Applicant frustration at Planning Board

Roger Cumming (left) presents his updated two-lot minor subdivision plat to the planning board during the September 29 session.

The September 29 Planning Board session saw frustration from a number of applicants, some of whom were at odds with the board, and others who ran into snags with the county Health Department.


KLENAWICUS MAJOR SUBDIVISION


Eight lots at the corner of Burns and Cartwright roads.


There appeared to be some miscommunication between applicant Joseph Klenawicus and the board regarding his application’s next step. The confusion arose from the question of how many cisterns for fire fighting would be required in Mr. Klenawicus’s subdivision. Because of the configuration of the proposed lots, the Fire Department rule that a cistern be located every 1,000 feet could necessitate three, possibly even four cisterns. This could be an extremely expensive endeavor that Mr. Klenawicus would like to avoid.


He came to the board meeting hoping to discuss the requirement and find an exception, but no Fire Commissioners letter detailing the cistern requirements had been sent to the board.


“There’s nothing before this board right now,” said Mr. Pasca. “I think the best thing we can tell you is tell your attorney to get in contact with the Fire Department again and make sure they get us a letter. That’s what’s holding you up … Until we get that letter telling us it’s one, two or three [cisterns], there’s nothing we can do.”


Mr. Klenawicus had hoped to have the issue resolved at that meeting and was upset by the postponement, saying, “I can’t believe this … Might change the whole picture of the whole thing.”


CUMMING MINOR SUBDIVISION


Two-lot minor subdivision on Menantic Road.


At the last Planning Board meeting, Roger Cumming was granted a 90-day extension giving him until November 13 to meet final conditions. In this meeting, he presented his new plat and outlined those conditions in the plan that were now met. “We’re ready to finish the driveway,” he said, “at which point I think we’re 100 percent.”


A final driveway survey would then be reviewed by the board’s contract engineer Joe Lombardi before Mr. Cumming could have his mylars (final drawings) drawn up. Once this is completed, the board will go through his checklist to make sure the application is complete.


Mr. Cumming was frustrated by needing a further correspondence to finish his application. “We have to get this thing done by November … I’m at the end of my rope,” he said.


“For what’s left to be done, that’s not a lot to do. We’re looking at probably a couple of weeks,” said Mr. Pasca.


CLARK CAPITAL MINOR SUBDIVISION


Three lots plus one parkland lot on Cartwright Road.


Matt Sherman reported difficulty in dealing with the Health Department and solicited the board for leverage. Mr. Sherman said he’s “coming up against a brick wall” because the Health Department insists that the parkland within the subdivision must be separated into two lots because it is crossed by a right-of-way passage, even though the parcel had always been considered one lot. Adding a lot would shift his application from minor to major and increase the number of conditions his application must meet.


“I’ve tried any number of ways, asked any number of different questions to try to figure out what the problem is … and they can’t give me an answer,” said Mr. Sherman.


The board decided to draft a letter asserting that it was the board’s preference to keep it one parcel, in the interest of helping Mr. Sherman avoid further difficulty with the Health Department and the requirements that would result from splitting the lot.


The board voted to extend the to application deadline to March 29.


BRANDENSTEIN MINOR SUBDIVISION


Four-lot minor subdivision on Brander Parkway.


The Brandenstein application has run into a snag after MTBE, a fuel additive, was discovered in one of the wells on the property. 


Huson Sherman said no one’s sure how it got there, especially since another well within 100 feet of the first tested clean for MTBE, but that he would have filters installed and take the necessary precautions to get the well up to code. He also added that Mr. Lombardi’s suggested changes to the final plot survey have been made and that he thought he was in the final step of the application process. Mr. Pasca reminded him that the Planning Board could not process his final application until his Health Department documents were finalized.


CATRAMBONE MINOR SUBDIVISION


Four lots on North Menantic Road.


At Mr. Catrambone’s request, the board voted to rename the Catrambone Minor Subdivision “Stoneleigh.” It also voted to extend the application deadline to January 23.


PATRICK MINOR SUBDIVISION


“[Applicant Shane Patrick] has been detailing his efforts, he’s still dealing with the Health Department,” said Mr. Pasca. “He’s pretty close,” added Chair Paul Mobius. The board voted to extend the deadline to March 29.


TEDFORD MINOR SUBDIVISION


“This is expected to be the last extension they’re asking for. It’s giving them one more extension, but saying don’t come back unless there’s extraordinary circumstances to get it done,” said Planning Board counsel Tony Pasca. The board voted to extend the deadline six months, until March 29, for the application’s sketch plan approval.