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H2M Architects & Engineers L L L L l L L L L L L L L L L L L l L Proposal for Professional Planning Services: Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York Submitted to: Mr. Robert Valdati, Chairman Town of Wappinger Planning Board 20 Middlebush Road Wappinger Falls, NY 12590 , '\\ ; \< \'I'j, ,,\ ,,' q~ April 4, 2013 Submitted by: L;I,ol 13-' L--)rn vir>, .. architects + engineers 254 South Main Street, Suite 500, New City, New York 10956 v 845.499.2264 f 845.499.2265 www.h2m.com . Section 3: Cost and Payment Schedule As per the RFP, the rates set forth herein do not include secretarial and administrative staff time. Hourly rates are all inclusive of all secretarial, clerical, and administrative services, local telephone, postage, and other customary overhead expenses. The following chart provides the 2013 hourly fee rate for the staff that would be responSible for this planning assignment including the review of development applications as well as municipal assignments, including zoning analyses and comprehensive planning. Job Title Hourly Rate $145 Senior Project Planner $125 Pro'ect Planner $105 CADD I GIS IPlannin Technician $75 In addition, H2M carries all insurance coverage set forth in the RFP, including Worker's Compensation, Commercial General Liability, Comprehensive Automobile Policy, Umbrella Liability, and Professional Liability. Certificates of Insurance will be supplied to the Town of Wappinger if H2M is selected. 'APR 04 tOE ad} 7~ 1 I Section 3 L L L Proposal for Professional Planning Services: Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York Table of Contents l L L L OVERVIEW SECTION 1 Statement of Qualifications SECTION 2 Professional Staff Resumes SECTION 3 Fee Schedule (separate envelope) l k L I L L L L L . architects + engineers L l Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. 254 South Main Street, Suite 500, New City, NY 10956 l Contact: Bonnie Franson, PP, AICP Department Manager - Land Use and Environmental Planning v 845.499.2264 x2050 f 845.499.2265 e bfranson @h2m.com April 4, 2013 L L L L L L L .. architects + engineers 254 South Main Street, Ste 500 New City, NY 10956 tel 845.499,2264 fax 845,499,2265 April 4, 2013 Mr. Robert Valdati, Chairman Town of Wappinger Planning Board 20 Middlebush Road Wappinger Falls, NY 12590 L Re: Proposal for Professional Planning Services L Dear Chairman Valdati and Planning Board Members: On behalf of Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M), I am pleased to submit this response to the RFP to provide professional planning services to the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York. H2M has been providing professional consulting services to federal, state, and local agencies for 79 years and its clients are located throughout the Hudson River Valley region, Long Island, and New Jersey. The firm's planning staff conducts land use application reviews, SEQRA analyses, comprehensive planning, zoning preparation, and provides a broad range of planning services to municipalities through the Hudson Valley. We are currently retained by the Towns of Marbletown and Shawangunk (Ulster County) and Tuxedo (Orange County) to perform site, subdivision, special use permit, and SEQRA review of applications before the Planning Board. We also provide planning services to the Village of Washingtonville (Orange County), including administration of a FEMA buyout program. H2M has assisted municipalities in the review of development applications, from small lot line adjustments to multi-year 1,200-dwelling unit planned developments. We are responsible for overseeing the SEQRA review of the various development applications to ensure that the projects do not negatively impact the quality of the community. We also prepare zoning amendments and comprehensive plans - we are presently in the process of updating the Town of Tuxedo's zoning law and map. Our in-depth knowledge of SEQRA regulations and New York State Town Law, familiarity with Dutchess County, and experience in rural and suburban communities, provides us an understanding of the Town of Wappinger's needs. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and we look forward to meet with the Board and discuss how we may support the Town of Wappinger in its planning functions. L L I L. L I, I. L L l l Very truly yours, i .. HOLZMACHER, McLENDON & MURRELL, P.C. p~ r~~,J Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP Department Manager, Land Use/Environmental Planning L L Hulzrnacher, McLendon & Murreli, PC Melville, NY I Albany, NY I New City, NY I Parsippany, NJ L l Overview L l Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) is pleased to submit this response to the Town of Wappinger's Request for Proposal (RFP) to provide professional planning services to the Town of Wappinger Planning Board. L H2M is a growing, multi-disciplinary professional consulting firm that has been providing engineering, architectural and land use planning services to municipalities, governmental agencies and private sector clients for 79 years. The firm is fully licensed to practice in New York State and has offices in New City, Albany, and Melville, New York. This assignment would be managed from our Hudson Valley office located in New City. You may view additional information regarding the firm and its experience at www.h2m.com. L L L Planning Services H2M provides a wide range of planning services and works closely with clients not only to identify opportunities for better planning, but also to assist in procuring the financial and technical resources necessary for implementation. H2M interacts closely with municipal, county and state agencies to ensure that our clients' projects are priorities at all governmental levels, H2M's planners are conversant in New York State land use and SEQRA regulations. H2M provides professional planning services in the areas of: L l L . Zoning preparation . Fiscal impact analysis . Land use application reviews . GIS assessments . SEQRA review . Build-out analyses . Comprehensive plans . Vision plans . Conservation and open space . Visual impact analysis plans . Central business district studies . Sustainability plans . Board representation . Housing plans L L l We are familiar working with Dutchess County and the various agencies to which applications are referred, e.g" NYSDEC Region 3 and NYSDOT Region 8. We are expert in SEQRA and New York State land use matters, We review all aspects of land development applications, and prepare resolutions, determinations and findings in support of a Planning Board's decisionmaking process. l l ~ ... The sections that follow detail our representative project experience, the personnel that would be assigned to this project, and our hourly rates. If selected, H2M would meet with Town representatives to refine and finalize a contract for professional planning services. L l l L l l L l L L L l l l l l L l L L L Section 1 L j, L. Section 1: Statement of Qualifications L L Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) Organized in 1933, Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) is a privately-held professional corporation that is proud of its long history of providing quality service to its clients. H2M provides a full complement of professional consulting services in planning, architecture, engineering, environmental sciences, construction administration and environmental analytical laboratory testing and analysis. Work for this assignment would be managed and conducted from the firm's Hudson River Valley office in New City, New York. H2M is headquartered in Melville, New York, and also maintains offices in Albany, NY and Parsippany, NJ. l L l Professional Staff L H2M is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm which has provided architectural and engineering services to private industry, municipalities, governmental agencies, school districts and higher education institutions in the metropolitan area for 80 years. We currently have staff resources of over 265 employees which include architects, planners, designers, civil, environmental, mechanical, structural, water supply, sanitary and chemical engineers, geologists, hygienists, construction inspectors, cadd technicians and technical support personnel. Included on this staff are 18 registered architects, 53 licensed engineers, 29 LEED accredited professionals, 1 licensed land surveyor, 2 licensed and accredited planners, and 2 landscape architects. L l L ~ L. For this assignment, Ms. Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP, and Ms. Jessica Giorgianni, AICP, PP, would be principally involved in this assignment. Ms, Franson is the Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning and has over 25 years of environmental and municipal planning experience. She will be assisted by Ms. Giorgianni who is a Senior Project Planner with five (5) years of relevant planning experience. A description of their experience is provided in Section 2 of this proposal. L L This section provides a representative list of relevant projects being performed for New York State clients.' l l 1 Ms. Franson commenced several of these assignments while employed at Tim Miller Associates. Ms. Franson became Department Manager at H2M in 2011, and these assignments were either completed while she was employed with H2M, or have otherwise continued at H2M. L L 1 I Section 1 l l L l l l L l L ~ L ~ L l ~ L. l L L L , l L l Town of Marbletown (Ulster County): For this Shawangunk Mountains region community, the firm is retained by the Planning Board to conduct all site plan, subdivision and SEORA reviews, Ms. Franson also assisted in preparing an update to the Town's subdivision regulations to simplify and clarify the lot line adjustment process. The aesthetic and architectural design of any project is reviewed against the design standards applicable to the Town's historic districts, which regulate the Town's hamlet areas. Ms. Franson has been assisting the Marbletown Planning Board for approximately seven (7) years and these services are ongoing, Town of Shawangunk (Ulster County): For this Shawangunk Mountains region/agricultural community, H2M is retained by the Planning Board to conduct all special use permit, site plan, subdivision and SEQRA reviews. Ms, Franson also compiled various land use local laws that had been adopted within a span of five years, and codified the language into one comprehensive zoning local law - she prepared the Environmental Assessment Form that was required to meet SEQRA requirements for the adoption of the updated zoning law. She assisted the Town Board recently by writing responses to SEORA comments issued on the proposed construction of a Town park to be located next to a national wildlife refuge. She also conducted all SEORA review, resolutions and notifications associated with the review of a proposed "stealth" telecommunications tower which was challenged by neighboring property owners - the courts dismissed the lawsuit and supported the Planning Board's determinations. She is assisting the Planning Board in the review of an infill plan for a mixed use traditional development to be located in the Wallkill hamlet. Relevant issues include: preserving in-situ versus relocating a rail trail alignment, and integrating the development into the functioning of this Town Center area, which includes the newly constructed Town Hall and historic Wall kill library. Ms. Franson and H2M have been providing these services since 2004 and they are ongoing. Town of Tuxedo (Orange County): Ms. Franson has been consulting to this Orange County community of 3,624 persons for over 20 years. Most recently, H2M reviewed proposed amendments to a special use permit for a planned new community which will introduce 1,200 dwelling units, essentially doubling its size. Ms. Franson assisted in the planning, zoning, and SEQRA review of the application and H2M conducted overall engineering review of the proposed plans, The review was thorough and the Town Board's decisions withstood an Article 78 challenge. H2M also assisted in the preparation of a Comprehensive Plan which was recently adopted. An Environmental Assessment Form was prepared to examine the potential impacts of the adoption of the Plan. 2 I Section 1 L L ~ .. ~ .. L L L , L ~ t. ~ '- L ~ L. L a '- ~ L. ~ ... L r \. L H2M is now completing comprehensive zoning amendments so that the zoning is consistent with the Town's adopted comprehensive plan, As the Town is 75 percent parkland, the Town desires to promote tourism business, and has created a Tourism Business zone to promote such uses in locations surrounded by state parkland. H2M has been retained by the Town as its consultant since 2005. Town of Pine Plains (Dutchess County): For the Town of Pine Plains, Ms, Franson assisted a former Town Board in revisions to a proposed zoning local law, initially prepared by another consultant, and which became the first adopted by the Town. The zoning law includes an agricultural overlay zone, an aquifer protection overlay zone, affordable housing regulations, and a floating zone which allows planned new neighborhood developments adjoining the Pine Plains hamlet. The potential environmental impacts associated with the adoption of the Zoning Law were evaluated in a draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GElS) and final GElS. She also updated the Town's subdivision regulations and worked with a Housing Task Force in the preparation of an Affordable Housing Report. The report summarizes the results of a housing survey, as well as data gathered to establish maximum income limits and recommend fee-in-lieu-of- housing fees. Ms. Franson and H2M provided consulting services to the Town from 2008 to 2012. , Town of Gallatin (Columbia County): For this Columbia County community, H2M assisted the Town's Zoning Committee in the update of the Town's zoning local law so