Environmental Resources 12-8-06
Environmental Resources
II.ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
All of the activities and investments that take place in the Town are closely related to the
Town’s natural resources, from the land itself as a surface for buildings and roads, to the
soils of the land, the water underground and above ground, and the plants and animals
that inhabit the landscape. The Town’s transportation systems, economy, development
patterns and potential development are all influenced by the natural features of the Town.
In addition, the Town has an interest in preserving important natural features, for
practical reasons, for aesthetic reasons, and for the sake of preserving biodiversity in the
region.
The Town is a relatively populous suburban center within the metropolitan New York
region because of its proximity to the Hudson River. Although the river no longer serves
as a primary mode of transportation, the plains and gradual hills of the river valley still
contain most of the transportation routes and population centers in the area. The Town’s
drinking water comes from bedrock aquifers through individual wells, and from
subsurface soil and gravel aquifers that are part of the Wappinger Creek and Sprout
Creek drainage basins.The relative impermeability of most of the soils in Wappinger has
had an effect on the settlement pattern of the Town, limitingdensity through natural
constraintson the proper functioning of individual waste water disposal systems (septic
systems). Impermeable soils have also led to an abundance of wetlands in the Town,
which present both barriers to development and opportunities for connected wildlife and
open space corridors.
The 2004 Town Survey showed that environmental issues are important to Town
residents. With 96 percent of respondents rating the preservation of environmental
resources as “important” or “very important,”it was the highest-ranked issue facing
Wappinger today. Other highlights include:
x
59 percent supportedtheTown using tax money to acquire undeveloped land to
preserve and protect community character.Thirty-five percent said it was the
single-most important investment the Town could make.Fifty-six percent would
support a modest increase in taxes if this objective was achieved. (This objective
wasthesecond most popular proposed use of tax money in the Town.)
x
Scenic beauty was one of thethreetop reasons why people choose to live in
Wappinger.
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Environmental Resources
x
79 percent of survey respondents supported preserving open space resources as the
Town continues to grow.
x
50 percent favored conservation or cluster development of new subdivisions,
versus20 percent opposed and 30 percent unsure or not responding.
x
Of the recreational amenities that respondents said they would like to see more of,
nature preserves and trails were the two top items. “Nature enjoyment,” walking
or hiking and picnicking were the three most popular activities chosen from
Question 30 of the survey.
x
69 percentsupported the Town actively pursuing the extension of a regional
Greenway walking trail system along the Hudson River.
Issues and Opportunities
1.Scattered land development throughout the Town has fragmented habitat. If
effective regulatory action is taken, open space corridors can be preserved along
the Hudson River, Wappinger Creek and Sprout Creek.
2.Opportunities exist to improve the protection of ridgelines, steep slopes, streams
and wetlands through land use regulations and permitting procedures in the Town.
3.Relatively impermeable soils coveringmuch of the Town oftenresult in septic
unsuitability, less rainwater percolating into the ground, and more wetlands. Ten
percent of septic systems are failingor marginal, and these pollute surface water
and groundwater.
4.There is a relativemismatch between thecapacity of theland to absorb waste
water and theallowable density of dwelling units in the northeastern part of the
Town.
5.Roadway and parking lot design standards, such as street width, width of right-of-
ways, cul-de-sac turn-arounds, roadside drainage, and parking ratios all have an
impact on the amount of impervious surface in the Town. For instance,
unnecessarily wide street widths contribute to the creation of impervious surfaces
in neighborhood subdivisions, which reduces water quality.
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Environmental Resources
6.Poorly managed earthwork and excavation sites pollute surface water with silt and
sediment.DECPhase II stormwater regulations are in the process of
implementation in theTown.There is a needforstrict enforcement of regulations.
7.Road salt and water softener salts are sources of water pollutionin the Town.
Careful attention to the methods and materials used for de-icing roads and
encouraging the use of widely availableimproved technologies for water softening
and purification can substantially reduce the water quality impacts associated with
these uses of salt.
8.The Town is home to a number of threatened and endangered species, including
theBlanding’s Turtle,and plants such as Blazing Star, Rattlebox and Violet Wood
Sorrel.
9.The Town is a member of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Compact, which
encourages inter-municipal cooperation and policies consistent with Greenway
principles, including natural and cultural resource protection, public access, and
environmental education. Membership gives the Town enhanced access to grants
that help implement Greenway principles.
Environmental Conditions
Approximately one-third of the Town, consisting of about 5,000 acres, is currently
undeveloped land. About 970 acres are protected as parkland or conserved lands,
representing about 6 percent of Town lands. An additional 1,080 acres of wetlands are
protected as habitat through NYS DEC regulation.
The main topographic features of the Town are the Wappinger and Sprout Creek valleys.
Central Wappinger is characterized by a mixture of large flat areas and low undulating
hills typically rising up to 50 feet above the surrounding land surface. Lowlands along
the Wappinger Creek define most of the western boundary of the Town, changing
abruptly to steep slopesalong the Hudson River.Hills just west of Sprout Creek range
along the eastern side of Town, forming the drainage divide between the two main
watersheds in the Town.Elevations range from 540 feet at the top of Cedar Hill just east
of Smithtown Road to near sea level along the Hudson River.Wappinger contains
several long ridgelines; many high points with excellent panoramic views; and significant
areas of steep slopes that provide scenic quality as well as severe constraints to
development.
