Podcasts about planning board

PB93 - Planning Board 1/15/26

PB99 - Planning Board 4/23/26

PB103 - Planning Board 6/25/26

PB102 - Planning Board 6/11/26

PB101 - Planning Board 5/28/26

PB100 - Planning Board 5/14/26

PB104 - Planning Board 7/9/26

PB98 - Planning Board 3/26/26

PB97 - Planning Board 3/12/26

PB96 - Planning Board 2/26/26

PB95 - Planning Board 2/12/26

PB94 - Planning Board 1/29/26

In Episode 211, Scott Piehler's topics include: Busy times for the City Council and the Planning Board. A sunken ship finally being removed from the estuary. Alameda Brewing brings home the Gold. A bit of Hollywood here in Alameda. Burger King reopens. Plus something for everyone this weekend, including getting to know the Caroline of Caroline street. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook •  Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

Beacon building draws Planning Board's ire For the second straight month, Beacon Planning Board Chair John Gunn blasted the 364 Main St. development team on Tuesday (July 14) as the board parsed discrepancies between the nearly complete building and plans approved four years earlier. According to a spreadsheet submitted by the Poughkeepsie-based Baxter group, which purchased the property in 2024, at least 21 features on the fenced-off structure deviate from the approved site plan. Some changes were made to architectural drawings that were approved when building permits were issued, project officials said. Others were "field changes" approved, sometimes verbally, by city officials onsite. A final category listed applicant/contractor changes. The changes range from window-sill sizes and detailing and the installation of sidewall vents to more noticeable deviations such as the replacement of fire-rated windows with solid walls in stairwells and in a rooftop lobby. In another instance, standard double windows were installed instead of Juliet balconies. A patio at the front of the building was modified because the floor height and Main Street sidewalk were not accurately represented on drawings. Steps and gates next to the adjacent Masjid Ur Rashid mosque were on the site plan but never constructed. A canopy over the residential entrance was removed, with a recessed entryway constructed in its place. Custom wood windows with decorative trim on the storefront were replaced with aluminum windows with insulated metal panels. At least one change — replacing the approved thin-brick veneer with full-depth bricks — likely enhances structural integrity, though it's unclear whether the city approved it. "I've looked at the timeline," said Jason Anderson, the president of ADG Architects, a firm recently hired by Baxter. "The contractor came in, got the building permit and built what was on the drawings, with the exception of the field changes. We have a finished painting that we're trying now to correct." The inconsistencies infuriated Gunn, who acknowledged he was repeating himself. "Do you understand the position that this applicant put the city in?" he asked, his voice rising. "This is a goddamn mess, and you're asking us to help you fix a giant mistake. This is an ugly building. It's built poorly. It looks horrible." Pointing at diagrams, he shouted: "It's not what we approved!" The issues have also derailed the tenants who expected to occupy the building's 8,800 square feet of commercial space and 20 apartments. The owner of Pure Physique, a gym set to open on the first floor, said in a letter to the board that she has had to provide membership refunds while absorbing the financial impact "of a business that is fully prepared to open but is unable to operate." Most of the apartments had been rented, project attorney Taylor Palmer said, but about 25 percent of the tenants pulled out because the building lacks a certificate of occupancy. After more than an hour of back-and-forth, the developer agreed to confer in a work session with the city's consultants. "We need better ideas," Gunn said. The board could vote as early as next month on a proposal to convert a two-story brick building to a karaoke bar called The Howl. The project has received pushback from nearby residents, but Gunn said Tuesday that a city consultant agreed that the applicant's plans to mitigate noise "appear to be very robust." Eric Weitner, the applicant, said he had scaled back operating hours to 2 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, 2 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, noon to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Sundays will no longer revert to Saturday hours on holiday weekends. There will be no parking in the rear of the building, which adjoins the residential neighborhood. Responding to public concerns, Weitner said staff at The Howl will conduct "perimeter checks" five times per eight-hour shift to keep patrons from congregating outside. Security ca...

