Pine Plains board tackles propane truck violation, storage business expansion plans

PINE PLAINS — Representatives of a vehicle storage facility appeared before the Planning Board seeking clarification after the town issued a violation order for parking propane trucks at a site not approved for that use.

Planning Board members said on Wednesday, April 8, the lot at 2775 Church St., used byCrown Energy employees, was originally approved only for seasonal storage of boats and campers — not commercial propane trucks. Planning Board attorney Warren Replansky explained that the discrepancy is problematic because the board never got the chance to review whether the site was appropriate or safe for propane trucks.

“I don’t know what the rules and regulations for these trucks are, but that would have been explored in a site plan and special permit review process,” Replansky said.

Planning Board Chair Michael Stabile said board members were led to believe the property would only be used for boats and campers, referencing the November and December 2022 regular meetings of the board when the site plan was reviewed and conditionally approved.

Replansky also noted that a required driveway maintenance agreement remains outstanding— a condition tied to the 2022 approval because access to the property is via a driveway that crosses a neighboring parcel. He said the board needs to see that New York’s Department of Transportation has signed off on the driveway that accesses Church Street.

Stabile told an attorney representing property owners CEEN Properties LLC that they can return to the board with an amended site plan that outlines the intended use for the property. Replansky warned that the board could not issue any more permits while the property remains in violation.

“We want to see the driveway maintenance agreement,” Replansky said. “And DOT approval.”

Stissing Storage discussion

Steve Hobson outlined plans to expand his Stissing Storage business on Church Street, including the addition of a small retail space near the road.

Hobson plans to convert 2814 and 2812 Church St. into an extension of the existing storage facility, which currently operates on an adjacent parcel. He is also seeking approval for a small retail store that he intends to rent to local farmers selling fresh produce and other agricultural goods.

Hobson first presented the proposal in January. At that time, he described the retail space as a “farm stand,” prompting questions from officials about how that term is defined in the town’s zoning code and whether it applies to the project. Since then, the board and Hobson have agreed to classify the structure as a “retail store,” a designation that allows broader use, including leasing the space to farmers or other businesses.

Board members identified several missing elements in the application, prompting them to delay setting a public hearing until those items are addressed. Among board members’ concerns were the lack of an exterior lighting plan, details on an electric vehicle charging station and a required stormwater plan.

Re-zoning questions

The board’s final discussion Wednesday concerned a proposed wedding and event space at 7685 Route 82.

Angela Somma, who organizes concerts at a barn in Clermont, New York, said she is considering buying the property for use as a general event space with lodging for event guests.

The discussions prompted an exploration of Pine Plains’s zoning districts, leading board members and Somma to discover the property crosses over both the Main Street district and the restrictive Hamlet Residential district. That bifurcation complicated Somma’s plans for lodging, board members said, citing uncertainty on whether the town’s code addressed properties that are divided by multiple districts.

Town code states that regulations for the less restrictive district may extend up to 30 feet into the more restrictive portion of a divided property.

Board members suggested Somma may want to seek redistricting the parcel from the Town Board.