Planning Board Meeting — February 25, 2026
Meeting Overview
The Amenia Planning Board met on February 25, 2026. Key agenda items included a continued public hearing on the Silo Ridge/Siland Recreation Facility site plan amendment, with extensive discussion about proposed court lighting, and general board business including a proposed change to meeting start times.
Siland Recreation Facility — Site Plan Amendment (Public Hearing Continued)
Status: Under review; public hearing adjourned to March 11
Attorney Patrick Olirri presented the site plan modification for the Siland (Silo Ridge) Recreation Facility on behalf of Siland Commercial. This was the third presentation of the amended plan. Key changes from the original approved site plan include:
- A 5-foot shift of the ice arena toward the parking area
- Reconfigured parking with an extended turnaround near the tennis courts and new fieldhouse
- The fieldhouse is approximately 3,500 square feet larger but in a different shape, no longer infringing on undeveloped area
- The whiffle ball field has been replaced with an open play area and playground
- Expanded parking from 12 to 20 spots in one area
- Storm water management redesign: water now routed to a man-made irrigation pond rather than the previous inefficient system of underground detention and pumping
- Abandonment of a cart path on the left side of the pond in favor of using the existing fire access easement on the Route 22 side
- Enhanced landscaping plan with denser plantings than the original
Court Lighting Proposal — Withdrawn
A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to discussing a proposal to allow exterior court lighting for the platform tennis courts at Siland. Patrick Olirri stated this was his idea, not Siland's initiative, intended to expand community access to the facility. The proposal called for lights three nights per week (Friday and Saturday for members, Tuesday for community use) from November through March. Mr. Whan, the immediate neighbor, indicated no objections after observing the lights.
However, Planning Board consultant Nina Peek strongly objected, arguing the lights were visible from multiple vantage points including Old Route 22, Delavergne Hill, and Kent, Connecticut. She described the impact as "startlingly bright" and "diametrically opposed" to the board's consistent position on maintaining rural character and night sky provisions. Board members also drove past the site and confirmed significant visibility.
Town engineer John Andrews noted that while the lighting plans technically comply with the zoning code's foot-candle limits at the property line, the visible glow and light source exposure raised concerns about consistency with the scenic zone. After discussion, Olirri indicated that if the board decides against court lighting, the plans would be revised to remove it. The lighting proposal was ultimately separated from the site plan amendment to allow the site plan to proceed more quickly.
Silo Ridge Bicycle Safety Concerns
Board member Jim raised ongoing concerns about cyclists exiting the Silo Ridge entrance onto Route 22, warning that "someone's going to get killed." Patrick Olirri reported two potential solutions being explored: (1) creating a path through the garden area to exit at a house Silo Ridge purchased, or (2) utilizing an existing cattle crossing underneath Route 22 that connects to the rail trail. The cattle crossing is the preferred solution but has title/ownership issues that remain unresolved.
Site Visit Scheduled
The board discussed scheduling a site visit for the Cascade Creek subdivision project. A visit was tentatively set for March 11 at 5:00-5:30 p.m., before the next planning board meeting. The applicant was asked to stake the center line of the two proposed driveways and at intervals along the road for visibility assessment.
Meeting Time Change Proposed
The board discussed changing the planning board meeting start time from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with general agreement from members and the town engineer. The change was deferred pending confirmation with one absent board member.
This summary was generated from the YouTube recording. It is intended as a public service and may contain minor transcription inaccuracies.