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Beacon developer ordered to make project right The developer of a Main Street building in Beacon must return to the Planning Board on Tuesday (July 14) with a "full, complete and comprehensive" list of how the nearly complete structure at 364 Main deviated from a site plan approved four years ago. The property owner, Eric Baxter, and other project officials came to the board in May seeking approval of an amended site plan after acknowledging that nearly two dozen features on the building — material selections, window and facade details, the replacement of Juliet balconies and others — had been changed during construction. With Chair John Gunn absent, board members rebuked Baxter but took no action. Last month, Gunn took the project team to task. Applications for prominent sites such as 364 "establish our Main Street," Gunn said on June 9. "Our Main Street," he repeated, with emphasis. "The Main Street we all have to look at, experience and live with, and this applicant ignored all of the time that we put in to that review." His voice raised sharply, Gunn said he was "beyond angry at the waste of our time, including this time" spent reviewing the plan again. "I want it known by every applicant that we don't sit here just for our health, or for the fun of it. This is a waste of our time, and I'm tired of it. I want that clear," he said. Gunn said he expected the applicant to return this month with a list of "every single item" that deviates from the plan approved in April 2022. "And I'm not going to talk any more about this until next month when we have that list, and we're going to go line by line, is that clear?" he said. "It's very clear," said Taylor Palmer, the developer's attorney. The project team is taking the matter "very seriously," he said, and intends to "make this project better overall, not just return to center." A public hearing will be required before the board can approve changes, but Gunn said it is too early to schedule one. Once complete, the three-story building will have commercial space on the first floor and 20 apartments on the second and third. A public hearing will continue Tuesday on a proposal to convert an art gallery at 1154 North Ave. (Route 9D) to a karaoke bar. The project was introduced in May and drew immediate pushback from neighbors, who said that people congregating at the venue late at night would disrupt nearby residences. In response, the project team submitted a five-page management plan last month that it said could allay some concerns. It states that the venue will operate primarily via online reservations, though walk-ins may be accommodated if capacity allows. Walk-ins who cannot be accommodated will either wait at the bar or leave and receive a text notification when space is available. Staff will be trained to address capacity-related issues. Patrons will not be permitted to congregate on sidewalks, at the rear of the building or near emergency exits, the plan says. A rear exit will be used for emergencies only. Smoking will be permitted in a designated outdoor area on the southwest corner of the building, but the space will not be used as "an outdoor gathering area." The venue is proposed to be closed on Monday and Tuesday, and open from 2 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday. On holiday weekends, Sundays would revert to Saturday hours. "That means a Sunday goes to 1:30 a.m. on a holiday? I don't know about that," Gunn said during a June 9 meeting. The applicant, Eric Weitner, said he had based the hours on comparable businesses, including the Vinyl Room and Piggy Bank (both open until 2 a.m. on weekends) and the Happy Valley Arcade Bar (open until 1:30 a.m. on weekends). But if the Sunday schedule is a problem, "we're amenable to bringing that back," he said. Patrons would be encouraged to use public transportation or park on-street or in one of the nearby municipal lots. Noise has been the gre...

Legislators will appoint most members The Putnam Legislature on Tuesday (July 7) approved a law giving it the power to appoint the majority of the Board of Ethics. At the same time, it dissolved the current five-member panel, which had three vacancies. The 5-3 vote (with one legislator absent) could be vetoed by County Executive Kevin Byrne. The executive currently nominates all five volunteer members, who then must be confirmed by the Legislature. The revision reduces the executive's nominations to two and gives one to the Legislature's chair, one to its minority leader and the fifth to a majority of the Legislature. In 2025, according to its annual report, the Board of Ethics investigated three complaints of potential conflicts of interest and received one request for an advisory opinion. It also reviewed 193 financial disclosure forms. It lost three members in 2025: Roderick Cassidy resigned, Joseph DeMarzo decided not to seek another term and John Sweeny died. The board has a budget of about $31,000 for 2026, including $25,000 to hire outside counsel for ongoing litigation. Under the current system, "the Legislature's only role was to vote 'yes' or 'no' " on the county executive's nominees, said Legislator Jake D'Angelo, whose district includes parts of Carmel and Kent. "The public never knew how the candidates were identified, what their qualifications were or who else may have even been considered." As the Legislature's sole Democrat and minority leader, Nancy Montgomery would nominate one member for the panel. A proposal by Legislator Erin Crowley, who represents parts of Carmel, to eliminate the minority-leader nomination failed to gain enough support. "There was a lot of political grandstanding" about the minority nomination, said Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and Putnam Valley. "It's not about giving the minority control; it's about independence and public confidence." The measure shortens board members' terms from three years to two and retains language banning appointees who are lobbyists or officeholders in a political party. It also drops a requirement that at least one member of the board be a county officer, employee or elected official and instead bars anyone in those positions from serving. In addition, if the Legislature's nine members are from the same party, the county chair of the "non-controlling party" gets to choose the minority-party nominee. Putnam's code requires that Byrne hold a public hearing no later than 20 days after receiving the legislation and approve or veto it within 25 days. The Legislature can override a veto with six votes. The current board has two members: Barbara Scuccimarra, a former Republican legislator who was defeated by Montgomery in 2018 and 2021, and Paul Eldridge, Putnam's personnel officer. Despite the three vacancies, legislators decided in June against confirming two Byrne appointees because of the Legislature's plans to change the appointment process and dissolve the current board. A third Byrne appointee, John Molloy, dropped out amid concerns that his position on the Putnam County Republican Committee violated the ban on appointing members who hold office in a political party. Byrne accused legislators of trying to "hijack" the board and "block the board from doing its job." He also said that Molloy "had already taken steps to resign from the GOP committee upon his appointment." The Legislature formally reallocated $2.1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding initially earmarked for a mental health crisis center to paving projects. People USA had planned to lease space for the 24-hour "stabilization" center above a childcare center in Brewster, but that sparked outrage from residents and led the Town of Southeast to impose a moratorium on permits for medical and mental health clinics. The nonprofit then tried to open a center in an office building in Carmel. That provoked similar opposition, and the town's Planning Board rejected the applicatio...

