The board expressed concerns over the name of the subdivision, asking that it be named something else. Iver Anderson, a project manager for Boswell Engineering, said that would not be a problem.

Keith Menia, an engineer with the town’s engineering firm, asked that Boswell provide an overlay showing the areas of the proposed subdivision that are not suitable for building.

Any area with a slope greater than 17 degrees is not considered buildable, he said. The zoning requires that there be a minimum of 44,000 square feet of buildable space for a building permit to be issued.

Other business

In other business, at recent planning- and zoning-board meetings:

– The zoning board approved a temporary-use permit for Henry Digeser, allowing him to erect a 40-foot windmill on his Copeland Hill Road property. The windmill is allowed for 12 months with one 12-month extension permitted. Digeser hopes the town will amend its zoning within the two year time frame to allow the windmill to become permanent;
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– The zoning board approved a special-use variance for Bernard Rathke, allowing him to build an attached one-car garage to the north side of his Picard Road home. The variance grants 17.3 feet of relief to the side-yard setback;
– – The zoning board referred an appeal of the building inspector’s decision regarding a special-use permit application submitted by David Zwack to the planning board. Zwack submitted the application for the "removal of fill, gravel or loam" from his properties on Indian Ledge Road and Zwack Lane. Zwack runs a decorative stone business that sells limestone that he removes by hand and hauls by mule from his property. The stone, though, does not fall under a special use, because it is not fill, gravel, or loam, said zoning board attorney Louis Neri;
– – The planning board approved the annual renewal for a Junk Yard License #2 for Dunston Bros, Inc. at the intersection of routes 85 and 443. The site has been well maintained, said board Chairman Robert Stapf. "Thanks for running a much-needed business in town," he said; and
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– The planning board heard an application for a minor subdivision submitted by Peter Landi for his property in the Residential Conservation (R2) district at the intersection of Font Grove and Krum Kill roads. The property is 13.8 acres. Landi is proposing to split his land into two parcels – one of 9 acres with a house; and the other 4.8 vacant acres. Landi plans to sell the lot with the house, and to build a house for himself on the smaller lot. The board passed his application on to the zoning board with a favorable recommendation.