|
Philipstown Town Board Hears Water Resource Analysis
Cortlandt Lake Dam rehab monies approved
by Maria Theodore Leiter
Philipstown officials have been meeting with state and federal government representatives regarding the damage done by April's storm, which led the County Executive to declare a state of emergency.
At the June 7, 2007 monthly Philipstown Town Board meeting, Councilwoman Betty Budney said that it was quite an experience looking at all the roads that were affected. "There was a lot of damage done." She advised that the Town would have to hire an engineer to help plan out the rebuilding process. "Hopefully, we will get the money we will need." The Town hopes not only to repair the damage that was done, but to bring the roads to a point where the same issues will not recur. Of course, this would depend on how much aid they can expect from the state and federal governments.
In recycling news, Budney said that she attended the Putnam County recycling meeting held last month. "Their mission is to work together," she said. The Town of Kent is at the forefront of recycling, even offering a "drop and swap" program, in which people can drop off items they no longer use and pick up used items they may need, such as toys and baby items. Budney said that the Town was interested in a joint workshop to discuss the possibility of shared resources.
Councilman Richard Shea said that he also met with Seth Gallagher at the Town's recycling site, who advised that the Village of Cold Spring was interested in some kind of joint venture.
At the top of the regular monthly agenda, were two honorary resolutions for Eagle Scouts Alexander DelVecchio and Keith M. Ciccaglione of Troup 437. Both young men were awarded their Eagle Scout badges, the highest honor bestowed on a scout, last month.
Supervisor William Mazzuca described them as, "two young men in town who represent, hopefully, what our future of this town is," adding in jest, "if they can afford to live here someday."
In working toward their awards, each scout had to complete a community service project, explained Mazzuca. DelVecchio developed the information kiosk and signage for Little Stony Point. Ciccaglione spent 125 hours clearing and improving the knoll trail on Bannerman Island. Both demonstrated outstanding leadership quality, said Mazzuca.
The Board then heard from Russell Urban Mead, one of the consultants hired to complete an Aquifer Study of Philipstown. Mead presented the Board with several maps depicting the Town's water resources and highlighting the areas of concern for future development.
"One basic truth is that there is no rock formation or sand and gravel area that could not support a single family home, as you know, since people are building in every nook and cranny around town," he said. "So which are priorities?"
Mead reported that Philipstown has fairly uniform aquifer formations. But rather than large watersheds, it is composed of a large number of smaller watersheds. That fact makes for a low likelihood of town-wide droughts or water quality issues, but because homes are built around individual pockets, there is the possibility to overwhelm any individual pocket. "Wells need to be spaced apart," he warned, adding that in addition to too many wells, these aquifers can also be exhausted with poor septic maintenance, which can keep reservoirs from adequately recharging.
In valleys (such as the Hudson Valley), where traditionally most building has taken place, he said that three acres are needed between developments to provide for the adequate dilution of water, otherwise aquifers get over burdened.
As for prioritizing the water tables, the report recommends that special care be taken with development around the Clove Creek watershed area. Clove Creek is the waterway that runs adjacent to Route 9 north of Route 301 to the Fishkill border. According to the analysis, Mead said that Clove Creek was the area with the greatest potential to provide a large amount of water that could support future development. "You may want to limit certain uses by 'special use' permitting in that area." Because it would be a valuable area for future development in the town, it would be in the Town's best interest to keep out the types of industry or uses that could potentially degrade that particular water supply, he explained.
"In reviewing the report, it is a very accessible document," commented Councilman Richard Shea. "Even a layman can look at it and get information." He said that from what he gleaned, the overall water quality in Philipstown was good, except for some issues with areas along Route 9, which are affected by the salt used to de-ice the roadway. One of the recommendations in the report was a salt management program.
Mead advised that the complete report was ready to go to press and would soon be distributed to the Town, in print and on DVD. Shea thanked Senator Leibell for sponsoring the grant that was used to compile the study.
