I am going to try to provide definitions and/or explanations of some of the terms used, as readers have commented on things they don’t understand. If you know know what a term means, please do not hesitate to ask.
*executive session – New York State law provides for public access to meetings, and to governmental information. Government must conduct its business in public. A quorum of board members discussing government business is a public meeting. A decision making board, however, may hold certain sessions in private for very specific reasons – personnel, contracts, or litigation. The subject of the litigation must be announced.
*PB – planning board
*ZBA – zoning board of appeals
C.O. – certificate of occupancy, issued by the buildiing department, before occupancy
SEQR(A) – State environmental quality review (act), an environmental review that is required by all decision making boards before a determination is made on a project.
EAF – an environmental assessment form, the beginning of the environmental review process for governmental boards. A standard questionnaire, the long or short version may be requested.
impermeable surface – there is a distinction made between permeable and impermeable surfaces or pervious and impervious surfaces in building projects. Permeable surface is the surface on a site that water can run through, instead of running off the property. It becomes very important in the planning of a project. Stormwater is not supposed to run off the site project at any stage.
If your basements floods from road runoff or a neighboring building project, you know what this means.
