Town of Varick Planning Board
July 25, 2002
7:00 pm
Agenda
Comments from residents 5 min each
Approve minutes 5 min
Committee reports: none
Information item
Knapp wine tasting dock proposal 15 min
Discussion item
Cesspool ordinance 60 min
We will limit today's discussion to two questions:
1. What changes does Pat Morrell need to make to meet the intent of our August
2001 resolution?
2. What additional information do we need to make the ordinance language workable
and effective?
Old business
Changes made by Town Board in Travel Trailer ordinance 5 min
Changes made by Town Board in Telecommunications Tower Special Use 5 min
Reprinting Zoning Code. 5 min
New Business
Building permit application amendment 5 min
New subdivision proposals: none
Set next meeting time
Currently scheduled for September 26, 2002 2 min
Adjourn
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Draft minutes, approved November 21, 2002
The Town of Varick Planning board met on July 25, 2002 in the Varick Fire House.
The Chairman Thomas Björkman called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present were Board Members: Kevin Swartley, Larry Peterson, David McMillan, Bill Larzelere Richard Foxx; and recording Secretary Caroline Herd.
Absent was Board Member Mel Russo.
1) Comments from residents: No residents were present.
2) Approve minutes: Minutes were approved as stated
3) Committee Reports: none
4) Information Items:
Knapp Winery, which is owned by Glenora Wineries, has made a proposal to have a wine tasting off of a dock. Exclusive to boaters only. Operated only on weekends for four months a year 5 hours a day. The Seneca County Code Enforcement has had no problems as of yet with the current proposal.
Concerns:
Too close to neighboring cottages
Boat traffic
Business would start small then get bigger
Requiring inclusion in an industrial zone might be the Planning Board's role
if it elects to restrict the dock wine tasting.
Björkman will check with neighbors and reply to Knappís with a letter.
He will first send a draft for the approval of the Planning Board.
5) Discussion item:
Cesspool ordinance
Revisions:
The Federal Government is passing new and stricter laws.
Seneca County Watershed Regulations from 1968 are getting revised. Varick will
be covered by these.
Planning Board had defined cesspool as 5,000 gallons or more. Pat Morrell adjusted
this by making it at open cesspool. By definition an open cesspool has to be
open to surface air. Planning board wants underground tanks to be included as
well. It may be possible to achieve this by adding more details specific to
Varick.
Test wells aren't accurate to test leaks in cesspools. Most accurate method
of testing is to monitor the rate of change in liquid level. that is the regulatory
standard in Iowa. Main concern with leakage is that the cesspool was not properly
built. The Planning Board is considering asking for seepage test after construction.
This must be performed by a registered technician.
Björkman will check to see if NRCS is a more consistent reference. He will also check on availability of people registered for checking seepage and for guidelines of acceptable seepage. He will also check with Mr. Morrell on the rationale for changing the setbacks, and whether they are taken from other guidelines.
6) Old business:
Changes were made by town board to travel trailer ordinance that add the possibility of a permit for stays exceeding 120 days.
McMillan will make up a permit form for travel trailers to stay for more than 120 days.
Caroline Herd is reprinting the zoning code.
7) New Business:
Björkman will check with the DEC on correct wording for the building permit application amendment.
Swartley noted that Matt Brower 518-457-2713 handles odor related topics for the Department of Agriculture and Markets Division of Agricultural Protection and Development Services .
8) New subdivision proposals: none
9) The next meeting is currently scheduled for September 26, 2002 at 7:00 p.m.
10) The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.