Withtheexception of areas generally within the floodplainsofSprout Creek and
Wappingers Creek that have sandy, gravelly and excessively well drained soils, most of
Wappinger soils are characterized as poorly drained, clay and/or rocky. The result is that
there is a very large and extensive system of surface waters and wetlands throughout the
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Environmental Resources
Town, and relatively little, or very slow, groundwater recharge in most areas of Town.
Wetlands are extensive, interconnected, and essential to control of flooding, water
quality, groundwater recharge and wildlife corridors. Pollution, contamination, filling or
degradation of wetlands may affect neighboring communities, the environmental health
of the ecosystem, and thequality of life of residents.
The Town of Wappinger contains habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species.
Continued efforts are required to protect local plants and animals and their habitats, and
to diminish the presence of invasive species in order to encourage biological diversity.
Habitat fragmentation is a constant threat, particularly to animals that need large areas of
habitat to sustain their activities. Currently, the deer population is considered a nuisance
by many Town residents. Deerpopulations are cause for increased concern due to tick
borne diseases such as Lyme’s Disease, and concentrated populations become a nuisance
and safety hazard for residents and drivers. Under-story vegetation in wooded areas is
being denuded and causing harm to the natural balance of native species.
For more detailed information regarding baseline environmental conditions of the Town,
please consult the companion volume to this Plan, Inventory and Analysis.
Goal
Encourage the preservation of environmentally significant features.
Objectives and Recommendations
A.Establish and preserve open space corridors along Wappinger Creek, Sprout
Creek and the Hudson River, and improve access to these resources.
Preservation of open space can serve several important purposes including:
x
Protecting and strengthening ecological functions;
x
Providing habitats for increasingly rare and endangered species;
x
Preserving community character;
x
Protecting lands for parks and passiverecreational uses; and
x
Providing economic benefits such as enhanced land values.
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Environmental Resources
Recommendations
1.Revisethe Town’s SubdivisionRegulations to require or encouragethat any areas
established for open space be designedto connect with other open space parcels to
form continuous open space corridors.
2.Enhance open space in and aroundRobinson LanePark, through possible
expansionto adjacent undeveloped properties, and through connections to other
adjoining open space resources, including:
x
Existing Sprout Creek trail system in East Fishkill;
x
Proposed Rail Trail on former Maybrook railroad line;
x
Further west to NYSEG rights-of-ways; and/or
x
40-acre open space parcel with 3,000 feet of frontage along Sprout Creek in
theBlackwatch Farm.
3.Increase connectivity of open space for passive recreation through public use of
trails on utility easements and rights-of-ways. There are over 24 miles of such
easementsinWappinger (see Recreation Areas map). Although some sections
would not be appropriate to use as trails, such as where they pass through
established subdivisions, other sections may be well suited to the purpose.In
recent discussions with NYSEG, itsrepresentativesstated that they do not have
objections to such use.
4.IntegratetheMaybrookRailTrail with theproposed open space corridor along
Sprout Creek.
5.Considerin the future increasing the 100-foot buffer requirement for wetland and
watercourse buffers in proposed open space corridors (alongthe Hudson River,
Wappinger Creek and Sprout Creek) to facilitate habitat protection and wildlife
migration through these corridors.
6.Pursue easements for passive recreationon lands in proposed open space
corridors,and/orpublic acquisition of land.
7.Study and document through maps and other means the migration of existing
wildlife and the locations of all important wildlife corridors in the Town.
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Environmental Resources
B.Regulate the development of floodplains, wetlands, stream corridors, steep slopes
and ridge lines to ensure minimal disruption of their environmental functions and
scenic qualities.
The terrain within the Town of Wappinger is distinctive and varied and includes ridge
lines, hillsides with panoramic views,and numerous interconnected wetlands. These sites
lend value to the semi-rural and scenic character of the Town and, if not protected or
given special consideration, may lose the qualities which make them special due to
poorly designed development. Ridgelines are visually prominent within the Town.
Development along visually prominent ridgelines, including the removal of trees, can
have significant impacts and should be limited and/or guided.
Recommendations
1.Re-evaluate and considerstrengthening the Town’sWetlands Protection Law on a
regular basis to ensure that it is current relative to the appropriate protection of the
environment.
2.Protect significant natural features such as wetlands, streams, steep slopes and
ridge lines through better management of information systems, including GIS, to
enhance the evaluation during the development review and approval process.
3.Reviewzoningregulationsregarding steep slopes, and consider limiting
development in areas with gradients exceeding 25 percent and regulating
development in areas with slopes between 15 and 25 percent. In this intermediate
steep zone, regulations should include consideration of soil types, vegetation and
terrain in guiding development to minimize impacts, particularly erosion.
