After having heard neighbor complaints about a massage therapy business on Ridge Road earlier in the meeting, the Commissioners allowed the owner/operator of the business to present her case. The Commissioners unanimously expressed their support for the massage therapy business, and denied the appeal which sought to revoke her residential unit business permit.
The Commissioners heard from Jacqueline Williams representing JDS Holdings, which
hopes to acquire and rehabilitate a tiny lot at 82 N. Main (the lot is 0.05 acres, about 300 square feet). Jon DeSena, president of JDS Holdings, has a successful track record of rehabilitating abandoned and decrepit properties, having previously done so on Newfield Street and on Washington Street. His request was granted.
Algonquin requested permission for the construction of a pipeline within River Road, to bring Natural Gas to the Kleen Energy Site. Algonquin presented a detailed map (right) to the commissioners. The construction and granting of easements was approved unanimously.
Commissioner Catherine Johnson suggested a fresh approach to the Plan of Conservation and Development. She offered to chair a steering committee which would write the final draft of the document. She said that she would invite anybody in the city to join her on this steering committee. Her only requirement is that people should "like to put in their 2 cents," and be willing to come to 4 meetings. Commissioner Ron Borrelli suggested that the steering committee be balanced, and that invitations be extended not only to conservation-minded
folks but also to people who are part of the Chamber of Commerce. Although the other Commissioners were unwilling to commit to the extra meetings involved in the steering committee, Johnson's proposal was approved without dissent. Johnson said that an invitation to "Fellow Middletown Residents" would be forthcoming in The Middletown Eye.
The posted map looks like the route of the natural gas pipeline route that was approved at Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency.
ReplyDeleteThe recently proposed oil pipeline route begins just north of the Arrigoni Bridge, makes its way within City streets, up Eastern Drive to Bow Lane. Just past Silvermine Road the proposed oil pipeline leaves Bow Lane, cuts through City owned open space, crosses a wetlands and enters the Kleen Energy site. The oil pipeline is not confined to River Road as originally planned, in order to avoid the Aquifer Protection Area.
Did something change at this meeting? Can you clarify this, please?
Late nights at Planning and Zoning Meetings are not conducive to straight thinking. You are correct, this map and the approval was for the self-same natural gas pipeline approved at I/W. I have corrected the text in the post. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe Oil pipeline will come before P&Z at their March 11 meeting.
Thank you for correcting this inadvertent error. To further improve the accuracy of the report, I believe that Steven Shorey represents Buckeye Partners, not Algonquin Gas.
ReplyDelete