GARDINER - With the strongest turnout in recent memory, Gardiner voters this
week elected by an overwhelming margin a slate of candidates strongly opposed to
a proposed luxury housing development on the Shawangunk Ridge.
The future of the proposed Awosting Reserve development was cast into doubt last
month when the town zoning and building office decided that town law did not
allow for the construction of a sewer district on the ridge. That decision is
currently under appeal.
Democrat Carl Zatz, who unseated incumbent Conservative town Supervisor Jack
Hayes, and Democratic Town Board candidates Nadine Lemmon and Matthew Bialecki
were all elected by wide margins following a campaign critical of the current
town government for moving too slowly on the zoning determination.
Opponents say the proposed 350-unit housing development would destroy the
natural beauty of the area bordering Minnewaska State Park.
Lemmon said the Hayes administration and the current board "didn't show
leadership, they didn't deal with these issues proactively. We have a majority
(of voters) who feel this needs to be dealt with in a timely manner."
The trio of Democrats were endorsed by the Mid-Hudson chapter of the Sierra
Club, an unusual move for the nationwide environmental organization that
generally does not endorse candidates for town elections. All three candidates
have been involved in controlled growth and environmental causes in Gardiner.
Zatz, who defeated Hayes by a margin of 1,117 to 818, said that the new board
majority will work to ensure more dialogue between the developers and the
community in the form of public hearings. "(The high turnout) shows that
everyone in town is concerned about development and everyone wants to be
involved," Zatz said.
Lemmon said the new members plan to begin working immediately with U.S. Rep.
Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, to secure funding to purchase the land on which the
development was planned, and incorporate it into Minnewaska State Park. "The due
process now is to figure out what the price is," she said.
Republican John Turner, who lost his bid to join the town council, said that,
while he supported the idea of keeping the ridge "as pristine as possible, as
long as possible," his Democratic opponents appeared willing to sacrifice the
developer's right to due process in order to halt the project.
"(Developers) Chaffin-Light submitted a legal plan and are entitled to due
process," said Turner, who added that the Democratic candidates enjoyed the
support of a host of special interest groups he dubbed "Big Environment."
İDaily Freeman 2003
