A property on Malden Turnpike in Saugerties has been an eyesore, and neighbors are disturbed by the condition of the property and the junk stored on it, Town of Saugerties Supervisor Fred Costello said at a public hearing on Wednesday, October 5 regarding a proposal for “the removal of buildings, structures and personal property at 480 Malden Turnpike.”
The property “has been under the scrutiny of the Building Department for a number of years,” Costello said. “The need for improvements to this property has found its way into the justice courts and that has not been fruitful.” The property was one of the factors that led the town to pass its property maintenance law.
“The Building Department has come to the Town Board and asked us to allow it to use its authority to make the needed improvements,” Costello said. “The public hearing is an opportunity for neighbors to express their opinions. The hearing would follow up with the Building Department to put together a plan and bring in outside agents to remove debris and vehicles that are potentially leaking into the groundwater and secure the property in a way that would improve the quality of life of the neighbors.”
Costello decided to hold the hearing open for a short time to allow anyone who wanted to speak or for the property owners to have an opportunity to state their case if they wished to. He added that he is aware they can’t afford to clean it up, and it would be paid for by the town and the cost added to their tax bills, he said.
Michael McIsaac of Old Kings Highway said he lives “not a stone’s throw, but a few stones throws” from the property and “I remember speaking with neighbors; I’ve seen both sides. I’m wondering if there’s a way there could be an amicable, almost a volunteer ‘let’s all get together and make this property better.’ I would be willing to help.”
Costello thanked McIsaac for his comment, adding that “we share the need for relief for neighbors and the need for an alternative for the family having to suffer this. There have been some attempts at mediation through the court, but so far they have not been fruitful.” However, he said it would still be worth “trying to find a solution that would alleviate the concerns of the neighbors and not put too much pressure on the family.”
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