Sands Point considers changes to site plan review

Luke Torrance
The Sands Point Board of Trustees during Tuesday's meeting. (Photo by Luke Torrance)

For someone looking to build a subdivision in Sands Point, the process could soon be easier. The Village of Sands Point is looking to simplify the process by only requiring the approval of the Planning Board, according to a new law discussed at Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

“Today we have very few subdivision applications,” Mayor Ed Adler said. “But where we do, we feel the Planning Board should … be more of a one-stop-shopping concept so that someone coming for a subdivision could stay with the planning board.”

Currently, those looking to create or purchase a subdivision must get approval from both the Planning Board and zoning board. Should the changes be approved, only the Planning Board’s approval would be needed unless there was a variance. The Planning Board would be able to do the site plan review.

The law was tabled for further public comment until the village’s next meeting on Feb. 27.

It was also because the village had so much to get through. The official agenda for the meeting had 39 items, the first time Adler could remember it stretching to four pages

“This is the longest agenda, as far as I know, in the history of the village,” he said.

One of the first items discussed was a review of the water commissioner’s report. Sands Point consumed 380 million gallons of water in 2017, which was substantially lower than any of the three previous years when at least 431 million gallons were consumed.

Adler said that droughts in 2015 and 2016 were partly to blame for the high consumption those years — 456 million and 468 million gallons, respectively — but added that the newly installed electric meters helped the village quickly find leaks, saving the village 2.8 million gallons per month.

“That’s pretty ginormous,” said Trustee Peter Forman, echoing the reaction of the board.

The board approved Feb. 1 as Grievance Day for assessments and ensured the roads would be clear on April 22 for the Helen Keller National Center’s annual Helen’s Walk/Run.

There were also a number of approved contracts and purchases for the Village Club of Sands Point, including the purchase of a new oven and the awarding of contracts for heating/air conditioning maintenance and hydroseeding.

The board also approved the reinforcement of a small balcony at the Village Club, if deemed necessary by the engineer. The balcony was determined to be structurally sound, but with the building over 100 years old, Adler wanted to be safe.

“I didn’t think anyone even [used it] until I was at this event and was told it was very popular for wedding photos to stand on that balcony,” he said.

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