By Rob Sample
The Marlborough Town Board passed three resolutions on February 10 that will facilitate the extension of municipal water to a 152-acre site between Lattintown and Ridge Roads – which a developer aims to develop into an upscale resort complex.
The resort complex would be developed by a Seven24 Collective, New York City-based hotelier. As proposed, the resort would include lodging, restaurants, recreational facilities, and a staff dormitory. But it will require municipal water to operate –and currently, less than 20 percent of the parcel falls within the boundaries of the town’s water company.
The Town Board approved a measure approving the extension of the water company’s boundaries to encompass the site. The Board also approved a schedule of payments, totaling $600,000, the developer will pay over a three-year period to subsidize the water project.
In addition, the Board approved a “negative declaration” of environmental impact, to be filed with the state Department of Environmental Protection. This declaration is based on environmental studies conducted by the developer’s consultants in accordance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and demonstrated that the water extension will have no adverse environmental impacts.
“They will be putting in a 65,000-gallon holding tank for their daily needs or in case of fires,” noted Town Supervisor Scott Corcoran. “They also be putting fire hydrants throughout the facility. The first payment [of $200,000] would come when they ask to be hooked up to the district or take out a building permit.”
The developer would have one and one-half years to pay the second $200,000 installment, and after that, another year and a half to pay the remaining $200,000. “They also have a grace period to actually start the project of two years,” said Corcoran. “If they don’t start the contract is null and void and they have to renegotiate a new contract with the town.”
Corcoran said this measure protects the town’s interest. Some past projects never got off the ground after obtaining approval. As much as a decade later, different parties sought to restart these stopped projects under the same terms. This measure seeks to prevent that from happening, he said.
The Town Board also okayed a resolution adopting element nine of the New York State Climate Smart Communities Pledge. This part of the pledge commits the town to partner with the Cornell Cooperative Extension on education and engagement initiatives, and the resolution was changed slightly from when it was first introduced in January.
Under this agreement the Cooperative Extension will develop a webpage for the Town of Marlborough’s website addressing climate action and emergency preparedness. This page will present information, photographs, resources and links for residents.
The Cooperative Extension will also host up to six social media posts; the resolution as originally introduced called for 12 such posts. In addition, the Board added language that all content would need Town Board approval prior to publication or sharing.
Among other business, the Board passed the following resolutions:
• It okayed the appointment of Caden Cabrera as a part-time police dispatcher.
• It amended the town’s schedule of fees for building projects as well as required escrow amounts. (See chart.)
• The promotion of Bruce Griffing part-time police detective. Griffing had served as a part-time police officer with the Marlborough Police Department.