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In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Mike Gillis for an end-of-June recap of city government activity. June was an unusually quiet month, with the City Council holding only one regular meeting, plus a special meeting and workshop on June 3. The special meeting addressed a procedural housekeeping vote on the waterfront TIF, ensuring the $6 million in bonding was properly noticed. Parker explains how tax increment financing works, with growth above a baseline funneled into a dedicated bucket that pays debt service, and notes the city only issues debt when funds are actually needed. The accompanying workshop covered stormwater management and nutrient loading in Great Bay, plus an update on the Tolend Road landfill Superfund site, a long-term obligation that later prompted a roughly $530,000 appropriation from unassigned fund balance. The council also weighed in on state legislation, supporting HB 1491 (later vetoed) and opposing HB 1588 as an attack on local control.The Planning Board met twice, granting conditional approval to convert below-grade canal-level space at the Cocheco Falls Mill into residential units, and experiencing a rare 4-4 tie vote on a conditional use permit for the historic Samuel Wyatt house at 7 Church Street. Parker announced a July 14 ribbon-cutting for Nebi Park, comparing its cost to the newly renovated outdoor pool. The School Board accepted 16 retirements totaling 369 years of service, and both Parker and Gillis praised Dover Adult Learning graduations and the Dover High commencement at the Whittemore Center.

In Episode 208, Scott Piehler's topics include: No answers in the dismissal of Coach Arnerich. The Planning Board discusses pro soccer on Bay Farm. An Alameda County grand jury examines Alameda's emergency operations. An extended look at our local real estate market. Local rowers bring home the gold. West Nile is detected in Alameda County. Another great Sand Castle competition. Plus events for the first full weekend of Summer. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook •  Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

Caroline Pineau, owner and CEO of Stem, a Haverhill cannabis retailer, recently shared her story of navigating the struggles of breast cancer, while managing a company.She appeared on WHAV's morning program. Pineau explained, after being diagnosed last October, she underwent a double mastectomy to avoid chemotherapy and radiation treatments.She was encouraged by medical professionals to have an early mammogram due to breast cancer running in her family. Pineau said her thankfulness in catching the cancer early saying,“I was grateful that early detection allowed me to have more options in my treatment,” said Pineau. “If there's one thing that I could empower women to do more is to be more on top of early detection when it comes to your breast care health,” she added.Despite Pineau's cancer scare, she continues her work as Stem launched a campaign to collect signatures to allow on-premise cannabis consumption in Haverhill. Explaining, Stem will need 4,700 signatures from registered Haverhill voters in order to get its question on the November ballot. Stem was looking to collect signatures at CiderFeast last Thursday, June 18, and again Wednesday night at the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, where Stem had a “community education evening” to answer question from potential supporters.Stem is also hosting its fifth annual Green Goddess Invitational golf tournament on Oct. 26, at Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill to support early detection breast cancer advocacy and support for women facing cancer diagnoses.Pineau described how Stem sees itself contributing not just to the community of marijuana users in the city but to Haverhill as a whole,“We have a vision for Haverhill as a thriving community where small businesses can flourish and contribute to the local economy. So, we really see social consumption as a way to create more jobs, boost local businesses and foster a sense of community here in Haverhill.”She added, “We really believe this can help bring more vibrancy to Haverhill's downtown.” Pineau remarked on Haverhill's desire to have a 18-hour economy, believing that Stem can be a contributing factor in this endeavor.Currently, Stem is breaking ground on phase two of its construction to turn its 124 Washington St. building's third and fourth floors and roof into a cannabis lounge. The building within the Washington Street Shoe District, was built in 1876, prior to the Great Fire of 1882. Pineau said she believes the location was “born to be a cannabis building.”Stem has hearings scheduled Wednesday, July 8, before the Planning Board and Tuesday, July 14, before the City Council.Support the show

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In Episode 207, Scott Piehler's topics include: The City Council adopts a new plan. A shooting at Crown Beach. A Planning Board preview.  One of the world's top sailors is headed to Alameda. A changing of the guard on Coast Guard Island. Beer downtown, and birds and bites at Alameda Point. Activities for your weekend, including ways to say “Thanks, Dad.” Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook •  Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

Redevelopment of state prisons proves challenging Two years after New York State selected Conifer Realty to construct a mixed-use campus with up to 1,300 apartments at the former Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, the company has yet to submit a proposal to the town's Planning Board. Two and a half miles away, redevelopment plans at another decommissioned state prison, the Beacon Correctional Facility, or Camp Beacon, have also stalled. An update from Empire State Development, New York's economic development agency, provides little clarity. A spokesperson for the agency said on June 5 that "ESD, Conifer and the Town of Fishkill continue to work collaboratively on the redevelopment of the Downstate Correctional Facility" — virtually the same statement it provided a year ago, when it said that "ESD continues to work with Conifer and the Town of Fishkill to finalize a site plan." The state announced in June 2024 that the Rochester-based Conifer would, over the course of a decade, convert the 80-acre former maximum-security prison into a campus with as many as 1,300 housing units. Construction of 375 units, at least 20 percent of them "permanently affordable" for households earning less than 80 percent of the area's annual median income, was expected to begin by January 2026. Fishkill Supervisor Ozzy Albra, who criticized the plans as a "bad deal for the taxpayers," said a year ago that he had negotiated ESD and Conifer down to 1,100 units. He said this week that, while he believes local schools, including Glenham Elementary, which is part of the Beacon City School District, will be able to absorb the students generated by the development, traffic will be a critical issue. That has guided continued negotiations, he said, with his goal to get the unit count "well below 700." Albra said he has made a number of additional requests, including a split between homes for sale and rental units and for the project to include more one-bedroom apartments. The state's announcement, framed as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul's plan to build 15,000 homes and apartments to address a statewide housing crisis, said the site would include two-story duplexes and triplexes, with at least 25 percent of units having three bedrooms. Albra has also asked New York State to commit to connecting the property to the Dutchess Park and Rombout sewer districts and to extend water infrastructure to the surrounding area. Last year, Conifer said it would limit construction to 2½-story buildings because the nearest fire department, in Glenham, does not have a ladder truck. A spokesperson said this week that the company continues to "work collaboratively" with stakeholders, but there are "no major updates to report." The representative did not respond when asked about a timeline for a submission to the Planning Board. Albra said he has no insight into timing, either, but suggested the project has slowed because "we did our homework to protect the residents of Fishkill." Meanwhile, the state has twice asked for proposals — and once awarded development rights — at Camp Beacon, yet the 39-acre property, with 22 buildings hidden beyond Beacon High School and the city's Highway Garage, has remained seemingly untouched since the women's prison closed in 2013. New York State asked for proposals in 2014 but received only one: from the New York City-based Doe Fund, which proposed creating a farming and job-training center to help homeless and low-income people seek employment and self-sufficiency. The nonprofit withdrew its proposal in 2017 after local officials — including Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, then a state senator — asked then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reject the plan because it was "inconsistent with the site's mixed-use, recreational and destination development potential." After seeking a second round of proposals, in 2019 Empire State Development selected Urban Green Food, also based in New York City. The organization said it planned to build a hotel ...

