For the past few meetings of the Plattekill Town Board, resident Anthony Covino said the town illegally approved a portable storage container  business at 1425 Route 44/55 that is in a residential zone and is situated on a parcel behind his home. The owner of record is Robert Earl.

 

In the Planning Board minutes of October 27, 2020, Earl’s representative Patti Brooks, said the storage containers will be of varied sizes: 8x16; 8x20 and 8x40 and will total 150 units that will be stacked 3 on top of each other. She added that since the units will be empty there is no need for fencing or security.

 

Code Enforcement Officer Scott Mandoske issued a Determination on this project on October 15, 2020, writing that the facility Earl wishes to establish, “deals with large portable containers [and] the Town of Plattekill code did not define that Special Use. The Town Board on March 4, 2020  determined that the use that Mr. Earl has planned would be considered an appropriate use in the zone, the use would be considered a special use, in the category self-storage mini warehouse and would fall under the approval of the Planning Board. Your application is being forwarded to the Planning board for further review.” The project was later formally approved by the Town Board on June 3, 2021.  

 

Covino noted that applicant Robert Earl appeared before the town’s Planning and Town Boards but did not go before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a Special Use Permit. Covino believes had he done so he would have been denied. He said that for the past five years he has had to deal with Earl transporting large tractor trailer units, replete with large containers, on and off his property at all hours of the day and night, often leaving mud and stones scattered across Route 44/55.

 

Covino said he will not stop until the container business is shut down and all of the containers are removed from the property. He said this all started in March of 2020 when he saw a backhoe moving dirt around the Earl property to remove brush in order to create a driveway, however, the containers were moved onto the property only a few months ago.

 

Back in 2020 Covino went to town hall to inquire why he had not received notice of the backhoe activity. He ran into former Supervisor Joe Croce who told Covino, “You don’t have to worry, it’s all legit, he’s putting containers back there. I knew right then and there the fix was in.”

 

Covino also explained the issue to former Supervisor Jennifer Salemo, who responded, “I don’t have time for that.” He continued to complain to the town, especially about the mud and stones on the road, which is a hazard to cars and especially motorcycle riders.

 

Covino began attending planning board meetings when containers were being discussed for the site instead of the initial idea of constructing a 40×70 foot storage building for trucks, a fork-lift and a trailer along with pads for the containers.

 

Covino questioned Earl’s claim that he is not responsible for what is inside the containers.

 

As Covino said as he filed more complaints with the town, former town Code Enforcement Officer Scott Mandoske came to Covino’s home, telling him, “I don’t care how many complaints you make or how many phone calls, I am not doing anything about it.” Mandoske later abruptly resigned.

 

Covino said Earl totally skipped zoning.

 

“If they were going to do this right, they would have to bring his plans and everything to the Zoning Board because according to zoning you are not allowed to have these containers.” This point is in contention and will have to be resolved.

 

Covino said, “the reason this all happened is because the good old boys club still exists and it’s alive and well in the Town of Plattekill. There are  people in this town who can do whatever they want and there’s no questions asked.”

 

Covino has retained an attorney to represent him.

 

“I am not going to stop until I am satisfied and if that means bringing forth a lawsuit I will,” he said. “I am going to give them another 30 days because I am not going to go back and forth with them. I am hoping that this is going to make more people come out, stand up and stop the political nonsense that goes on in this town.”  

 

Robert Earl, through his secretary, responded to the Southern Ulster Times, saying, “He has no comment at this time but if it does go to court he will have you speak to his lawyer.”  

 

Supervisor Dean DePew stressed that he and the Town Board are reviewing everything about the project to make sure the process was correctly followed, noting that it was the Letter of Determination that sent the matter to the Town Board.   

 

“I think it’s fair and respectful to take both [positions] into consideration to figure this all out,” he said. “I want to make sure everything was done right and move forward.” He added that he is not in the position of litigating this for Mr. Covino or defending it for Mr. Earl, “but I am in the position to make sure the decisions that we made as a Town Board, whether it be current or in the past, conformed to the law and that the folks that feel it was unjust were actually treated fairly and with respect.”