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Zoning board tables Bradford Street chemical-storage variance after resident safety concerns
Summary
The Glens Falls City Zoning Board of Appeals postponed action on a variance for chemical storage at 21 Bradford Street after the applicant asked to table and residents raised air-quality and safety concerns. Staff said the fire department is working with the applicant to meet fire-code requirements.
The Glens Falls City Zoning Board of Appeals on June 16 tabled consideration of an area-variance request for chemical storage at a property identified as 21 Bradford Street after the applicant asked to defer a decision until the next meeting.
The applicant sought two variances: a front-yard setback reduction (from 50 feet to roughly 35 feet) and relief from the citys maximum lot coverage threshold. Devin Roselle, zoning planning coordinator, told the board the application is under active review and that the fire department is working with the applicant to meet fire-code and safety standards.
Roselle said the applicant had been working with the fire department and the planning department and that a change to the proposed setback would likely allow the project to meet the fire-code standard so a four-hour firewall would not be required. Fire Prevention Officer Aaron Ward was identified as involved in the review and Roselle said the fire department would issue a report for the board to review at the next meeting.
Multiple residents spoke during public comment, urging caution and raising health concerns. Audrey Sharon, who said she lives at 12 Catherine Street, said she and neighbors cannot open their windows because of black dust and truck traffic and asked what chemicals would be stored. "My concern is for my health and our neighborhood's health," Sharon said.
Longtime First Ward resident Linda Plant described multiple prior incidents she attributed to nearby industrial sites and urged the board to block further chemical operations. Plant said she had compiled newspaper clippings and documents dating back to 2011 alleging past explosions and cited OSHA and other reports; she also asserted the presence of nitric acid and questioned the use of hydrogen peroxide at the site. Those claims were made in public comment and were not verified during the meeting.
Board members noted that oversight of a company's internal handling of specific chemicals can fall outside the zoning board s land-use authority unless a change of use or other zoning violation is involved. The board accepted the applicant request to table the item to the board next meeting; a motion to table variance application 25-00003 was made and seconded and the item was continued.
The board said the fire departments forthcoming report and any revised plans showing the increased setback will be included in the packet for the next meeting, which the board announced will be July 21 at 6:30 p.m.
