By Peter Calvert
Planning Board Meeting, Andes, NY. Zoom meeting. May 10th, 2021
Present: Planning Board: Frank Winkler, Chair, Joanne Callahan, Alex Adelson, Art Reed, Jim Darling, John Reynolds and Bill Palmer. Assisted by Kristen Janke Schneider and Jo Ann Boerner, Al Mohr, Building CEO and Bud Gladstone, Town Supervisor. Dana Leal, Z, Nicole Day Gray, Jim Thomson, Jim Andrews, Peter Calvert.
A public hearing was held on the application to open Dana’s Place, a new establishment in the rear portion of the Argyle General Store with attached outdoor seating. The plan includes an up-to-48-person Pub with a dart board and pool table inside and an outdoor bar, Bar-B-Que grill, and wood fired pizza oven for outdoor dining including Gazebos off the back of the parking lot. Musical Duos might occasionally be booked to play outside with music scheduled to conclude by 10 pm. Jim Andrews raised questions regarding the visual sightlines and noise levels for residential neighbors across the brook. He suggested the need for a stockade style fence to maintain their privacy and fencing to protect patrons from falling into the brook. Dana Leal and Z, the Argyle General Store owner, agreed to respect the neighbors and build a stockade fence near the cooking and outdoor bar area right behind the building, and fencing along the brook, as well as a fence to define where the eating area has been carved from the parking lot. Hours were approved for service outdoors to be noon to 9 pm weekdays and noon to 10 pm weekends. However, generally the Pub will open at 5 pm and the earlier opening hours would be for major holidays. Indoors is open till Midnight. The activities outdoors will cease at 11 pm and lights and fire pit will be extinguished. The Special Use Permit was approved with these amendments.
Catskill Harvest application to amend their Café food license to allow sales of glasses of wine, hard cider, and beer in their café had been held up by DOT questions regarding the methods and pathways by which cars enter and leave the grounds that border Route 28. Additionally, they commented on how the parking and handicapped parking would be assigned and if there was adequate lighting. Jim Thomson and Nicole Day Gray were present and explained they had put up new signage and had adequate parking and lighting. They have been in communication with DOT and have resolved their issues with ingress and egress by vehicles to the property. Their Special Use Permit was approved by the Planning Board. Note: The June 14th Planning Board meeting may take place In Person and open to the Public (with precautions) at the Town Hall after a year of Zoom meetings.~