FOLK

FOLK - Friends of the Longkill
Residents along and near Longkill Road in the Towns of Clifton Park and Ballston have banded together as FOLK, which stands for "Friends of the Longkill." This grassroots community group was originally formed to advocate for protection of important open space in the area, principally the 18.7 acres of woods and wetlands now proposed by Kain Development LLC of New Jersey for a conventional sprawl subdivision west of Longkill Road. The development is now called Kain Preserve.The land abuts Hearthside Drive and other, more than 30-year-old streets in the Country Knolls-Longkill neighborhood, and is located along the northern boundary of the Town of Clifton Park and Town of Ballston lines.

Communications during the planning phase
[[media:LorensenConcernsOctober2005.pdf|Lorensen's Letter to CP Planning Board, October 13, 2005]]

[[media:FOLK-WetlandsLetterNovember2005.pdf|Lorensen's Letter to CP Planning Board, November 29, 2005]]

[[media:CorpsofEngineersLetterDecember2005.pdf|Lorensen's Letter to Corps of Engineers, December 12, 2005]]

[[media:FOLK-PlanningBoardCommentsDecember2005.pdf|Lorensen's Comments to CP Planning Board, December 13, 2005]]

[[media:FOLK-WetlandsLetterFebruary2006.pdf|Lorensen's Letter to CP Planning Board, February 14, 2006]]

Lorensen's Presentation to CP Planning Board, February 14, 2006

[[media:FOLK-PetitionFebruary2006.pdf|Petition to CP Planning Board, February 14, 2006]] - 357 signatures in one week!

[[media:FOLK-WetlandsLetterApril2006.pdf|Lorensen's Letter to CP Planning Board, April 6, 2006]]

[[media:FOLK-OutstandingIssuesApril2006.pdf|Lorensen's Outstanding Issues Presentation to CP Planning Board, April 11, 2006]]

[[media:FOLK-LorensenClosingRemarksApril2006.pdf|Lorensen's Closing Remarks to the CP Planning Board, April 11, 2006]]

[[media:FOLK-OpenSpaceMay2006.pdf|FOLK Letter to CP Open Space, Trails and Riverfront Committee, May 8, 2006]]

[[media:LorensenPlanningBoardMay2006.pdf|Lorensen's Letter to CP Planning Board, May 17, 2006]]

[[media:LorensenClosingCommentsJune2006.pdf|Lorensen's Closing Remarks to the CP Planning Board, June 13, 2006]] These comments were never heard. Chairman Bulger refused to allow comments from the public other than one representative.

[[media:PBComments.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Response to FOLK]]

[[media:FolkDecision.pdf|Decision of the New York State Supreme Court]] Bad news. Our Article 78 against the Town of Clifton Park was rejected by Judge Nolan.

Clifton Park Planning Board and Town Board Minutes
Excerpts from the Town of Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes that concern the Kain Development, LLC Proposed 18-lot Subdivision on Longkill Road.

[[media:CliftonParkPlanningBoardMinutesOctober2004.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes, October 13, 2004]]

[[media:CliftonParkPlanningBoardMinutesSeptember2005.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes, September 15, 2005]]

[[media:CliftonParkPlanningBoardMinutesDecember2005.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes, December 13, 2005]]

[[media:CliftonParkPlanningBoardMinutesFebruary.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes, February 14, 2006]]

[[media:CliftonParkTownBoardMinutesFebruary2006.pdf|Clifton Park Town Board Minutes, February 27, 2006]]

[[media:CliftonParkPlanningBoardMinutesApril.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes, April 11, 2006]]

[[media:CliftonParkPlanningBoardMinutesJune2006.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes, June 13, 2006]]

[[media:CliftonParkPlanningBoardMinutesJune2007.pdf|Clifton Park Planning Board Minutes, June 12, 2007]]

News Stories
[[media:ComunityNewsFebruary2006.pdf|Community News February 14, 2006]]

[[media:TimesUnionFebruary2006.pdf|Albany Times Union February 14, 2006]]

[[media:TimesUnionFebruaryx2006.pdf|Albany Times Union February 22, 2006]]

[[media:TimesUnionJune2006.pdf|Albany Times Union June 20, 2006]]

[[media:CommunityNewsJune2006.pdf|Community News June 30, 2006]]

[[media:CommunityNewsJune2007.pdf|Community News June 22, 2007]]

Project Notes




Videos
Stump Shredding February 2013

March 2013

December 2014

Sounds of Spring 2014

Tree Clearing Plans
[[Media:LongkillTreeInventory.pdf|Here is the tree inventory.]]

These are the approved tree clearing plans. The red dots denote trees to be removed.

[[Media:LongkillTreeClearing4.pdf|Lot 4 - Dhara Court]]
 * Lot #4. Recently cleared. This lot has a significant grade drop from the road. The owners have asked to clear trees for play areas and a future pool. The approved tree clearing plan shows over fifteen trees (green) marked “to remain”. All of these trees have been removed. Code would require 45 trees to be planted. The easement area was cleared during the infrastructure phase and should be planted with replacement trees.