that it is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan Update that was adopted in 2007. The notable elements of the Zoning include the creation of a Ridgeline Protection Overlay District that will regulate development on ridgelines that are 900 feet above mean sea level or higher. In addition, the Zoning Law proposed home occupation standards to allow and encourage residents of the Town to operate their businesses from home, which acknowledges the rural nature of the Town where many residents work from home. The regulations establish a three tier system wherein a home occupation is either exempt from regulations, requires registration from the Code Enforcement Officer, or requires Planning Board review and approval. Also, in order to acknowledge the environmental constraints that are imposed on certain properties, the Zoning Law was amended to exclude sensitive environmental areas from the calculation of minimum lot area. The Zoning Law was the subject of an Environmental Assessment Form prepared by H2M, and adopted by the Town Board. Village of Tuxedo Park (Orange County): Ms. Franson assisted the Village in the preparation of a gateway-overlay zoning district and a ridgeline and precipice overlay district, intended to protect the visual and scenic quality of the Village's 3 I Section 1 L L L L L L l L L l L L t l. L L l t L. L L main entry and ridgelines, respectively. The firm assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park in the subdivision and SEQRA review of a subdivision within this National Register community. Particular issues that were being addressed included timber rattlesnakes, as a den is located in proximity to the subdivision. Wetlands, drainage, and infrastructure issues were also addressed. Village of Port Washington North (Nassau County): For this waterfront community, Ms. Giorgianni and Ms. Franson prepared the Village's first land use map and a recreation analysis. H2M evaluated the appropriateness of uses within 2,000 feet of Shore Road, which includes lands within 2,000 feet of Manhasset Bay, a priority water body, A variety of recommendations have been proposed by the firm, consistent with the NYS Department of State's Coastal Zone Management Plan for Long Island Sound, including a rezoning which would encourage water-dependent and water-enhanced uses along the frontage of Shore Road, which adjoins the bay. It also recommended that architectural design guidelines be adopted that require new development to be thematically consistent with marine and shore environs of the Sound. The Village, based on H2M's recommendations, created a Maritime Business zoning district, which was the subject of an Environmental Assessment Form prepared by the firm. The new zoning has been adopted and H2M is updating the zoning map in GIS format. ."" Village of Washingtonville (Orange County): For this incorporated Village, H2M commenced a Vision Plan for the Main Street corridor. The Village's central business district is located along this thoroughfare which is also a busy state highway. This study was placed on hold following Hurricane Irene, and H2M's planners commenced the preparation of a Hazard Mitigation Program (HMPG) application for the acquisition of 18 residences that are located within the Moodna Creek basin and sustained damaged during Hurricane Irene. The properties, once acquired, would revert to open space. As a result of H2M's planning efforts, the Village has been awarded $4.5 million from FEMA and New York State to acquire the 18 properties. H2M is retained by Washingtonville and the assignment is ongoing. Town of Oyster Bay (Nassau County): For the hamlet of Hicksville, located in the Town of Oyster Bay, H2M along with two subconsultants, are preparing a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Step I study for the northwest area of Hicksville, and a Step II study for the southwest area, The purpose of the studies are to evaluate and identify potential properties which are contaminated, to remediate any contamination, and to plan the redevelopment of the properties for uses which are supported by the local community. A workshop was recently completed, which solicited public input on redevelopment ideas, and a follow-up survey is being administered to gather additional public input. 4 I Section 1 l L L l Other Communities L H2M planners are licensed in the State of New Jersey and represent a number of New Jersey municipalities, including the Borough of Dumont, the Township of Livingston, the Borough of Rockaway and the Borough of Pompton Lakes. For the Borough of Leonia, H2M prepared a Sustainability Plan. The firm has completed numerous environmental and open space inventories for New Jersey municipalities, Although these assignments have been conducted for New Jersey clients, the projects still embody our planning objectives and reflect the quality of work we take pride in. Information on these assignments can be provided at the request of the Town. l l References L The following is a list of client references, including contacts for several of the representative projects described in the above narrative. L L Client Contact Client/Project Telephone No. Warren Replansky, Esq. Pine Plains and Gallatin Town Attorney for Town Boards - Zoning (518) 398-5208 Gallatin and Pine Plains Preparation Richard Lanzarone, Chairman Town of Marbletown (845) 687-9673 Planning Board Retainer Tuxedo Planning (845) 351-2265 Peter Dolan, Supervisor Retainer/Comprehensive Plan Kris Pedersen, Chairwoman Town of Shawangunk (845) 895-3356 Planning Board Retainer Stuart Besen, Esq, Port Washington North (516) 745-1800 Village Attorney Waterfront land Use Study L L L l , L L ~.. L I L 5 I Section 1 I .. 1 l l 1 1 1 l 1 L L 1 l 1 t 1 L L L l Section 2 l L Section 2: Professional Staff L L The professionals that will be principally involved in this assignment are H2M's Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning, Ms. Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP, and Ms. Jessica Giorgianni, AICP, PP. Ms. Franson would represent the Town of Wappinger as the Town Planner. l l Department Manager, Land Use/Environmental Planning H2M's Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning is Ms. Bonnie Franson, PP, AICP. Ms. Franson has over 25 years of planning experience in the public and private sector. She has prepared comprehensive master plans, SEQRA documents, and zoning amendments, written zoning regulations tailored to address the unique characteristics of various communities, and assisted planning boards in the review of site plan, subdivision, and special use permit applications. She has consulted to communities throughout the Hudson River Valley, and is conversant in New York State planning law and the NYS environmental quality review process. L L L In her career, she has managed and prepared master plans for: the Towns of Wawayanda, Cornwall and Tuxedo (Orange County); the Town of Hyde Park (Dutchess County); the Town of Mamakating (Sullivan County), the Villages of Sloatsburg and Montebello (Rockland County) all rural to rural/suburban communities located in the Hudson River Valley region. She managed and prepared the SEQRA documents which analyzed the impacts associated with adoption of these comprehensive plans. The comprehensive plans and zoning amendments required the preparation of a DGEIS and FGEIS in Mamakating, Sloatsburg and Montebello, She has also prepared numerous environmental impacts for private developments proposed in Orange County, Ulster County, Putnam County and Westchester County and is conversant in the SEQRA process and regulations. She presently assists the Planning Boards of Marbletown, Shawangunk, and Tuxedo in the day-to-day land use development review processes. In Marbletown and Shawangunk, Ms. Franson is the only professional present at Planning Board meetings - the attorney and engineer are brought in only on an "as need" basis. She recently completed a comprehensive plan update for the Town of Tuxedo, a community located in the Highlands region of New York State, and is presently drafting zoning revisions to implement the Plan Update. For the Towns of Gallatin and Pine Plains, she was involved the preparation of zoning documents for these two communities, In Pine Plains, adoption of the comprehensive plan required preparation of a draft and final generic environmental impact statement. She assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park, a community entirely on the National Register of Historic Places, with the preparation of zoning amendments intended to protect the unique scenic and historic attributes of the Village, including ridgeline and precipice overlay and gateway overlay zoning districts. L L l l L L L l L 1 I Section 2 I ... l L l Other examples of her experience include: assisting in reVISions to a slope ordinance and conducting a parking analysis for the historic community of Piermont; and, preparation of a conservation district plan for Suffern's central business district. She also conducted a planning analysis and prepared subsequent zoning revisions to the Hastings-on-Hudson zoning law, including refinement of mixed use and nonresidential district boundaries. For the Village of Montebello, she prepared special zoning revisions to protect a historic estate property and protect the aesthetic character of a primary village gateway. She also assisted the Towns of Gallatin and Pine Plains in revisions to the zoning law in each community and consulted to the Town of Pine Plains affordable housing task force. L l L l L Senior Project Planner Jessica Giorgianni, PP, AICP, Senior Project Planner, would assist in any planning studies or tasks. Ms. Giorgianni is particularly skilled in community participation processes, and she especially enjoys preparing graphic presentations to communicate ideas and strategies to the public and stakeholders. Ms, Giorgianni recently prepared a draft land use and recreation study for the Village of Port Washington North, and is assisting in the preparation of a Vision Plan for the Village of Washingtonville. She also prepared mapping overlays which illustrate the location of the Village's business districts relative to floodplain locations in Washingtonville. Ms. Giorgianni is highly skilled in the organization and presentation of regulations and graphics and has a strong background in geographic information system (GIS) software and mapping. She conducts legal and planning research in support of proposed land use regulatory amendments. l l l L L Supplemental Staff The planning team is supported by H2M professionals in the fields of landscape architecture, architecture, environmental services, and civil engineering. This is particularly useful in any environmental analysis that may require input from engineering, landscape, or other design professional. The planning staff is aided by CADD and GIS technicians. l Resumes l Ms, Franson would be principally responsible for all planning services to the Town of Wappinger. Her resume is attached, A resume for Ms. Giorgianni is also attached, as she will provide assistance and support for this assignment. Her role will be to assist in gathering background zoning and land use data as necessary, assisting in project reviews, and map preparation using GIS data. l L \ L.. 2 I Section 2 l .... L L l l Experio!1ce H2M Tim Miller Associates, Inc. Turner I Geneslaw, Inc. Louis Berger & Associates Rutgers University, Department of Urban Planning and Development L l Education Master of City and Regional Planning, Rutgers University BA, Biology, Bucknell University l L LicenseiCe rtifications Professional Planner: NJ American Institute of Certified Planners NCI Charette System L Memberships American Institute of Certified Planners American Planning Association Rockland County Municipal Planning Federation, Introductol)' Course Instructor Pace Land Use Law School, SEQRA Course Instructor L l l ArticlHS/P'apers Pediatric Cancer Mortality Rates in New Jersey and the United States: 1950-1985. New Jersey Medicine, 1990 L Promoting Craft Breweries in New York State, Talk of the Towns publication L L L L L. L I L. Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP Department Manager - Land Use I Environmental Planning Ms. Franson has over 25 years of experience in the environmental and municipal planning field and is very familiar with New York State environmental, permitting, and land use regulations. Her experience includes preparing and reviewing environmental impact statements, preparing various sections of environmental documents, advising clients on all SEQRA matters, conducting site plan and subdivision reviews on behalf of municipalities, and preparing zoning and environmental regulations for various communities. Ms. Franson is very familiar with Dutchess County, its agencies, and many of its municipalities. Her professional planning experience includes preparing zoning and comprehensive plan documents for the Town of Hyde Park, the City of Poughkeepsie, and the Town of Pine Plains. She also performed preliminary field work for a comprehensive plan for Pleasant Valley. Selected project experience: . Town of Gallatin Zoning Update. For this Columbia County community, the Town Board retained Ms. Franson to prepare zoning amendments and subdivision law revisions that effectuate the goals and objectives of the recently adopted Town Comprehensive Plan. Two significant additions to the Zoning Law included the creation of a Ridgeline Protection Overlay District, intended to protect the beauty of the Town's rural mountaintops. In addition, this rural Town wanted to promote start-up small businesses by allowing home occupations throughout the Town. The Zoning Law established three levels of home occupations, each with its own set of operating thresholds. Ms. Franson also prepared SEQRA documentation for adoption of the Law. . Town of Pine Plains Zoning and Subdivision Amendments, SEQRA Review, Dutchess County, NY. Ms. Franson prepared the first adopted zoning law for the Town of Pine Plains, as well as updated the Town's subdivision regulations. As part of that effort, she also prepared a draft and final generic EIS evaluating the impacts of the adoption of the regulations. . Town of Tuxedo Municipal Retainer, Orange County, NY. She is the town planner for this rural Orange County community. She conducted the SEQRA review of a 2,450-acre planned community of approximately 1,200 dwellings and 200,000 square feet of nonresidential uses within an ecologically sensitive area. She previously conducted site plan review of two Orange and Rockland projects, as well as an advisory review of a proposed major gas pipeline project. . Village of Tuxedo Park Municipal Retainer. Ms. Franson assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park, a historic community listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in the review of various development applications before the Planning Board. She also assisted in drafting a Gateway Overlay zoning district to protect the visual and historic qualities of the entry points to this community as well as a Ridgeline and Precipice Overlay district intended to regulate development on lands that are visually prominent within the community. . Town of Shawangunk and Marbletown Municipal Retainers, Ulster County, NY. Ms. Franson regularly evaluates the impact of a project on the scenic and rural character of these two communities. For these rural towns with major significant scenic resources, she regularly reviews site plans, special use L ~ L. L Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP permits, subdivision applications and SEQRA documents evaluating a project's impact on the environment. She recently assisted the Town of Shawangunk in evaluating the visual and other impacts of a cell tower within the community, and prepared SEQRA documentation that supported the Town in an Article 78 challenge, wherein the Town prevailed. . Environmental Impact Statement Preparation. She has managed and prepared site-specific EISs for a variety of projects, including but not limited to: Minisceongo Creek Residential and Commercial Development DEIS and FEIS, Towns of Haverstraw and Ramapo, Rockland Co.; KDJ Realty Expanded EAF, Town of Fallsburg, Sullivan Co.; Ulster Manor Residential Development DEIS and FEIS, Town of Ulster, Ulster Co.; Buena Vista Teutonia High Rise Apartment DEIS and FEIS, City of Yonkers, Westchester Co.; Grandview Estates Subdivision DEIS and FEIS, Town of Wawayanda, Orange Co.; Bellvale Cluster Subdivision, Town of Chester, Orange Co.; Dockside at Marlborough DEIS, Ulster Co.; Peekskill Middle School DEIS and FEIS, City of Peekskill, Westchester Co.. . Major Municipal Project Reviews: Conducted SEQRA and/or site plan reviews for the Town of Tuxedo's Sterling Forest Corporation Planned Integrated Development and Tuxedo Reserve; Village of Suffern's Good Samaritan Hospital Master Site Plan, Ciba-Geigy Expansion, and Avon Research and Development Center; Village of Sloatsburg's Highland Homes Multifamily Residential Development, Rockland County Sewer District proposed wastewater treatment plant. . Municipal Retainers: Attended Planning Board meetings and conducted site plan, subdivision plan, and SEQRA reviews of projects proposed in the Villages of Sloatsburg and Suffern in Rockland County; Town of Tuxedo, Orange County; and Town of Mamakating in Sullivan County. . Municipal Comprehensive Planning: Consulted to Comprehensive Plan Committees and prepared background data, goals, objectives and policies associated with comprehensive plan development for the Towns of Hyde Park, Cortlandt, Wawayanda, Cornwall, Mamakating, Stony Point; and Villages of Greenwood Lake, Suffern, Wurtsboro, Bloomingburg, Sloatsburg, Montebello. . Municipal Zoning Code Preparation/Revision: Drafted comprehensive zoning amendments for the Cities of Poughkeepsie and Newburgh; Towns of Mamakating, Tuxedo, Stony Point, Wawayanda and Hyde Park; and Villages of Suffern, Greenwood Lake, Montebello, Sloatsburg. . Miscellaneous Municipal Projects: Drafted the Cortlandt Housing Action Plan; prepared the adopted City of Newburgh Local Waterfront Revitalization Program; prepared and administered the Montebello Affordable Housing Program; drafted the adopted Stony Point Watershed Protection Plan; drafted design guidelines for Colonial Terraces in the City of Newburgh; prepared the adopted Suffern Conservation Central Business District Plan; conducted student projections and prepared the Ramapo Central School District Demographic Study; conducted demographic projections for the western Ramapo Buildout Study, Rockland County Sewer District NO.1. III L l l l L L L L l l L L L a .. L.. I .. l L l L Experience H2M Catholic Charities Heyer, Gruel & Associates The Louis Berger Group AEC Software, Inc. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality L l: s-. Education Master of City and Regional Planning, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy B.S., Environmental Science, College of Integrated Science and Technology, James Madison University l L L L icenselCertifications Professional Planner: NJ American Institute of Certified Planners L Memberships American Planning Association L Honors/Awards New Jersey Planning Officials Achievement in Planning Award: Lodi Land Use and Circulation Plan, 2010 New Jersey Planning Officials Achievement in Planning Award: Lincoln Park Redevelopment Plan, 2011 L L L l L L L.. I i. Jessica L. Giorgianni, AICP, PP Senior Project Planner Ms. Giorgianni is a licensed Professional Planner providing planning and design services to municipalities and land use boards throughout New York and New Jersey. She is highly skilled at providing development review services, community outreach, and planning documents and analysis such as-- master plans, zoning ordinances, redevelopment plans. vision plans, build-out scenarios, market analysis, GIS mapping, surveys, and economic and demographic analysis. Selected experience: . Village of Port Washington North, Waterfront Study: Prepared a land use/recreation/zoning study for this Village located on the Long Island Sound waterfront, intended to address land use and zoning issues within 2,000 feet of the Village's waterfront. Recommendations include: incentive zoning to encourage architectural designs that reflect historic patterns; a focus on water- dependent and water-enhanced uses; open space linkages within the waterfront corridor; reuse of an underutilized shopping center site. . Village of Washingtonville. Community Visioning: Assessing existing land use and Village policies, zoning and regulations that impact the Village's important commercial corridors. Will be facilitating a community visioning workshop to identify and get community consensus on a vision to revitalize the corridors. . Tuxedo Reserve SmartCode Review: Assisted the Engineer to the Tuxedo Town Board with the review of the Tuxedo Reserve Smart Code, a regulatory design manual for the mixed-use development project spanning 2,376 acres. . East Patchogue Blight Study and Economic Revitalization Plan: Developed a Blight Study, Economic Plan and Concept Plans for a two-acre site in downtown East Patchogue, NY containing the small "Plaza Theater" that had stood vacant for more than two decades. Analyzed area development history, crime reports, accident data, and site conditions. Developed an Economic Plan that analyzed local market and demographic data to determine new uses for the site. Prepared concepts for mixed-use, housing and park/playground use of the site. . Municipal Planner: Serving as the Municipal Planner to the Township of Livingston in Essex County and the Borough of Rockaway in Morris County. Also serving as the Planner to the Planning Board and Zoning Boards of Adjustment in Livingston and Rockaway reviewing all development applications and representing the Boards at public hearings. . Lodi Borough Land Use and Circulation Connection Plan: Prepared an award- winning combined Master Plan Element that that identified barriers to pedestrian, bicycle use and transit use, and causes of automobile and truck traffic; provided new policy, infrastructure recommendations and conceptual designs to improve land use patterns and reduce congestion. Involved the community through public workshops and a publiC survey. . Pompton Lakes Master Plan: Developed a comprehensive Master Plan update that proposed recommendations (policy, zoning and design concepts) for downtown revitalization, gateway treatments, the reclamation of contaminated and environmentally sensitive lands, redevelopment / rehabilitation opportunities, and other targeted strategies. L L L 1 .. Jessica L. Giorgianni, P.P., AICP . Pompton Lakes Zoning Ordinance: Developed comprehensive zoning to implement the recommendations of the new Master Plan. Established land use and bulk requirements for six new zone districts and an extensive set of design guidelines for the downtown districts, mixed-use areas, and industrial areas. . Leonia Sustainability Plan: Preparing a Green Buildings and Sustainability Master Plan with the Leonia "Green Team" that will set policy in areas of green building and design, transportation/mobility, renewable energy, water, wastewater and food systems. Organized and facilitated a Community Visioning meeting to engage Borough residents in planning for sustainability. . Leonia Economic Plan: Prepared a plan to improve Leonia's economic conditions and increase ratables, while maintaining Borough small town character. Analyzed demographic, employer and work force characteristics; Evaluated land use and zoning conditions to determine realistic development opportunities within three "economic opportunity focus areas." . Lincoln Park Redevelopment Plan, City of Newark: Developed an award- winning plan for the Historic District that incorporates Form Based Code zoning, architectural design, sustainability standards, circulation and bike-ped priorities and street art elements, which respect and promote neighborhood historic and cultural assets and "green" development objectives. Maywood Redevelopment Plan: Prepared a transit-oriented Redevelopment Plan for a 65.5-acre USEPA superfund site that anticipates compact development along a proposed train station, and incorporates residential, hotel, retail, restaurants, office, a community center, grocery store and large park. . Glen Rock Environmental Resources Inventory (ERI) and Conservation Plan: Worked with the Borough Environmental Commission to develop the Borough's first ERI and Conservation Master Plan Element. Managed the production of both documents and prepared all GIS maps depicting environmental conditions. . Madison ERI: Facilitated the development and production of a new ERI for the Borough of Madison, including all GIS mapping. . Leonia Transit Planning Services: Provided planning services in preparation for a NJ Transit-proposed light rail line, station and parking in the Borough. Responsible for public outreach through a series of public meetings and a public survey. Reviewed the 1,000-page DEIS and assisted in developing a consensus Borough response for negotiating with NJ Transit. . Hudson County Sustainable Site Plan and Subdivision Ordinance: Worked with County Engineers and Planners to develop the County's new Sustainable Development Regulations which incorporate: modern design; Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater management; requirements for improving bicycle and pedestrian realms; and design standards that focus on energy- efficiency, emissions reduction, pollution prevention, resource protection, and improving the visual character of county roads. . Frankford TDR Plan: Assisted in the preparation of a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Plan for Frankford Township. Inventoried and prioritized privately- held farmland and open space for preservation. Provided a mechanism for transferring development rights of protected land ("sending zone") into a proposed 240-acre Frankford Center ("receiving zone"). Developed a mixed- use land use concept for Frankford Center. - L l L L l L l L l L L l L , if l... l L l l l' ~\ l L 1 l 1 l 1 l L L l l L l L Section 3 (in separate envelope) L L L L L L l l L L L L L L L L L L L Proposal for Professional Planning Services: Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York Submitted to: Mr. Robert Valdati, Chairman Town of Wappinger Planning Board 20 Middlebush Road Wappinger Falls, NY 12590 . Dr, ,c, "i'll; ',\1" r, \1 .~. (u I," ~ . ". od3 /~ April 4, 2013 Submitted by: . architects + engineers 254 South Main Street, Suite 500, New City, New York 10956 v 845.499.2264 f 845.499.2265 www.h2m.com Section 3: Cost and Payment Schedule As per the RFP, the rates set forth herein do not include secretarial and administrative staff time. Hourly rates are all inclusive of all secretarial, clerical, and administrative services, local telephone, postage, and other customary overhead expenses. The following chart provides the 2013 hourly fee rate for the staff that would be responsible for this planning assignment including the review of development applications as well as municipal assignments, including zoning analyses and comprehensive planning, Job Title Hourly Rate $145 Senior Project Planner $125 Pro'ect Planner $105 CADD / GIS /Plannin Technician $75 In addition, H2M carries all insurance coverage set forth in the RFP, including Worker's Compensation, Commercial General Liability, Comprehensive Automobile Policy, Umbrella Liability, and Professional Liability. Certificates of Insurance will be supplied to the Town of Wappinger if H2M is selected, I APB 0 4 zun PL/\\"lr ,,^, f)3 q~~ 1 I Section 3 L l L l Proposal for Professional Planning Services: Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York Table of Contents L OVERVIEW SECTION 1 Statement of Qualifications SECTION 2 Professional Staff L L L l Resumes SECTION 3 Fee Schedule (separate envelope) L L l ... L L . architects + engineers L l L L L Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. 