4/16/2013
Monthly Report
Zoning/Codes Officer
March 1 – March 31, 2013
Essex Town Board
Essex Planning Board
March was not a busy month for permitting, but a time when old projects were finishing up and a few new projects being planned for spring. I took a few days off to work on my dog’s chemo treatments, which have been incredibly successful so far…
3/1/13 – Day off, VT with Tucker
3/4/13 – Mike French, Daniels Road, check new house design re. size of windows for adequate egress in bedrooms. Starting phase 2 of project in a few weeks. Emails.
3/5/13 – Emails to Harold re. Pataki garage dormers, conversion, and shed at the Country Store (Larry Smead) re. site plan review question. Planning Board meeting agenda with Pat Tivnan. Talked to Chris Girard from Dock Doctors re. review of plans and question of replacement stairs at Lochanbrae at Crater Club (Ierardi). Additional materials for March PB meeting.
3/6/13 – PB meeting materials to Olive for website; email materials to David Hislop in Florida, who will be joining us by conference phone. Talked to Larry Smead re. barn addition at the Country Store. Put off until May or June meeting, needs drawings for site plan review because in Shoreline Overlay district and APA JIF since there is an existing permit on the property. Answer question about Yokum house septic for potential buyer (Kupperman house on School Street). Talked to John Pribble re. septic plan and installation of field at Fortune’s house on Albee Lane. Site visit to Fortune’s to see new septic field installation.
3/7/13 – Planning Board meeting in pm. Research septic at 242 School Street for potential buyers/Eric Arnold. Talked to John Pribble who made additions to the original system put in by Skip Yokum. Emails.
3/8/13 – Talked to Chris Girard at Dock Doctors re. replacement stairs and dock at Ierardi, Camp Lochanbrae, Crater Club.
3/11/13 – Request from Lou Commeau for Nat Klipper to trim the hedge along the north property line of the Stone House on Main Street. Ordinance says no higher than 6 feet if on the property line. Emailed Nat re. same. Question from Robin Murrell re. the ability to have a dock at the Lyle Mason property on Bull Run…talked to potential purchaser about that and what the permitting requirements would be. Emails to Bob Ierardi and Chris Girard re. replacement stairs to the lakeshore from the main road across from Camp Lochanbrae. Discussed ways for new aluminum stairs to look less modern and be less visible from the lakefront and the road until they weather…cedars, etc. Talked to Ray and Kyle Wrisley about a potential combined town shed and firehouse and potential locations in Whallonsburgh re. same.
3/12/13 – Talked to Bob Close re. doing some small commercial cooking (peanut brittle) at Hickory Hill this summer. I told him to speak with people at the Grange Hall and that he would be better off using their commercial kitchen rather than use the one at the house in Essex. Survey map for Jeff Hastings. Talked to Rich Reis re. dock possibilities at the Jacquish property (Lyle Mason’s) on Bull Run and what our ordinance and waterfront plans say. Suggested he speak with neighbor Nick Muller and with Larry Smead who owns the Essex Shipyard. Smead owns the underwater rights, I believe. Sign up for APA Local Government Day, April 24th in Ray Brook.
3/13/13 – Day Off with Tucker to VT for treatment
3/14/13 – Inspections: Fortune, Kunzi, Budd, and Klipper. Speak with Norma Goff about a driveway on her boundary line up by the old Country Store north of the village. Permit application materials to Gerry Spooner re. Brick Store and Country Store storage addition proposed by owner, Larry Smead.
3/15/13 – Talked to Head Start (M. Gibson) about a new sign at their facility in Whallonsburgh and what size and location for it was. Meeting with Chris Maron of CATS re. trails and conservation projects in Essex. Annual report to DCEA worked on.
3/18/13 – Monthly report for Town and Planning Boards. Email to Kristy Sprague re. Shelley Wing horse issue and property maintenance codes issues…need to go over to the house and investigate both. Emails.
