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Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Residents want more say at planning board meetings
By LAUREN BERG
The Town of Newburgh’s November
13th town council meeting had numerous
residents coming forward to share
concerns during the public comments
portion of the meeting. Among those
who came forward were neighbors of the
Union Avenue Hudson Asset Subdivision
project, which has stalled over the past
month due to a stop work order issued
by Code Compliance Supervisor Gerald
Canfield. However, neighbors cited in
their remarks multiple instances before
and after the stop work order was issued
where regulations appeared to be treated
loosely.
Resident Judith Lobig informed the
town board that neighbors called the
police because clearing had begun on the
property, despite the stop work notice
posted there. The construction stopped
upon the police officer’s arrival, and the
manager reportedly stated he did not see
the notice. Lobig also claimed that the
notice disappeared the following day, and
that construction equipment showed up
on the property shortly after.
These issues are typically more
suitable for a Town of Newburgh
planning board meeting, but as Lobig
pointed out, residents aren’t allowed to
have any say in those meetings aside from
public hearings.
“They have a public meeting, we all
come, we make our suggestions, we make
our complaints, and then they close the
meetings… Those people represent us; we
depend on you to take care of us that are
here in the town,” stated Lobig.
Another neighbor of the project,
Sandra Kissam, agreed with Lobig. “I
wouldn’t come before the town board if it
were possible to talk more frequently and
more freely and more communicatively
with the planning board… At the single
public hearing that was held, most of
people’s questions and concerns were
At the Nov. 13 meeting, the Town of Newburgh welcomed three new police officers. Pictured
(l - r) police chief Bruce Campbell, police officers Lawrence Coe, Thomas O’Connell Jr., and
Todd Ragni, and Town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio.
not answered,” she stated. Kissam added
that the planning board’s decisions
significantly influence the town,
impacting water, air, traffic, and physical
lay-out. Because of the significance their
decisions make on resident’s lives, Kissam
and others believe they should have more
access to the board.
“I would like to see the planning board
have public comments at every single one
of their meetings, from any member of
the public that attends and wants to make
a comment regarding any issue related
to planning board decisions,” Kissam
asserted.
Kissam contends that the planning
board didn’t address the neighbors’
concerns at the July public hearing for the
project, which included a petition signed
by over 65 of the project’s neighbors
asking for a full environmental impact
study done on the property. The board
approved the project after reviewing an
environmental assessment, which Kissam
claims was later critiqued by the county
planning department for not containing
certain pieces of information. She also
contends that a maintenance agreement
for the common driveway was only signed
by one of the Smiths, the couple sharing
the driveway with the new development.
Instead, the developer signed in lieu of
the missing signature, which was filed
on October 26th, over a month after the
project was already approved by the
planning board.
“There were many examples where
regulations were treated loosely,” stated
Kissam to the town board. “If the planning
board doe sn’t want to go along with this
request to make all of their meetings open
to public comment, then I would suggest
that you consider — in your position as
those who can appoint planning board
members — that you consider replacing
some of the planning board members.”
Supervisor Gil Piaquadio responded
in an email that the stop work order is still
in effect for the project, and that the issue
of who signs the maintenance agreement
is not a concern of the town, as long as
it’s signed by someone willing to pay the
cost of maintaining the driveway. He also
added, having served on the planning
board for six years, that for residents “to
make comments on any project at any
time would be challenging.”
Among the people who came forward
at the meeting was newly elected district
4 county legislator Kevindaryan Lujan.
Although the Town of Newburgh does not
fall within his district, Lujan spoke at the
meeting to offer his support to both the
residents and town board, emphasizing
that the neighboring areas should work
together across political party lines to do
what is best for their community.
“It’s not about party, it’s about people,”
said Lujan.
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7/12/2017 9:57:20 AM