The owners of Rust Free Motors, located at the triangle where Route 9W meets Simmons Drive in Saugerties, have made a number of changes in their plans in response to comments at previous public hearings. They’ve moved a dumpster, added a curb cut and an entrance and in response to a Planning Board requirement that they present a professionally prepared site plan, they have hired Richard Roth to draw up their final plans. “He thinks it will be done in March, so we’ll have a plan we can go with,” said Steve King, a partner in the business.
During the Saugerties Town Planning Board meeting on Tuesday, February 15, board chairman Howard Post asked for a count of the number of cars on the lot. King pointed out the 35 cars on the main lot, and another 15 in front.
Planning Board member Mike Tiano asked about a trailer that is used for storage on the site. He explained that there is a problem with that in the Town and suggested that “before they encapsulate that into the plan, it has to be moved every 180 days. He asked whether the building inspector had considered the trailer a permanent structure. King said that the trailer is not a permanent structure and will be moved in accordance with whatever the law requires.
“It looks a lot better than it did before,” said board member Ken Goldberg. “If you’re just parking 35 cars in the back, that’s one thing. But if you intend to work on them, it’s another.” They seem too dense to be worked on, he said.
King responded that the partners don’t intend to work on the cars in the back section of the lot. All the repair work would be done inside the garage, which has three bays. The building itself has been freshly painted, he added.
“It looks good,” said board member Carole Furman. “Are they going to put a car on the roof?”
Post said he agreed that the plan looks very good. The board will still need an official set of stamped plans, which King said would be coming.
Planning Board consultant Max Stach said he understood that the Town Highway Superintendent opposed the placement of a driveway on Route 9W. The entrance to the lot will be on Simmons Street, he said. Other provisions of a special-use permit, still to be considered by the board include hours of operation, lighting and landscaping maintenance. “But those you can deal with when you have the stamped plan,” said Stach.
The final step will be to draft a resolution, which would include the details such as the number of spaces in the front and back lots, the hours of operation, shielded lighting and so on, Post said. King explained that these would be added to the engineer’s plans once they are completed.
In a discussion of hours of operation, Tiano said the required hours should include a provision allowing the operators to bring in customers by appointment to show cars they may be interested in buying. For general work he would favor 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The board will await the engineer’s plans before taking official action, but from the comments, the plan, possibly with minor modifications, will be approved.
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