254 South Main Street, Suite 500, New City, NY 10956 Contact: Bonnie Franson, PP, AICP Department Manager - Land Use and Environmental Planning v 845.499,2264 x2050 f 845.499.2265 e bfranson@h2m.com April 4, 2013 L L L L l L L L L L L L L L L L h L. , L. l .. architects + engineers 254 South Main Street, Ste 500 New City, NY 10956 tel 845.499.2264 fax 845.499.2265 April 4, 2013 Mr. Robert Valdati, Chairman Town of Wappinger Planning Board 20 Middlebush Road Wappinger Falls, NY 12590 Re: Proposal for Professional Planning Services Dear Chairman Valdati and Planning Board Members: On behalf of Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M), I am pleased to submit this response to the RFP to provide professional planning services to the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York. H2M has been providing professional consulting services to federal, state, and local agencies for 79 years and its clients are located throughout the Hudson River Valley region, Long Island, and New Jersey. The firm's planning staff conducts land use application reviews, SEQRA analyses, comprehensive planning, zoning preparation, and provides a broad range of planning services to municipalities through the Hudson Valley. We are currently retained by the Towns of Marbletown and Shawangunk (Ulster County) and Tuxedo (Orange County) to perform site, subdivision, special use permit, and SEQRA review of applications before the Planning Board. We also provide planning services to the Village of Washingtonville (Orange County), including administration of a FEMA buyout program. H2M has assisted municipalities in the review of development applications, from small lot line adjustments to multi-year 1,200-dwelling unit planned developments. We are responsible for overseeing the SEQRA review of the various development applications to ensure that the projects do not negatively impact the quality of the community. We also prepare zoning amendments and comprehensive plans - we are presently in the process of updating the Town of Tuxedo's zoning law and map. Our in-depth knowledge of SEQRA regulations and New York State Town Law, familiarity with Dutchess County, and experience in rural and suburban communities, provides us an understanding of the Town of Wappinger's needs. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and we look forward to meet with the Board and discuss how we may support the Town of Wappinger in its planning functions. Very truly yours, HOLZMACHER, McLENDON & MURRELL, P.C. j)~ f~~~ Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP Department Manager, Land Use/Environmental Planning HQlzmacher McLendon &, MurrelL P,C W'N't; h20' Melville, NY I Albany, NY I New City, NY I Parsippany, NJ L ~ L Overview L l Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) is pleased to submit this response to the Town of Wappinger's Request for Proposal (RFP) to provide professional planning services to the Town of Wappinger Planning Board, L H2M is a growing, multi-disciplinary professional consulting firm that has been providing engineering, architectural and land use planning services to municipalities, governmental agencies and private sector clients for 79 years. The firm is fully licensed to practice in New York State and has offices in New City, Albany, and Melville, New York. This assignment would be managed from our Hudson Valley office located in New City. You may view additional information regarding the firm and its experience at www.h2m.com. l L L Planning Services H2M provides a wide range of planning services and works closely with clients not only to identify opportunities for better planning, but also to assist in procuring the financial and technical resources necessary for implementation. H2M interacts closely with municipal, county and state agencies to ensure that our clients' projects are priorities at all governmental levels. H2M's planners are conversant in New York State land use and SEQRA regulations. H2M provides professional planning services in the areas of: L L L . Zoning preparation . Fiscal impact analysis . Land use application reviews . GIS assessments . SEQRA review . Build-out analyses . Comprehensive plans . Vision plans . Conservation and open space . Visual impact analysis plans . Central business district studies . Sustainability plans . Board representation . Housing plans l L L We are familiar working with Dutchess County and the various agencies to which applications are referred, e.g., NYSDEC Region 3 and NYSDOT Region 8, We are expert in SEQRA and New York State land use matters. We review all aspects of land development applications, and prepare resolutions, determinations and findings in support of a Planning Board's decisionmaking process. l l L The sections that follow detail our representative project experience, the personnel that would be assigned to this project, and our hourly rates. If selected, H2M would meet with Town representatives to refine and finalize a contract for professional planning services. L l L l l l L L L L l L l l l l l l L l l Section 1 L L Section 1: Statement of Qualifications L';, f L Holzmacher, Mclendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) Organized in 1933, Holzmacher, Mclendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) is a privately-held professional corporation that is proud of its long history of providing quality service to its clients. H2M provides a full complement of professional consulting services in planning, architecture, engineering, environmental sciences, construction administration and environmental analytical laboratory testing and analysis. Work for this assignment would be managed and conducted from the firm's Hudson River Valley office in New City, New York. H2M is headquartered in Melville, New York, and also maintains offices in Albany, NY and Parsippany, NJ, L l L Professional Staff L H2M is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm which has provided architectural and engineering services to private industry, municipalities, governmental agencies, school districts and higher education institutions in the metropolitan area for 80 years. We currently have staff resources of over 265 employees which include architects, planners, designers, civil, environmental, mechanical, structural, water supply, sanitary and chemical engineers, geologists, hygienists, construction inspectors, cadd technicians and technical support personnel. Included on this staff are 18 registered architects, 53 licensed engineers, 29 LEED accredited professionals, 1 licensed land surveyor, 2 licensed and accredited planners, and 2 landscape architects, L l F Ill. I L For this assignment, Ms. Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP, and Ms. Jessica Giorgianni, AICP, PP, would be principally involved in this assignment. Ms, Franson is the Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning and has over 25 years of environmental and municipal planning experience, She will be assisted by Ms. Giorgianni who is a Senior Project Planner with five (5) years of relevant planning experience. A description of their experience is provided in Section 2 of this proposal. L L This section provides a representative list of relevant projects being performed for New York State clients.1 L l' '^. 1 Ms. Franson commenced several of these assignments while employed at Tim Miller Associates. Ms. Franson became Department Manager at H2M in 2011, and these assignments were either completed while she was employed with H2M, or have otherwise continued at H2M. t ... L 1 I Section 1 L l l L l l L L L L L l l L L l L i i. L L Town of Marbletown (Ulster County): For this Shawangunk Mountains region community, the firm is retained by the Planning Board to conduct all site plan, subdivision and SEQRA reviews, Ms. Franson also assisted in preparing an update to the Town's subdivision regulations to simplify and clarify the lot line adjustment process, The aesthetic and architectural design of any project is reviewed against the design standards applicable to the Town's historic districts, which regulate the Town's hamlet areas. Ms. Franson has been assisting the Marbletown Planning Board for approximately seven (7) years and these services are ongoing. Town of Shawangunk (Ulster County): For this Shawangunk Mountains region/agricultural community, H2M is retained by the Planning Board to conduct all special use permit, site plan, subdivision and SEQRA reviews. Ms, Franson also compiled various land use local laws that had been adopted within a span of five years, and codified the language into one comprehensive zoning local law - she prepared the Environmental Assessment Form that was required to meet SEQRA requirements for the adoption of the updated zoning law. She assisted the Town Board recently by writing responses to SEQRA comments issued on the proposed construction of a Town park to be located next to a national wildlife refuge, She also conducted all SEQRA review, resolutions and notifications associated with the review of a proposed "stealth" telecommunications tower which was challenged by neighboring property owners - the courts dismissed the lawsuit and supported the Planning Board's determinations. She is assisting the Planning Board in the review of an infill plan for a mixed use traditional development to be located in the Wallkill hamlet. Relevant issues include: preserving in-situ versus relocating a rail trail alignment, and integrating the development into the functioning of this Town Center area, which includes the newly constructed Town Hall and historic Wallkilllibrary. Ms. Franson and H2M have been providing these services since 2004 and they are ongoing. Town of Tuxedo (Orange County): Ms. Franson has been consulting to this Orange County community of 3,624 persons for over 20 years. Most recently, H2M reviewed proposed amendments to a special use permit for a planned new community which will introduce 1,200 dwelling units, essentially doubling its size. Ms. Franson assisted in the planning, zoning, and SEQRA review of the application and H2M conducted overall engineering review of the proposed plans, The review was thorough and the Town Board's decisions withstood an Article 78 challenge. H2M also assisted in the preparation of a Comprehensive Plan which was recently adopted. An Environmental Assessment Form was prepared to examine the potential impacts of the adoption of the Plan. 2 I Section 1 ~, ~ ~ .. L 11 .. L L L L t L L l L L ~-, .. 1.. L L L L L H2M is now completing comprehensive zoning amendments so that the zoning is consistent with the Town's adopted comprehensive plan, As the Town is 75 percent parkland, the Town desires to promote tourism business, and has created a Tourism Business zone to promote such uses in locations surrounded by state parkland. H2M has been retained by the Town as its consultant since 2005. Town of Pine Plains (Dutchess County): For the Town of Pine Plains, Ms. Franson assisted a former Town Board in revisions to a proposed zoning local law, initially prepared by another consultant, and which became the first adopted by the Town. The zoning law includes an agricultural overlay zone, an aquifer protection overlay zone, affordable housing regulations, and a floating zone which allows planned new neighborhood developments adjoining the Pine Plains hamlet. The potential environmental impacts associated with the adoption of the Zoning Law were evaluated in a draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GElS) and final GElS. She also updated the Town's subdivision regulations and worked with a Housing Task Force in the preparation of an Affordable Housing Report. The report summarizes the results of a housing survey, as well as data gathered to establish maximum income limits and recommend fee-in-lieu-of- housing fees. Ms. Franson and H2M provided consulting services to the Town from 2008 to 2012. " Town of Gallatin (Columbia County): For this Columbia County community, H2M assisted the Town's Zoning Committee in the update of the Town's zoning local law so that it is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan Update that was adopted in 2007, The notable elements of the Zoning include the creation of a Ridgeline Protection Overlay District that will regulate development on ridgelines that are 900 feet above mean sea level or higher, In addition, the Zoning Law proposed home occupation standards to allow and encourage residents of the Town to operate their businesses from home, which acknowledges the rural nature of the Town where many residents work from home. The regulations establish a three tier system wherein a home occupation is either exempt from regulations, requires registration from the Code Enforcement Officer, or requires Planning Board review and approval. Also, in order to acknowledge the environmental constraints that are imposed on certain properties, the Zoning Law was amended to exclude sensitive environmental areas from the calculation of minimum lot area. The Zoning Law was the subject of an Environmental Assessment Form prepared by H2M, and adopted by the Town Board. Village of Tuxedo Park (Orange County): Ms. Franson assisted the Village in the preparation of a gateway-overlay zoning district and a ridgeline and precipice overlay district, intended to protect the visual and scenic quality of the Village's 3 I Section 1 L L l l l l L l l L L L L l L l '- ~ ~ .. L L main entry and ridgelines, respectively, The firm assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park in the subdivision and SEQRA review of a subdivision within this National Register community. Particular issues that were being addressed included timber rattlesnakes, as a den is located in proximity