Planning Board
Town of Keene
Keene, New York 12942

Date:			Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Kind:			Regular Planning Board Meeting

Place:			Held Remotely Over Zoom

Board Present: 	Tom Hickey, Larry House, Mike Hartson, Linda LaBarge, Brian Crowl, Travis Gagnon, and Ron Hall

Board Absent:  	N/A

Others Present: 	Kevin Hall, John Ferebee, Robert Hickey, Reggie Whitney, Phillip Nason, Derrick Martineau, Joe Pete Wilson, Supervisor and Katelyn Magnan

Call to Order:  	
Tom Hickey called this meeting to order at 9:01 AM.

Approval of Minutes: 
 
A motion was made by Linda LaBarge, seconded by Brian Crowl, to approve the Minutes of the Planning Board Meeting held Tuesday, January 12. Motion – CARRIED, 7 Yes

New Business: 
K-21-4	Stipp - Subdivision Boundary Line Change
Kevin Hall presented the Board with a change of boundary lines for a previously approved Subdivision for the Stipp property located at 3354 NYS Rte 73, Keene, Tax Map# 53.-1-10, 11.1, and 11.21. He explained that this was a subdivision previously approved by the Board in August 2020, and that there would still be the same number of lots, but that some of the acreage would be changed on them, particularly with the store lot, and that an easement that was previously needed on one lot would no longer be needed because it was now part of the store lot. No one on the Board saw a problem with it, as they were all internal adjustments. The Map would be filed at the Town Hall once it was ready. Tom Hickey offered a motion to approve this project, seconded by Larry House. Motion – CARRIED, 7 Yes.

K-21-5	Reggie Whitney - Horse Barn/Riding Arena
Reggie Whitney presented the Board with a project on his property at 14 Bartlett Rd, Keene, Tax Map #44.4-3-23.200 for a horse barn/indoor riding arena. Mr. Hickey explained that it was 60x100, a metal building with dark colors, and that there were no stamped plans, but that they were in the process of getting them. Mr. Whitney confirmed that, and that they would be provided to them shortly. Mr. House and Mr. Hickey visited the site and saw no issues with it. Mr. Hickey asked if there would be electricity there, and Mr. Whitney said that there would be no electricity in it as of now. Mr. House asked for the color, and Mr. Whitney said it would be a traditional barn red with a brown roof. Mr. Crowl asked if there was a completed application and wanted to know if it was located at the intersection of Bartlett Rd and Alstead Hill. Mr. House and Mr. Hickey confirmed that it was that location. Larry House offered a motion to approve this project, seconded by Tom Hickey.  Motion – CARRIED, 7 Yes.

K-21-6	Phillip Nason - Barn
Phillip Nason was present to discuss a project on his property at 67 Hurricane Rd, Keene, Tax Map# 54.3-1-43.220 to build a barn. Mr. House said that he had bought the property from Bruce Gunderson, and that they were planning to build a barn in the back of the lot. Site plans and pictures had been sent to the Board previously, and Mr. House only had a question about the color. Mr. Nason said that they preferred to paint the barn white and that it would have a metal roof. No one saw a problem with the barn color. Mr. Hickey asked if there would be a house to go with the barn eventually, and Mr. Nason said that they would be planning to build one in the next three years, and the barn was mostly to keep their furniture in it while they built the house. Mr. Hickey said he saw no problem, but that he felt the Code Officer might want stamped plans as the structure was over 1,500 square feet. Mr. Nason said he had spoken to Mr. Martineau previously and that he said stamped plans were not necessary for a post and beam structure barn. Mr. Crowl asked about the clearing on the property and if there was a downslope view. Mr. Nason said there currently wasn't. Mr. Hickey said that it would not be visible from the main road, and that he had been to the site and saw no problems with it. Mr. House said that it would not necessarily need to be approved since they wouldn't be building until the Spring, and Mr. Hickey said that he saw no reason to do it because the clearing was nowhere near a property line. Tom Hickey offered a motion to approve this project, seconded by Ron Hall. Motion – CARRIED, 7 Yes.