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In Episode 206, Scott Piehler's topics include: The Planning Board studies the next phase of development at Alameda Point. A preview of the next City Council meeting. The Corica Golf dispute is settled. EBMUD has an unexpected repair. Graduations in the news. A fish frenzy. APD looking to catch you in the act…of doing the right thing. The latest real estate sales, and events for your weekend. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook •  Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

In Episode 205, Scott Piehler's topics include: The City Council approves a parking plan for the Jean Sweeney aquatic center. The Planning Board prepares for one of their biggest challenges. The Primary may be over, but the tallying continues. Encinal Field gets a new name. Changes to schedules and fares at AC Transit. Alameda receives some welcome funding. And, with the end of the school year,  events to keep you occupied. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook •  Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

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In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Director of Media Services Mike Gillis fills in for Deputy City Manager Chris Parker to discuss the major items from Dover's May public meetings.The City Council held three meetings. A May 6 workshop covered housing—where the median home sale price topped $570,000 and a two-bedroom rental requires roughly $90,000 in annual income to be affordable—and the dredge cell sale at Maglaras Park. On May 13, the Council recognized the Shaw family for 40-plus years of Riverbend Pizza and Subs and the FIRST Robotics team, approved a $25,000 change order for the dredge cell closure tied to new state permitting, and selected Cochecho River Recreation as the NEBI Park pavilion operator. The May 27 meeting featured downtown pedestrian improvements, dump truck purchases, and Dover Middle School HVAC bonding.The Planning Board addressed a TD Bank ATM site plan amendment, a no-cut buffer compliance case on Sixth Street, a conditional use permit near Berry Brook, and a Back River Road cottage-style development. The Zoning Board reviewed four variance requests, including subdivisions and a fire-damaged two-family rebuild.The School Board advanced a revised geothermal HVAC proposal for Dover Middle School, related bonding, and a new business administrator appointment. Graduation is Thursday at 7 p.m.Finally, the Cochecho Waterfront Development Advisory Committee toured the site ahead of a July ribbon cutting, with an updated virtual tour coming soon.

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This week Chris goes over the School Board, Planning Board, and Zoning Board meetings and has special guest Community Development Director Kyle Finnell on to go a little more indepth and talk about upcoming projects.

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In Episode 202, Scott Piehler's topics include: Alameda Hotel Apartments hit the market. The Planning Board examines ADU to Condo conversion.  A look ahead to next week's City Council meeting. SF Bay Ferry set to increase rates. The Clement/Tilden project continues. Get to know the birds on the beach. A beloved Park Street retailer set to reopen. Plus, events for your weekend. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook •  Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