to the subdivision. Wetlands, drainage, and infrastructure issues were also addressed. Village of Port Washington North (Nassau County): For this waterfront community, Ms. Giorgianni and Ms. Franson prepared the Village's first land use map and a recreation analysis, H2M evaluated the appropriateness of uses within 2,000 feet of Shore Road, which includes lands within 2,000 feet of Manhasset Bay, a priority water body. A variety of recommendations have been proposed by the firm, consistent with the NYS Department of State's Coastal Zone Management Plan for Long Island Sound, including a rezoning which would encourage water-dependent and water-enhanced uses along the frontage of Shore Road, which adjoins the bay. It also recommended that architectural design guidelines be adopted that require new development to be thematically consistent with marine and shore environs of the Sound. The Village, based on H2M's recommendations, created a Maritime Business zoning district, which was the subject of an Environmental Assessment Form prepared by the firm. The new zoning has been adopted and H2M is updating the zoning map in GIS format. ,~ Village of Washingtonville (Orange County): For this incorporated Village, H2M commenced a Vision Plan for the Main Street corridor. The Village's central business district is located along this thoroughfare which is also a busy state highway. This study was placed on hold following Hurricane Irene, and H2M's planners commenced the preparation of a Hazard Mitigation Program (HMPG) application for the acquisition of 18 residences that are located within the Moodna Creek basin and sustained damaged during Hurricane Irene. The properties, once acquired, would revert to open space, As a result of H2M's planning efforts, the Village has been awarded $4,5 million from FEMA and New York State to acquire the 18 properties. H2M is retained by Washingtonville and the assignment is ongoing. Town of Oyster Bay (Nassau County): For the hamlet of Hicksville, located in the Town of Oyster Bay, H2M along with two subconsultants, are preparing a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Step I study for the northwest area of Hicksville, and a Step II study for the southwest area. The purpose of the studies are to evaluate and identify potential properties which are contaminated, to remediate any contamination, and to plan the redevelopment of the properties for uses which are supported by the local community. A workshop was recently completed, which solicited public input on redevelopment ideas, and a follow-up survey is being administered to gather additional public input. 4 I Section 1 l L L L Other Communities l H2M planners are licensed in the State of New Jersey and represent a number of New Jersey municipalities, including the Borough of Dumont, the Township of Livingston, the Borough of Rockaway and the Borough of Pompton Lakes. For the Borough of Leonia, H2M prepared a Sustainability Plan. The firm has completed numerous environmental and open space inventories for New Jersey municipalities. Although these assignments have been conducted for New Jersey clients, the projects still embody our planning objectives and reflect the quality of work we take pride in. Information on these assignments can be provided at the request of the Town. l L References L The following is a list of client references, including contacts for several of the representative projects described in the above narrative. L l Client Contact Client/Project Telephone No. Warren Replansky, Esq. Pine Plains and Gallatin Town Attorney for Town Boards - Zoning (518) 398-5208 Gallatin and Pine Plains Preparation Richard Lanzarone, Chairman Town of Marbletown (845) 687-9673 Planning Board Retainer Tuxedo Planning (845) 351-2265 Peter Dolan, Supervisor Retainer/Comprehensive Plan Kris Pedersen, Chairwoman Town of Shawangunk (845) 895-3356 Planning Board Retainer Stuart Besen, Esq, Port Washington North (516) 745-1800 Village Attorney Waterfront Land Use Study L L L L I L. L .. l 5 1 Section 1 L L L L L l L L l L L L l L L l L L l L Section 2 L l Section 2: Professional Staff l L The professionals that will be principally involved in this assignment are H2M's Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning, Ms, Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP, and Ms, Jessica Giorgianni, AICP, PP. Ms. Franson would represent the Town of Wappinger as the Town Planner. L L Department Manager, Land Use/Environmental Planning H2M's Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning is Ms. Bonnie Franson, PP, AICP, Ms. Franson has over 25 years of planning experience in the public and private sector. She has prepared comprehensive master plans, SEQRA documents, and zoning amendments, written zoning regulations tailored to address the unique characteristics of various communities, and assisted planning boards in the review of site plan, subdivision, and special use permit applications. She has consulted to communities throughout the Hudson River Valley, and is conversant in New York State planning law and the NYS environmental quality review process. L L L In her career, she has managed and prepared master plans for: the Towns of Wawayanda, Cornwall and Tuxedo (Orange County); the Town of Hyde Park (Dutchess County); the Town of Mamakating (Sullivan County), the Villages of Sloatsburg and Montebello (Rockland County) all rural to rural/suburban communities located in the Hudson River Valley region, She managed and prepared the SEQRA documents which analyzed the impacts associated with adoption of these comprehensive plans. The comprehensive plans and zoning amendments required the preparation of a DGEIS and FGEIS in Mamakating, Sloatsburg and Montebello. She has also prepared numerous environmental impacts for private developments proposed in Orange County, Ulster County, Putnam County and Westchester County and is conversant in the SEQRA process and regulations. L l i ... l ... ~ She presently assists the Planning Boards of Marbletown, Shawangunk, and Tuxedo in the day-to-day land use development review processes. In Marbletown and Shawangunk, Ms. Franson is the only professional present at Planning Board meetings - the attorney and engineer are brought in only on an "as need" basis. She recently completed a comprehensive plan update for the Town of Tuxedo, a community located in the Highlands region of New York State, and is presently drafting zoning revisions to implement the Plan Update, For the Towns of Gallatin and Pine Plains, she was involved the preparation of zoning documents for these two communities. In Pine Plains, adoption of the comprehensive plan required preparation of a draft and final generic environmental impact statement. She assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park, a community entirely on the National Register of Historic Places, with the preparation of zoning amendments intended to protect the unique scenic and historic attributes of the Village, including ridgeline and precipice overlay and gateway overlay zoning districts. l L L L 1 I Section 2 L L L', ~...... L Other examples of her experience include: assisting in revisions to a slope ordinance and conducting a parking analysis for the historic community of Piermont; and, preparation of a conservation district plan for Suffern's central business district. She also conducted a planning analysis and prepared subsequent zoning revisions to the Hastings-on-Hudson zoning law, including refinement of mixed use and nonresidential district boundaries. For the Village of Montebello, she prepared special zoning revisions to protect a historic estate property and protect the aesthetic character of a primary village gateway. She also assisted the Towns of Gallatin and Pine Plains in revisions to the zoning law in each community and consulted to the Town of Pine Plains affordable housing task force, l L L Senior Project Planner t L. L Jessica Giorgianni, PP, AICP, Senior Project Planner, would assist in any planning studies or tasks. Ms, Giorgianni is particularly skilled in community participation processes, and she especially enjoys preparing graphic presentations to communicate ideas and strategies to the public and stakeholders. Ms. Giorgianni recently prepared a draft land use and recreation study for the Village of Port Washington North, and is assisting in the preparation of a Vision Plan for the Village of Washingtonville, She also prepared mapping overlays which illustrate the location of the Village's business districts relative to floodplain locations in Washingtonville. Ms. Giorgianni is highly skilled in the organization and presentation of regulations and graphics and has a strong background in geographic information system (GIS) software and mapping. She conducts legal and planning research in support of proposed land use regulatory amendments, L L L L Supplemental Staff The planning team is supported by H2M professionals in the fields of landscape architecture, architecture, environmental services, and civil engineering. This is particularly useful in any environmental analysis that may require input from engineering, landscape, or other design professional. The planning staff is aided by CADD and GIS technicians. l ~ Resumes ~ .. Ms, Franson would be principally responsible for all planning services to the Town of Wappinger. Her resume is attached. .~ i.. A resume for Ms. Giorgianni is also attached, as she will provide assistance and support for this assignment. Her role will be to assist in gathering background zoning and land use data as necessary, assisting in project reviews, and map preparation using GIS data. L I 1j> '- 2 I Section 2 L L l L' ~-:- l L Experience H2M Tim Miller Associates, Inc, Turner I Geneslaw, Inc, Louis Berger & Associates Rutgers University, Department of Urban Planning and Development L l Education Master of City and Regional Planning, Rutgers University BA, Biology, Bucknell University L L License/Ce rtifications Professional Planner: NJ American Institute of Certified Planners NCI Charette System L Memberships American Institute of Certified Planners American Planning Association Rockland County Municipal Planning Federation, Introductory Course Instructor Pace Land Use Law School, SEQRA Course Instructor L L l Articles/Papers Pediatric Cancer Mortality Rates in New Jersey and the United States: 1950-1985, New Jersey Medicine, 1990 L Promoting Craft Breweries in New York State, Talk of the Towns publication L L l L L L Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP Department Manager - Land Use I Environmental Planning Ms. Franson has over 25 years of experience in the environmental and municipal planning field and is very familiar with New York State environmental, permitting, and land use regulations. Her experience includes preparing and reviewing environmental impact statements, preparing various sections of environmental documents, advising clients on all SEQRA matters, conducting site plan and subdivision reviews on behalf of municipalities, and preparing zoning and environmental regulations for various communities. Ms. Franson is very familiar with Dutchess County, its agencies, and many of its municipalities. Her professional planning experience includes preparing zoning and comprehensive plan documents for the Town of Hyde Park, the City of Poughkeepsie, and the Town of Pine Plains. She also performed preliminary field work for a comprehensive plan for Pleasant Valley. Selected project experience: . Town of Gallatin Zoning Update. For this Columbia County community, the Town Board retained Ms. Franson to prepare zoning amendments and subdivision law revisions that effectuate the goals and objectives of the recently adopted Town Comprehensive Plan. Two significant additions to the Zoning Law included the creation of a Ridgeline Protection Overlay District, intended to protect the beauty of the Town's rural mountaintops. In addition, this rural Town wanted to promote start-up small businesses by allowing home occupations throughout the Town. The Zoning Law established three levels of home occupations, each with its own set of operating thresholds. Ms. Franson also prepared SEQRA documentation for adoption of the Law. . Town of Pine Plains Zoning and Subdivision Amendments, SEQRA Review, Dutchess County, NY. Ms. Franson prepared the first adopted zoning law for the Town of Pine Plains, as well as updated the Town's subdivision regulations. As part of that effort, she also prepared a draft and final generic EIS evaluating the impacts of the adoption of the regulations. . Town of Tuxedo Municipal Retainer, Orange County, NY. She is the town planner for this rural Orange County community. She conducted the SEQRA review of a 2,450-acre planned community of approximately 1,200 dwellings and 200,000 square feet of nonresidential uses within an ecologically sensitive area. She previously conducted site plan review of two Orange and Rockland projects, as well as an advisory review of a proposed major gas pipeline project. . Village of Tuxedo Park Municipal Retainer. Ms. Franson assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park, a historic community listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in the review of various development applications before the Planning Board. She also assisted in drafting a Gateway Overlay zoning district to protect the visual and historic qualities of the entry points to this community as well as a Ridgeline and Precipice Overlay district intended to regulate development on lands that are visually prominent within the community. . Town of Shawangunk and Marbletown Municipal Retainers, Ulster County, NY. Ms. Franson regularly evaluates the impact of a project on the scenic and rural character of these two communities. For these rural towns with major significant scenic resources, she regularly reviews site plans, special use L L L Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP