Opposition to upscale development for high-profile ridge
By MICHAEL HILL, Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press State & Local Wire
GARDINER, N.Y.

Long and lofty with forests and rock cliffs, the Shawangunk Ridge looms over this growing town west of the Hudson River.

Lately, it also has been the focus of a looming debate.

A developer wants to clear space for an upscale weekend community on ridge land that would offer the woodsy ambiance of the Hudson Valley about an hour from New York City. Locals alarmed at that prospect have pulled out the stops to halt it - running an anti-development campaign complete with ubiquitous "Save the Ridge" signs staked into front lawns in this largely rural corner of Ulster County.

To opponents, this stretch of the Shawangunk (pronounced shaun-gum) Ridge has become a battle line.

"The whole section is kind of like a very special jewel and along comes this development that's going to pluck this jewel" said Angela Sisson, a member of the grassroots group Save the Ridge.

The fight centers on 2,660 acres of private land on the ridge next to Minnewaska State Park Preserve. The primary owner of the land, John Atwater Bradley, has sought permission to clear space for 349 weekend retreats and a golf course to be nestled among a wooded area of the lower ridge called Awosting Reserve.

Developers have taken pains to demonstrate that this would not be a slash and build project. The community plan would be designed by Chaffin/Light Associates, a firm that promotes its environmentally sensitive work in the Rockies and Smoky Mountains. Awosting Reserve president Roger Beck said homes would be built under strict design criteria mandating natural colors and materials. A large portion of the lands be protected by conservation easements and managed by a trust, he said.

"We'll do a very sensitive job of developing the land," Beck said. "We can help bring people who love nature to Awosting Reserve and we think we will be protecting it."

Developers have described Awosting as a "conservation community," a term opponents mock.

"I'm not quite sure what they're conserving - their assets, perhaps," said Keith LaBudde president of Friends of the Shawangunks. "I mean, we're talking about big houses for rich people and that, I think, grates on a lot of the locals."

In fact, while detractors claim Awosting could harm local flora and fauna, much of the opposition seems to be a visceral reaction to such a visible piece of land being developed. Amy Little of the Shawangunk Ridge Coalition said the ridge is essentially the "one beautiful resource" for the towns in this area, and people don't want to let it go.

Some locals are also concerned about following in the path of Orange County, which is undergoing a growth spurt as New York City's suburbs creep north. Already, Ulster County is among the fastest growing areas in the state, and Gardiner's population jumped 22 percent in the '90s. This area, like the Catskills to the north, also is becoming more popular as a weekend retreat for city dwellers.

"We're going off the charts with people who want to be here," said Gardiner supervisor Jack Hayes.

Save the Ridge quickly organized itself even as the permit was being submitted to Gardiner in December. Then they linked up to other groups like the Sierra Club's state chapter.

Lawyers, printers, hydrologists and biologists have all volunteered services, opponents say. Internet-savvy opponents made Web pages, one with a photo illustration of what the ridge would look like at night with hundreds of lights speckled on the hillside.

The opposition has been noticed. A local weekly, The New Paltz Times, published parts of an e-mail written by Beck mistakenly sent to the paper in May calling the opposition "very strong and very well organized."

Beck says now that as the review continues, the number of units may be reduced. He said he could not provide specifics.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation took charge of the application review earlier this year at the request of local officials. Developers are still working on providing details to the state about Awosting's potential impacts.

There's also a possible snag in Gardiner about whether the local building code will allow Awosting to include its own sewer treatment plant, as proposed.

A decision on the development could be years away.

On the Net:
Awosting Reserve: http://www.awostingreserve.com/
Save the Ridge: http://www.savetheridge.com/