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Resident urges caution signs and runoff controls after chip-seal work near horse pasture
Summary
At public comment, a Hillsdale resident who keeps rescued horses warned that recent and planned chip-seal work is increasing speeds and runoff risks, asked the town to place DOT-style horse-crossing signage and adopt stormwater precautions; the highway superintendent defended the work and agreed to follow up offline.
A resident speaking during the town's public-comment period on May 1 told the Hillsdale Town Board she keeps rescued horses along a road that is slated for chip-seal resurfacing and asked for official DOT-style caution signs and steps to prevent stormwater runoff that could harm pastureland and the animals.
"They're all horses that were bound for slaughter," the resident said, describing animals with injuries and special needs and urging the board to consider sign placement and sediment controls. She said she had prepared excerpts of New York State sediment-control specifications and offered exact locations for signage.
Highway Superintendent (the town official responsible for road work) responded that signage and road maintenance fall under his purview but that the town could recommend and install approved signs. "I am a highway superintendent that takes private cemeteries. I clean them up," he said while defending standard chip-seal materials and citing previous coordination with the DEC on erosion matters.
Supervisor (the meeting chair) said the board would defer detailed technical discussion to a workshop or offline meeting with the superintendent and the resident and encouraged continued communication by email. The supervisor also noted DEC had been on-site previously and asked officials to keep lines of communication open.
Why it matters: Chip-seal or other surface changes can alter vehicle speeds and local runoff patterns; residents sought both traffic-mitigation signage and erosion controls tied to state sediment standards. The superintendent offered to procure and install signage prior to the start of chip-seal work and to meet with residents about runoff concerns.
Next steps: Board members encouraged the resident to email detailed locations and materials to the highway superintendent and supervisor so the town can take action quickly and schedule a workshop if technical decisions require broader review.
