Southtowns Record

Planning Board Regular Meeting, Jan 21, 2026 — Minutes

Government
Town of Hamburg
Board
Planning Board
Meeting
Jan 21, 2026
Kind
Minutes
Topics
Zoning and land use, Roads and traffic, Water, sewer and drainage, Public safety, Budget and taxes, Housing

Original document

Same meeting

Text · page 10 of 18

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Town of Hamburg Planning Board Minutes  January 21, 2026

Member Chmura asked if the intention of the conservation easement is to be the
delineation of the wetlands or any other additional type of buffering.

Member Clark explained that as wetlands can change, the Board would be putting it in
as buffering because they would not put in a conservation easement that can change
with the wetlands.

Mr. Gorczyca stated that right now he is working with Scott Livingstone with the DEC.
He needs a 100 ft variance so he may tap into those wetlands. He asked if the Planning
Board were to make it a conservation easement, does that create a problem.

Member Clark stated that if the conservation easement is in the part where he wants to
build, yes, so the Board would have to define it. Mr. Gorczyca explained that he needs
about 30 feet of the wetlands to get 100ft away from the building per the DEC and there
are applications going through now that allow him to do that.

A discussion was had about extending the conservation easement.

If the Board does a conservation easement, they will start from the South point and say
how many feet Noth from there and then just do a straight line, which would be the
easiest. Or they could say current wetland delineation and reference the map, but that
is going to make it so Mr. Gorczyca can’t ask for the 30 feet from the DEC. So, the
Board would have to pick an amount that is a little bit South of the line. Again, the
easiest solution would be jus a straight line that went across it.

Mr. Gorczyca asked what the purpose was of all this. It was explained to him that it is to
prevent anyone in the future from building.

Mr. Rogers stated that after discussion of the conservation easement and the
complicated nature of it, he feels confident with it just being wetlands due to the
permitting process and the difficulty of getting a permit to do any type of development
on wetlands.

Members Stewart, Ryan, and Geraci all agreed with Mr. Rogers so they will let the
concept of a conservation easement go.

Member Stewart read the SEQR resolution:

Tom Gorczyca 3189 Pleasant Avenue SEQR and Approval Resolution

SEQR

Whereas, the Town of Hamburg Planning Department received a Subdivision
Application from Tom Gorczyca for the approval of a 2-lot subdivision to be located at
3189 Pleasant Avenue; and

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