permits, subdivision applications and SEQRA documents evaluating a project's impact on the environment. She recently assisted the Town of Shawangunk in evaluating the visual and other impacts of a cell tower within the community, and prepared SEQRA documentation that supported the Town in an Article 78 challenge, wherein the Town prevailed. . Environmental Impact Statement Preparation. She has managed and prepared site-specific EISs for a variety of projects, including but not limited to: Minisceongo Creek Residential and Commercial Development DEIS and FEIS, Towns of Haverstraw and Ramapo, Rockland Co.; KDJ Realty Expanded EAF, Town of Fallsburg, Sullivan Co.; Ulster Manor Residential Development DEIS and FEIS, Town of Ulster, Ulster Co.; Buena Vista Teutonia High Rise Apartment DEIS and FEIS, City of Yonkers, Westchester Co.; Grandview Estates Subdivision DEIS and FEIS, Town of Wawayanda, Orange Co.; Bellvale Cluster Subdivision, Town of Chester, Orange Co.; Dockside at Marlborough DEIS, Ulster Co.; Peekskill Middle School DEIS and FEIS, City of Peekskill, Westchester Co.. . Major Municipal Project Reviews: Conducted SEQRA and/or site plan reviews for the Town of Tuxedo's Sterling Forest Corporation Planned Integrated Development and Tuxedo Reserve; Village of Suffern's Good Samaritan Hospital Master Site Plan, Ciba-Geigy Expansion, and Avon Research and Development Center; Village of Sloatsburg's Highland Homes Multifamily Residential Development, Rockland County Sewer District proposed wastewater treatment plant. . Municipal Retainers: Attended Planning Board meetings and conducted site plan, subdivision plan, and SEQRA reviews of projects proposed in the Villages of Sloatsburg and Suffern in Rockland County; Town of Tuxedo, Orange County; and Town of Mamakating in Sullivan County. . Municipal Comprehensive Planning: Consulted to Comprehensive Plan Committees and prepared background data, goals, objectives and policies associated with comprehensive plan development for the Towns of Hyde Park, Cortlandt, Wawayanda, Cornwall, Mamakating, Stony Point; and Villages of Greenwood Lake, Suffern, Wurtsboro, Bloomingburg, Sloatsburg, Montebello. . Municipal Zoning Code Preparation/Revision: Drafted comprehensive zoning amendments for the Cities of Poughkeepsie and Newburgh; Towns of Mamakating, Tuxedo, Stony Point, Wawayanda and Hyde Park; and Villages of Suffern, Greenwood Lake, Montebello, Sloatsburg. . Miscellaneous Municipal Projects: Drafted the Cortlandt Housing Action Plan; prepared the adopted City of Newburgh Local Waterfront Revitalization Program; prepared and administered the Montebello Affordable Housing Program; drafted the adopted Stony Point Watershed Protection Plan; drafted design guidelines for Colonial Terraces in the City of Newburgh; prepared the adopted Suffern Conservation Central Business District Plan; conducted student projections and prepared the Ramapo Central School District Demographic Study; conducted demographic projections for the western Ramapo Buildout Study, Rockland County Sewer District NO.1. III L L L l L l L L L L L L L .. L l t ~ .. l L t; &. Experience H2M Catholic Charities Heyer, Gruel & Associates The Louis Berger Group AEC Software, Inc. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality L l Education Master of City and Regional Planning, Edward J. Blaustein School of Planning and Public Policy B.S., Environmental Science, College of Integrated Science and Technology, James Madison University l l , i. L License/Certifications Professional Planner: NJ American Institute of Certified Planners l Memberships American Planning Association L HonorslAwards New Jersey Planning Officials Achievement in Planning Award: Lodi Land Use and Circulation Plan, 2010 New Jersey Planning Officials Achievement in Planning Award: Lincoln Park Redevelopment Plan, 2011 l I ... L L L l L L Jessica L. Giorgianni, AICP, PP Senior Project Planner Ms. Giorgianni is a licensed Professional Planner providing planning and design services to municipalities and land use boards throughout New York and New Jersey. She is highly skilled at providing development review services, community outreach, and planning documents and analysis such as-- master plans, zoning ordinances, redevelopment plans, vision plans, build-out scenarios, market analysis, GIS mapping, surveys, and economic and demographic analysis. Selected experience: . Village of Port Washington North, Waterfront Study: Prepared a land use/recreation/zoning study for this Village located on the Long Island Sound waterfront, intended to address land use and zoning issues within 2,000 feet of the Village's waterfront. Recommendations include: incentive zoning to encourage architectural designs that reflect historic patterns; a focus on water- dependent and water-enhanced uses; open space linkages within the waterfront corridor; reuse of an underutilized shopping center site. . Village of Washingtonville, Community Visioning: Assessing existing land use and Village policies, zoning and regulations that impact the Village's important commercial corridors. Will be facilitating a community visioning workshop to identify and get community consensus on a vision to revitalize the corridors. . Tuxedo Reserve SmartCode Review: Assisted the Engineer to the Tuxedo Town Board with the review of the Tuxedo Reserve Smart Code, a regulatory design manual for the mixed-use development project spanning 2,376 acres. · East Patchogue Blight Study and Economic Revitalization Plan: Developed a Blight Study, Economic Plan and Concept Plans for a two-acre site in downtown East Patchogue, NY containing the small "Plaza Theater" that had stood vacant for more than two decades. Analyzed area development history, crime reports, accident data, and site conditions. Developed an Economic Plan that analyzed local market and demographic data to determine new uses for the site. Prepared concepts for mixed-use, housing and park/playground use of the site. · Municipal Planner: Serving as the Municipal Planner to the Township of Livingston in Essex County and the Borough of Rockaway in Morris County. Also serving as the Planner to the Planning Board and Zoning Boards of Adjustment in Livingston and Rockaway reviewing all development applications and representing the Boards at public hearings. . Lodi Borough Land Use and Circulation Connection Plan: Prepared an award- winning combined Master Plan Element that that identified barriers to pedestrian, bicycle use and transit use, and causes of automobile and truck traffic; provided new policy, infrastructure recommendations and conceptual designs to improve land use patterns and reduce congestion. Involved the community through public workshops and a public survey. · Pompton Lakes Master Plan: Developed a comprehensive Master Plan update that proposed recommendations (policy, zoning and design concepts) for downtown revitalization, gateway treatments, the reclamation of contaminated and environmentally sensitive lands, redevelopment / rehabilitation opportunities, and other targeted strategies. ~ ti:: L L .. Jessica L. Giorgianni, P.P., AICP Pompton Lakes Zoning Ordinance: Developed comprehensive zoning to implement the recommendations of the new Master Plan. Established land use and bulk requirements for six new zone districts and an extensive set of design guidelines for the downtown districts, mixed-use areas, and industrial areas. . Leonia Sustainability Plan: Preparing a Green Buildings and Sustainability Master Plan with the Leonia "Green Team" that will set policy in areas of green building and design, transportation/mobility, renewable energy, water, wastewater and food systems. Organized and facilitated a Community Visioning meeting to engage Borough residents in planning for sustainability. . Leonia Economic Plan: Prepared a plan to improve Leonia's economic conditions and increase ratables, while maintaining Borough small town character. Analyzed demographic, employer and work force characteristics; Evaluated land use and zoning conditions to determine realistic development opportunities within three "economic opportunity focus areas." . Lincoln Park Redevelopment Plan, City of Newark: Developed an award- winning plan for the Historic District that incorporates Form Based Code zoning, architectural design, sustainability standards, circulation and bike-ped priorities and street art elements, which respect and promote neighborhood historic and cultural assets and "green" development objectives. Maywood Redevelopment Plan: Prepared a transit-oriented Redevelopment Plan for a 65.5-acre USEPA superfund site that anticipates compact development along a proposed train station, and incorporates residential, hotel, retail, restaurants, office, a community center, grocery store and large park. . Glen Rock Environmental Resources Inventory (ERI) and Conservation Plan: Worked with the Borough Environmental Commission to develop the Borough's first ERI and Conservation Master Plan Element. Managed the production of both documents and prepared all GIS maps depicting environmental conditions. . Madison ERI: Facilitated the development and production of a new ERI for the Borough of Madison, including all GIS mapping. . Leonia Transit Planning Services: Provided planning services in preparation for a NJ Transit-proposed light rail line, station and parking in the Borough. Responsible for public outreach through a series of publiC meetings and a public survey. Reviewed the 1,000-page DEIS and assisted in developing a consensus Borough response for negotiating with NJ Transit. . Hudson County Sustainable Site Plan and Subdivision Ordinance: Worked with County Engineers and Planners to develop the County's new Sustainable Development Regulations which incorporate: modern design; Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater management; requirements for improving bicycle and pedestrian realms; and design standards that focus on energy- efficiency, emissions reduction, pollution prevention, resource protection, and improving the visual character of county roads. . Frankford TDR Plan: Assisted in the preparation of a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Plan for Frankford Township. Inventoried and prioritized privately- held farmland and open space for preservation. Provided a mechanism for transferring development rights of protected land ("sending zone") into a proposed 240-acre Frankford Center ("receiving zone"). Developed a mixed- use land use concept for Frankford Center. II ~ .. L L l l L ~ & .. L l L }: ~ L. i '- L l' ']', ~ I i. l l l l l I 1 l L l L l l L l l l L L l Section 3 (in separate envelope) L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L Proposal for Professional Planning Services: Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York Submitted to: Mr. Robert Valdati, Chairman Town of Wappinger Planning Board 20 Middlebush Road Wappinger Falls, NY 12590 'f-,r, (. -t" "; n.; .; '\ ",1 '," I' J I ' 1- !, ,J ," >, L v April 4,2013 OJ] /~ Submitted by: . architects + engineers 254 South Main Street, Suite 500, New City, New York 10956 v 845.499,2264 f 845.499,2265 www.h2m.com Section 3: Cost and Payment Schedule As per the RFP, the rates set forth herein do not include secretarial and administrative staff time. Hourly rates are all inclusive of all secretarial, clerical, and administrative services, local telephone, postage, and other customary overhead expenses. The following chart provides the 2013 hourly fee rate for the staff that would be responsible for this planning assignment including the review of development applications as well as municipal assignments, including zoning analyses and comprehensive planning. Job Title Hourly Rate $145 Senior Project Planner $125 Pro'ect Planner $105 CADD / GIS /Plannin Technician $75 In addition, H2M carries all insurance coverage set forth in the RFP, including Worker's Compensation, Commercial General Liability, Comprehensive Automobile Policy, Umbrella Liability, and Professional Liability. Certificates of Insurance will be supplied to the Town of Wappinger if H2M is selected, .A~R 0 I} 2G\3 0;5 -/~ 1 I Section 3 l L Proposal for Professional Planning Services: Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York L Table of Contents , ~ ... ! L. OVERVIEW SECTION 1 Statement of Qualifications SECTION 2 Professional Staff L Resumes L SECTION 3 Fee Schedule (separate envelope) L ~ L.. I .... ~ L I ... 1. III architects + engineers l L Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. 254 South Main Street, Suite 500, New City, NY 10956 l Contact: Bonnie Franson, PP, AICP Department Manager - Land Use and Environmental Planning v 845.499.2264 x2050 f 845.499.2265 e bfranson@h2m.com L April 4, 2013 L L l L fl L l I l L L l t L. l L L. L. l l L L L l .. architects + engineers 254 South Main Street, Ste 500 New City, NY 10956 tei 845.499.2264 fax 845.499,2265 April 4, 2013 Mr. Robert Valdati, Chairman Town of Wappinger Planning Board 20 Middlebush Road Wappinger Falls, NY 12590 Re: Proposal for Professional Planning Services Dear Chairman Valdati and Planning Board Members: On behalf of Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M), I am pleased to submit this response to the RFP to provide professional planning services to the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York. H2M has been providing professional consulting services to federal, state, and local agencies for 79 years and its clients are located throughout the Hudson River Valley region, Long Island, and New Jersey. The firm's planning staff conducts land use application reviews, SEQRA analyses, comprehensive planning, zoning preparation, and provides a broad range of planning services to municipalities through the Hudson Valley. We are currently retained by the Towns of Marbletown and Shawangunk (Ulster County) and Tuxedo (Orange County) to perform site, subdivision, special use permit, and SEQRA review of applications before the Planning Board. We also provide planning services to the Village of Washingtonville (Orange County), including administration of a FEMA buyout program. H2M has assisted municipalities in the review of development applications, from small lot line adjustments to multi-year 1,200-dwelling unit planned developments. We are responsible for overseeing the SEQRA review of the various development applications to ensure that the projects do not negatively impact the quality of the community. We also prepare zoning amendments and comprehensive plans - we are presently in the process of updating the Town of Tuxedo's zoning law and map. Our in-depth knowledge of SEQRA regulations and New York State Town Law, familiarity with Dutchess County, and experience in rural and suburban communities, provides us an understanding of the Town of Wappinger's needs. