Dear All, Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8, the Town of Colonie Planning Board will have a sketch plan review for an 8,000 sq foot warehouse on the 4.8 acre vacant lot behind Yonder Farms in the Albany Pine Bush — 4298 Albany Street. The Planning Board meets at 6:00 PM at the Town of Colonie Memorial Town Hall, 534 New Loudon Rd, Latham, NY 12110. This is a relatively small lot and it’s next to existing warehouses and Yonder Farms, but it…
This property is an area recommended for Full Protection by the Albany Pine Bush Commission. On April 20, 2020, a developer proposed developing 4152 Albany Street with their initial site plan review. a. Sketch Plan Review i. [6:00 p.m.] 4152 Albany Street. Proposed Conservation Subdivision. Applicant: Keystone Homes, Inc., represented by Advance Engineering & Surveying PLLC. Subdivide the 109.84 acres parcel into eight residential lots which results in a density of 0.07 units/acre. The site is zoned Single Family Residential…
Dear Save the Pine Bush Friends, Please support this great event from Lights Out Norlite and the Clean Air Coalition. Thanks,Lynne Jackson HELLO ADVOCATES – THE CLEAN AIR COALITION OF GREATER RAVENA COEYMANS IS JOINING LIGHTS OUT NORLITE’S “EAT IN THE STREETS” FRIDAY JULY 23RD AT 6:30PM. WE ARE RAISING COMMUNITY AWARENESS ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH CATASTROPHES FROM WASTE, TOXIC CHEMICAL AND TIRE INCINERATION. PARK BY OR AT COHOES CITY HALL 97 Mohawk St. THEN MEET UP…
GUILDERLAND: Traditional Builders is proposing to construct 46 houses on a 106 acre lot in the western Pine Bush. 5This proposed site is on Lydius Street, adjacent to and west of the Dicaprio Farm (The Dicaprio Farm was acquired by the Town of Guilderland and made into soccer fields). The houses will be built on 24 acres of land as a “clustered” development; the remaining land is proposed to be preserved in some manner yet to be determined. Some people…
Willow Street Again Willow Street Again SPB Sues over Sewers Built in the Preserve DEC Caves in to Developer by Lynne Jackson Ten months after filing a ground-breaking suit that forced a developer to remove water lines from the Preserve along Willow Street in Guilderland, Save the Pine Bush has filed a second suit against the same defendants, this time seeking removal of the sewer lines. Lewis B. Oliver, Jr., attorney extraordinaire for SPB said, “We were successful in…
Draft Environmental Impact Statement DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for Avila House Independent Senior Campus Lead Agency: City of Albany Planning Board 21 Lodge Street, Albany, New York 12207 Contact: Nicholas Dilello (518) 434-2532 ext. 28 Project Sponsor: First Colun1bia, LLC 26 Century Hill Drive Latham, New York 12110-2128, (518) 213-1000 Report Contributors: Hershberg and Hershberg 40 Colvin Avenue Albany, New York 12206 Responsible for "Pine Bush" Contact: Daniel Hershherg (518) 459-3096 Transportation Concepts, LLP 152…
by Lynne Jackson Seventy- five houses are proposed for this 100 acre site in the western most part of the remaining Pine Bush in Guilderland, the last parcel of the largest roadless area in the Pine bush. This proposal, named Woodsfields Estates after what it will destroy, is part of the largest roadless area remaining in the Pine Bush in Guilderland. The Planning Board of the Town of Guilderland is the Lead Agency for the Woodsfields Estates proposal and will…
Willow Street Again Guilderland Holds Steady History In The Making? By Daniel Van Riper The people have spoken, and the politicians are running to catch up to reality. Nobody with even a shred of self-respect wants to see the evil and rapacious Pyramid Corporation expand Crossgates Mall and possibly eventually plant a mega-casino. The effects on the Pine Bush ecosystem and on the regional economy are too horrible to think about. Meanwhile, Pyramid waits for it’s chance, brooding over…