K-21-7 	Robert Hickey - Single Family Dwelling
Robert Hickey presented the Board with a project for a Single Family Dwelling on his property at 634 Styles Brook Rd, Keene, Tax Map #36.-2-9.120. He said that it would be 1440 sq feet and he had dropped off the application on Friday. The Board said that they had not seen the plans yet, and he explained that he hadn't done that because Mr. Martineau was not there, and Mr. Hickey told him to drop them off at the Town Hall. He said that he would. Mr. Hickey said once the plans were dropped off, he and Mr. House would make plans to do a site visit. Mr. Crowl asked if the lot was the one on the corner by the three way intersection, and he said that it was. Mr. Crowl said that he would look at it as well. Ms. LaBarge asked when he planned to start, and Mr. Hickey said he wouldn't be starting until Spring, so waiting was not going to be a problem. The Board agreed to table the project pending plans and a site visit.

Old Business:
K-20-33	Warren Kries - Single Family Dwelling
			Mr. Hickey began by stating that a set of stamp plans had 					been received for Warren Kries project at 							11262 NYS Rte 9N, 				Keene, Tax 					Map#44.4-2-3.200. He said that he and Mr. House had 					looked at the plans and saw no problems with them. Mr. 					Gagnon also saw no problems with them. Ms. LaBarge 					asked how tall the roof was, and Mr. Hickey said that it was 					less than 30 ft. Mr. Hickey asked Mr. Ferebee if there had 					been any further adjustments since the Board received the 					plans, and Mr. Ferebee said there were not. Travis Gagnon 					offered a motion 					to approve 					this project, seconded by Ron Hall.								Motion – CARRIED, 7. Yes.			

Correspondence: 
			None

Discussion:  
A brief discussion ensued about Steve Popp's application, and it was confirmed that it had been received and a resolution was signed.The Board then discussed the proposed new Building Permit Fees put together by Mr. Martineau. Mr. Hall asked if that was something that the Planning Board could decide on, and Mr. Hickey said that the Town Board would pass the law, but that they wanted Planning Board input. Mr. Wilson explained that the Town Board would want their opinion on it, as the Planning Board dealt with the process more than the Town Board. He said that he would submit the recommendation to the Town Board to pass. Mr. Hickey said that he was under the understanding that Mr. Martineau had compiled data from other towns and compared them to ours. No one saw issues with what he had proposed. Mr. Crowl added that he liked that Mr. Martineau highlighted the section on square footage, and felt it should stay highlighted for future applications. Everyone agreed that the proposed plans were good. Mr. House asked if it needed to be put in a formal resolution, and Mr. Wilson asked that they do. Mr. Hickey offered a motion to present the Town Board with the proposed building fees for a final decision, seconded by Larry House. Motion – CARRIED, 7 Yes.

Mr. Crowl brought up an issue that he saw with a house on Beede Rd, Keene Valley, that they had previously approved alterations for in the last year. He explained that an addition had been put on the front of the house that was out toward the ridge line, and it looked as if they had cut down every tree on the front side of the ledge. He said he brought it up because some had issues with a project he had been working on because of ridge line issues though his project was not visible like this one, and he wanted to bring it to the attention of the Board. Mr. Hickey said that they always recommend that people leave some trees up, but that he wasn't sure if there was anything the Board could actually enforce. Mr. Crowl agreed that there wasn't anything in the books to limit it, and that he felt it was a loophole. Mr. House asked where it was visible, and Mr. Crowl said you could see it driving North in Keene Valley. Mr. Hartson asked if it was Richard Gray's old house, and Mr. Crowl said it was, and Mr. Hartson agreed that he had seen it was visible too. Mr. Hickey said he wasn't sure there was much they could do, and Mr. Crowl said that it was good to have it on record in case it came up in the future. 

Tom Hickey and Larry House met previously to sign the following resolutions from last month's meeting: Robert Hickey, Subdivision; John Sargent, Subdivision; Steve Popp, Change of Use.

Adjournment: 
Motion to adjourn was offered by Ron Hall, Linda LaBarge.  Motion – CARRIED, 7 Yes.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:28 AM.

Respectfully submitted,
Katelyn Magnan
Next meeting – Tuesday, March 9 @ 9:00 AM, to again held remotely.