Town Hall abuzz after petition submitted

PINE PLAINS — There was one public comment at last Thursday’s Town Board meeting that caught everyone by surprise. The request came along with a petition, which was presented to the board by resident Susan Crossley. The subject: honeybees.

“Our honeybees need all the help, and the wildflowers, they can get,� she said. “Mowing the sides of country roads is a suburban concept. So let’s not mow. Instead, let the flowers bloom all season.�

Crossley listed the botanical species that could be of benefit to the bees: dandelions, rocket, wild roses, daisies, clover, bird’s foot trefoil, milkweed, asters and goldenrod.

“From early spring until frost, the wildflowers bloom in succession. Mow once, in the autumn, so the sides of the road will be cleared for the snow plows,� she suggested. “Think how beautiful our country roads will be.�

The petition she submitted had the signatures of every single property owner who lives on Johnnycake Hollow Road, which she specifically asked to be left unmowed. Crossley also asked for all other town shoulders to be left unmowed as well.

Town Supervisor Gregg Pulver, however, said there’s a catch.

“Section 2-67 of town law states we must remove noxious weeds between July 15 and Aug. 15,� he said, adding it would be best if Highway Superintendent Bob Harpp explains the law, as it’s his field of expertise.

Crossley asked if that meant that the mowing needed to be done in one pass or in several passes. Pulver said he thought one pass was sufficient. She also asked how noxious weeds were defined.

“A noxious weed is anything that’s not asphalt,� Pulver replied. “We can look at it some more. [Bob Harpp] actually did [some investigating]. He called the association of towns to verify the law.�

“Well, I think we need to have a discussion of noxious weeds versus wild flowers,� Crossley said, adding that the flowers are indeed on the sides of the road and do not interfere with any right-of-way issues.

She then moved the conversation onto a different topic, one that’s been discussed before by the board — townwide speed limits.

“Do Pine Plains roads have a speed limit?� she asked. “Is there a town speed limit?�

“No, there is not a townwide speed limit,� Pulver responded. “I would love to have a townwide speed limit. We would have to petition every road individually [with the Department of Transportation]. We’re working on it.�

When no speed limit is marked on roadways, the limit automatically defaults to the state limit, which is 55 mph.

“There’s something so scary that the speed limit on Johnnycake Hollow Road is 55 mph,� Crossley said, to which the board agreed.

“This issue surfaces every couple of months, and then I get another nudge to work on it,� Pulver said.

“Well, consider this another nudge,� Crossley said.