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Southern Ulster Times , Wednesday , November 15 , 2017
Second workshop set to discuss Route 9W corridor study
The Ulster County Transportation Council ( UCTC ), in conjunction with the Towns of Marlborough and Lloyd and NYS Department of Transportation , is developing a corridor management plan for the Route 9W corridor .
The plan will provide a long-term vision for the corridor with a list of future improvements needed to improve conditions for all modes of transportation ( car , bus , pedestrian and bicycle ) while considering aesthetic and economic development goals . Priority recommendations
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Doubravas that he had attended a seminar on Agratourism events and was told that all farms must comply with local laws but if a farm is in an agriculture district they may be protected under NYS Ag & Markets Law , which gives farms broad leeway on the activities that can take place on a farm . He added that towns , however , could develop expedited site plan reviews specifically for these farms and may have the power to regulate hours of operation , noise , traffic , number of events , number of guests , dark skies , egress and ingress , parking , sanitary facilities , health department permits , sale of food , building construction , cow train rides , jumpy-jumps , slides and lookouts . Croce stressed that some of the regulations fall into a gray area .
Doubrava said von Rostenberg ’ s surveyors , who represented him before the Planning Board , told him the farm “ never got site plan approval for anything to do with the venue ,” Doubrava added , “ they still run past hours and the last big event they had up there there , it was hootin ’ and hollerin ’ going on out there past 12:30 a . m . It was so loud that we could hear it in our bedrooms .” Croce said he was under the impression that the farm did have an approved site plan “ but I ’ m going to get an answer on that .”
In attendance was Planning Board member Darryl Matthews who confirmed that the farm had an approved site plan just for the Bed & Breakfast .
“ It was not put on the weddings because Ag & Markets ruled that we could not address that side of it because they had certain things and stipulations that made them believe that through Ag & Markets they [ the farm ] were legal . Whether they have the true information , that we don ’ t know because we don ’ t see what they [ the farm ] sent to Ag & Markets . All we see is the information that gets sent to us .”
Doubrava said despite Liberty View Farms ’ claim that agricultural activities comprise the majority of their income , “ there has been no farming at the site for the past couple of years .” He urged the Town Board to verify the percentage figures the farm has submitted to the town to prove they are mostly a farming operation .
“ Anybody with seven acres of land can claim to be that [ farmer ] and are willing to lie in writing , we ’ re going to end up in this situation ; we need to verify ,” he said ,
Croce said he has seen the farm “ and it is hard to believe he could be producing what he claims to be producing but I ’ m not in the farming business .” He said he believes that a three-year average of $ 10,000 per year is will address traffic safety and flow as well as improving pedestrian crossings at key locations .
The second workshop for the Route 9W Corridor Study will be held on Thursday , November 16 at 6:30 p . m . at the Marlboro Elementary School . The purpose of the workshop is to solicit feedback on the Plan ’ s initial recommendations . All interested residents , employees , property owners and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend and provide input .
Plattekill gets an earful on Liberty View Farm
the minimum requirement to be classified as a farm .
Croce said he is not in favor of putting Mr . von Rostenberg out of business and believes Doubrava feels the same way .
“ I think if he operates within the rules and regulations or reasonably , I think everybody can live together ,” he said , with Doubrava questioning “ where are the rules and regulations ?” He said the farm is operating on the “ fringe ” because they can and no regulations from the town have been put in place to deal with this matter .
Croce said with rules and regulations comes enforcement .
“ I ’ m not clear yet who enforces it , is it our Building Inspector , is it the Police and if there is a violation what is the consequence ?” Croce said if von Rostenberg were to appear in court and pay a fine he might just see that as the cost of doing business .
Doubrava said he and his wife would like to see a reasonable solution to this issue .
“ If it ’ s governance , it ’ s governance . Right now it ’ s run amok , the guy is making a mockery of Ag & Markets and of the town , frankly . He ’ s doing whatever he wants to do because it lines his pockets . This is a purely commercial operation over there now .”
Doubrava said von Rostenberg has given no thought to following any rules .
“ All that nonsense we heard of wanting to be good citizens and good neighbors , that ’ s all talk . We can create a laundry list of falsehoods ,” Doubrava said .
Councilman Dean DePew said since Ag & Markets has not given the town clear direction on how to handle a situation like Liberty View Farm , he would reach out to the regional representative of the NYS Code Compliance Division in Kingston for guidance . Doubrava took the matter further . “ I ’ m asking the board to review this guy ’ s tax status and in this case his farmer status ,” Doubrava said . “ We ’ re two years later here and it ’ s kind of been hands-off ... Its infuriating because its gone on so long .”
Croce said he would speak to the code enforcement officer and to the town police to monitor the farm , “ and see if we can address it .” He said before the Town Board reviews or amends the code he wants to make sure the town is not “ putting something in our books if we can enforce it . If there are state rules , regulations and laws that we can enforce , why duplicate it with a local law ?”
An attempt to reach Billiam von Rostenberg at the farm for comment was unsuccessful . His voice mail indicated it was full and no message could be left .
Police Blotter
Town of Marlborough
Gary R . Bayne Jr ., 37 , of Poughkeepsie , was arrested Oct . 27 and charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and Windshield / Glass Tint Violation . Bayne was released on his own recognizance and is due in Town Court Nov . 22 .
Erica A . Pucino , 34 , of New Windsor , was arrested Nov . 3 and charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle . Pucino was released on her own recognizance and is due in Town Court Nov . 28 .
A 23 year-old from Poughkeepsie was arrested Nov . 3 and charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Speed Violation : Exceed 55 MPH . Under the Mental Hygiene Law the individual was transported and released to a 3rd Party - the Mid Hudson Regional Hospital .
Emilie K . Derham , 28 , of Milton , was arrested Nov . 3 and charged with Operation of a Motor Vehicle W /. 08 of 1 % or More alcohol in Blood , Driving While Intoxicated – 1st Offense , Aggravated DWI ; Per SE-BAC . 18 or More – No Priors and Operator Leaves Scene of Property Damage Accident . Derham was released on her own recognizance and is due in Town Court Nov . 28 .
Sean T . Petrelli , 30 , of Poughkeepsie , was arrested Nov . 4 on a Police Officer Executed Warrant of Arrest . Petrelli was arraigned Nov . 4 and sent to the Ulster County Jail .
Javon L . Rich , 29 , of Newburgh , was arrested Nov . 9 on a Police Officer Executed Warrant of Arrest . Rich was arraigned Nov . 9 and released on his own recognizance . He is due in Town Court Dec . 6 .
Town of Plattekill
Pamela Turner , 59 , of Westbury was arrested Nov . 9 and charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle 2nd and Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended Registration , both class U-Misdemeanors . Turner was issued an Appearance Ticket and is due in Town Court Dec . 8 .
Van Schuyler , 19 , of Modena was arrested Nov . 10 and charged with Unlawful Possession of Marijuana , a Violation . Schuyler was found in possession of 5 grams of marijuana during a traffic stop . Schuyler was issued an Appearance Ticket and is due in Town Court Dec . 18 .
Ulster County Sheriff
Sheilann B . Jones-Blackwell , 36 , of Highland , was charged Nov . 13 , with the felonies of Forgery in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree .
Deputies previously received a report from Ulster County Probation alleging while on probation , Ms . Jones-Blackwell forged notes for her husband , who is also on probation , excusing him for missing court mandated courses , using stationary and names from the business at which she is employed
Jones-Blackwell was arraigned in Ulster Town Court and released to reappear on a later date .