January 17, 2007                                                                                                       

The Town Board of the Town of Trenton held a Public Meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Trenton Municipal Center, Barneveld, NY.  The purpose of the meeting was to hear the facts regarding the conceptual project of Scott Sanborn to create a water bottling facility, Miracle Springs, Inc., on Cheese Factory and Putnam roads in South Trenton.

Present: Supervisor Mark Scheidelman, Councilmen Shirley Poland, Betsy Mack, Joseph Smith, and Bruce Kellogg. 

There were approximately 200 residents present.

Mark Scheidelman called the hearing to order at 7:30 p.m.  He explained to the audience that Mr. Sanborn has not submitted a formal proposal to the Town Board for any project at this time.  Mr. Sanborn spoke with the Planning Board in May of 2005. Ansley Schmit, the Planning Board Chairman at the time, responded to Mr. Sanborn in September of 2005 stating the steps the Town of Trenton would require to go forward with this project.  Scheidelman clarified the Town has spoken with Mr. Sanborn on several occasions, but as no proposal has been submitted the Town does not support, or not support, the project.  Mr. Sanborn stated in a letter dated December 20, 2006 that the Town of Trenton was supporting this project.  Scheidelman stated the statement was false.  The Town of Trenton sent out 300 letters inviting residents to attend a meeting designed to afford Mr. Sanborn, his engineers and other individuals assisting Mr. Sanborn, an opportunity to explain the project to local residents.  Scheidelman felt the meeting was a way to stop the misinformation that was rampantly flooding the community.  After explaining the Town of Trenton’s position, Scheidelman turned the floor over to Scott Sanborn for a brief presentation followed by questions and answers.

Scott Sanborn addressed the more than 200 residents.  He introduced Joe Robertaccio, from the Oneida County Health Department, who assisted Mr. Sanborn with Board of Health related concerns in this project.  Mr. Sanborn stated he bought property on Old Cheese Factory Road, where he resides, and is the fortunate owner of a spring that produces a large volume of water.  He told the residents he put in an offer to purchase the Donnelly property, located on Putnam Road, for the purpose of constructing a 25,000 square foot building to house a water bottling facility.  Sanborn proposes ponds with swans and an attractive building that would blend in with the surrounding landscape.  Sanborn stated the town asked for three things: first a business plan, which is complete; and second a Hydro Geologic Study, which is scheduled for this spring.  Sanborn stated he plans to use the firm that did the study for Nirvana rather than proceed with a firm from Schenectady that would rubber stamp the plans based on the fact that a Cheese Factory was once operated on the premises.  He plans to bottle water at 400 gallons per minute rate requiring 4, 328 gallons of water per day being piped from the spring to the bottling facility.  Sanborn stated this is less than 20% of the volume of water generated by the spring.  He further explained spring water rises naturally and would run directly to a pipe.  No pumps would be needed at the spring.

Joe Robertaccio spoke to the residents explaining the New York State Department of Health would be the authorizing branch of government that would need to approve the bottled water facility.  He stated there has been a 25% growth in the bottled water industry.  Robertaccio asked the residents to go and view Nirvana to see how a state of the art facility looks and operates.  He stated Sanborn has an idea worth listening to and encouraged residents to ask lots of questions so Mr. Sanborn would have “a shopping list.”

Scheidelman asked Sanborn if he had any drawings to present tonight.  Sanborn stated drawings are in the works.  Scheidelman again explained there has been no formal proposal.  The project is conceptual at this stage.  The Town Board cannot make a decision without a plan.  Scheidelman explained to the residents this project would require a zoning change or a “use variance” as the land proposed is currently zoned residential.  The steps required for rezoning would require a formal proposal be submitted, the proposal would then go before the Planning Board.  The next step would be for a Public Hearing to be held and finally the proposal would be submitted to the Town Board.

Several residents asked questions about zoning, the affect on local water and if the Canal Corporation would object to losing 180,000 gallons of water a day to the Nine Mile Creek, and the impact this project would have on property values.  Residents shared concerns with why the applicant wasn’t directed to the Mapledale Corridor for this project.  Scheidelman stated he was directed to look into the Mapledale Corridor by the Planning Board.  Residents were concerned the Town had granted a right of way to pipe water along Cheese Factory Road.  Scheidelman explained Cheese Factory Road is owned by the State, not the Town.  The State also owns the area of potential use along Putnam Road.  Sanborn would have to request a right of way from the State.  Sanborn stated he has made the request with the Department of Transportation and is waiting for a response. 

More resident shared concerns regarding the water table of the area and the possibility that the rural area chosen for living might be considered for a commercial venture.  Several residents stated the negative impact to real estate in the fastest growing residential area of the town as a real concern.  Some residents questioned why the Town was promoting the project.  Scheidelman replied it is the Town’s job to facilitate discussion, just as it is every residents right to submit a proposal.  Scheidelman stated the Town Board was obligated to give the residents as much information as possible, unfortunately Mr. Sanborn’s engineer did not show up at the meeting.  Scheidelman stated he had a file of letters of opposition that would be on file at the Town Clerk’s Office.  At the request of the residents, Scheidelman asked for a show of hands for those supporting the project.  There were no raised hands.  He called for a show of hands for all against the project.  All hands in the room were raised.

With no further public comments, the meeting was closed at 8:55 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Katharine Squire

Town Clerk