Mamakating Planning Board Chairman Lorrence Green started the September 13 planning board meeting with a reflection on the sad passing of Basha Kill Area Association (BKAA) President Paula Medley.

Medley passed away Monday after a courageous fight with cancer. Medley was in attendance at many planning board meetings as a champion for the environment. An accomplished writer, Medley also attended other local meetings and contributed investigative reporting on environmental threats to the BKAA newsletter, The Guardian. Medley was the main player in keeping the recent China City of America CEO Sherry Li out of Wurtsboro. She was also on the committee for writing the town’s Comprehensive Plan for land use guidance. The board observed a moment of silence after Green's acknowledgment.

Returning Applications

Town planner Adriana Beltrani, whose work was respected by Medley, raised several points regarding the Back River Hope Campground project. Representatives Ross Winglovitz and James Martinez appeared before the board to discuss each point. Noting that the campground is "entirely surrounded by wetlands," Winglovitz told the board that the project will modify the site plan for the northern corner buffer so it is "consistent with the rest of the plan for less disturbance." A large concern was the space between each recreation vehicle (RV) lot, also known as a pad. A space of 50 feet is meant to prevent overcrowding. The board spent a lot of time discussing pad spacing, describing the current plan as increasing density. Describing the proposed campground as "high-end" for season-long visitors to escape the urban environment, Winglovitz assured the board that the project's purpose is to maintain the natural environment. Ledwin Oviedo, for Back River Hope Campground, added that they are planning to, not only maintain the current trees, but plant more.

Winglovitz said the applicants are eager to move ahead, after over $400,000 spent on the removal of the previous camp units that once littered the lot. The applicant did not receive the pre-approval and amendment they were asking for. They will need to show the answers to the board's questions and resubmit the application.

Jewel Zhang is also eager to get started on her restaurant project at 3967 Route 209. The proposal is for a female-run, family-owned and operated restaurant that may feature favorite American fare like chicken wings and French fries. The project, though, is frustratingly delayed by the New York Department of Transportation (DOT), which has right-of-way essentially up to the front door of the unit. The applicant wants to use the area as additional parking. The project representative said that, after months of emails and phone calls, all he had gotten from the DOT was assurance that the project was under review and that they’d get back to him. The project cannot move forward until granted approval by the DOT.

Hoping to move things along, the applicant was seeking a conditional approval by the planning board. The board noted that doing so could put the applicant at risk of wasting money on permits if the DOT opted to not grant approval. The project was granted a year extension.

The meeting ended with a happy acknowledgment of planning board member John Lacey's 80th birthday.