Bethlehem Town meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Planning Board closes hearing on McCormacks Hollow subdivision; ZBA sets shed variance hearing

The Bethlehem Planning Board closed the public hearing on the McCormacks Hollow Subdivision amendment at its Aug. 4 meeting, a proposal that would bury electric lines, reduce the number of lots to three, and convey 23.76 acres to the town. The board voted unanimously to close the hearing and tabled further discussion on related information items. No other substantive decisions were made.

Planning Board

The Planning Board acted on the McCormacks Hollow Subdivision amendment, which also includes a proposed fee in lieu of parkland and a decision on the subdivision amendment itself. The board closed the hearing unanimously and tabled further discussion on information items. The amendment would reduce lots to three and convey 23.76 acres to the town.

Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously on Aug. 5 to accept an application from Stephen Kitchen for an area variance at 387 Delaware Avenue and scheduled a public hearing for Aug. 9, 2026. The applicant proposes a 10x12-foot shed that would exceed the town's 5% accessory structure lot coverage limit. The board also approved a resolution for 17 Hawthorne Avenue (unanimous) and accepted the July 15, 2026 minutes with minor corrections (unanimous).

Town Board agenda (Aug. 12)

The Town Board met Aug. 12, but minutes have not yet been published. The agenda included several administrative and financial items, all pending approval:

• Appointments of Katherine Arnold as Telecommunicator at $64,995 annual salary and Marcella Rockwell as Telecommunicator at $50,012 annual salary.
• Authorization of a $100,000 New York State grant for playground equipment at North Bethlehem Park.
• Award of a police vehicle fleet conversion bid to LaRosa's Automotive of Schenectady.
• Approval of a $159,400 budget transfer for engineering services on the Lasher Road/Route 9W water main extension.
• Purchase of three Chevy Equinox EVs at $30,938.79 each and a tire changing machine at $15,001.30.
• A public hearing on a local law regarding stop intersections.

These items were listed on the agenda and have not been voted on as of this writing.

Coming up

• **Planning Board** – Aug. 18: The board will vote on the McCormacks Hollow Subdivision amendment, including a decision on a fee in lieu of parkland, and will discuss the redevelopment of the trucking terminal at 25 Frontage Rd in Glenmont. A proposed 3-lot subdivision at 55 McCormack Rd is also on the agenda.
• **Zoning Board of Appeals** – Aug. 19: The board will hold a public hearing on the area variance for the shed at 387 Delaware Avenue. The proposed shed would bring accessory coverage to 7.6% (639 sq ft), exceeding the 5% limit by 1.6% (207 sq ft). The board will also consider approving minutes from the Aug. 5 meeting.

Bethlehem boards act on subdivisions, hires, and water main extension

The Bethlehem Town Board is set to consider a $159,400 budget transfer for engineering services on a water main extension along Lasher Road and State Route 9W, part of a busy stretch of meetings that also saw the Planning Board advance a McCormack Road subdivision and the Zoning Board of Appeals approve a Rockefeller Road resolution.

Town Board — July 8

The Town Board's July 8 meeting was agenda-only; official minutes have not yet been published, so actions listed reflect what the board was scheduled to consider rather than confirmed outcomes.

Items on the agenda included a public hearing on the 2026 BEST Grant project application for Perfect Blend and the appointment of Joseph M. Dillabough as Police Officer at an annual salary of $72,922.

The board was also set to consider an engineering contract with CHA Consulting for the Elm Avenue Park spray pads UV treatment system, capped at $49,500 from the Park Land Set-aside fund, and the purchase of a sewer crawler camera system from Spartan Tool, LLC for $52,677.82 from the Sewer Fund Capital Reserve.

A $159,400 budget transfer for engineering services on the water main extension along Lasher Road and State Route 9W was also on the agenda, along with a proposal to exempt a parking lot restriping from minimum width requirements.

Planning Board — July 7

The Planning Board unanimously approved an update to the SEQR qualified action exemption for the 55 McCormack Rd subdivision and scheduled a public hearing on that subdivision for July 21, 2026. Both votes were unanimous.

The board also approved minutes from its May 5, 2026 meeting unanimously and adjourned unanimously. Discussion of the 50 Adams Place multi-family housing site plan was tabled.

Zoning Board of Appeals — July 15

The Zoning Board of Appeals approved the resolution for 152 Rockefeller Road as amended, with all members in favor.

The board accepted June 3, 2026 meeting minutes on a 3–0 vote, rejected the June 17, 2026 minutes with no vote recorded, and accepted July 1, 2026 minutes on a 4–0 vote. The meeting was adjourned unanimously.

Coming up

Planning Board — July 21: A public hearing is scheduled on a proposed three-lot minor subdivision at 55 McCormack Rd, Slingerlands (Application 25-00300004). The board may also act on a SEQR determination for the McCormacks Hollow subdivision amendment (Application 24-01200001), which would bury electric lines, reduce lots to three, and convey 23.76 acres to the town. Additional possible actions include scheduling an August 4 public hearing on the McCormacks Hollow amendment, a resolution on a fee-in-lieu of parkland for the senior-housing project at 152 Rockefeller Rd (Site Plan Application 23-00100012), and site-plan approval (SPA 345) for the 90-unit senior housing building at the same address.