Willow Street Again Letters The following excellent letter appeared March 21,1999 in the Hearst-owned Times Union under the title, “Improve Downtown and Preserve Pine Bush”: To the Editor: Why is the Albany Common Council approving Pine Bush development (Drumlin Fields office building) when there are plenty of vacant parcels in downtown and on Henry Johnson Boulevard that are screaming for development? I thought the goal of Mayor Jennings was to rebuild and improve downtown and Arbor Hill, making…
Willow Street Again The Devil In Skaneateles Wealthy Developer Deplores Development By Daniel Van Riper There is an unconfirmed report that the Albany Pine Bush Devil has received approval from the planning board of the picturesque town of Skaneateles in western New York to build a ten million square foot shopping plaza, hotel, parking garage and casino. Skaneateles, which up until now has not allowed strip malls and fast food emporiums, is home to Robert Congel, owner and director…
Willow Street Again Drumlin Fields Its Not Over ’til Its Over (There is still time to call your Council Member!) by Lynne Jackson Dramatic events have happened since our last newsletter, when we made an appeal for Save the Pine Bush supporters to contact their Common Council members and ask them to vote “no” on the Drumlin Fields proposal before the scheduled vote on January 21. The Common Council did NOT vote on January 21. They received a mountain…
New York State Historic Archaeological Site Inventory Form Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact New York State Historic Archaeological Site Inventory Form NYS OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION & HISTORIC PRESERVATION (518) 237-8643 For Office Use Only–Site Identifier Project Identifier USN A09303.000240 Your Name Louise Basa and John Wolcott Date September 1, 2006 Address Basa: 1220 Waverly Place, Schenectady, New…
Stanford pines along route 5 or Albany Turnpike Stanford pines along route 5 or Albany Turnpike The pines that were along this edge of the road, route 5 or State Street, and on the other side of the mansion, on Balltown road, were so thick that people now in their 70s and 90s whom I interviewed, said that as children it was difficult to see the house for the pines were so dense on the edges of the property. The…
Contrary to the comments made by individuals who know not of what they speak, the TD Bank Protest event on February 23rd did not happen as reported by the TU Staff writer. There were a good 25 enthusiastic supporters at the TD Bank protest, but only those trained in Non Violent Civil Disobedience went inside the bank. Those who did not wish to be arrested left as requested by the police officers when they arrived. The incident with the officer…
It is with great sadness that we observe the passing of our dear friend, Louise Burch. Louise was a stalwart volunteer for Save the Pine Bush for decades. She folded newsletters and drove Rezsin and the newsletters to the post office. But, most important of all, she selflessly washed the dishes at the dinners, so that others could enjoy the food and the listen to the speakers. She did those behind the scenes important necessary tasks that needed to be…
Proposed Hotel in the Pine Bush Hotel Update: Oral Arguements in the NY Court of Appeals Tuesday, September 15 at 2:00 The Court of Appeals is next door to Albany City Hall. This is an extremely significant case, and could, if we win change who has standing in SEQRA cases. Click here to read Amicus briefs Read attorney Steve Downs’ commentary about the hotel case here. Action Alert! Hear the Oral Arguments in the NYS Appellate Division Friday,…
Support Bicycling & Join a Leisurely Ride through Albany Monday, September 30 at 5:00 PM Meet, with your bicycle, in Albany, at the Civil War Monument in Washington Park(near the intersection of State Street and Henry Johnson Blvd.) Critical Mass, an group of people who promote bicycling as a valid transportation method, meet the last Monday of each month to take a leisurely ride through Albany. Following all traffic rules, Critical Mass riders bike two-by-two in one lane of traffic….
