What is believed to be the last example of an agricultural barn in the village narrowly missed an appointment with the wrecking ball Tuesday afternoon.

Jane Clark, the owner of the barn located on Spring Street, applied to the planning board for a permit to demolish the barn. Clark was represented at the meeting by David Sanford, the general manager of the Leatherstocking Corporation.

"It's a great barn. I know it's not healthy, but it's a great barn," said planning board chairman Paul Kuhn.

Sanford said the barn is currently empty and is in bad shape. Part of the foundation on the road has fallen in and other parts of the foundation need rebuilding. There are other problems also.

"Someone cut half the collar ties in the barn so everything is spreading," Sanford said.

Kuhn asked if the barn was of historic significance because the zoning law requires the planning board to determine if a structure is of "particular architectural or historic significance" before a permit for demolition may be issued.

One of the board's historic advisors, C.R. Jones, said he had no information about the history of the barn. Sanford said they had no information about the barn's past either.

Planning board member Bill Rigby said the barn was included on a map of the village from 1896. He also mentioned that the barn is of a style that was commonly built in the 1860s.

"The determination is vital to any action," Kuhn said.

If it has architectural or historic significance, demolition would be prohibited unless the owner can meet four conditions, he said.

They are:

• that preservation of the structure will seriously interfere with the use of the property;

• that the structure is not capable of conversion to a useful purpose without excessive costs;

• that the cost of maintaining the structure without use would entail excessive costs to the owner; and

• that the need for demolition did not arise solely through neglect of the owner.

Sanford said they looked into it and the cost to save the barn would be "excessive." He did not provide an estimate of the cost.

Bruce Guyot, another of the board's historic advisors, said that in light of the storage buildings recently erected by Clark entities that it seemed like storage would be a perfect use for the barn.

Rigby said he believed the board's historic advisors should take a closer look at the barn.

"I think we have to go a little further," he said.

Sanford brought up the fact that part of the barn sits in the right-of-way for Spring Street and that it impedes the sight distance.

"How long has that building been there and now it's an issue?" Rigby replied. "I want to know what it would cost."

But Kuhn was ready to forgo the determination of architectural or historic significance in the belief that the property satisfied all four of the requirements of the zoning law.

"It meets all the tests of the law," he said.

Rigby remained firm in his belief that the board should first hear from its third historic advisor, Dr. Gilbert Vincent, who did not attend the meeting.

Board members agreed to wait until the next meeting on Aug. 10 to give Vincent a chance to weigh-in on the issue before granting an application.