Credit: Mary Jenkins
The Milan Town Board focused on plans for a new fire department garage and upcoming public hearings on local laws at its meeting on Aug. 19. Deputy Supervisor Jack Campisi presided in place of Town Supervisor Al Lo Brutto, who was away.
The meeting opened with public comments, in which Milan Fire Department board member Larry Brody spoke about preliminary plans to build a new public service garage. “Two of our Milan fire stations are antiquated,” he said. “We hope to make an updated facility that will be able to last our community for 75 years.”
Brody told the board that the fire department has searched for property for a new garage for more than 10 years, and may have found a suitable location. He said the fire company has hired an engineer and will soon start work on a site plan. “We are coming to the Town Board early in this process,” Brody said. “We need to understand how to comply with zoning requirements that affect setbacks, special permits, and septic system placement.“
Campisi responded, “While you draft your site plan, we will get counsel on board. This may take the better part of two months if zoning laws need to be changed.”
In other business, the law firms of Zarin and Steinmetz of White Plains, N.Y., and Grant and Lyons of Rhinebeck were appointed to serve the Milan Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals respectively.
The board scheduled a public hearing on changes to the Milan logging law. According to board member Debra Blalock, the amendments would strengthen the current logging law, which regulates forest fragmentation and indiscriminate cutting of trees. “This law will increase the amount of trees we’re protecting from 50% of our [woodlands] to 65%, preserving our largest and most viable trees,” she said.
The board also scheduled a public hearing on a law abolishing the offices of the three elected assessors and establishing the office of a single appointed assessor, effective by year’s end.
The public hearings on both laws are scheduled for Sept. 16, the date of the next town board meeting.