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PAGGI,MARTIN &DELBENELLP
Consulting Engineers & Land Surveyors
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56 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, New York 12601
914-471-7898
914-471-0905 (FAX)
Town Board
Town of Wappinger
P.O. Box 324
Wappingers Falls, New York 12590
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May 31, 2000
Attention: Constance O. Smith, Supervisor
Reference: 77 Smith Crossing Road
Dear Supervisor Smith & Board Members:
As requested at the last Town Board meeting, our office made an initial
field inspection of the above site with Graham Foster, Highway
Superintendent. I have also taken the opportunity of pulling the approved
Preliminary Final Plot plan from the file and reviewing them.
As the Board know, in the Town of Wappinger it is standard procedure to
prepare a preliminary plot plan prior to the issuance of a Building Permit.
The preliminary plot plan is to show the location of the house and all
necessary site features to show that it is in conformance with Town Code
and practices.
The plot plans are to be prepared by a Licensed Professional Engineer
and/or Land Surveyor, which assumes that they are prepared in an
accurate manner. Upon completion of the house, a Final Plot Plan is
prepared by the same licensed professional showing that the house was
actually built as approved.
For 77 Smith Crossing Road, which is known as Lot No.2 from the Emsley
Subdivision, the preliminary plot plan was approved by Ken Croshier, then
Highway Superintendent, on September 5th, 1986, subject to a 25'
driveway blacktop apron and a 12" corrugated metal pipe. A review of the
preliminary plot plan shows that there was no driveway culvert proposed
and/or roadway ditchline. We also accepted the preliminary plot plan on
September 20th, 1986 noting Mr. Croshier's comments.
Joseph E. Paggi, Jr., P.E.
Ernst Martin, Jr., P.E., L.S.
Chales R. Del Bene, Jr., P.E.
Constance O. Smith
Town Board
Re: 77 Smith Crossing Road
- 2 -
May 31, 2000
It should also be noted that plot plans are field verified or not field verified
as time schedules allow. The Final Plot Plan was submitted on July 20th,
1987 to our office and accepted. The final plot plan showed a driveway
culvert 12" in size as approved flowing to an existing roadway culvert just
south on Smith Crossing Road.
The plot plan showed that the inverts or bottom of the culverts were dead
level, and therefore, would flow without standing water. The recent field
inspection by Graham Foster and myself indicate that the driveway culvert
is approximately 3 %" - 4" lower than the existing roadway culvert,
therefore, backing up water into the roadside ditch and culvert. These
elevation differences also cause the backup to occur further north on 75
Smith Crossing Road known as Lot No.1 of the Emsley Subdivision.
A review of the plot plans for Lot No.1 or 75 Smith Crossing Road
showed that the preliminary plot plan was submitted without showing a
driveway culvert, but approved conditionally by Mr. Croshier with the
driveway culvert. The final plot plan that was submitted to our office did
not show the driveway culvert and/or the ditch, and was reiected by our
office. A review of our files do not show that a Final Plot Plan was ever
approved.
With the above in mind, it appears that the Town approvals that were
given in 1986 and 1987 for the above two parcels were done in an
acceptable manner, and were based on facts submitted by the builder's
engineer. It is apparent that the approvals given by the Town were
appropriate based on documentation submitted.
I have enclosed copies of the plot plans for your review.
Mr. Foster and I discussed what could be done at this point in time, if
anything, to better the situation. It should be noted that approximately 3"-
4" of water existed in these pipes and ditchlines for a length of above 50'
after a considerable amount of rain during the past number of weeks.
It was decided that Mr. Foster would perform routine maintenance on the
culverts, ditchline, culvert discharges, etc. to make sure everything is clean
and running free, and then would reassess if any of the roadway culverts
could be lowered to better drain the west side of the road.
.
..
.
Constance O. Smith
Town Board
Re: 77 Smith Crossing Road
- 3 -
May 31, 2000
If there are any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact
me at the above number.
Very truly yours,
Joseph E. Paggi, Jr., P.E.
JEP:law
Enclosure: Photos/Plot Plan
cc: Hon. Vincent Bettina, Councilman
Hon. Joseph Paoloni, Councilman
Hon. Joseph Ruggiero, Councilman
Hon. Robert Valdati, Councilman
Hon. Elaine Snowden
Albert P. Roberts, Esq.
Hon. Graham Foster