Against the wishes of those who spoke at a public hearing, and after a board member himself said the plan "smells like rotten fish," the town planning board on June 18 gave conditional final approval to a new shul at the Camp Kasho summer camp on Geiger Road.

Actually, strike that: Planning Board Chairman Brian Schug recused himself. And Jeff Kaplan represented DSG Holdings, the applicant for the shul, for the first time at the June 18 meeting. Kaplan is the mayor of the village of Ellenville, where Schug is building inspector.

Before the board voted, residents around the proposed shul at 99 Geiger Road disagreed with the plan. They criticized building inspector Bryant Arms for issuing a permit for a patio — which was built with underground foundation walls and footings.

"The patio is intended to become a foundation for the shul," Arms said at the meeting. But since patios do not usually require a permit, the applicants can build as many patios as they want, he added.

"You know it ain't a patio," an audience member said. Another said, "So I can build a patio and decide to put a house on it later?"

Arms responded that the patio would have to be inspected to ensure it meets foundation requirements.

Mari Gray, whose property borders the camp, asked the board if a recent survey was done of the property. For the past three years, people from the camp have trespassed onto her property, Gray said. She requested a fence or barrier on the property line.

Connie Wright, another neighbor, said the nature of the area is changing, and that blind approvals by the building department are not helping the situation.

"I've lived here all my life. I raised my family here because it was always a quiet country atmosphere," Wright said. "If an applicant is before the planning board, the building department shouldn't be allowed to issue a permit unless approved by this board. And special preference should not be given to those who threaten the town officials" — referencing a rabbi's warning at a previous meeting that "the town will suffer" if the shul were not approved.

Another resident said the area is no longer country; it is becoming urbanized, he said. Another resident raised her voice, saying that even when the original bungalow colony was there, and the Four Seasons Lodge existed, it was a better neighbor than the camp is now.

The public hearing was closed and board member Dr. Paul Lonstein made the fish comment, to audience applause.

Aaron Blum spoke for the camp. He said the group that owns it has no money, and collects no money from the camp. Every improvement required by the town "costs a couple thousand dollars," he said. He added that Hurricane Sandy caused their dormitory to "peel off," leaving them no choice but to build a new shul for separate ages.

Parking was a big issue. Residents said that visitors to the camp, and buses bringing campers, often park on the street and turn around in neighbors' driveways. Blum answered that if any neighbors saw illegal parking or turning around, "they have my cell phone number and can call me." That led to a chorus of protests from audience members who said they were never given a number.

Town supervisor Scott Carlsen said the town bought "No Parking" signs in English and Hebrew to install at the camp, and that the town will enforce it.

Dawn Kalisky of Lanc & Tully, engineers for the town, said that DSG Holdings satisfied all requirements posed by the town, and that the planning board can issue a conditional final approval while awaiting final approval from the Ulster County Department of Health.

Board members appeared glum as the issue came to a close; Lonstein was called upon first to vote.

"If it satisfies our laws, then I vote yes," he said. Members Doug Hart, Martin Lonstein, James Dollaway, Constable and Michael Durso agreed.

The rest of the planning board's agenda carried on without protests. Highlights were an application for the Kinoaloha Art Workshop, an art school proposed on Charles Broderson's property in Cragsmoor. Broderson said a large barn on the property is currently an art studio, and the proposed use doesn't stray far from that. A public hearing was set for the board's next meeting on July 16.

Representatives from Central Hudson presented initial sketches of a new substation proposed behind the 75-year-old current one on Route 44/55 and Minnewaska Trail. The 250-foot by 75-foot structure would be set farther back from the road than the existing one, and would provide three times the electrical capacity. No action was required by the planning board, as this was just an educational proposal.

Dollar General may be closer to fruition in Kerhonkson. The board directed the store's representatives to apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a variance allowing the building and parking lots to cover 58.2 percent of its land.

The board discussed Walmart's request for a freestanding sign, something that was not originally included in its site plan. Arms said the store will apply for a building permit.

Schug addressed a proposed amendment of town zoning code that would allow a "floating" zone for senior and workforce affordable housing. His opinion was that the proposal as written is quite vague as far as defining what "workforce" means. He also criticized components of a planned development near the White Wolf restaurant that would take advantage of that zoning. In the end, everyone agreed that the town and planning boards need to discuss the issue further.