Bethlehem boards took up water main funding, housing proposals, and zoning requests in early July

The Bethlehem Town Board was scheduled to consider a $159,400 budget transfer for engineering services on a water main extension along Lasher Road and State Route 9W at its July 8 regular meeting, part of a packed agenda that also included a police officer appointment, equipment purchases, and a public hearing on a 2026 BEST Grant application. Minutes from that meeting and the July 7 Planning Board meeting have not yet been published, so outcomes are not yet confirmed.

Town Board — July 8

The Town Board agenda for July 8 listed several items with specific dollar figures and personnel actions:

• A public hearing on the 2026 BEST Grant project application for Perfect Blend.
• Appointment of Joseph M. Dillabough as Police Officer at an annual salary of $72,922.
• An engineering contract with CHA Consulting for the Elm Avenue Park spray pads UV treatment system, up to $49,500 from the Park Land Set-aside fund.
• Purchase of a sewer crawler camera system from Spartan Tool, LLC for $52,677.82 from the Sewer Fund Capital Reserve.
• A budget transfer of $159,400 for engineering services on the water main extension along Lasher Road and State Route 9W.
• An item to exempt a parking lot restriping from minimum width requirements.

Because minutes have not been published, it is not yet known which of these items were approved, modified, or tabled.

Planning Board — July 7

The Planning Board was set to act on a proposed 3-lot minor subdivision at 55 McCormack Rd in Slingerlands. The agenda called for possible action on a SEQR Qualified Action Exemption for the subdivision and possible action to schedule a public hearing for July 21, 2026 on the same project.

The board was also scheduled to receive an initial presentation for a proposed 3-unit multifamily housing site plan at 50 Adams Place in Delmar, and to approve minutes from its May 5, 2026 meeting.

Outcomes are not yet available because minutes have not been published.

Zoning Board of Appeals — July 1

The ZBA held a public hearing on an application by Louis Kurrelmeyer to construct a detached garage addition at 17 Hawthorne Ave. The proposal seeks variances because the structure would exceed maximum lot occupancy and detached structure percentage limits. No decision was recorded in the provided minutes.

Coming up

The Zoning Board of Appeals meets July 15 and is scheduled to consider resolutions for two properties: 17 Hawthorne Ave (the Kurrelmeyer garage addition heard July 1) and 152 Rockefeller Rd (WAWEB application). The board will also approve minutes from its June 3, June 17, and July 1, 2026 meetings.

Bethlehem Town Board to weigh data center moratorium; zoning updates, senior housing also on agendas

The Bethlehem Town Board is set to vote on a 12-month moratorium on data center development at its June 24 regular meeting, the most consequential item on a slate of recent and upcoming government agendas. The moratorium, if adopted, would pause new data center projects while the town updates its zoning code to address changes in state environmental review rules. No votes have been reported yet on the moratorium or other items from the June 24 meeting, as minutes have not been published.

Recent meetings

Town Board – June 24

The board’s agenda included a proposed local law for the data center moratorium, along with a discussion on zoning code revisions tied to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) changes. Other scheduled actions included awarding a bid for peroxide-based algaecide to BioSafe Systems, LLC, and a zinc orthophosphate and poly orthophosphate contract to Shannon Chemical Corp. The board also planned to authorize the purchase of a 2026 Chevy Equinox EV for Senior Services at $29,987.10 from General Fund Capital Reserves.

Zoning Board of Appeals – July 1

The ZBA held public hearings on two area variance applications. One involved a proposed garage addition at 17 Hawthorne Ave by Louis Kurrelmeyer. The other was a continuation of a hearing for WAWEB LLC’s senior housing project at 152 Rockefeller Rd. The board also considered a resolution to approve a variance for David Essex at 30 Manor Dr. On the information side, a memo requested that the Planning Board act as lead agency for VVK Inc.’s machine shop expansion at 619 Wemple Rd, involving a proposed 12,200-square-foot building. An appeal by Hoffman Car Wash at 55 Delaware Ave regarding a vacate order was withdrawn.

Coming up

Planning Board – July 7

The Planning Board will consider a Qualified Action Exemption under SEQRA for a proposed 3-lot minor subdivision at 55 McCormack Rd in Slingerlands, and may schedule a public hearing for July 21. The board will also receive an initial presentation for a proposed 3-unit multifamily housing site plan at 50 Adams Place in Delmar. Minutes from the May 5 Planning Board meeting are up for approval.

Town Board – July 8

The Town Board will hold a public hearing on a 2026 BEST Grant application for Perfect Blend. Other items include appointing Joseph M. Dillabough as a police officer at an annual salary of $72,922, approving an engineering contract with CHA Consulting for Elm Avenue Park spray pads’ UV treatment system at up to $49,500 from the Park Land Set-aside fund, and purchasing a sewer crawler camera system from Spartan Tool, LLC for $52,677.82 from the Sewer Fund Capital Reserve. A budget transfer of $159,400 is planned for engineering services on a water main extension along Lasher Road and State Route 9W. The board will also vote on exempting a parking lot restriping from minimum width requirements.