Plus, other construction updates The Beacon Planning Board held a public hearing on Tuesday (May 12) on a developer's proposal to open a karaoke bar called The Howl just off Main Street. The plan would convert the former art gallery space at 1154 North Ave. (Route 9D), near the west end of Main, to a venue for "immersive live-performance experiences." The site is across from the police station; the next street over, West Church, is residential, while two 4-story buildings with 64 apartments and nearly 14,000 square feet of commercial space have been approved nearby on Beekman Street. The parcel is owned by a group that, through several LLCs, holds more than two dozen properties in Beacon, most of them on and around the west end of Main Street, including the housing development under construction at 2 Cross/172 Main. The applicant, Eric Weitner, told the board on Tuesday that the two-story brick structure will have an 80-person lounge on the first floor. The second floor will have six private karaoke suites and, while designed for 80 people, its expected usage will be "more like 40" patrons, the project architect said. According to project materials, The Howl was conceived as a "value-add to the local community and aligns with Beacon's long-standing tradition of fostering arts, music and creative gathering spaces." Weitner said he is working with an acoustic engineer on noise control and will submit a report with plans for next month's meeting. The intention is to "not disturb any of the neighbors," he said. The venue would be closed Monday and Tuesday and open from 2 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, from noon to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday. A consultant said the venue will need 38 parking spaces at peak; it would use the public lot at City Hall, the same one that could be utilized by Prophecy Hall and a future hotel at 1064 Wolcott Ave. There should be about 10 spaces left in the lot after accounting for those uses, the consultant said. Several residents submitted emails to the Planning Board supporting or opposing the project, and others attended the Tuesday hearing. "This business is going to be located in my backyard," said Rob VanCott, who lives on West Church. "I'm not a fool; people are going to be hanging out in the back of the property" doing what "comes along with having a good time." Weitner said a rear door would be an emergency exit only and "there won't be an influx of people waiting outside to get in." There will be no outdoor seating, he said. Board members asked him to return with plans showing how customers would be evacuated in an emergency. The public hearing remains open. Planning Board members on Tuesday chastised the owner of 364 Main St., where a three-story building with commercial space and 20 apartments is nearly complete. The project was approved in 2022, but officials returned seeking approval for architectural changes that occurred during construction. The changes do not affect the building footprint but include material selections, facade changes, window detailing and the replacement of Juliet balconies and doors with double windows. There is also a reduction in rooftop area and, after discovering that the first-floor elevation is two feet higher than anticipated, a front patio was modified. Board members were unhappy. "Why these changes were made without communication is a hot potato," said Randall Williams, who acted as chair in John Gunn's absence. Len Warner said that, after dropping approved features, "what we're left with is a really drab building." Karen Quiana added: "The Main Street facade is completely unacceptable in my view. It is awful." In a comment responding to a Facebook post in March, architect Aryeh Siegel wrote: "This isn't the building I designed. It's embarrassing." On Tuesday, an architect from a different firm appeared with Eric Baxter, the owner. Williams asked Baxter to return next month with "substantial suggestions, n...

Changes inspired by Hudson Highlands Reserve Philipstown has amended its regulations for "conservation subdivisions" that sowed some confusion among Planning Board members last year when they reviewed a proposal for a 24-unit housing development called Hudson Highlands Reserve. The project was Philipstown's first conservation subdivision, a residential development in which houses are clustered to preserve more land as open space. Philipstown's zoning allows developers to build more units in exchange for maintaining features such as forests, scenic views and wetlands. The previous regulations required projects to be considered as potential conservation subdivisions but gave the Planning Board discretion to allow a conventional site plan, even if it determined that the plan would adversely affect the town's rural character. Based on recommendations from a Zoning Update Committee, the Town Board on Thursday (May 7) approved language specifying that the Planning Board "shall require" a conservation subdivision if it has fewer adverse effects on the rural landscape or natural resources than a conventional plan. In addition, the new regulations remove steep slopes and wetlands from the calculations for how much land must be preserved and eliminate a "density formula" as one of two methods (along with a "yield plan") for calculating the number of permitted units. (A yield plan requires a preliminary design, with minimum lot sizes ranging from 3 to 20 acres per unit, depending on the district. The density formula allowed 75 percent of slopes, wetlands and other "constrained" land to be subtracted from the buildable area used in determining the number of units.) In March, the Planning Board approved the revisions by a 6-to-1 vote. In reviewing Hudson Highlands Reserve, the board "tore itself up on yield plan versus density and didn't understand why both were there," said Neal Zuckerman, its chair. "We really struggled on why they were getting so much credit for conserving land that could never be built upon in the first place." The changes, which included removing convenience stores as an allowed use in a conservation subdivision, "add clarity, simplicity and directness," he said. Climate Smart Martha Upton plans to resign as coordinator of Philipstown's Climate Smart program. Upton, who became coordinator in 2022, will step down in September or sooner if the town names a replacement. "I reluctantly will have to accept this," said Supervisor John Van Tassell, adding that he knew residents who are interested in the position. "She has really provided us with a lot of equipment, a lot of resources," he said. "So, my appreciation to Martha for her years of service." Tubman Byway The board approved a resolution expressing its support for the state to designate the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad New York Scenic Byway, a 550-mile corridor between Manhattan and Niagara Falls. Phase One runs 173 miles between Niagara Falls and Auburn, home of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. Philipstown is along the Phase Two route, which covers 376 miles between Manhattan and Auburn. Public notices The board tabled a resolution supporting the proposed Local Government Notice Modernization and Transparency Act, which would allow municipalities to post public notices solely on their websites, rather than paying to have them printed in newspapers. Last month, Nelsonville's board approved a resolution supporting the legislation. But Philipstown's board members said they wanted to continue advertising in print newspapers. "I would add that a healthy community relies on a healthy press, and I think we should support our papers where we can," said Ned Rauch, a member of the Town Board and a former journalist. For decades, Philipstown, Cold Spring and Nelsonville used The Putnam County News & Recorder as their "official newspaper" for notices. But after the weekly closed last month, all three municipalities switched to The Poughkeepsie Journal, whi...