Next, the Board heard from Putnam County Executive Robert Bondi's Chief of Staff Lisa Denig, who came to enlist the Town in a campaign to enact a "Host Liability" law, county-wide. The proposed law that the County is asking each town to consider, would make it a "Class A" Misdemeanor for adults to host underage drinking events. "We are fighting a war against Drugs and Alcohol for our children and we are losing that war," said Denig. So far, four towns in Putnam, Patterson, Carmel, Southeast and Kent, have already passed their own legislation.
The proposal came about after the Drug Task Force convened following a widely publicized incident a while back in which a deck in Patterson collapsed during a party, killing several people. Similar legislation is being considered throughout New York State, however, only eight towns have passed Host Liability Laws, she said, and of those, four were in Putnam. She said the County Executive's office is hoping to make Putnam County the first to have a county-wide law.
The proposal elicited a question from resident Joe Regele, who asked what the process would be in enacting a law in Philipstown. Mazzuca said that there would be a public hearing process before the Town could adopt such a law.
In the 'better late than never' category, Mazzuca advised that after ten years of waiting, the three towns that the Continental Village area spans have been approved for $651,000 in Title 3 funds to undertake the rebuilding and stabilization of the Cortlandt Lake Dam.
"I had nothing to do with this," said Mazzuca, thanking Michael Phalen, who is the Superintendent of the Continental Village Park District.
Among a long list of resolutions the Board approved on this evening, was an amendment to the Land Development Regulations that would require that all subdivisions, with the exception of small lot line changes between adjoining property owners, be submitted for review to the Planning Board.
The Board accepted the resignation of Arthur Lopatin as CAC secretary and authorized the Town Clerk to advertise for his replacement.
The Town Clerk was authorized to apply to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for the restoration of 13 windows, a door and a staircase in the Town Hall.
A Public hearing was scheduled for July 12, for a proposed local law to amend the date of the Zoning Map. Several workshops were scheduled, including one for recycling, and one to review the various architects' proposals for the Town Hall renovation.
The Board also heard from a resident on Lake Court, who was experiencing ongoing water runoff damage to the road she and her neighbors maintain after some property owners undertook development on their properties. Mazzuca said he would speak to Building Inspector Tom Monroe and get back to her.
Mazzuca thanked Nat Prentice and the girls of the Walter Hoving Home for helping to clean up the Cedar Street Cemetery.
During the public comment section, the Board heard from a resident of Moffat Road, who stated his reservations over the proposed widening of the road.
"This seems to be a solution looking for a problem," he said and asked that the residents of Moffat Road be given copies of the engineering report, more detail on what work is being proposed, and greater transparency into the process. Mazzuca asked if the residents would be willing to meet with the town and highway department again. The resident stated that he would be willing to meet with them.
The date of the next monthly Town Board meeting was rescheduled to July 12, 2007 at 8pm in the Town Hall.
Providing local news, information and opinions from
Philipstown and Putnam Valley, NY
Encompassing the Villages of Cold Spring and Nelsonville,
and the hamlet of Garrison, Putnam County, NY.
This site is a publication of The Putnam County News and Recorder, the source for news and information of the Philipstown
and Putnam Valley area. The PCN&R is 139
years old, published in hard copy every Wednesday, and circulated throughout Putnam
County, NY.
The PCN&R prints LEGAL NOTICES
for: Putnam County, The Town of Philipstown, The Town of Putnam Valley, Village of Cold Spring, Village of
Nelsonville, the Haldane Union Free School District and the Garrison Union Free School
District.
Deadline for printed press releases, advertisements and classifieds is Monday at noon for
Wednesday publication. This site is updated on an as-needed basis with a minimum update
weekly on Thursdays. For further information or to request a subscription to the paper, please
contact us with your name and mailing address at:
(845) 265-2468 PO Box 185, Cold Spring, NY 10516, or e-mail us at editor@pcnr.com
If you see an advertiser on line, tell them! | 