[[Media:LongkillTreeClearing6.pdf|Lot 6 - Dhara Court]]
 * Lot #6: Under construction. The approved tree clearing plans shows over 20 trees marked (green)“trees to remain”. All of those trees were removed. Code would require almost 90 replacement trees. The 11 trees in the easement area were cleared during the infrastructure phase. This easement should be planted with replacement trees. Without prompting, the new home owners told me they “wished the builder had left more trees.”

[[Media:LongkillTreeClearing8.pdf|Lot 8 - #2 Dhara Court]]

[[Media:LongkillTreeClearing12.pdf|Lot 12 - #9 Yogi Court]]

[[Media:LongkillTreeClearing15.pdf|Lot 15 - #14 Kain Terrace]]

[[Media:LongkillTreeClearing16.pdf|Lot 16 - #12 Kain Terrace]]

Correspondence with Town
[[media:LorensenTreeClearing2015.pdf|Lorensen's Letter regarding tree clearing code violations]]

[[media:LorensenPBPresentationNovember10_2015.pdf|Lorensen's presentation at the first meeting regarding 5 Dhara Court fence in Land Preservation Area]]

[[media:LorensenPBPresentationJanuary26_2016.pdf|Lorensen's presentation at the second meeting regarding 5 Dhara Court fence in Land Preservation Area]] NOTE: The Board voted 6-1 against the proposal to build fences in the Land Preservation Area.

Lorensen's explanation of the Plot Plan confusion

[[media:LorensenPBPresentationNovember24_2015.pdf|Lorensen's presentation regarding Deed Restrictions]] NOTE: The presentation was not allowed because it did not address an agenda item. The presentation was sent to the Planning Board.

Abele Subdivision
[[media:LorensenBallstonDecember2014.pdf|Lorensen's Presentation to the Ballston Planning Board, December 2014]]

Ushers Woods
The site consists of three parcels owned by developers Larry Boni, Peter Belmonte, and Robert Van Patten through his company Country Club Acres. The plan calls for building 92 duplex rental units and 17 office and flex space buildings totaling 265,800-square-feet.


 * [[media:UshersWoodsMap.pdf|Ushers Woods Map]]


 * Environmental Impact Statement (12/28/2010)


 * Delay on Clifton Park housing projects raises questions (3/27/2012)


 * Ushers Road development plan in Clifton Park a concern for neighbor (3/20/2011)


 * Clifton Park Planning Board hears proposal for 100 duplex rental units (7/12/2012)


 * Clifton Planning Board 2/24/2015

Northway Church Proposal

 * [[media:NorthwayChurchProposal.pdf|Full Plan]]
 * [[media:NorthwayChurchTrafficStudy.pdf|Traffic Study]]
 * [[media:NorthwayChurchProjectNarrative.pdf|Project Narrative]]

Clifton Park Town Board

 * Supervisor
 * Phil Barrett pbarrett@cliftonpark.org
 * 19 Thunderbird Drive
 * Ballston Lake, NY 12019


 * Deputy Supervisor
 * Lynda Walowit ly@cliftonpark.org
 * 42 Hollandale Ln Apt H
 * Clifton Park, NY 12065


 * Council
 * Jim Romamo jromano@cliftonpark.org
 * 14 Wishing Well Lane
 * Rexford, NY 12148


 * Amy Standaert astandaert@cliftonpark.org
 * 30 Orchard Park Drive
 * Clifton Park, NY 12065


 * James Whalen jwhalen@cliftonpark.org
 * 34 Aster Drive
 * Rexford, NY 12148-1521

Clifton Park Planning Board
Individual Members do not have email addresses. To contact all members use planning@cliftonpark.org


 * Rocco Ferraro, Chairman
 * 14 Friar Tuck Ct
 * Clifton Park, NY 12065


 * Joel Koval, Vice Chairman
 * 489 Waite Road
 * Rexford, NY 12148


 * Emad Andarawis, Board Member
 * 67 Hubbs Rd
 * Ballston Lake, NY 12019


 * Denise M Bagramian, Board Member
 * 1 Towline Road
 * Clifton Park NY 12065


 * Andrew Neubauer, Board Member
 * 14 Lussier Drive
 * Clifton Park NY 12065


 * Eric Ophardt, Board Member
 * 8 Daniel Lill Court
 * Clifton Park, NY 12065


 * Eric Prescott, Board Member
 * 218 Woodin Road
 * Clifton Park, NY 12065


 * Jeff Jones, Alternate
 * 3 Lincoln Town Drive
 * Clifton Park NY 12065

Mapping APPS
Saratoga GIS Application

Topo Map

Natural Resources
A number of species exist within the Longkill forest.

Wood Frog Listen

Wood Duck Listen

Peepers Listen

Wild Turkey Listen

Pileated Woodpecker Listen

Fisher cats

Other Resources
New York State SEQR