By Peter Calvert

Planning Board Meeting, June 8

Planning Board:  Bill Palmer, Chair, Cyndi Wright, Eric Van Benschoten, Frank Winkler, Cricket Keys, Greg Evans. (Joanne Callahan, excused). Support Staff: JoAnn Boerner, Clerk, Kristin Schneider, DelCo Liaison.

Public Hearing was opened for the application of the Bluestone Mills Spring Water, LLC, at 5534 Barkaboom Road, to be a Bulk Tanker, Spring Water exporting business. The previous Special Use Permit has expired. Brendon Mills, Senior and Brendon Mills, Junior and brother Brandon Mills purchased the property which contains its own natural spring. They have applied to revive the establishment to sell bulk water to larger bottlers, like Poland Springs. The plant buildings, located at the beginning of the Barkaboom Road near the Pepacton Reservoir, have passed inspection. The property abuts New York City Lands, and the City caretakers have no issue with the revival of the business, despite the water pipeline passing at one place under City Land.

Juan Hertzberg, a neighbor for 25 years, who lives 750 feet away from the plant, asked what the daily schedule for trucks would be for arriving, lining up, and filling up from the buffer collector tank. Also, what would be the frequency and the noise produced? The owners said maximally the spring could produce 70,000 gallons of clear spring water a day, over 4 daily 7 hour intervals to refill the 17,500 gallons collector tank. In 15 minutes, one truck could be filled, and it would require an hour of four trucks to empty the tank of 17,500 gallons. This 4 trucks sequence could repeat 4 times a day for 365 days of the year. The Planning Board felt 750 feet was sufficient distance given the height above the plant of the neighbor for the neighbor not to be unduly disturbed during the day. But the Planning Board recommended a quiet time from 10 pm-6 am each day with no trucks present. The Public Hearing was closed. The application to revive the special permit was approved.

Another Public Hearing was opened.  Vera Korol and Adam Crispo own 130 acres at 1394 Upper Perch Lake Road with views of the Pepacton Reservoir. They have applied to square off 2 acres in the center of this triangular property to construct four, separate, wood-plank platforms; each housing one Dome-Shaped Glamping entity for short term rental. The Aluminum framed Dome structures with their PVC shells would be permanently there, would provide three-season hosting capability, and would feature a transparent section facing the view out to the reservoir and mountains beyond. The domes would be connected to a common septic system. Each would have an external “smokeless” firepit. At some times of the seasonal year, the owners would occupy one of the four glamp domes. Korol and Crispo will engage a management team to police the trash, clean the domes and change the sheets between renters, etc.

Neighbors from across the road, whose driveway directly faces the driveway of 1394 Upper Perch Lake Road, questioned whether the glamping site would create issues with unwanted traffic, trash collection, and fire safety. These neighbors say over thirty wild turkeys currently roam around and several bears are territorial in the area. An adjacent neighbor raised similar questions concerns over traffic, trash security and collection, and fire safety as did other homeowners from the area with proximity to Upper Perch Lake Road who have properties on the privately owned Perch Lake. Korol and Crispo responded that they thought it was difficult to get a fire started in the woods and they had planted many tree saplings and raspberry plants they wished to protect and thus they would ensure their fire pits were safe and would not cause forest fires. Fire extinguishers will be provided. They said wild animal issues would not be a problem as trash would be attended to by the hired management company. They would have signage to indicate where their property was to direct the random visitors who would be searching for their site on an unlit country dirt road. The Public Hearing was closed. The Planning Board approved the Special Use Permit.

As the structures being built will be permanent and have electricity and plumbing for sewage collection, this glamping site falls under the Andes Short-Term Rental (STR) law. The property would need to apply for a Town STR Permit annually to operate legally.

Planning Board considered the request presented by surveyor Peter Van Alstyne, for owners Andes Property Inc., to merge two of their parcels of adjoining land into one deed. 131 Main Street where the Clay Ground Catskills Coop resides as a renter, is a long piece of rectangular property measuring in at a nifty .37 acre. At its rear end heading back to the creek bank there is a separate, small, .095-acre, croissant of land. This .095-acre morsel also continues in part behind the adjoining property of Estro/Little Grocer. The application is for a minor subdivision to blend the two pieces together as a tasty .465 combined acres on one 131 Main Street deed. Under Section 2.5.4 of the Zoning Code, the application was approved.~