Silo Ridge - Millerton News

12/11/2008 - Planning Board working toward final findings statement

Amenia
Planning Board working toward final findings statement
By CORY ALLYN
12/11/2008

AMENIA — A draft findings statement for Silo Ridge was produced in time for the Planning Board meeting Dec. 4.

Consultants Michael Klemens, Mary Ann Johnson and Attorney to the Town Michael Hayes helped the board review the document.

"Ninety percent of this has been pulled together," Johnson reported. "But we still have to describe alternatives and there are other areas that need attention. "

The board is ultimately responsible for the final draft, and while each consultant is able to voice concerns or approvals for different aspects of the project, they are merely suggestions and do not have to be opinions adopted by the board in the final findings statement.

Moving through most of the sections last Thursday, the consultants explained that the bulk of the document was information that had already been explained in the FEIS (Final Environmental Impact Statement) and several other documents.

What was important to address were the closing comments in each section, where mitigation and recommendations were given by the consultants.

Since Silo Ridge has been in close contact with the various consultants while they were putting together the document, many of the issues that were brought up had already been agreed to by Silo Ridge in some form. However, the legality of preparing the findings statement requires that all changes occurring after the FEIS has been submitted must be documented.

There still remained several issues that Silo Ridge and the consultants appeared to be at odds about, including the planting of all native vegetation, as well some legalities concerning the applicant's willingness to provide 150-foot instead of 100-foot buffer areas around specific watercourses.

"We didn't come to decisions about many of the issues that remain on the table," said Planning Board Chairman George Fenn. "The upshot was that we all get to take the draft home. "

During the next board meeting each of the bullet points will be addressed by the board, with the consultants still available for consultation. While they don't have as large a role in the process now, they will be able to clarify issues that the board will be addressing.

"The whole process is going forward, which is what I hoped to see happen," Fenn said.

The next Planning Board meeting will be held Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.

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