Credit: Patrick Grego
The Pine Plains Town Board met Thursday night, January 16th, addressing updates to public comment procedures, extending a solar development moratorium, and advancing initiatives on housing, infrastructure and beautification.
Supervisor Brian Walsh introduced a revised format for public comments, emphasizing the need for clarity and decorum. Speakers who wish to make a public comment must raise their hand, be called upon, approach the front of the room to be visible on the live-stream camera, state their name and address and limit remarks to about 90 seconds. “This is a comment section, not a discussion section,” Walsh said. “At no time will there be any discussions or arguments back and forth; public comments will end if this takes place.”
During public comments, Pine Plains resident Keary Hanan — who serves on the Herald‘s board of directors and as Vice President of the Pine Plains Free Library’s board of trustees — thanked the Town Board for the library’s new sign, which will be installed once weather permits. Hanan also highlighted an upcoming emergency preparedness training event with the Citizen Preparedness Corps in Stanfordville on Jan. 28. She urged the board to consider organizing a similar session in Pine Plains, citing concerns about recent wildfires in Great Barrington and Los Angeles.
Another resident, Stan Hirson, raised concerns about the quality of the town’s website. The board suggested he email Amanda Wyant, secretary to the Town Supervisor, with his concerns. Hirson also inquired about the status of state funding for broadband internet, to which Walsh responded that he is in communication with the Governor’s office in an attempt to secure support for expanding broadband access in Pine Plains.
In other business, the board voted 3-0, with board members Kevin Walsh and Robert Ambrose absent, to extend the town’s moratorium on new solar developments for six months to allow for amendments to the town’s existing solar laws.
Town Attorney Warren Replansky discussed his drafting of a proposed law requiring utility companies to remove outdated “double poles.” The legislation would impose fines on companies failing to remove old poles adjacent to new installations within a specified time frame. A public hearing on the proposed law was set for Feb. 20.
Housing initiatives featured prominently in the meeting, with Walsh reporting that Hudson River Housing had submitted a grant application for the state’s Plus One ADU Program. The program can secure up to $125,000 in funding for property owners for the construction or improvement of individual accessory dwelling units. Letters of support for the application were provided by eight municipalities, including Pine Plains, and an award decision is expected in February.
The board also voted 3-0 in favor of seeking pro housing certification. According to the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal, municipalities must achieve the certification in order to qualify for certain state funding opportunities. The department’s website states that certification can be granted based on a municipality’s demonstrated success in fostering housing growth or a commitment to addressing sluggish housing development in the future.
The town’s recreation programs, including winter basketball and skating at the town rink, are underway, with residents encouraged to check Facebook for rink availability updates.
The board approved a beautification initiative led by Vikki Soracco to purchase new trash and recycling bins and discussed plans to create a memorial at the future Town Hall honoring former board member Don Bartles, who died on Dec. 22.
A workshop meeting with Choice Words LLC, a New Paltz-based grant-writing firm, was scheduled for March 17 to explore additional funding opportunities for town projects.
The meeting concluded with updates on ongoing projects, including laser measurements of the existing Town Hall to assist in designing the new facility by LaBella Associates. The measurements are set to take place on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
The next Pine Plains Town Board meeting will be held on Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m.