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Hudson Planning Board meeting 20170714 (Audio)

Jul 14, 2017
Recorded by Jess Puglisi.
1:30 Colarusso Engineer Pat Prendergast presentation about bulkhead condition and history.
3:15 Prendergast describes the replacement work that happened.
5:20 Aerial view, describes its appearance.
6:25 Prendergast comments end.
6:30 Chairman DePietro explains the protocol for public hearing. Hearing begins.
7:37 - 11:10 Julie Metz, Hudson, property owner and citizen. Calls separation of haul road and bulkhead "magical thinking" on part of Colarusso. They are connected. Since this is a non-conforming use, Hudson has the right to impose conditions on the development / maintenance. Colarusso has not been transparent or forthcoming.
11:30 - 13:30 Timothy O'Connor, city resident. Speaks of zoning code developed in 2011 in conjunction with LWRP.
13:30 - 20:30 John Rosenthal. In 2012, Paul Colarusso spoke in "Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports" newsletter about volume projections. Those projections have decreased in subsequent descriptions, even while Colarusso tries to expand and invest in infrastructure. This is not how any business operates. Accurate data about projected yield is necessary to help the city understand the traffic increase at Broad Street and elsewhere. Operator hours have increased from 31K in 2014 to 51k in 2016. Showed little slowdown even during recession.
20:30 - 23:18 Peter Jung, Hudson. He was involved in 2011 zoning / LWRP work. The zoning laws did take effect and City Attorney Cheryl Roberts consistently reminded us about the strength of enforcing code on non-confirming uses. The Planning Board should feel empowered about determining whether this is appropriate development. Colarusso was not envisioned as a longterm aspect of the waterfront. Repairs further entrench them there.
23:35 Timothy O'Connor. Zoning code is not intended to regulate business. (Something about 2011.)
23:45 - 25:08 Ted Grahamco (?), Union St., business man. Colarusso is trying to expand its "addressable marketplace." Nearest competitor is Coeymans. Trying to take some of their marketshare.
25:14 - 28:00 Melissa auf der Maur, owner of Basilica Hudson. Cites zoning code about CR District. Purpose is to encourage a mixture of compatible uses, mostly recreative and permissive of access to water. There must be limits.
28:00 No further comments. Chairman DePietro says the hearing will not be closed tonight because Colarusso will need to reply to the comments both made there and forthcoming in writing.
28:30 - 30:30 Tony Stone, owner of Basilica Hudson. Trucks on haul road have already gone from 40 to 300. Colarusso is not being transparent. Holcim used the causeway as a two-way road, which Colarusso could also do.
30:36 John Rosenthal. Colarusso arbitrarily uses the causeway for one-way traffic. It could be used both ways immediately.
31:25 Danette Koke, 18 year resident of Hudson. Her explorations of the waterfront end abruptly because the bulkhead is an eyesore.
32:15 Chairman DePietro cuts her comment short, saying it's not appropriate because it's not information, but "emotional."
32:39 The regular meeting begins.
32:55 Minutes of June meeting approved.
33:07 Discussion of only application, which is Galvan Armory parking plan related to COARC daycare.
33:20 Jason O'Toole presentation. 61-71 State and 61-65 State + 449 Prospect Street will all lose part of their yards in order to create parking lot with enough spaces so that the buildings all have a space or two of their own.
Board questions comments on plan.
39:30 Chairman DePietro says that it's a big enough change of plans that there will need to be a public hearing. O'Toole asks if they could kinda skip it. Answer is no.
42:05 More board comments. Walter Chatham suggests adding trees or hedges to soften pavement.
46:00 Colarusso next steps.
46:27 - 50:00 Prendergast thought the comment would be restricted to the bulkhead but it was about everything. Other questions etc.
50:15 Attorney Jeremy Spike (?). The work is done. Now what else do we need to do? Mitch Khosrova says the dock and bulkhead are interrelated, and this has been segmented. The City has authority to determine things about the haul road in conjunction with the dock because nothing that goes over the road doesn't go to the dock. Work was done without a permit otherwise these conversations would have been had then.
53:50 Clark Weisman. If you had come to board in appropriate manner, all these questions would have been answered. Repeatedly we ask for number of trucks, and we get no answers. We are using our authority now to force answers to this request.
More back and forth.
1:00:00 Prendergast: there will always be dust "on your cars." It's not the bulkhead. If you go down there on a Saturday with no work there is dust because the parking lot is unpaved. Etc.
Meeting adjourned.