millerton government

Millerton ZBA’s considerationof 7-9 Main St. project continues

Millerton ZBA’s considerationof 7-9 Main St. project continues

7-9 Main Street

Photo by John Coston

MILLERTON — The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) continued its ongoing review of an application for variances for a building at 7-9 Main Street that would add residential units to an already nonconforming building and put more pressure on village parking.
The ZBA met on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at Village Hall.

The application for two variances — on for a density increase and another for additional parking — has been studied by the ZBA for months after it was denied by the Planning Board in March of 2023 on size and parking issues after a year of deliberation.

Under Millerton zoning, a minimum of 5,000 square feet of lot area is required per dwelling unit, yet the building permit called for 636 square feet per unit. Second, under zoning, 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit are required, thus a proposed additional 6 units (to 12) would call for 9 additional spaces, yet none were proposed in the application.

Following the Planning Board’s denial, the ZBA held a public hearing on the application from Gvkgne Realty over the summer when residents and businesses expressed concerns and complaints about the lack of parking that the village already faces as well as specific problems related to parking on village streets.

Residents also addressed the nonconforming status of the existing units at the hearings. During the initial public hearing in May, one resident pointed to an inequity by observing that she was prevented from creating multiple dwelling units on South Center Street because of the Zoning Code’s parking requirements.

The ZBA’s discussion at last week’s meeting raised issues such as the fact that the building has failed a fire inspection, that there are holes in walls and that the stairs need work. The new owner has stated plans to renovate the building, and while ZBA members commented that there is no guarantee that approving a variance would result in physical improvments, there was consensus that the would prefer to see the building maintained and put in good working order.

ZBA members noted that parking remains a big problem aside from the request in this application.

“We are maxed out before we even get started,” said Delora Brooks, ZBA chair.

New board member Kelly Kilmer chimed: “How do we give people parking spaces that we don’t have?”

Parking is permitted for up to two hours during the day in front of the building. In winter months, there are restrictions on streets imposed by snow plowing requirements. One option mentioned during the meeting was parking on Century Boulevard, which is several blocks from the building.

The panel, which also includes members Suzanne Stevens, Ed Stillman and Claire Goodman, set its next meeting for Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall on North Elm Avenue to continue the ongoing review.

millerton government

Latest News

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

The borrowed Pine Plains cruiser parked on Main Street in front of the Millerton Inn during the Millerton Street Fair on Saturday, June 28.

Photo by Aly Morrissy

MILLERTON — After receiving substantial state grant funding in July 2024 and beginning to roll out new equipment that fall, the Millerton Police Department suffered a setback when the February fire at the Village Water and Highway Department building destroyed much of its newly acquired gear — including patrol vehicles outfitted with cutting-edge technology.

Thanks to full-value insurance coverage and swift support from the Town of Pine Plains — which loaned the department a vehicle — Millerton officers were able to remain active in the community. Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik said two custom-built, four-wheel-drive Ford Interceptor cruisers are now in production and are expected to arrive by the end of the summer.

Keep ReadingShow less

Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Groundbreaking of the new pool planned for Eddie Collins Park has been delayed after the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation intervened to determine the status of wetlands in the proposed building site.

Archive photo

MILLERTON — The long-awaited groundbreaking for a new community pool at Eddie Collins Memorial Park — once expected this past April — now faces significant delays with no definitive timeline in sight, Mayor Jenn Najdek said.

The primary setback stems from a still-pending permitting process, as the village awaits final approvals from the Dutchess County Board of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding septic placement and wetland buffers. A patch of wetlands on the site — roughly five feet by five feet, Najdek said — requires a protective buffer, which could range anywhere from 5 to 100 feet. That determination will dictate whether the current pool design needs to be altered or moved altogether.

Keep ReadingShow less

North East town records brought into the digital age

North East town records brought into the digital age

Chris Virtuoso reorganized parcel records in the North East Town Hall basement by parcel number during the process of scanning and digitizing the documents.

Photo by Grace DeMarco

MILLERTON — Within the walls of the two-story Victorian housing the North East Town Hall lies a room-full of town records dating back to the late 19th century. Stored in labeled cardboard boxes and protected by dehumidifiers, the records are in the process of being dated, organized, and scanned into categorized online programs.

As the Town Hall works to relocate to 5603 Route 22 at the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, the consolidation and digitalization of records, as well as the disposal of those unneeded, is a time-sensitive project. Marcy Wheatley, the Deputy Town Clerk, emphasized their current heavy focus on organizing and scanning. “Now, when we move, we can get rid of a lot,” Wheatley stated.

Keep ReadingShow less

Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Nora Garcia, 6, of Millerton, bottom right, gets a face painting treatment from Maddy Rowe, a Webutuck High School senior. Nora’s sister, Juliana, 8, top right, is decorated by Giana Kall, a Webutuck senior. The program was sponsored by the Webutuck PTA.

Photo by John Coston

Locals and visitors packed into downtown Millerton Saturday, June 28, for the first ever Millerton Street Fair hosted by the Millerton News, the Millerton Business Alliance and Townscape. Representatives from local nonprofits, businesses along Main Street, Bee Bee the Clown and face painters from Webutuck High School drew in crowds all afternoon.

Festivities officially opened at 10 a.m., and a steady stream of visitors soon followed. Volunteer firefighters hosted a bouncy castle, a duck pool, a “put out the fire” ring toss game, and the “touch a truck” event at the fire department’s garage.

Keep ReadingShow less