Town of Varick Planning Board
The Town of Varick Planning Board held a meeting on October 25, 2001, in the Varick Fire House. The Chairman Thomas Bjorkman called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Present were Board Members: Larry Peterson; David McMillan; Kevin Swartley; Richard Foxx; Mel Russo.
Absent was Board Member Jeff Case.
The Chairman introduced the Secretary - Grace E. Murray; the Board Members introduced themselves.
1.The minutes of the August 23rd. meeting were discussed: Article #5 regarding cesspool construction being concrete as a necessity-should be left to the guidelines for construction as set by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. Topic #3-the Town Board did not act on the CAFO moratorium as stated in the minutes. A motion to accept the minutes as corrected, was made by Mel Russo, second by David McMillan and carried.
2. There were no comments from residents as no one was present.
3. The regulation of unregistered vehicles: Mel Russo did not find any specific regulations-Kevin Swartley had a copy of a municipal law, no specific Town was stated. Planning Board cannot specify what a person does with his property, but a Town Board can put limits. Mel Russo will contact Harriet Haynes in the County Planning Department, to find out about a County Code and Enforcement Officer. Towns have different regulations.
4. Kevin Swartley gave a presentation regarding the application of materials to farmland. He has four farm operations and works with SPDES and explained how different crops remove nitrogen, phosphorus and potash and how the nutrients are replaced. An agronomist tests the soil in Spring before planting and explained how much manure is spread, depends on the land, the absorption depends on the soil and how and when the soil is used. CPO plans are covered under DEC and he works voluntarily with them.
Discussion regarding over-application of manure, limits are set by DEC and by 2008 the limits will be enforced, hard to over apply. SPDES doesn't apply to small farms, but DEC will act if requested. He had a schedule of crops and number of units per acre and the number of bushels for different crops and the recommendations of nutrients per acre. No Town permit needed for CAFO. The Board thanked Kevin for his presentation.
5. Tom Bjorkman stated areas can have rules for cell phone towers, not much demand in the Town of Varick at present. Discussion about encourage the placement of towers; leasing of land; do they need a permit and acreage and height limits and the need for lights? Mel Russo made the motion to have Harriet Haynes attend the next meeting to give the Board the rules and regulations set by the County, second by Dick Foxx and motion carried.
6. No new subdivisions proposed.
7. Schedule next meeting — due to the Holiday Season — the next meeting was set for January 24, 2002, meetings to be held in odd months during 2002.
8. Tom Bjorkman will scan and e-mail Agriculture and Markets letter regarding the cesspool resolution.
9. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Grace Murray
Recording Secretary