Bonding that threatens historic Stanford homestead Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact December 15, 2006 Dear Concerned Citizens, Friends of Stanford Home, Health Care Advocates, and Niskayuna Neighbors, Bonding that threatens historic Stanford homestead on State Street and Balltown Road, and its parkland, is going forward. As soon as this coming Tuesday night, the Schenectady County Industrial Development Authority…
New proposal for Stanford House still bad Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact Gazette Editorial – Stanford House Posted by: "drittner@aol.com" Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:10 pm (PST) New proposal for Stanford House still bad The latest development proposal for the Stanford property in Niskayuna is marginally better than the previous one, but not nearly good enough. The handsome,…
Please donate to help Save the Stanford Home Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact Please donate to help Save the Stanford Home The Friends of the Stanford Home, a grassroots group working to save the 12-acres of parklands and brick mansion on Balltown Road and State Street in Niskayuna from becomming site of a shopping mall, is accepting donations…
Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact Friends of Stanford Home 2421 Troy Road, Niskayuna, New York 12309-1403 Email: LMCwrite@nycap.rr.com Phones: Grace Hilt Mack 518-377-5935; Sally Lester: 518-372-7196 Linda Champagne 518-346-8316 Support the Friends of Stanford Home by making a donation today Residents seek moratorium, published February 16 in the Niskayuna Spotlight Newspaper Announcement! View the Hearing: The hearing will be cable…
Seventy- five houses are proposed for this site, the last parcel of the largest roadless area in the Pine bush. Three parcels make up the western section of the largest roadless area, the DeCaprio Farm site, the site of the proposed Lone Pine 7 housing development, and this 100 acre site. Located south of East Lydius Street and north of Old State Road, this area is approximately 250 acres along the Hungerkill valley and is not bisected by any roads….
May 9, 2006 The Honorable Denise Sheehan Commissioner of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, New York 12233 The Honorable Elliot Spitzer New York Attorney General The Capitol Albany, NY 12224-0341 The Honorable David Soares Albany County District Attorney County Courthouse Room 218 Albany, NY 12207 The Honorable Gerald D. Jennings Albany City Hall Eagle Street Albany, New York 12207 Dear Commissioner Sheehan, Attorney General Spitzer, District Attorney Soares and Mayor Jennings: Save the…
GUILDERLAND – The owners of Crossgates Mall late Wednesday asked town police to drop the charge against a man arrested at the mall after he refused to either remove a pro-peace T-shirt or leave the mall. The arrest of Stephen F. Downs, 61, of Selkirk, on a charge of trespassing led to a protest at the mall Wednesday by more than 100 people. Protesters wore anti-war T-shirts and gathered in the food court for lunch. They said they were outraged…
A local shopping mall should reconsider how it handles slogans of protest First published: Thursday, March 6, 2003 Let’s see if we have this right. Stores in Crossgates Mall will sell custom-made T-shirts with civil, but clear, slogans protesting a war with Iraq to anyone who wants them. Wearing those shirts in the mall, though, is grounds for arrest. Something is very wrong in the not-so-public square, even when, as in this case, Crossgates subsequently withdrew the charges. By now…
written by Lynne Jackson << Previous More Information Next>> April 29, 2005 Richard Nicholson Historic Preservation Planner City of Albany Department of Development and Planning 12 Lodge Street Albany, NY 12207 RE: Residence Inn Draft Environmental Impact Statement VIA FACSIMILE: 434-9846 Dear Mr. Nicholson: Save the Pine Bush is extremely concerned about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that has been prepared for the Residence Inn development in the Pine Bush in the City of Albany. Our specific comments are detailed…
STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF ALBANY SUPREME COURT _________________________________________________ In the Matter of the Application of SAVE THE PINE BUSH, INC., REZSIN ADAMS, SANDRA CAMP, SHARON CASTERLIN, LUCY CLARK, LYNNE JACKSON, MARTHA MASTERS JOHN WOLCOTT, PETER VAN NOSTRAND and RUSSELL ZIEMBA, Case No. 1 Petitioners, Index No. for judgment pursuant to Article 78 of the CPLR RJI No. -against- …
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY: The Final Environmental Impact Statement submitted by the developer for the proposed Residence Inn is so inadequate, it is appalling. The Albany Common Council must reject this document as incomplete. In analyzing this document, it is difficult to choose which area of inadequacy to attack first. Disappearing Letters First, the FEIS omits two of the most damning letters, one form the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the other from Dr. Kurt Johnson, a lepidopterist who…
