M'burgh Board to Hold Hearing Feb. 28 on Housing Project

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - The Middleburgh village board will hold a public hearing on a controversial housing development proposed for a field off of upper Main Street on Wednesday, February 28 at 4:30 pm. The public hearing on the state environmental quality review form will be at the Middleburgh Library on Main Street.

Proposed developer Fred Risse presented the board with an engineer's report and a historical review earlier this month. He said that crews dug about 90 test holes by hand on the property to search for historic items. They found a "couple of bottles, but they were not that old and nothing of significance was found.

Mr. Risee, a farmer, who is also the chairman of the planning board, suggested that the village board review the SEQR and site plan at the same time.

There are 11 parcels, Mr. Risse noted, two are in the commercial zone and the rest in a planned development district. The parcels are just under a half acre each. He did not know the cost of each parcel.

After the village hearing, the matter has to go to the county planning commission for review and recommendation. Mr. Risse will also let the fire department know of the plans.

Mr. Risse told village board members last September that reports from the surveyor and engineer should be ready in time for the village's October board meeting. The reports are required before the village can start on reviewing and eventually voting on the long form of the state environmental quality review report. The long form is required since there is some floodplain area in the proposed development as well as an archaeological study. A long-form was also used in the Cliff Side development about 20 years ago. Village leaders are using that process as a precedent for this development.

After hearing no further comment from the public, village officials in September closed the public hearing on the proposal.

The development is proposed on a parcel behind Andy's Auto on upper Main Street

Mr. Risse proposed an affordable housing complex about 20 years ago that did not proceed.