We hope that everyone is finally enjoying the very pleasant weather we have been experiencing this week. The weekend has been especially delightful with the gentle breezes that cool you off while out in the sun. I hope that everyone was able to get their plants in the ground for vegetable gardens and flower gardens.
We would like to welcome our new members! Thank you for joining us! We will have links to our meeting at the end of this newsletter and on our agenda, that we send out separately. Please know that if there is a question or an item you would like to know more about, or discuss at one of our meetings, please let us know by emailing us at takeaction@guilderlandcrg.org
It was a quiet week, but one that gave us a decision on Town Center that we had hoped would happen. Just as a refresher, Town Center has one of two approved electronic signs. On the signage at Town Center, the owner of the Plaza began advertising vacancies in their apartment complex that is not part of the Plaza. The Chief Building and Zoning Inspector ruled on February 14, 2022 that this was appropriate as the intent of the signage was that it could be used for any of the properties the landlord owned. A member of GCRG who has to look at this sign on a daily basis felt that it did not meet the conditions of the original building permit issued in 2019. After paying a fee and a Public Hearing, the Zoning Board of Appeals finally issued their decision at the last meeting on June 1, 2022. The ZBA ruled that there was a violation of the Building Permit and the signage for the apartments needed to be removed.
What is most concerning about this whole issue is that the building permit was very clear with no room for interpretation that would include advertising for other properties of the owner. The fact the Chief Building and Zoning Inspector gave the okay gives us pause as residents. This is not the first time a decision she has made has been overturned or flawed. How do we know we are getting the correct information if these instances keep occurring? Who do we, as residents, go to for clarification? Is it going to be necessary for residents to pay a fee to appeal the decisions that should not have been made? We will be discussing further with Town Officials so that residents do not feel as though they have to pay a fee for a proper interpretation of the Town Codes.
The other meeting that took place last week was that of the Industrial Development Agency. This group helps fund businesses through a variety of mechanisms that are intended to promote growth in the town. Of interest was the issue with the Promenade located on Western Ave. Just as a brief background, this is a Senior Living Center that took over a hotel. They have been working very closely with the IDA regarding their PILOT agreement. They have had great difficulty with their loans because of setbacks that they really have no control over. Some of these issues are water, poor air quality and COVID-19. What stands out with this group is their honesty in dealing with IDA and being upfront with all of their activities. This is refreshing because we have seen instances where other developers in town have gone ahead and done work on their projects without the approval or knowledge from the town.
We do have one meeting to tell you about this week. The Planning Board meeting that was scheduled has been canceled. The Town Board will meet on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at Town Hall. You can view the agenda and supporting documents here: https://play.champds.com/guilderlandny/event/208
Of interest, is the proposal for conduct at Public Meetings. We think this is needed and hopefully will be adopted by the Town Board. Often it becomes very difficult to hear what is going on in a meeting when people are out in the hallway and are loud. Setting a formal code of conduct for town residents is long overdue. If folks need to be loud, they can leave the premises and go outside.
There will also be a Blood Drive on Friday, June 10, 2022 at the EMS Center on Centre Drive from 1p.m.-6p.m. We urge everyone who can donate, to do so. This is one way we can all give back to our community.
We will be holding our regular meeting tomorrow, Monday June 6, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. We are continuing our virtual meetings as they seem to work best for most folks. We will be sending out an agenda under separate cover. If you would like to join us, here is the link to the meeting:
To join by phone teleconference:
Dial-in number (US): (605) 313-5879 Access code: 116506#
To join us by online webinar with your computer:
- Click this link to join the online meeting:
https://www.freeconferencecall.com/wall/guilderlandcrg/start_viewer - Sign into the webinar with your name and email address and click the green "Join" button
- You will now see a screen and message to get meeting audio by phone or through your computer.
- Some people have found they get better sound quality by calling in with their phone, but they can still see the meeting on their computer.
- Please DO NOT call in by phone and also allow your web browser to use your microphone. This will cause strong feedback sounds.
To join us by online webinar with your smartphone or tablet:
- Go to https://www.freeconferencecall.com/downloads while on your smart phone or tablet
- Click on the button to get the application for either your Android or Apple iOS device.
- Install the application as normal
- The first time you use the app you will need to:
- Decide whether to allow notifications and connect to your calendar. This is not required, but you might find it helpful.
- Click on orange "Get Started" button
- You will be asked to create an account or login, you do not need to do this.
- Click "Join+" in the menu of items along the bottom.
- Click on orange "Join New meeting" button
- You will have 2 choices to join the meeting. Choose to enter the meeting ID: guilderlandcrg
- You will then have 2 more choices. Choose "Call in Using WiFi or Data" to access with screen sharing and to share your own camera. If you are not in place where you can do this, just call in by phone
- Enter your name and your email address (optional)
- Allow use of your Microphone and Camera
May everyone have a great week and enjoy the spring weather.