Special Meeting #4-2006 Greene Medical Arts/Columbia Memorial
Catskill Town Hall Nursing Home - Environmental & Zoning Issues
May 31st, 2006 6:00 PM
Attending: Supervisor, Joseph Izzo
Councilman, Joseph Hanusik
Councilman, Joseph Leggio
Councilman Lewis O’Connor
Code Officer, Linda Speckman
Members of Town Planning Board
Members of Town Zoning Board
Attorney, Michael Sterthous
Attorney, Alex Betke
Supervisor Izzo opened the meeting with a moment of silent prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. He thanked everyone for coming.
The reason for the meeting is because of all the issues we have to accommodate and solve for this parcel of property. There are members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board, individuals from the Hospital and Greene Medical Arts, and the public present.
We have before us, a request from Greene Medical Arts to change the zoning on a certain section, from the front part of the parking lot (facing the road on Rt 23) to a general commercial zone. We also have a request from Columbia Memorial Hospital in regards to an area variance that needs to be changed because of the proximity of the Nursing Home to the Hospital, which the Zoning Board denied.
There is also a potential for Senior Housing to be built where the Nursing Home parking lot is and forward to that and there is a drainage issue stemming from the Nursing Home parking lot that runs down to Snake Road and onto individual property when there is heavy rain.
Supervisor Izzo wanted this meeting with all involved so everyone can discuss how to proceed so that we may accommodate all parties involved and solve the drainage/flooding issue on Snake Road and consider the zoning request and to remove the zoning denial so the Hospital will be able to proceed with their HUD grant.
Supervisor Izzo stated that the Town Board would implement the zoning change. It does not need to go to the Planning Board or the Zoning Board. With the zoning change, the Town will be requiring a full environmental impact statement. The reason for that is because of the drainage issue, which needs to be solved. Also, with the potential for Senior Housing, this may also create runoff, which will need to be addressed.
The other issue, which will affect the Nursing Home and the new facility, is that it has been indicated to me, not officially, that the Village of Catskill will require a separate water line and separate sewer line to be separated from the Hospital and that a new water and sewer line be put directly through the Nursing Home and Senior Housing. This will create two separate water lines and two separate sewer lines. This is under the control of the Village of Catskill, and since the sewer line is still owned by the County, permission will be needed to tie into the sewer line.
Mike Sterthous, who represents the Town, discussed the reason for needing a long form for the environmental assessment.
Supervisor Izzo stated that when the facility was purchased, not by this Town Board, that if the facility fell under healthcare, there was no issue for zoning because it was grandfathered in under the old zoning law. Once the building changed it’s use, or wants to change its use from “healthcare”, then the zoning also changes. Since the parcel has been subdivided, when it was subdivided, it triggered a zoning issue, because now it no longer has its old use. The individual(s) who created the subdivision never came before the zoning board and asked for a variance which they were suppose to do. Under Town Law that sale was illegal.
There are two parties here. There is the party that needs to have the zoning variance given to them in order for them to build the Senior Housing which we would like them to have. The zoning needs to be changed to commercial.
The Snake Road issue is because based upon the fact that when the facility was built on the edge of the parking lot, it created this issue today, which is the flooding. When that was initially done, there was no need for a SPEDYS permit.
Supervisor Izzo stated that we are trying to bring everyone together and work cooperatively to solve all the issues involved.
Columbia Memorial Hospital will have to reapply to the Zoning Board for a variance. The Town Board is asking to reconsider the Zoning Board’s request.
We would also like to ask the Zoning Board to grant the Nursing Home a side yard variance.
Supervisor Izzo stated that in doing this process, the Town Board needs to be very careful in regards to the issue of spot zoning.
We are trying to make sure this is done right and done only once.
The property has nothing to do with the variance. It is the buildings on the property.
Supervisor Izzo stated we are trying to solve all three issues. We are trying to grant the zoning change, solve the zoning variance the hospital needs for their HUD grant, and solve the problem of water erosion on Snake Road. They are all intertwined.
Supervisor Izzo stated we need a commitment to solve the water issue so we can proceed with the zoning changes. He states that the Hospital has committed to help solve the water problem on Snake Road.
The water runoff problem needs to be addressed because the water will be running into the Catskill Creek. There may be an environmental issue. It will need to be addressed with a SPEEDY permit because they will have to contain the water, treat it, and then put it down.
The next step would be for an EAF to be completed.
The Nursing Home is still grand fathered in. The Senior Housing is high density residential so it still fits the use of the existing zoning. It does require the Planning Board to issue a special use permit.
The Hospital would need to contact Linda Speckman, who is our Code Enforcement Officer, and we would need to check our zoning laws to see how we would proceed to ask the Zoning Board for a reconsideration.
Supervisor Izzo stated we will get together again either individually or en masse to review the process so we can start moving forward. The Medical Arts is doing a lot of renovation and we would like to make that a Commercial property. The economics of the project is not only good for Medical Arts but for Catskill too.
Supervisor Izzo thanked all that came and adjourned the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Joseph F. Izzo
Town Supervisor
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