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and we look forward to meet with the Board and discuss how we may support the Town of Wappinger in its planning functions. Very truly yours, HOLZMACHER, McLENDON & MURRELL, P.C. j)~ r~~.) Bonnie Franson, A/CP, PP Department Manager, Land Use/Environmental Planning Holzmacher McLendon & Murreli, P,C W,,."hr-<'C" Melville, NY I Albany, NY I New City, NY I Parsippany, NJ l L L Overview L Holzmacher, Mclendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) is pleased to submit this response to the Town of Wappinger's Request for Proposal (RFP) to provide professional planning services to the Town of Wappinger Planning Board. L H2M is a growing, multi-disciplinary professional consulting firm that has been providing engineering, architectural and land use planning services to municipalities, governmental agencies and private sector clients for 79 years. The firm is fully licensed to practice in New York State and has offices in New City, Albany, and Melville, New York. This assignment would be managed from our Hudson Valley office located in New City. You may view additional information regarding the firm and its experience at www.h2m.com. i L. L Planning Services H2M provides a wide range of planning services and works closely with clients not only to identify opportunities for better planning, but also to assist in procuring the financial and technical resources necessary for implementation, H2M interacts closely with municipal, county and state agencies to ensure that our clients' projects are priorities at all governmental levels. H2M's planners are conversant in New York State land use and SEQRA regulations. H2M provides professional planning services in the areas of: i ... ... ~ ... j ... . Zoning preparation . Fiscal impact analysis . Land use application reviews . GIS assessments . SEQRA review . Build-out analyses . Comprehensive plans . Vision plans . Conservation and open space . Visual impact analysis plans . Central business district studies . Sustainability plans . Board representation . Housing plans L L. L We are familiar working with Dutchess County and the various agencies to which applications are referred, e.g., NYSDEC Region 3 and NYSDOT Region 8. We are expert in SEQRA and New York State land use matters. We review all aspects of land development applications, and prepare resolutions, determinations and findings in support of a Planning Board's decision making process. L L L The sections that follow detail our representative project experience, the personnel that would be assigned to this project, and our hourly rates. If selected, H2M would meet with Town representatives to refine and finalize a contract for professional planning services, i L. L , L L l l L l L l l l L l l L L l L L Section 1 L L L Section 1: Statement of Qualifications l Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) Organized in 1933, Holzmacher, McLendon & Murrell, P.C. (H2M) is a privately-held professional corporation that is proud of its long history of providing quality service to its clients. H2M provides a full complement of professional consulting services in planning, architecture, engineering, environmental sciences, construction administration and environmental analytical laboratory testing and analysis. Work for this assignment would be managed and conducted from the firm's Hudson River Valley office in New City, New York, H2M is headquartered in Melville, New York, and also maintains offices in Albany, NY and Parsippany, NJ. ~( L. ~ .. ~- it. Professional Staff ~ .. H2M is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm which has provided architectural and engineering services to private industry, municipalities, governmental agencies, school districts and higher education institutions in the metropolitan area for 80 years. We currently have staff resources of over 265 employees which include architects, planners, designers, civil, environmental, mechanical, structural, water supply, sanitary and chemical engineers, geologists, hygienists, construction inspectors, cadd technicians and technical support personnel. Included on this staff are 18 registered architects, 53 licensed engineers, 29 LEED accredited professionals, 1 licensed land surveyor, 2 licensed and accredited planners, and 2 landscape architects. I I. ! L. '- 1; l L. For this assignment, Ms. Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP, and Ms. Jessica Giorgianni, AICP, PP, would be principally involved in this assignment. Ms. Franson is the Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning and has over 25 years of environmental and municipal planning experience. She will be assisted by Ms. Giorgianni who is a Senior Project Planner with five (5) years of relevant planning experience. A description of their experience is provided in Section 2 of this proposal. I L. L This section provides a representative list of relevant projects being performed for New York State clients.1 L L 1 Ms. Franson commenced several of these assignments while employed at Tim Miller Associates. Ms. Franson became Department Manager at H2M in 2011, and these assignments were either completed while she was employed with H2M, or have otherwise continued at H2M. L f L. 1 I Section 1 L L L l L L f .. t: ... '~ '- .. ~ ~ ... ! .. L l . ~.." , ", .', ... "':....' ''''l .. ~'+~-. '1~:~., .. --" .DI~ - I-'r L '~ -; . ., . \ '1 , . , t L L l L Town of Marbletown (Ulster County): For this Shawangunk Mountains region community, the firm is retained by the Planning Board to conduct all site plan, subdivision and SEQRA reviews. Ms. Franson also assisted in preparing an update to the Town's subdivision regulations to simplify and clarify the lot line adjustment process, The aesthetic and architectural design of any project is reviewed against the design standards applicable to the Town's historic districts, which regulate the Town's hamlet areas. Ms. Franson has been assisting the Marbletown Planning Board for approximately seven (7) years and these services are ongoing. Town of Shawangunk (Ulster County): For this Shawangunk Mountains region/agricultural community, H2M is retained by the Planning Board to conduct all special use permit, site plan, subdivision and SEQRA reviews. Ms. Franson also compiled various land use local laws that had been adopted within a span of five years, and codified the language into one comprehensive zoning local law _ she prepared the Environmental Assessment Form that was required to meet SEQRA requirements for the adoption of the updated zoning law. She assisted the Town Board recently by writing responses to SEQRA comments issued on the proposed construction of a Town park to be located next to a national wildlife refuge. She also conducted all SEQRA review, resolutions and notifications associated with the review of a proposed "stealth" telecommunications tower which was challenged by neighboring property owners - the courts dismissed the lawsuit and supported the Planning Board's determinations. She is assisting the Planning Board in the review of an infill plan for a mixed use traditional development to be located in the Wallkill hamlet. Relevant issues include: preserving in-situ versus relocating a rail trail alignment, and integrating the development into the functioning of this Town Center area, which includes the newly constructed Town Hall and historic Wall kill library, Ms. Franson and H2M have been providing these services since 2004 and they are ongoing. Town of Tuxedo (Orange County): Ms. Franson has been consulting to this Orange County community of 3,624 persons for over 20 years. Most recently, H2M reviewed proposed amendments to a special use permit for a planned new community which will introduce 1,200 dwelling units, essentially doubling its size. Ms. Franson assisted in the planning, zoning, and SEQRA review of the application and H2M conducted overall engineering review of the proposed plans, The review was thorough and the Town Board's decisions withstood an Article 78 challenge, H2M also assisted in the preparation of a Comprehensive Plan which was recently adopted. An Environmental Assessment Form was prepared to examine the potential impacts of the adoption of the Plan. 2 I Section 1 l l L L L ~ L. L L., L ~ ... ~ i. L i ... L L L I .. L L H2M is now completing comprehensive zoning amendments so that the zoning is consistent with the Town's adopted comprehensive plan. As the Town is 75 percent parkland, the Town desires to promote tourism business, and has created a Tourism Business zone to promote such uses in locations surrounded by state parkland. H2M has been retained by the Town as its consultant since 2005, Town of Pine Plains (Dutchess County): For the Town of Pine Plains, Ms. Franson assisted a former Town Board in revisions to a proposed zoning local law, initially prepared by another consultant, and which became the first adopted by the Town. The zoning law includes an agricultural overlay zone, an aquifer protection overlay zone, affordable housing regulations, and a floating zone which allows planned new neighborhood developments adjoining the Pine Plains hamlet. The potential environmental impacts associated with the adoption of the Zoning Law were evaluated in a draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GElS) and final GElS. She also updated the Town's subdivision regulations and worked with a Housing Task Force in the preparation of an Affordable Housing Report. The report summarizes the results of a housing survey, as well as data gathered to establish maximum income limits and recommend fee-in-lieu-of- housing fees. Ms, Franson and H2M provided consulting services to the Town from 2008 to 2012. , Town of Gallatin (Columbia County): For this Columbia County community, H2M assisted the Town's Zoning Committee in the update of the Town's zoning local law so that it is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan Update that was adopted in 2007, The notable elements of the Zoning include the creation of a Ridgeline Protection Overlay District that will regulate development on ridgelines that are 900 feet above mean sea level or higher. In addition, the Zoning Law proposed home occupation standards to allow and encourage residents of the Town to operate their businesses from home, which acknowledges the rural nature of the Town where many residents work from home. The regulations establish a three tier system wherein a home occupation is either exempt from regulations, requires registration from the Code Enforcement Officer, or requires Planning Board review and approval. Also, in order to acknowledge the environmental constraints that are imposed on certain properties, the Zoning Law was amended to exclude sensitive environmental areas from the calculation of minimum lot area. The Zoning Law was the subject of an Environmental Assessment Form prepared by H2M, and adopted by the Town Board. Village of Tuxedo Park (Orange County): Ms. Franson assisted the Village in the preparation of a gateway-overlay zoning district and a ridgeline and precipice overlay district, intended to protect the visual and scenic quality of the Village's 3 I Section 1 l L L l L L L'. i. i ... ~, L l ~ .. L L L L L L L L main entry and ridgelines, respectively. The firm assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park in the subdivision and SEQRA review of a subdivision within this National Register community. Particular issues that were being addressed included timber rattlesnakes, as a den is located in proximity to the subdivision, Wetlands, drainage, and infrastructure issues were also addressed. Village of Port Washington North (Nassau County): For this waterfront community, Ms, Giorgianni and Ms. Franson prepared the Village's first land use map and a recreation analysis. H2M evaluated the appropriateness of uses within 2,000 feet of Shore Road, which includes lands within 2,000 feet of Manhasset Bay, a priority water body. A variety of recommendations have been proposed by the firm, consistent with the NYS Department of State's Coastal Zone Management Plan for Long Island Sound, including a rezoning which would encourage water-dependent and water-enhanced uses along the frontage of Shore Road, which adjoins the bay. It also recommended that architectural design guidelines be adopted that require new development to be thematically consistent with marine and shore environs of the Sound. The Village, based on H2M's recommendations, created a Maritime Business zoning district, which was the subject of an Environmental Assessment Form prepared by the firm. The new zoning has been adopted and H2M is updating the zoning map in GIS format. Village of Washingtonville (Orange County): For this incorporated Village, H2M commenced a Vision Plan for the Main Street corridor. The Village's central business district is located along this thoroughfare which is also a busy state highway. This study was placed on hold following Hurricane Irene, and H2M's planners commenced the preparation of a Hazard Mitigation Program (HMPG) application for the acquisition of 18 residences that are located within the Moodna Creek basin and sustained damaged during Hurricane Irene, The properties, once acquired, would revert to open space, As a result of H2M's planning efforts, the Village has been awarded $4.5 million from FEMA and New York State to acquire the 18 properties. H2M is retained by Washingtonville and the assignment is ongoing. Town of Oyster Bay (Nassau County): For the hamlet of Hicksville, located in the Town of Oyster Bay, H2M along with two subconsultants, are preparing a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) Step I study for the northwest area of Hicksville, and a Step II study for the southwest area. The purpose of the studies are to evaluate and identify potential properties which are contaminated, to remediate any contamination, and to plan the redevelopment of the properties for uses which are supported by the local community. A workshop was recently completed, which solicited public input on redevelopment ideas, and a follow-up survey is being administered to gather additional public input. 