A founding member of Save the Pine Bush in 1978, Wolcott was a month shy of his 91st birthday when he passed away Thursday ALBANY — John Wolcott, a passionate long-time defender of preserving the Pine Bush ecosystem, self-proclaimed Albany historian, and thorn in the side of developers and government officials for decades, died this past week. Wolcott, a founding member of Save the Pine Bush in 1978, was a month shy of his 91st birthday when he passed away…
Editor’s Note: Ward Stone died on February 8, 2023 at the age of 84. Ward Stone was a friend of Save the Pine Bush and often spoke at SPB vegetarian lasagna dinners. Here are two letters which describe Ward. The first letter was written by long-time friend, Lewis Oliver and sent to many media outlets, but, never published. The second letter from Tom Ellis was published in the Altamont Enterprise. Dear Mr. Seiler: The front-page article about the death of…
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by Lynne Jackson COLONIE, NY: The Town of Colonie Planning Board voted to recommend the rezoning of an 11.89 acre site at 4232 Albany Street from industrial to single-family residential after a public hearing on January 10. Five people spoke in opposition, four were from Save the Pine Bush. The rezoning would allow for construction of two houses on the property. The site is adjacent on two sides by land in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve and the Albany Pine…
by Tom Ellis RENSSELAER, NY: Efforts to close the Waste Connections Dunn construction and demolition debris landfill in Rensselaer continue despite little news coverage of the ongoing public health crisis. The dump is located on a hilltop at the end of Partition Street, borders the Rensselaer public school campus, a cemetery, and in between Rensselaer and East Greenbush neighborhoods. Interstate 90 passes in front of the school campus; thus the campus, athletic fields, students, staff, and visitors are bombarded from…
As much as we love solar, the Eden Renewable Solar Project in Colonie is NOT okay. Dear Save the Pine Bush Friends, Please come to the public hearing regarding the proposed Solar Farm in the Pine Bush. I have included links to the documents and maps. Thank you so much, Lynne Jackson For Save the Pine Bush Join the next fight for the Pine Bush Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Town of Colonie…
2020s 🦋 2010s 🦋 2000s 🦋 1990s Search Newsletter Archives: 1999 🦋 1998 🦋 1997 🦋 1996 🦋 1995 🦋 1994 1999 December 1999, January 2000 Garbage in the Pine Bush – City Proposes Landfill Expansion SPB Files Most Unpopular Suit Yet – Sues the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission The Thruway Authority Comes Across Royally Thank You to All Who Responded to the Emergency Appeal 1st Annual Pine Bush Walk-a-Thon a Sucess! October/November, 1999 Save the Pine Bush Sues…
by Tom Ellis RENSSELAER, NY: David Carpenter, a renowned local physician who studies the human health impacts of toxic materials, spoke at a December 2nd East Greenbush Town Board (EGTB) forum on the Dunn dump. He was the first presenter on a five-person panel. The Dunn construction and demolition debris dump, owned by Waste Connections, sits atop a hill next to the Rensselaer public school campus and the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, and in between Rensselaer and East Greenbush neighborhoods. Odors…
by Tom Ellis RENSSELAER, NY: The Rensselaer Environmental Coalition continues its four-year-campaign to immediately close the construction and demolition debris dump in Rensselaer while dealing with an unresponsive state government. Residents of Rensselaer and East Greenbush (R&EG) remain disgusted with how the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) takes odor and other complaints about the dump. DEC set up a system where people dial a DEC-supplied telephone number that is answered by Dunn Waste Connections — the owners of the…
Here are some helpful tools to help you research development and land use changes in Albany Pine Bush. Properties on the Planning Board Agendas See our Planning Board Agenda Tracker. Search a Property You can search a property here, however it must be in a very specific format to match the tax record, like this describing the property: 20 New Karner Rd, Town of Guilderland. If you don’t have that level of detail or nothing is returned, you should use…
At the same Town Board meeting where the Board passed a zoning amendment prohibiting commercial soccer fields in residentially zoned areas, the Town Board heard a presentation by its director of parks about the townÕs own proposed soccer fields in the Pine Bush. The zoning amendment passed by the Town Board specifically prohibits commercial soccer fields, but allows town facilities in residentially zoned areas. The town proposes to build 10 outdoor soccer fields on the 100-acre site which the town…
Albany County Tax records show that 253 acres of Pine Bush were forever lost to development between 2010 and 2020. Acres in Study Area Acres Developed with a Building * % Acres Preserved ** % Acres Undeveloped or Used for Highways / Landfill *** % 13,005 5,723 44.0% 3,317 25.5% 3,965 30.5% * Acres developed does not include highways or other developments that do not contain buildings. ** Albany Pine Bush Commission managed lands *** County tax parcels that do…