3/19/13 – Complaint re. the old Ames House on Bull Run. The roof is starting to deteriorate and there is a hole on the north eave elevation and lots of mold and rot going on. The house should be either renovated or demolished, as it is becoming a health and safety hazard as well as blight to the village. I will write a letter to the family to discuss the future of the building. Emails.
3/20/13 – Property files by tax map made for all zoning and building code permits back to the beginning of the ordinance. Talked to Gerry Spooner about Brick Store window project and Country Store garage addition and bringing both projects to the April PB meeting. Talked to Deb Schrodt at the Pink Pig re. temporary sign/banner that needs a permit from the PB…come to April meeting with application.
3/21/13- Speak to Denise Wilson about John Pribble’s road out behind her house on Bull Run and how close/on top of the boundary line it is. Site visit to Marshall Crowningshield’s meat shop in Whallonsburgh to investigate complaints of rats. Looked at the FEMA buyout house (Hoskins), too, re. same. There has been a lot of damage to Marshall’s. An exterminator is highly recommended. Town Board meeting pm.
3/22/13 – Investigated complaint re. Tom Benway’s dilapidated and abandoned mobile home on the Leaning Road. Door is open, etc. Tom was already asked to remove it. I will write a letter to him re. same. Also investigated an illegal dump site on the property of Danny Benway at the sharp curve on the Cook Road …there is a ton of stuff being dumped over the bank and exposed, not buried. Other people are obviously dumping there. I will write him a letter re. property maintenance code and zoning violations and threaten to contact DEC if it is not cleaned up. The property is not far west of the Boquet River…
3/25/13 – Meet with Pat Tivnan re. PB agenda for April. Pink Pig sign application and potential change of use to sandwich shop. Bring application materials to Deb at Pink Pig. Write up C of Cs for Bechta seawall repair project and Stanley James’ garage, etc. Emails.
3/26/13 – Look for old septic permit for Luderoski camp in Crater Club for owners. Look for subdivision permit from PB for Heavey 1999 subdivision at the Crater Club for the Luderowskis. Bring 2 SPR applications to Larry Smead/Gerry Spooner for the April PB meeting on the 4th. Inspect new flooring at Kunzi house on Bull Run. Received electrical inspection certificates for work at CFES building. Discuss issues of parking, landscaping, and boundary line adjustment for proper public egress on the south side of the new addition. Kevin Hall to do survey and deed change re. same. Set up meeting with Karen to do final inspection and walk-thru for Certificate of Occupancy.
3/27/13 – Meet with Pat Tivnan re. PB agenda, additional items. Talk to Marshall about rats and exterminators. Site visit to Brick Store on Main Street with Gerry Spooner re. replacing rotten window casings and old window sash. Deeds for Smead and the Manse for PB meeting. APA permit for Country Store property (Smead) copied and read. Need to do a JIF for the proposed addition and need drawings.
3/28/13 – Meet with Karen Judge to do walk-thru at CFES building and inspect the new conference room addition for their C. of O. Occupancy load of 99 to be posted. Check fire-rated doors for code compliance. Checked means of egress and emergency lighting. Karen will get me a CD with photos of the project to put in my files. Egress for public on south side of the addition will be provided via a boundary line adjustment with the Essex Inn property as the property line is close to the addition. Kevin hall will survey and do this adjustment, which will be reflected in a new deed. Storm drain issue to be addressed via Essex County Highway Dept…pipe from CFES building cellar needs to be routed directly into a drain on the northeast corner of the property. Inspect the garage apartment at South Farm with the Plumadores. Proper second floor egress, smoke alarms, and CO detectors, insulation, stair railings, etc. Electrical inspection certificate will be provided when the job is complete. Work on SUP application for RENEW with Mary Anne Schultz for the PB meeting on the 4th. Take photos of the Manse and ReNew sign for the PB meeting application and do a list of 500’ abutters.
3/29/13 – Day off to take Tucker to VT
Building Permit Fees (March 2013): None
Zoning Permit Fees (February 2013): None
Total Fees: $0.00
Respectfully submitted,
Lauren Murphy
Essex Zoning/Codes Officer
4/16/2013
