To the Editor:
The largest purchase in their life, for most people, is their home. We feel extremely fortunate to live on Frederick, Hawes, Gardner and Meadowdale roads.
These quiet roads offer spectacular views of the escarpment and are enjoyed by neighbors as places to walk with their dogs and neighbors, to bike and to run. The high school track team often is seen using these roads for their workouts.
As such, it was with a great deal of concern that we learned of an appeal to the zoning board that asks for a variance to this RA3 [residential agricultural] zone that would allow a construction yard to be placed on a farm field [“Area residents come out against proposed contractor yard in rural Guilderland,” The Altamont Enterprise, Feb. 25, 2022].
If approved, this project would allow for the storage of 35 to 100 roll-off dumpsters, heavy trucks, including an 80-foot tractor trailer and heavy construction equipment at 4304 Frederick Rd.
Additionally, this will be the site of Mr. [Bernard] Radtke’s topsoil-screening business and heavy equipment sales. Mr. Radtke has stated that this business would only disrupt one acre of land. However, it is unclear how two to three roll-off trucks, a tractor trailer, 35 to 100 dumpsters, heavy equipment sales, and a topsoil-screening business could realistically be restricted to one acre of land.
It is also unclear and disingenuous how this is considered a contractor’s yard as opposed to a commercial site. During the Feb. 16 zoning board meeting, Mr. Radtke stated that he plans to move his business from 415 Old Niskayuna Road to the 4304 Frederick Road location, confirming his entire business would be relocated here.
Truck traffic would travel from Depot Road, down Meadowdale to Frederick Road. Routine heavy truck traffic would be evident on Meadowdale, Hawes, and Frederick Roads as trucks leave the contractor’s yard.
Frederick Road has signs posted that limits truck traffic to four tons. A permanent permit was issued to the applicant that would allow vehicles up to 33,000 pounds to travel this route six days a week. How this came about is worthy of question.
Frederick Road already has crumbling shoulders, and this added traffic would rapidly destroy this road. We as taxpayers would pay for the repairs of the road for Mr. Radtke to make money at our expense.
Many houses are located within 30 to 40 feet of these roads. Truck traffic will be allowed to start at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Three-axle dump trucks and 18-wheel tractor trailers will be routinely traveling these roads, making the previously mentioned enjoyment of these roads and sleeping in on a Saturday morning a thing of the past.
Residents purchased homes on these roads for the …….
Source: https://altamontenterprise.com/03172022/safety-health-and-property-values-town-residents-are-stake