Fire companies to be honored for 2025 rescue Marathon site At the Wednesday (May 6) meeting of the Cold Spring Village Board, Mayor Kathleen Foley addressed questions she said had been raised about the 12-acre Marathon site on Kemble Avenue during public sessions hosted by the owner, The Kearney Group, and an urban planning firm, Speck-Dempsey. "They were not village events, and there is no application [before village boards] yet for the site," Foley said. "This board is not authorized to act on its own related to this parcel, and I certainly have no authority to authorize anything on my own." The Zoning Board, Planning Board and the Historic District Review Board are the reviewing bodies, the mayor said. She said the process will follow Chapter 134 of the Village Code, which regulates planned mixed-use projects. "There are a lot of thoughtful hoops that project will have to go to before it's ever approved," she said. "There are many process points at which there will be opportunity for public comment, and to shape the outcome." Mountain rescue The Cold Spring and North Highlands fire companies will be recognized at the Putnam County EMS banquet later this month for a mountain rescue they performed, along with the Philipstown Volunteer Ambulance Corp, on May 3, 2025. CSFC Chief Matt Steltz said the victim had been critically injured by a falling tree limb. First responders administered medical care and transported the victim off the mountain, he said. CSFC has conducted four mountain rescues since March. The department answered 14 calls in April, including seven activated fire alarms, three mutual aids to local fire companies and two injured or lost hikers. Police tasers The board approved a recommendation by Matt Jackson, the Police Department's officer-in-charge, to accept a $106,382 bid from Axon Enterprise for tasers and training, amortized over 10 years. Jackson said the units will replace models with outdated technology that are no longer supported by the supplier. CSPD responded to 137 calls in April, including 17 alarms, 16 assists to local EMS and 11 traffic stops. Officers also investigated four suspicious incidents and two calls each involving fraud and harassment. In other news… The Climate Smart Committee's food scrap recycling program will be expanded from weekly pickup to twice weekly. In addition, beginning June 1, any type of food scraps can be deposited in the bin at 46 Kemble Ave. on Tuesday mornings for pickup that evening or on Thursdays for Friday pickup. The board authorized RACE Coastal Engineering to conduct a three-phase structural evaluation of the Cold Spring dock at a cost of $30,125. The board approved in principle a request by the Cold Spring Boat Club to upgrade the club's entrance gate, but tabled a request to allow a food truck to operate on the site. The riverfront property is owned by the village and leased to the club. The board tentatively approved a request for a film crew to shoot in the village on June 3, pending information about traffic control and other details. The areas affected would include Depot Square, a small section of Main Street and the Our Lady of Loretto parking lot. The board accepted Ben Cheah's resignation from the Planning Board, effective June 30, and will seek applicants to fill the position. A youth baseball clinic will be held at Mayor's Park from June 29 through July 1. The park will remain open to the public.

Room rates at former Craig House start at $513 Local and county officials gathered in Beacon on Thursday afternoon (May 7) for the ribbon-cutting of the luxury Mirbeau Inn & Spa on Route 9D, which opens today for guests with rooms ranging from $513 to $693 per night. The Mirbeau Companies, which owns a day spa in Albany and three resorts (in Rhinebeck and Skaneateles, New York, and Plymouth, Massachusetts), purchased the 64-acre estate for $10 million in 2022. Its centerpiece is a 14,000-square-foot, neo-Gothic mansion built in 1859 for Civil War Gen. Joseph Howland and his wife, Eliza. It later became a private psychiatric hospital, Craig House, that closed in 1999 and had sat empty since. Mirbeau began construction in February 2024. As unveiled on Thursday, the mansion is a spiffed-up pink brick jewel surrounded by incipient plantings, newly sodded lawns and a pool and water feature with a bridge and winding paths. Mirbeau tore down a 1978 hospital wing and built a chateau with the spa and 63 rooms in its place. In his remarks, Ed Kellogg, the general manager, admitted that finishing the project went "right down to the wire." Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou confirmed this, saying he received a call from Kellogg at 11 that morning saying the city's Building Department had just issued the certificate of occupancy required for opening. Kellogg noted that Craig House, the treatment center of choice for the rich and famous such as Zelda Fitzgerald and Jackie Gleason, had a "long history of wellness and rehabilitation. We're excited about that." He praised the city and the Planning Board as "wonderful," hailing their professionalism. "It was a challenge," he said, but "it was a great experience." Kyriacou thanked Mirbeau founders Linda and Gary Dowers and "the entire Mirbeau team for bringing this gem of a historic asset back to life." He said that Dia art museum coming to Beacon in 2003 was a "first huge leap" for the city. "This is the second leap for us," he said. "I want to say how important I think this will be for Beacon to take that next step of becoming a destination for tourism, for the arts and for people to come here and help enjoy our Main Street and keep it alive, keep it going," Kyriacou said. "I will say that we will be adding more catalysts in short order: The Fjord Trail and the Beacon Rail Trail are coming soon and will be important additions and very natural fits" for the spa. Restoring a historic property comes with a plethora of rules and regulations. "This was the most challenging project we've ever undertaken," said Michael Dal Pos, the CEO of Mirbeau Hospitality Services. "But the results speak for themselves." Kellogg noted that Mirbeau was not able to add an elevator in the original home because it would have altered the roofline and jeopardized the company's historic preservation tax credits. Instead, guests reach the second-floor rooms by climbing a wooden staircase. Mirbeau installed a dumbwaiter to move luggage. The main suite was the Howlands' original bedroom. Its furnishings play up the antique look with a wooden vanity, plush upholstery and draperies. The bathroom in this primary suite is bigger than many New York City studio apartments and has a clawfoot tub and lavish-looking glass-enclosed shower. On the ground floor, there is a suitably dark lounge and library with an adjoining game room dominated by an ornate 1873 Johnson & Company 58-pipe organ. There is a bar and several pretty dining rooms, with a few blank spots on the walls (and signs begging pardon for work in progress). A large banquet room has views toward the river. There are several outside terraces furnished with tables, chairs and umbrellas that have views of the manicured grounds, but also look down on a wooded area and parking lots. Photos by Ross Corsair The chateau's lower floor houses the spa, which includes a gym, yoga room and solarium that are flooded with natural light. Doors lead out to a Monet Garden (the ...

