Shandaken Tackles Bear Safety, Zoning Stalemate in Recent Town Meetings

Council Member Karen Lee shares a flier with QR code for “We Can Stop Plastic Pollution” initiative, encouraging NY state citizens to contact their legislators regarding the “New York State Plastic Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act.” Image from @townofshandaken on YouTube.

By Brianna Ferguson | SUNY Institute for Local News

SHANDAKEN – Local officials addressed a wide range of community and environmental concerns during two key municipal meetings in February, from a new “BearWise” safety initiative to a heated neighbor dispute over a Phoenicia residential variance.

The Town of Shandaken Conservation Advisory Council met on Feb. 16, followed by the Zoning Board of Appeals on Feb. 18. Both sessions highlighted the town’s ongoing efforts to balance environmental sustainability with local property rights.

The most pressing topic at the CAC meeting was a rising number of human-bear interactions in the region. To address this, the council announced that New York State Department of Environmental Conservation biologist John Milo will attend next month’s meeting on March 16 to discuss establishing Shandaken as a BearWise community.

The BearWise program provides outreach to residents and business owners – particularly those running restaurants and short-term rentals – on how to prevent bear encounters by using bear-resistant dumpsters and removing food attractants. Businesses that adopt these practices can display the BearWise logo to signal their participation. Council members noted that Shandaken receives more bear-related calls than many neighboring towns, making this initiative a priority.

The CAC also reviewed the town’s Comprehensive Plan, focusing on goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Key proposals include relocating municipal buildings out of floodplains and replacing them with energy-efficient structures. 

Council member Karen Lee also briefed the CAC on the “New York State Plastic Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act” (Senate Bill S1464), which aims for a 30% reduction in single-use plastic packaging by shifting responsibility to manufacturers.

Lee mentioned the state’s proposed “Leash the Lid” legislation (Senate Bill S8600), which aims to reduce single-use plastic litter and improve recycling efficiency by requiring tethered caps on bottles and containers. Another argument supporting the legislation is that loose caps can be a hazard for animals and small children, if ingested.

A related “Bigger, Better Bottle Bill” (Senate Bill S2351) proposes increasing the bottle deposit refund from 5 to 10 cents for beverage containers. 

On Feb. 18, the ZBA reconvened to discuss a residential variance request for a property located at 208 Pantherkill Road in Phoenicia that has been locked in a stalemate between current owners and their neighbors.

The property owners Dianelys Garcia and Jesus Marante were represented by their daughter, who argued that the site’s irregular shape and steep topography leave only one viable location for a home – a site that was previously cleared for a larger house 20 years ago. However, neighbors raised concerns about the proximity of the proposed home to the property line, fearing damage to their driveway and tree root systems if the land were further modified.

While the owners offered to share the costs of monitoring and removing dangerous trees, the neighbors have insisted on a lot-line adjustment at the owners’ expense. “We have been accommodating and acted in good faith,” the property owners’ representative told the board, noting that a certified arborist found no immediate threat from the trees in question.

Unable to reach a compromise, the ZBA voted unanimously to reopen the public hearing next month to gather additional information before making a final decision.

Both meetings were livestreamed and are available for public viewing on the Town of Shandaken YouTube channel (@townofshandaken).

The CAC’s “Be a BearWise Community” event is scheduled for March 16 at 6:30 p.m. The next ZBA meeting is scheduled for March 18, with public hearings starting at 6:30 p.m. All sessions are held in the Shandaken Town Hall.

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.