Guilderland · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Guilderland public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Village of Altamont water service refusals
The village told a Brandel Road landowner it won't provide water to anyone outside the village, forcing new development onto private wells and septic. Well issues, including manganese, are already known on Brandel Road.
Albany Med Urgent Care Signage Expansion
A sign company requested a variance for a 167-square-foot building-mounted sign for Barnes & Noble at Crossgates Mall, where 50 square feet is typically permitted. The board approved the request given the mall's massive scale and the sign's distance from the ring road.
Adam Bernacki Pole Barn Height Variance
A homeowner requested permission to build a 25-foot-tall storage shed to house large tractors and equipment, exceeding the standard 15-foot limit. Because the home sits 700 feet back on a 25-acre lot, the board found it would not alter the neighborhood character.
Stormwater and drainage on the Fuller Station Road parcel
A 38-lot subdivision proposed here back in the late 1980s fell apart over drainage concerns. Developers plan infiltration testing and a stormwater management plan, and the committee wants to see it handled right given wetlands on site.
Foundry Road Blighted Properties Assessment Proposal
A resident raised concerns about derelict buildings marked with red X's along Western Avenue, the status of town water wells, tree clearing by developers, and meeting minute posting practices.
Flock Safety Camera Network Privacy Concerns
A resident urged the town to discontinue the police department's use of FLOCK automated license plate readers, citing privacy violations, mass surveillance, and civil liberty concerns.
Accessory structure height variance, West Old State Road
The board discussed rules for chicken coops and sheds, emphasizing neighborhood aesthetics through privacy fencing and landscaping rather than purely restrictive mandates.