Also, updates on parking, historic properties Beacon residents will be able to apply later this year to serve on a committee tasked with updating the city's comprehensive plan. New York State recommends that municipalities update their plans — the blueprint for how a city will grow — every 10 years; Beacon's was last revised in 2017. That document was drafted by a consulting firm with input from a committee of residents and city officials. Public workshops were held in the fall of 2016. There has been a general shift from doing "everything and the kitchen sink" rewrites of comprehensive plans to focusing on priorities, planning consultant Natalie Quinn told the City Council on Monday (May 4). The 2017 update focused on the waterfront and Metro-North train station area. Council members should begin thinking about important areas, because the 2027 plan will guide future councils as they enact zoning laws, said City Attorney Jennifer Gray. Topics mentioned Monday included non-vehicular transportation, smaller housing units as an affordability tool, climate adaptation and protected scenic views. Council Member Lastar Gorton disagreed with the approach, saying she would prefer a review of the entire plan. "Beacon is completely different now" than in 2017, she said. "Let the community have its say." Historic properties A public hearing on properties nominated for Beacon's historic district, scheduled to continue on May 18, will likely be adjourned to June 1. In the meantime, the city is creating an FAQ to explain the program. Many residents who spoke during the first part of the hearing last month seemed uncertain about the details. Properties added to the district will be required to obtain approval from the Planning Board before making alterations to certain historic features, but there are tax and assessment benefits that come with the designation, Mayor Lee Kyriacou said. Parking requirements It's too soon to say whether Beacon's new parking requirements for developments will affect the number of apartments being built in the city. In August 2024, the City Council eliminated minimum parking requirements for new developments and substantial reconstructions in "core" walkable areas, such as Main Street and parts of the waterfront. Instead, there is now a maximum number of spaces developers may provide. Studies have concluded that minimum parking requirements added to the cost of new housing and hindered the development of affordable units. A report by the Planning Board looked at 10 projects approved by the end of last year. In that time, four applicants provided the same parking as would have previously been required, three provided one to three fewer spaces, and two provided as many as 40 fewer spaces. In several cases, the report said, applicants voluntarily provided on-site parking because of design considerations and anticipated demand. But developments on Main Street provided fewer spaces. The Planning Board said it's too soon to know how reduced supply will impact demand for on-street spaces, because the developments have not been built. Moving forward, the board said it will monitor applications that provide no parking but rely on municipal lots, to avoid over-allocating or "double-counting." In addition, overuse of city lots could be an issue during snowstorms. As for the new parking regulations and the density of development, "unit counts" are affected by factors other than parking, Quinn told the council. Future data will provide more clarity, she said. Council Member Carolyn Bennett Glauda remarked: "If we want to encourage people to come here and not have cars, we need to talk about our bike comprehensive plan, and we need to talk about public transportation as viable options." Meeting schedule The City Council seems ready to continue meeting on the first and third Monday of each month, instead of weekly, as it had done for decades. The shift to every other week (except during months with five Mondays) has allowed ...

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In Episode 196, Scott Piehler's topics include: Busy times for the Planning Board, City Council, and AUSD. An embezzlement arrest involving Girls Inc. AC Transit makes changes. Local nurses raise a red flag. Another No Kings rally. Are you ready for a tsunami? Do you really need 10,000 steps? And, events for your weekend.  Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook •  Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

In Episode 194, Scott Piehler's topics include: The Planning Board addresses housing. A busy City Council agenda. Woodstock spreads its water wings. APD busts a mail thief. Some great sports news just across the Estuary. Warm weather brings lots to do, including Restaurant Week 2026. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook • Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

In Episode 193, Scott Piehler's topics include: The latest from City Council. A look ahead to the next Planning Board. Layoffs paused at Alameda Health. Our new Postmaster makes history. The latest real estate sales. The Rotary Club plants for the future. Carrier Con is back. A golden celebration. Events for your weekend, and don't forget the time change on Sunday.  Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook • Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

In Episode 192, Scott Piehler's topics include: City Council addresses police statistics and the homeless issue. A preview of next week's Planning Board meeting. AUSD averts a strike. Our Naval history in the present day. The latest real estate sales. And SF Beer Week tops the list of events. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook • Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

rWotD Episode 3207: Matthew Scannapieco Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Friday, 13 February 2026, is Matthew Scannapieco.Matthew V. Scannapieco (born May 21, 1944) is an American politician who served as Mayor of Marlboro, New Jersey from 1992 to 2003. During the course of his career in public service, Scannapieco, a Republican, also served on the Township Council, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment. During his tenure as mayor, he sat on the planning board and appointed all but one of the other members. During this time, Marlboro township experienced a 40 percent increase in housing units in Marlboro, or nearly 3,500 new units. In 2005, in the case of United States of America v. Matthew V. Scannapieco, he was charged with illegally accepting cash payments to influence planning processes and tax evasion.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:08 UTC on Friday, 13 February 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Matthew Scannapieco on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Joanna.

