By Rob Sample
Applications for short-term rentals bookended the biweekly meeting of the Marlborough Planning Board, which took place Monday, November 4 at the town hall.
The first application involved a public hearing for a short-term rental application, which was submitted by Marlboro resident Steven Markle. His short-term rental is a two-bedroom house at 46 Partington Lane; Markle lives in an adjacent house at 30 Partington Lane. The only public questions concerning the application came from neighbor Amalia Raguseo, who attended the meeting with her daughter, Gina Smerdon.
Markle’s application seeks to legitimize a use that is already taking place at the property and is becoming more commonplace in the Town of Marlborough. He noted that the occupancy limit is four and renters usually come for weekends, and he meets with people at the beginning of their stay. Among the rules he outlines is the location of the property line, which they must not go beyond, and the 10 miles-per-hour speed limit.
“I see a pretty quiet scenario,” Markle said, noting that renters are usually couples but occasionally arrive with a child or two.
“My only concern is that people don’t come through … or drive through up towards Western Avenue [via Apple View Lane, another private road that connects to Partington],” said Raguseo. “I don’t want people walking through it. I don’t want people driving through it. You own to a certain point, and then from that point onwards is mine and my daughter’s.”
Raguseo also noted that she and Smerdon have a right-of-way agreement to use the road passing through an adjacent lot owned by Markle, which came about during the sale of that lot by its previous owner to Markle. She said she wanted to continue that arrangement.
Gerald Comotos, the Planning Board’s attorney, noted that he would draft a letter clarifying the right-of-way agreement between Markle and Raguseo. He was also directed by Board Chairman Chris Brand to draft a letter of approval for Markle’s short-term rental, for consideration at an upcoming Planning Board meeting.
In another tourism-related move, the continued its review of Malborough Resort on Lattintown Road – which was the subject of a public hearing on October 21. Among the issues raised during the hearing were concerns expressed by Ridge Road residents about a 44-foot tall staff dormitory building. The dorm would be adjacent to that road and, residents felt, would be highly visible.
Chris Laporta, Hudson Valley office manager for Passero Engineering in Newburgh, is the lead engineer for the Marlborough Resort Project. He noted that an artist rendition of the dorm that circulated at the hearing made it appear larger and more visible than it will actually be. He said the developers had considered other locations but ruled them out because of soil and wetlands considerations.
“It [will be] built into the slope and sit very far back,” Laporta noted. He also said it will be heavily screened by existing vegetation at the site, and that the resort developers intend to add more plantings as well.
Other issues concerned the entrance road to the complex, which at 16 feet is narrower than the town’s usual requirement of 20 feet; screening for a large tank to be built on the site, which will supply water to the property; and security gates at the Lattintown Road and Ridge Road entrances. Most traffic will enter via Lattintown Road, Laporta said.
Ultimately, the Planning Board directed Comotos to prepare a conditional letter of approval for consideration at its December 2 meeting.
The developers of a condominium complex on Dock Road in Marlboro center – which currently bears the name Orchard on Hudson – want to begin construction in spring 2025. However, board members aired a variety of concerns. Several lamented the lack of sidewalks in the interior portions of the complex, and Board Member Cindy Lanzetta questioned why the developers felt the need to make it a “gated community.”
“The gate is going to create a lot of issues,” Lanzetta said, potentially leading to backups at the gated entrance off busy Route 9W.’
“It provides a sense of comfort for the owners – these are luxury units,” noted Scott Leyton, principal of Leyton Properties – the developer of the complex. The next step for the project is the Ulster County Planning Board.
Among related matters, the Board set a second public hearing for the expansion plans proposed for the Buttermilk Falls resort complex in Milton. That hearing will take place on Monday, December 2. It also continued its review of the proposed solar farm at 335 Bingham Road in Marlboro, which was the topic of an August 19 public hearing. Its applicant is Joel Truncali and the site is currently an apple orchard.
Near the end of the meeting the Board aired a brand-new application for another short-term rental. Its applicant is Matthew Bernhardt of 351 Old Post Road in Marlboro.