A new cafe and coffee bean roaster may soon fill the hollow shell left by Market Market, a once-happening cafe and music venue on the corner of Madeline Lane on Route 32.

If applicant James Armata decides to buy the place, his company would spend most of the week baking green coffee beans to a toasted, brown finish, to be sold to their customers. Folks could also grab a cup of coffee, pastries, or some daily provisions. Armata’s application was a preliminary measure, before buying the building, but after it was approved at Thursday’s Rosendale Planning Board meeting, he just might finalize the purchase of the building.

You may remember the parking issues that Armata faced at previous meetings. During the days of Market Market, the town received complaints of people illegally parking on the residential Madeline Lane and in the gravel lot across from the Citgo gas station. The board wanted to prevent that issue from happening again, as much as they could.

Based on the customer space available inside the building, the board initially thought that 18 spots would be needed. After taking a closer look at the inside space, Snyder found that only 13 spaces would be required. Still, the old site only has enough space for seven spots, since it was built before the current parking requirements existed.

The board allowed Armata to build only seven spaces under certain conditions. Armata must install some parking protection features to shield cars from nearby properties. He must replace any landscaping features (including a minimum of six trees) if they die. Armata also has to do his best to keep patrons from parking illegally.

Binnewater Logging Project Approved

Just before March 2020, recent Rosendale landowners Justin Venezia and Tedi Setton bought roughly 74 acres at 845 Fourth Binnewater Lane to, one day, build their dream retirement home. Before that, the couple looked to cut some dead and diseased trees that threatened the health of their forest; they received a logging permit from the board on Thursday.

“This might sound strange coming from a guy like me,” said Planning Board Chair Billy Liggan, with his long white hair and scraggly beard. “But every once in a while, a forest needs a haircut,” he added, sparking chuckles among the meeting attendees.

Trees will be cut within a roughly 53-acre portion of the land, Setton explained, with around 10 trees cut per acre. Tri-State Hardwoods, based in Accord, will complete the logging and purchase the wood afterwards. Setton assured her neighbors that they would only hear the buzzing of chainsaws, deep in the woods, during work hours. She added that the company is contractually obligated to either ensure that the driveway, used to access the site, is left in the same condition or will be repaired at their expense. The project should not last more than two months, weather permitting, Venezia said, and the board couldn’t find any glaring environmental concerns.

The approval still came with conditions. The couple must provide a $5,000 road bond, to pay for any potential damage to Binnewater Road, include the town on the logger’s insurance and legally ensure the town that it will not be held liable for any complications. The board also asked the applicants to coordinate with the local school districts to make sure that logging trucks would not interfere with bus travel on the narrow roadway. Setton and Venezia assured residents that this was not a veiled plan to prepare the land for a subdivision, but rather a measure to allow them to safely enjoy their woodlands.

Women’s Studio Workshop Expansion

Women’s Studio Workshop Executive Director Lauren V. Walling announced the studio’s desire to relocate its ceramics studio to its recently purchased historic oil storage building that was once used by a cement company in the early 1900s.

The studio would build a 3,500-square-foot building to house the ceramics space, currently located in a basement that doesn’t meet fire code requirements, and another space to produce the studio’s revered artist books. The now-collapsed oil storage structure would be restored to host an art gallery and permanent display detailing its history. On paper, the idea seemed like a great, unproblematic proposal to the board. The studio is still working on getting reviewed by the New York State Historic Preservation Office, along with approvals from other relevant agencies, and gathering more design details, so the review will continue at the next meeting.

The next Rosendale Planning Board meeting will take place on February 10 at 7 p.m. Visit the Rosendale government Facebook page for more information as the date approaches.