Press Release
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H U D SON
RIVER VALLEY
GREENWAY
l()~~UNJTI[S COU~C\\
Greenway Adopts First Hudson Valley Compact Plan
For Immediate Release
Contact: David S. Sampson
518-473-3835
Albany, NY -- The first incentive-based, legislatively directed regional growth
strategy in New York State has been approved by the Hudson River yalley
Greenway.
At ajoint meeting Wednesday, March 8, of the Hudson River Valley Greenway
Communities Council and the Greenway Council and Greenway Conservancy for the
Hudson River Valley at Tech Park in Kingston, the Greenway heard a presentation
from Dutchess County on its countywide Greenway program--Greellway
COil Il ectiolls. After the presentation, the Greenway adopted the plan unanimously.
The Greenway Council is a state agency and the Greenway Conservancy is a public
benefi t corporation. Both are part of Gov. George E. Pataki' s Executive Department.
"Greenway. Connections" is a landmark for the Greenway because it represents the
implementation of the kind of regional planning that the legislature envisioned when
it passed the Hudson River Valley Greenway Act in 1991 ", David S. Sampson,
Executive Director of the Greenway Council said. "The legislation called for the
development of a Compact among the 242 local governments of the Hudson River
Valley in which they would agree to adopt common planning principles that would
encourage both economic growth and resource proteCtion and conservation," he said.
Greenway Connections was developed under the leadership of Dutchess County
Executive William Steinhaus and was prepared under the direction of Commissioner
Roger Akeley, Program Director John Clarke and the Dutchess County Planning and
Development staff.
Communities in Dutchess County will now be asked to enact a law saying that:
C~~':Ol5UILDiN:: : CCom~n~~elea~M 254 ALBANY, NEW YORK 12224 I 118.47J.3835 I 518.426-0330 FAX I ].800.TRAILS.92 I hrgreenwoy@ool.com
1- When they have discretion under current zoning and planning laws they will utilize
the growth and design guidelines contained in the strategy, and .
2- When they undertake a revision of their zoning or planning documents they will
incorporate the guidelines into those revisions.
In return, they will receive the following incentives:
--Grants, when funding is available, to implement planning and zoning changes to
join the Compact;
--Potential priority ratings on competitive state grants;
-- Local control of shoreline docks, moorings and boathouses;
--Consistency of state agency actions "to the fullest extent practicable" with local
Compact agreements;
--Protection from lawsuits against community actions taken pursuant to the Compact;
--Inclusion oflocal Compact provisions in environmental and historic preservation
reVIews.
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compactrelease
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J8/01 16:28
fi'914 486 3610
DC PLNG & DEVEL
. .!4I 002
RESOLUTION NO. 4/00
rJJ. lit I/It) r)
I 70S: p.?T, ;/-,J
:;
~ ':. 6{~ /v&, 17
RE: RECOMMENDING AN AWARD OF OPEN SPACE AND FARMLAND
PROTECTION MATCHING GRANT FUNDS TO THE TOWN OF WAPPINGER FOR
THE PURPOSE OF PURCHASING THE OPEN SPACE PORTION OF THE GREYSTONE
PROPERTY ON WHEELER HILL ROAD IN THE TOWN OF WAPPINGER.
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 990382, Dutchess County established the
Open Space and Farmland Protection Matching Grant Fund and authorized the
Dutchess County Planning Board to review applications for said funds, and
WHEREAS the Dutchess County Planning Board has considered the
application for Matching Grant funds requested by the Town of Wappinger for the
fee simple purchase of Greystone, a 99.6-acre property on Wheeler Hill Road, and
WHEREAS the Town of Wappinger intends to establish and preserVe public
access for active and passive open space and recreational resources, and to protect
a significant Hudson River view shed, habitat areas and historic resources on this
site above the Hudson River, and
WHEREAS the Town intends to provide a segment of the Hudson River
Greenway Trail on the site, and
WHEREAS the Town wishes to prevent development and its associated
adverse impacts on this site situated within the Wheeler Hill Historic District, and
WHEREAS the acquisition of the Greystone Property is consistent with the
objectives of the Town's Comprehensive Plan (1988), therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Dutchess County Planning Board recommends that the
Open Space and Farmland Matching Grant Fund balance, not to exceed one third of
the cost of purchasing the land to be placed under easement, be awarded to the
Town of Wappinger for the fee simple purchase of the Greystone Property with the
following contingencies specific to the Greystone proposal:
1) Definition of a building envelope which identifies all eXisting and potential
building sites on the property, said building envelope to be excluded in its
entirety from acreage to be acquired with Matching Grant funds.
2) Identification of an appropriate right of way for development of public access
to and a segment of the Hudson River Greenway Trail, and conveyance of
said right of way to Dutchess County by easement.
...2/08/01 16:28
'5'914 486 3610
DC PLNG & DE~ ..__
~003
. to .,..,.
3) Submission of oa Conservation Easement on open space to be acquired by
the Town, identifying Dutchess County as a co-holder, restricting future
development on the property under easement to active and passive outdoor
recreational uses.
4) Submission of a Monitoring Agreement between the Town and Dutchess
County for th~ purpose of enforcing the Conservation Easement on property
acquired with matching funds; and be it further
RESOLVED, that said funds be awarded with the following contingencies
applicable to all award recipients in the Open Space category based on the criteria
defined in the Application for Matching Grant funds:
1) Dutchess County shall be included as a co-holder on all Conservation
Easements purchased with Matching Grant funds.
2) Property purchased for public uses with Matching Grant funds shall be
accessible to all Dutchess County residents.
3) Proposals receiving Matching Grant funds will be located in municipalities
which have demonstrated consistency with the goals and objectives of the
Open Space and Farmland Protection Matching Grant Fund program by
participating in the Greenway Compact Program. And be it further
RESOLVED, that an Implementation Team consisting of representatives from
the Town of Wappinger, the Dutchess County Attorney's Office, the Dutchess
County Department of Planning and Development, and others as ~ppropriate to
complete administrative tasks associated with the project, will be established for
the purpose of developing a Conservation Easement, Monitoring Agreement, and
baseline documentation; securing appraisal, survey, and title insurance; and
completion of an Environmental Assessment Form for coordinated review and
approval of the proposed acquisition by the Dutchess County Legislature.
Approved by the Dutchess County Planning Board, October 25, 2000