Neighbors press for more screening as Planning Board sends neutral recommendations on club site plan and variances

Representatives for the Metropolis Country Club described an amended site plan and tree removal permit and said they plan additional evergreen screening to reduce year‑round visibility. "We are proposing 8–10 foot evergreen plantings that will create a pretty dense screen," the project engineer explained.

Several residents and planning board members said the existing screening is inadequate and urged the applicant to speak directly with nearby residents on Skiatino/Schiortino Place to confirm whether proposed plantings will meet privacy and noise concerns. One member suggested the Town Board request any police records or noise complaints for the site as part of its review. The applicant said neighbors were notified for an upcoming zoning board hearing and the town board public hearing and that neighbors would have opportunities to raise issues there.

The board voted to forward draft recommendations to the Town Board as a neutral recommendation (with added requests that the applicant solicit neighbor input on screening and that the Town Board request any existing noise complaint records). On the area variances (height and setback for an accessory structure), the board likewise voted a neutral recommendation while adding context that the proposed structure is visually lower than the existing building despite code‑measured height increases.

Next steps: staff will prepare a draft recommendation reflecting the board’s screening and noise‑records requests and circulate it before the Dec. 3 meeting for final consideration.