Schodack Planning Board · SPB #2025-24 · Sunset Road, Castleton
Planning Board – August 3, 2026
Keller Park lacrosse complex, Sunset Road · Agenda item 5
What happened
- The application was again deemed incomplete, and the Board held off on scheduling the public hearing – new threshold questions "will definitely impact moving forward."
- A new issue surfaced: whether the parcel sits in a Rensselaer County Agricultural District. If it does, this becomes a SEQR Type I action requiring a full, long-form environmental review – restarting part of the process. The Board's engineer needs more research first.
- The Chair confirmed there will be a public hearing – but it was not scheduled tonight.
- All public comment was opposed.
What was discussed
- Send the zoning question to the ZBA: an attorney for a neighboring owner urged the Board to request an interpretation from the Zoning Board of Appeals on whether this is a "membership club" or a "recreation facility" – noting the Board can't decide the use itself but can ask the ZBA.
- Agricultural District / Type I: a 2024 county map appears to place the parcel in Ag District #6, which would require the fuller long-form review and a complete picture of excavation and any DEC mining-permit exemption.
- Traffic report called incomplete: it treats the site as "primarily practice" (~270 peak-hour trips) while games generate ~700, with no tournament analysis, on a narrow, shoulderless, winding road with short sight distance.
- Neighbors' themes: a private commercial club rather than a public park, noise, pedestrian danger, and expansion "creep."
- Applicant (Steve Hart): will address the Town engineer's July 23 comments "for the next meeting," and said the traffic consultant "will be here for the next meeting, whether that be a public hearing or just an informational meeting."
Who appeared
Steve Hart Hart Engineering – for the applicant
Greg Sherwin Columbia Lacrosse Club
John Keller property owner
Rich Laberge Laberge Group – Town engineer
Four members of the public spoke during public comment – all opposed – including an attorney representing a neighboring property owner.