Last year, Hampton Coffee Company took over a roadside cafe in a quiet corner of Hampton Bays. Over decades, the building, a former farm stand, had been expanded and transformed into a small eatery with bathrooms, a kitchen and walk-in refrigerators. The neighbors love having the cafe nearby. The problem is, all those expansions were done sans permits. So in an effort to bring everything up to date, Hampton Coffee Company's owners Jason and Theresa Belkin filed a change of tenancy notice with Southampton Town Building Department to officially convert the certificate of occupancy from a farm stand to a take-out restaurant. Now the town is telling the Belkins they must go to the Planning Board for a proper assessment of what the building has become. This week, the editors discuss the conundrum the town faces as it considers legalizing a beloved business in a residential zone while also pondering what sort of precedents it might set down the road in other similar situations.

In Episode 183, Scott Piehler's topics include: The Planning Board approves the next step in the West Midway Housing Project. The Clipper system gets a major upgrade. A couple of local documentaries in the news. Wildlife on the shore and on the water. The latest real estate sales. And holiday events are in full swing. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook • Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

In Episode 182, Scott Piehler's topics include: City Council tackles inclusionary housing, and lets Mylar balloon sales continue. The Planning Board returns to Alameda Point. The Food Bank and Christ Episcopal to unveil new services. A brazen robbery at a local 7-Eleven. Alameda Fire Department honors one of their own. A holiday gift guide devoted to Alameda.  Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook • Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • TikTok • YouTube • Apple News •

===== MDJ Script/ Top Stories for November 21st Publish Date:  November 21st    Commercial: From the BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.    Today is Friday, November 21st and Happy Birthday to Stan The Man Musial I’m Keith Ippolito and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Times Journal Cobb targets millions in federal funds to counter drones, boost World Cup security Smyrna denies five-story apartment building Interrogation videos highlight third day of trial for man accused of killing Acworth neighbors Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on rice All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  BREAK: INGLES 10 STORY 1: Cobb targets millions in federal funds to counter drones, boost World Cup security  Next summer, Cobb County will play host to international soccer teams prepping for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, one of the biggest sporting events ever. With Atlanta set to host eight matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Cobb will handle training, transportation, and fan events. But with that comes challenges—crowds, security, and logistics. To prepare, county officials are asking for Homeland Security grants to boost safety measures, including $7.5–$12 million for drone detection tech. Training sites? Atlanta United’s grounds in Marietta, KSU’s Fifth Third Stadium, and possibly Pace Academy. “The more popular the team, the bigger the crowds,” said Cobb EMA Director Cassie Mazloom. STORY 2: Smyrna denies five-story apartment building  The Smyrna City Council shot down a rezoning request for a 250-unit apartment complex this week, with a 5-2 vote against the proposal. Wood Partners South Acquisitions LLC had pitched a five-story mixed-use development on 6.7 acres along Highlands Parkway, near Technology Court. The plan included 250 apartments—mostly one- and two-bedroom units—plus retail space, a pool, and a courtyard. Councilwoman Latonia Hines acknowledged the project’s quality but questioned the location. “It’s a great development—just not here,” she said. The Planning Board and city staff had already recommended denial, citing conflicts with the area’s industrial zoning. STORY 3: Interrogation videos highlight third day of trial for man accused of killing Acworth neighbors On the third day of Matthew Lanz’s murder trial, the defense finally had its turn. Lanz, now 26, sat quietly in a green jumpsuit, his hair unkempt, his face hidden behind a scruffy beard. Prosecutors played interrogation videos from 2021, where Lanz, then 22, denied killing his neighbors, Justin and Amber Hicks. “I didn’t murder them,” he said. “Someone murdered them.” The Hicks, both 31, were found shot to death in their home, their two-year-old son unharmed nearby. Lanz is accused of breaking in through a back window and pulling the trigger. The trial, a bench trial at the defense’s request, will hinge on Judge Sonja Brown’s decision. Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday, leaving the defense to decide if Lanz will testify. In one chilling video, Lanz asked police if Amber Hicks had been pregnant. She wasn’t, but his comment left the courtroom uneasy. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.  We’ll be right back. Break: STRAND THEATRE STORY 4: State Senate election appears headed toward runoff  It looks like Democrats Jaha Howard and Roger Bruce are headed for a runoff in the special election to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Jason Esteves. Unofficial results show Howard leading with 32.6% of the vote, followed by Bruce at 25.4%. The six-candidate race was a whirlwind, with just over a month to campaign. “We had to gear up in days,” Howard said, calling the campaign a “faith journey.” Bruce, a Capitol veteran with 22 years in the Georgia House, leaned on endorsements from big names like former Gov. Roy Barnes. The runoff is set for Dec. 16. STORY 5: Smyrna limits vape shop locations, approves Tolleson Aquatic Center contract This week, Smyrna’s City Council cracked down on vape shops, unanimously passing an ordinance to define and restrict them. “Right now, they’re just lumped in with general retail,” said Community Development Director Rusty Martin. “This lets us set some boundaries.” The new rules? Vape shops—defined as retailers primarily selling alternative nicotine or vapor products—can’t open within 1,000 feet of another vape shop, schools, or daycares. In other council news, Arrow Waste got the green light (6-1) for a temporary office on Riverview Road, despite concerns about a nearby fuel tank. Also approved: a $16.23M contract for the Tolleson Aquatic Center, set to open in 2027. And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on rice We’ll have closing comments after this. Break: Ingles Markets 10 Signoff-   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Marietta Daily Journal Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at mdjonline.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com Strand Marietta – Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.