4.The Town should consider zoning amendmentstolimit orprevent new
construction and the removal of trees along all prominent ridgelines. The Town
should consider mapping all important ridgeline features to aid in the protection of
these features.
5.Consider amending theTownSubdivisionRegulations to ensure that the design of
new subdivisions preserve the visual and landscape quality of prominent ridgelines
within the Town. Regulations should ensure that the construction of roads and the
positioning of building envelopes are appropriate within visually prominent
settings.
6.Consider preserving key sites on ridgelines through public land acquisition or by
obtaining scenic easements.
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Environmental Resources
C.Preserve the quality and quantity of the Town’s surface and groundwater
resources throughland useregulation, monitoring, testing and promotion of
water-saving systems.
A major component of this objective is to ensure that development in areas not expected
to be served by central utilities occurs at densities low enough to protect water resources
and public health.Seventy-two percent of respondents in the 2004 Town Survey
supported reviewing and amending the development standards of residential districts to
reflect environmental constraints.In the northeastern part of theTownthere is a
mismatch between the capacity of the land to absorb waste water and the allowable
density of dwelling units. Specific recommendations addressing this situation are found
in the Land Use chapter.
Recommendations
1.Encouragestreet and parking lot designs that minimize impervious surfaces, as
outlined in the Center for Watershed Protection’s Draft Recommendations (April
2005).
2.Regulate land uses in aquifer recharge areas (along Wappinger and Sprout Creeks,
near the Dutchess County Airport and in the New Hackensack area) through an
Aquifer Protection Overlay District to prevent overuse and contamination of
groundwater resources.
3.Establish a water quality monitoring program for the natural water bodies in the
Town, particularly the Sprout Creek, Wappinger Creek, Wappinger Lake, Lake
Oniad and the Hudson River.
4.Promote efficient use and re-use of water in domestic and commercial plumbing
systems. The collection of roof water for domestic uses may be appropriate for
properties not served by Town water. While not likely to be viable as drinking
water, rainwater collection systems are feasible for irrigation, landscaping, car-
washing and flushing toilets.
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Environmental Resources
D.Protect surface water quality through regulationof stormwater runoff,
particularly during new construction, and throughrigorous enforcement.
Recommendations
1.Considerthe need for additionaland/orhigher fees to fund enhancedenforcement
efforts.
2.Develop a Town ordinance controlling stormwater, erosion and sedimentation in
accordance with DEC Phase II stormwater regulations.
E.Develop a system of central utilities that will protect water resources
by reducing
the number of failing septic systems.
Ninety-eight percent of the Town’s surface consists of relatively impermeable soils.
Individual septic systems built in soils with poor porosity have a high rate of failure, and
failing septic systems constitute an ongoing source of point-source pollution in the Town.
This objective was included in this chapter as a means of highlighting and strengthening
the connection between the Environmental, Land Use, and Water and Sewer elements of
this Plan.For specific recommendations regarding this issue, consult the Water and
Sewer section in the Community Facilities chapterof this document.
F.Protect the Town’s biodiversity through protectionof endangered species and
threatened plant and animal populations,as well as through control of invasive
species.
Recommendations
1.Conduct a Town-wide assessment and survey of environmental resources such as
properties with important natural features and areas with threatened and
endangered species. Knowledge of the presence of such resources is essential in
their protection.
2.Work with landscape suppliers to discourage use, stocking and sale of invasive
species, and to encourage the use, stocking and sale of native species. Lists of
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Environmental Resources
discouraged invasive and encouraged native species should be incorporated into
the Town’s regulations; made available on Town website; and shared, updated and
promoted with landscape suppliers, professionals and homeowners as part of an
educational program.
3.Consider creating a TreeProtectionLaw to protect adjoining property owners
from adverse aesthetic and environmental impacts resulting from removal of trees
near a property line; to prevent clear-cutting that may destabilize slopes and soils
or adversely impact water resources such as wetlands and streams; to protect
ridgelines; and to protectsensitive or special trees of significance. TheTree
ProtectionLaw should also provide guidance and protection to the utility industry
on the maintenance of trees within rights-of-ways.Currently there are no Town
controls against inappropriate tree removal and clear cutting except where
development is proposed on property and in cases where there are stipulated
prohibitionsagainst such associated with approved development.
G.Educatestakeholders, contractors, public works employees
, and the public about
local environmental issues and best practices.
Recommendations
1.Work with local legislators and representatives to ensure that local power plants
(the Danskamer and Roseton Power Plants) are in full compliance with emissions
standards and requirements, particularly regarding mercury and particulate
emissions. Encourage disclosure and monitoring of emissions.
2.Educate the public about the use and misuse of pesticides and fertilizers, which
can have significant independent and cumulative impacts on local environmental
resources.
3.Educate the public about the economic and environmental benefits of modern
water softener and purification technologies through such means as an addendum
to the Town water bill.
4.Explore the use of less caustic road salts and/or reduced application of road salt in
sensitive areas.
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Environmental Resources
H.Cooperate with adjoining and area municipalities to address regional
environmental issues, such as the Wappinger Creek Watershed Protection
Commission.
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