Board had ‘relatively quiet’ 2009
By MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-HeraldJOHNSTOWN - The Fulton County Planning Board had a "relatively quiet" 2009, with fewer reviews of municipal and Adirondack projects than in 2008, according to the board's annual report.
The board reviewed the report at a recent meeting at the Fort Johnstown Annex.
Board members approved the report to be presented to the Board of Supervisors at its monthly meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday at the County Office Building.
County Senior Planner Sean Geraghty noted the planning board last year conducted 21 state General Municipal Law-required reviews of municipal projects in the county - three less than the 24 done in 2008.
Section 239 of the state General Municipal Law requires county planning boards to conduct surveys, prepare land use studies, examine urban renewal plans and technical services and "study the needs and conditions of the county."
Fulton County's 21 reviews last year included: a site plan for a commercial space change along Elmwood Avenue in the town of Johnstown, a zoning change along Frontage Road and Route 29A in the city of Gloversville, site plan for a used car lot along Route 30 in the town of Mayfield, and use and area variances for additions and a general store along Route 10 in the town of Caroga.
"In summary, the year 2009 was again a relatively quiet year for the county Planning Board," the report said.
The report said the less state-required reviews were in part due to the elimination of area variance referrals toward the end of the year.
"We streamlined the 239 process," Geraghty noted.
The board also conducts reviews of Adirondack Park Agency project notices forwarded to the county Planning Department. The county has no formal jurisdiction, but offers its opinion to the APA. For 2009, those reviews included a nature conservancy, a condominium project along Lake View Road in the town of Mayfield, gravel mine expansion in Ephratah and a report by the APA to park constituents.
"It was also another quiet year for Adirondack Park Agency major and minor project notices," the report said.
The report also noted the board in 2009 heard a presentation on the Fonda Bypass proposal, did an update of board bylaws and changed its meeting time from 9:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com
