When Abe and Nicole Friedman proposed their three-lot subdivision on Band Camp Road in Saugerties several months ago, their neighbors were concerned that building three houses, with driveways and other amenities, would make already serious flooding problems worse. They opposed the project, and the Saugerties Town Planning Board held off approval until the concerns of the neighbors could be addressed.
On Tuesday, April 19, the project was revised; instead of three lots, it was down to two. The earlier plan showed one lot of just over 16 acres on which they plan to build their house and two smaller lots, each just over two acres, which they planned to sell. The smaller lots have been consolidated on the new plan which their surveyor, Don Brewer, brought to the Town of Saugerties Planning Board at its regular meeting on April 19. “We came to you a few months back with a three-lot subdivision,” said Brewer “The neighbors were pretty much against it, so our client scratched the lot that was causing the problem and we’re back for another public hearing. Now there are just two lots, a smaller one and the one they want to build on, 16-and-a-half acres,” he said.
“We addressed some of the comments — area of disturbance, which amounts to 0.47 acres on the larger lot. The smaller lot, of course, already has a house on it.” The setbacks and elevations all conform to the code, Brewer said, and they have received the needed approvals from the Highway Department for a bridge on the property. “I think we have everything covered,” he said. On a question that had been raised at the earlier meeting about possible archaeological sites on the property, Brewer said he looked into it couldn’t find anything like that at all.
When Planning Board Chairman Howard Post opened the floor for comments, the only speaker was Hope Kellerhouse, the neighbor who had raised the most objections at the earlier meeting. “I just wanted to say that I’m fine with this subdivision. It’s much better than the first one.” Kelleher said her one remaining concern is the test holes that remain open after the work has been completed. The holes on what would have been the second of the smaller lots still has holes that have not been filled in and “I’m worried about small animals falling in, and my neighbor has an eight year old,” she said.
“We’ll definitely take care of that this week,” Brewer said.
The process hit a snag when the board’s consultant, Adriana Beltrani, said she had not received the documents related to the changes in the plans and some of the statements Brewer had made. He said he was surprised as his staff had indicated they would be sending the documents. He promised to provide them the following day. The board voted to approve the plan, conditional on receiving the required documentation.
Join the family! 
