GARDINER - Town Board members this week plan the first of two public hearings on
a proposed master plan that officials believe will accommodate a resumption of
high-intensity development in the town.
The first hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Msgr. Robert Moore
Church Hall on U.S. Route 44/state Route 55. The second hearing will be at 7:30
p.m. July 8.
The 65-page draft plan notes that the town's 1992 master plan was completed
after the real estate market "bubble" burst in 1987 and IBM discontinued
operations in the town of Ulster in the early 1990's.
"At the peak of the bubble in 1987, the town received proposals for major
residential subdivisions with a total of 284 housing units," officials wrote in
an introduction to the plan. "The following year, proposals for major
subdivisions with 133 units were submitted. In 1989, the total number of new
units proposed in major subdivisions dropped to 12 and recovered slightly to 51
units in 1990. Then IBM announced the closing of its Kingston plant."
After receiving proposals totaling 23 units in 1991 and 12 in 1992, the town saw
no units proposed again until 14 were proposed in 1999. No new units were
proposed in 2000; 19 were sought in 2001 and 32 in 2002.
In a report on the maximum potential for additional development under current
zoning regulations and available open space, officials report the potential for
4,274 new units could result in a population increase of 11,112 from the 5,238
reported in the 2000 census.
Among proposals in the plan are:
- Establishing "clustering" as the preferred development pattern for housing,
and adopting "conservation subdivision" practices.
- Completing an open space plan that includes an inventory of environmentally
sensitive areas and wildlife habitats.
- Creating "enhanced protection" guidelines for the Shawangunk Ridge.
- Developing specific plans for the business district and Ireland Corners, while
providing incentives for developers to work within community goals for land use.
- Making better use of existing town law allowing the transfer of property to
the town in exchange for development rights to preserve farmland.
The master plan also proposes the creation of a new Commercial Light Industry
zoning district.
"The location for this zone should have direct access to (state) Route 208 and
be sufficiently buffered from existing residential development, while not
disrupting existing views," officials wrote. "Areas east of Route 208 should be
considered for the new CLI zone."
Copies of the draft will be available at the Town Hall and can be downloaded
from the Gardiner town Web page at www.totalwebgov.org/GardinerNY. Written
comments can be sent to Fairweather Consulting, P.O. Box 116, New Paltz, N.Y.
12561.
