Cobleskill’s Village Planning Board gave the thumbs-up Wednesday to Catholic Charities long-contested plans for affordable housing at the corner of Campus and Granite drives.
Only about a half-dozen neighbors were on hand to hear the unanimous decision; past hearing on plans for 12 units of affordable housing at the corner of Campus and Granite Drives drew as many as 60 opponents.
Still to be negotiated:
Whether tax-exempt Catholic Charities will agree to make a payment in lieu of taxes or something like it.
Village Trustee Becky Stanton-Terk raised the PILOT question at Wednesday’s final public hearing on the project.
“There doesn’t seem to be a PILOT in place,” Ms. Stanton-Terk said. “Is anything being talked about? Some good-faith gesture?”
Catholic Charities’ Tom Coats said he’s met with Mayor Linda Holmes and Trustee Howard Burt to discuss the “concept of a PILOT,” but without an approved project, said it was “way premature.”
What’s more, Mr. Coats said, the $32,000 figure discussed is more than their anticipated revenues.
That’s not an issue for the Planning Board to decide, said Chairman Jamie Bautochka, closing the hearing after only Ms. Stanton-Terk spoke and moving the meeting into a review of the project’s potential impact on things like drainage, traffic, and groundwater using the state’s 10-page SEQR form.
Planners identified fewer than a half-dozen items of small concern in the half-hour long process, which meant no additional review was required; issued the negative declaration, and 45 minutes into the meeting, approved the project.
• • •

The Catholic Charities project is an allowed use under village zoning.
At a series of hearings and meetings that began in April, however, neighbors argued it would lower their property values and increase crime and drugs.
Some also said the long-vacant 1.4 acres lot was the last piece of good commercial property remaining in the village.
Those in favor of the project said there’s a desperate need for safe, affordable housing locally.
About half of the apartments will be for income-eligible local residents; the other half would be considered crisis housing with minimum income requirements waived until tenants got back on their feet.