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Saugerties Post Star Editorial July 2002
Citizens¹ Action for Residential Environments in Saugerties, Inc. (CARES) applauds
the Town of Saugerties Town Board for hiring a Town Engineer and Planning Consultant
on a temporary basis.
On July 17, 2002 all Board members voted unanimously to temporarily hire Brinnier & Larios, P.C. to serve as Town Engineer and Chazen Companies to serve as Planning Consultant. Despite calls for the review of a Town Engineer in numerous sections of Town Subdivision Regulation such as sections 351 (required improvements), 352 (modification of design improvements), 457 (improvements such as street and water and sewage), 462 (drainage structure to accommodate upstream development), 463 (drainage downsteam), and 467 (storm drainage), the Town of Saugerties has never retained a Town Engineer.
Although the Town has retained engineers to oversee Town projects, all private development since adoption of subdivision regulation in 1976 has been in the absence of this important type of review.
Town Attorney George Redder advised the Planning Board not to approve a sixth subdivision of the Bishop's Gate Development without approval of a Town Engineer. The Planning Board disregarded his advice and approved the subdivision on June 18, 2002. Recognizing a need for such oversight, the Town Board has acted promptly to correct this problem.
The new Engineers, Brinnier & Larios, met with Town department heads on Tuesday, July 23, 2002, to discuss the scope of their contract with the Town. The Town Board needs to enact enabling legislation to hold fees in escrow to cover the cost of oversight by the Town Engineer. Fees to pay for the Town Engineer's review will be collected in accordance with Town Subdivision Regulation Section 353 which requires a 1.5% inspection fee paid to the Town Clerk ten days prior to commencing construction. Until recently this fee has never been collected.
Chazen Companies was hired by the Town of Saugerties to replace former Planning Consultant Shuster and Associates which is discontinuing its relationship with the Town at the end of the summer.