By Dominick Calsolaro, June/July 2021 Save the Pine Bush Newsletter ALBANY: In April, Waste Management of New York, Inc, (WM) informed residents of Albany’s South End that it was again asking the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to approve a solid waste permit modification to allow WM to accept municipal solid waste (MSW) at its transfer station located in the Port of Albany. The facility is about 1,000 feet from Ezra Prentice Homes. MSW is putrescible waste, in other words,…
by Grace Nichols Earth Day Season began with a Teach-In by the Black Caucus of PEF (Public Employees Federation) at the Albany Public Library (on April 16th) about the environmental injustice done to the Sheridan Hollow community in Albany, NY. Sheridan Hollow is named for its location down a ravine that’s across the street from the State Capitol, centered along Sheridan Avenue. It also has a history of being Albany’s energy producer, having begun producing energy by burning coal at…
by Steve Rider On its website it states that the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission “assure(s) the protection, restoration and management of the natural and cultural resources of the Albany Pine Bush.” However, in reality preservation of cultural resources is given little priority compared to the ecological goals. Original, unspoiled remnants of four historic roads can be found within the Preserve, some as part of the trail system, and nothing has been done to protect them nor to educate the…
by Christine Kielb Tom Ellis and Christine Kielb of Stop Trucks Assaulting Rensselaer (STAR), a group of Rensselaer residents and their allies, are continuing their work fighting the tractor trailer truck traffic passing through city neighborhoods to and from the Dunn Construction and Demolition (C&D) landfill. This landfill operation, larger than the Colonie and Albany landfills combined, is expected to continue for many years, possibly until 2036, unless successfully challenged. The problem began in 2012 when the NYS Department of…
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Scott Kellogg and Justina Thompson spoke at the September 19th SPB dinner. Scott is the executive director of the Radix Center at 153 Grand Street in the South End of Albany. Justina is a 19-year-old student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majoring in sustainability studies. Both are highly enthusiastic about their work and are accomplished experts in environmental education. Before they began, Grace Nichols spoke briefly saying insect populations are rapidly declining for multiple reasons. These…
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Albany resident and Secretary of the NYS Green Party Peter Lavenia was the featured speaker at the August 14 SPB dinner. He spoke about Renewable Energy: Why the Old Country is New Again and We’re Not. What Peter did was compare the political climates in Europe and the United States to explain why Europe is moving farther and faster ahead of the US in limiting greenhouse gas emissions and developing safe, renewable energy. Peter, who thinks of…
Reprinted from the Altamont Enterprisel Thursday, May 17, 2018 Before there were cars and trucks, before there were carriages and wagons, before there were wheels, people have always made pathways. The routes they traveled linked hunting grounds with dwelling places, became a means of trade and commerce, linked one community to another or allowed one to fight another. Few of us give much thought to ancient roads in our midst. We didn’t until we got a letter from Steven Rider,…
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Dan Van Riper spoke about the proposed Lincoln Park sewage treatment facility at the May 16 SPB dinner. His wife, Lynne Jackson, introduced him saying Dan has studied the sewage issue for more than ten years and written about it extensively on his blog Dan began saying, “This is a really complex issue and if you don’t understand it, I don’ blame you.” He said the city wants the treatment plant in the ravine along…
by Chris Kielb Rensselaer residents and others are continuing their work fighting the tractor trailer truck traffic passing through residential neighborhoods to and from the Dunn Construction and Demolition landfill. Members of the group Stop Trucks Assaulting Rensselaer (STAR) recently met for a second time with the executive committee of the Hudson-Mohawk chapter of the Sierra Club. A summary of DEC documents obtained by STAR, including the permit, public hearing notes and annual reports, was presented. Also discussed was the…
Below are excerpts from an article about Peter Buttner from the Altamont Enterprise: Peter J.R. Buttner was a man who, by his own reckoning, worked to build a brighter future no matter how dark the present. He did this in his personal life and in his professional life as director of Environmental Management for the state. He also did this for his community; when he lived in Guilderland, Dr. Buttner led a citizens’ board that pushed to have toxic…