4 I Section 1 L L L l Other Communities L H2M planners are licensed in the State of New Jersey and represent a number of New Jersey municipalities, including the Borough of Dumont, the Township of Livingston, the Borough of Rockaway and the Borough of Pompton Lakes. For the Borough of Leonia, H2M prepared a Sustainability Plan. The firm has completed numerous environmental and open space inventories for New Jersey municipalities, Although these assignments have been conducted for New Jersey clients, the projects still embody our planning objectives and reflect the quality of work we take pride in. Information on these assignments can be provided at the request of the Town. I L. \ , i. References ~ .... The following is a list of client references, including contacts for several of the representative projects described in the above narrative. .. Client Contact Client/Project Telephone No. Warren Replansky, Esq. Pine Plains and Gallatin Town Attorney for Town Boards - Zoning (518) 398-5208 Gallatin and Pine Plains Preparation Town of Marbletown (845) 687-9673 Richard Lanzarone, Chairman Planning Board Retainer Tuxedo Planning (845) 351-2265 Peter Dolan, Supervisor Retainer/Comprehensive Plan Kris Pedersen, Chairwoman Town of Shawangunk (845) 895-3356 Planning Board Retainer Stuart Besen, Esq, Port Washington North (516) 745-1800 Village Attorney Waterfront Land Use Study .... ~ .. L. .. L L l ( 1 .. f ~ .. 5 I Section 1 L t L l L L l l t t 1 1 L L 1 l I l L L Section 2 L l L Section 2: Professional Staff i .. The professionals that will be principally involved in this assignment are H2M's Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning, Ms. Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP, and Ms. Jessica Giorgianni, AICP, PP. Ms. Franson would represent the Town of Wappinger as the Town Planner. l Department Manager, Land Use/Environmental Planning H2M's Department Manager of Land Use/Environmental Planning is Ms. Bonnie Franson, PP, AICP. Ms. Franson has over 25 years of planning experience in the public and private sector. She has prepared comprehensive master plans, SEQRA documents, and zoning amendments, written zoning regulations tailored to address the unique characteristics of various communities, and assisted planning boards in the review of site plan, subdivision, and special use permit applications. She has consulted to communities throughout the Hudson River Valley, and is conversant in New York State planning law and the NYS environmental quality review process. L L l L In her career, she has managed and prepared master plans for: the Towns of Wawayanda, Cornwall and Tuxedo (Orange County); the Town of Hyde Park (Dutchess County); the Town of Mamakating (Sullivan County), the Villages of Sloatsburg and Montebello (Rockland County) all rural to rural/suburban communities located in the Hudson River Valley region, She managed and prepared the SEQRA documents which analyzed the impacts associated with adoption of these comprehensive plans. The comprehensive plans and zoning amendments required the preparation of a DGEIS and FGEIS in Mamakating, Sloatsburg and Montebello. She has also prepared numerous environmental impacts for private developments proposed in Orange County, Ulster County, Putnam County and Westchester County and is conversant in the SEQRA process and regulations, She presently assists the Planning Boards of Marbletown, Shawangunk, and Tuxedo in the day-to-day land use development review processes. In Marbletown and Shawangunk, Ms. Franson is the only professional present at Planning Board meetings - the attorney and engineer are brought in only on an "as need" basis, She recently completed a comprehensive plan update for the Town of Tuxedo, a community located in the Highlands region of New York State, and is presently drafting zoning revisions to implement the Plan Update. For the Towns of Gallatin and Pine Plains, she was involved the preparation of zoning documents for these two communities. In Pine Plains, adoption of the comprehensive plan required preparation of a draft and final generic environmental impact statement. She assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park, a community entirely on the National Register of Historic Places, with the preparation of zoning amendments intended to protect the unique scenic and historic attributes of the Village, including ridgeline and precipice overlay and gateway overlay zoning districts, L L L l L L L L l 1 I Section 2 L L l L Other examples of her experience include: assisting in reVISions to a slope ordinance and conducting a parking analysis for the historic community of Piermont; and, preparation of a conservation district plan for Suffern's central business district. She also conducted a planning analysis and prepared subsequent zoning revisions to the Hastings-on-Hudson zoning law, including refinement of mixed use and nonresidential district boundaries. For the Village of Montebello, she prepared special zoning revisions to protect a historic estate property and protect the aesthetic character of a primary village gateway. She also assisted the Towns of Gallatin and Pine Plains in revisions to the zoning law in each community and consulted to the Town of Pine Plains affordable housing task force. L L L L Senior Project Planner Jessica Giorgianni, PP, AICP, Senior Project Planner, would assist in any planning studies or tasks. Ms, Giorgianni is particularly skilled in community participation processes, and she especially enjoys preparing graphic presentations to communicate ideas and strategies to the public and stakeholders. Ms. Giorgianni recently prepared a draft land use and recreation study for the Village of Port Washington North, and is assisting in the preparation of a Vision Plan for the Village of Washingtonville. She also prepared mapping overlays which illustrate the location of the Village's business districts relative to floodplain locations in Washingtonville, Ms, Giorgianni is highly skilled in the organization and presentation of regulations and graphics and has a strong background in geographic information system (GIS) software and mapping. She conducts legal and planning research in support of proposed land use regulatory amendments. L L L l L l Supplemental Staff The planning team is supported by H2M professionals in the fields of landscape architecture, architecture, environmental services, and civil engineering. This is particularly useful in any environmental analysis that may require input from engineering, landscape, or other design professional. The planning staff is aided by CADD and GIS technicians. l Resumes t II. Ms. Franson would be principally responsible for all planning services to the Town of Wappinger, Her resume is attached. L A resume for Ms. Giorgianni is also attached, as she will provide assistance and support for this assignment. Her role will be to assist in gathering background zoning and land use data as necessary, assisting in project reviews, and map preparation using GIS data. l L 2 I Section 2 l L L L , .. Experience H2M Tim Miller Associates, Inc, Turner I Geneslaw, Inc. Louis Berger & Associates Rutgers University, Department of Urban Planning and Development . .. \It I. Education Master of City and Regional Planning, Rutgers University B.A., Biology, Bucknell University l L License/C ertifications Professional Planner: NJ American Institute of Certified Planners NCI Charette System L Memberships American Institute of Certified Planners American Planning Association Rockland County Municipal Planning Federation, Introductory Course Instructor Pace Land Use Law School, SEQRA Course Instructor l l ~' L. Articles/Papers Pediatric Cancer Mortality Rates in New Jersey and the United States: 1950-1985. New Jersey Medicine, 1990 l Promoting Craft Breweries in New York State, Talk of the Towns publication , .. L l i .. ) .. L Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP Department Manager - Land Use I Environmental Planning Ms. Franson has over 25 years of experience in the environmental and municipal planning field and is very familiar with New York State environmental, permitting, and land use regulations. Her experience includes preparing and reviewing environmental impact statements, preparing various sections of environmental documents, advising clients on all SEQRA matters, conducting site plan and subdivision reviews on behalf of municipalities, and preparing zoning and environmental regulations for various communities. Ms. Franson is very familiar with Dutchess County, its agencies, and many of its municipalities. Her professional planning experience includes preparing zoning and comprehensive plan documents for the Town of Hyde Park, the City of Poughkeepsie, and the Town of Pine Plains. She also performed preliminary field work for a comprehensive plan for Pleasant Valley. Selected project experience: . Town of Gallatin Zoning Update. For this Columbia County community, the Town Board retained Ms. Franson to prepare zoning amendments and subdivision law revisions that effectuate the goals and objectives of the recently adopted Town Comprehensive Plan. Two significant additions to the Zoning Law included the creation of a Ridgeline Protection Overlay District, intended to protect the beauty of the Town's rural mountaintops. In addition, this rural Town wanted to promote start-up small businesses by allowing home occupations throughout the Town. The Zoning Law established three levels of home occupations, each with its own set of operating thresholds. Ms. Franson also prepared SEQRA documentation for adoption of the Law. . Town of Pine Plains Zoning and Subdivision Amendments, SEQRA Review, Dutchess County, NY. Ms. Franson prepared the first adopted zoning law for the Town of Pine Plains, as well as updated the Town's subdivision regulations. As part of that effort, she also prepared a draft and final generic EIS evaluating the impacts of the adoption of the regulations. . Town of Tuxedo Municipal Retainer, Orange County, NY. She is the town planner for this rural Orange County community. She conducted the SEQRA review of a 2,450-acre planned community of approximately 1,200 dwellings and 200,000 square feet of nonresidential uses within an ecologically sensitive area. She previously conducted site plan review of two Orange and Rockland projects, as well as an advisory review of a proposed major gas pipeline project. . Village of Tuxedo Park Municipal Retainer. Ms. Franson assisted the Village of Tuxedo Park, a historic community listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in the review of various development applications before the Planning Board. She also assisted in drafting a Gateway Overlay zoning district to protect the visual and historic qualities of the entry points to this community as well as a Ridgeline and Precipice Overlay district intended to regulate development on lands that are visually prominent within the community. . Town of Shawangunk and Marbletown Municipal Retainers, Ulster County, NY. Ms. Franson regularly evaluates the impact of a project on the scenic and rural character of these two communities. For these rural towns with major significant scenic resources, she regularly reviews site plans, special use L ~ L Bonnie Franson, AICP, PP l L permits, subdivision applications and SEQRA documents evaluating a project's impact on the environment. She recently assisted the Town of Shawangunk in evaluating the visual and other impacts of a cell tower within the community, and prepared SEQRA documentation that supported the Town in an Article 78 challenge, wherein the Town prevailed. · Environmental Impact Statement Preparation. She has managed and prepared site-specific EISs for a variety of projects, including but not limited to: Minisceongo Creek Residential and Commercial Development DEIS and FEIS, Towns of Haverstraw and Ramapo, Rockland Co.; KDJ Realty Expanded EAF, Town of Fallsburg, Sullivan Co.; Ulster Manor Residential Development DEIS and FEIS, Town of Ulster, Ulster Co.; Buena Vista Teutonia High Rise Apartment DEIS and FEIS, City of Yonkers, Westchester Co.; Grandview Estates Subdivision DEIS and FEIS, Town of Wawayanda, Orange Co.; Bellvale Cluster Subdivision, Town of Chester, Orange Co.; Dockside at Marlborough DEIS, Ulster Co.; Peekskill Middle School DEIS and FEIS, City of Peekskill, Westchester Co.. · Major Municipal Project Reviews: Conducted SEQRA and/or site plan reviews for the Town of Tuxedo's Sterling Forest Corporation Planned Integrated Development and Tuxedo Reserve; Village of Suffern's Good Samaritan Hospital Master Site Plan, Ciba-Geigy Expansion, and Avon Research and Development Center; Village of Sloatsburg's Highland Homes Multifamily Residential Development, Rockland County Sewer District proposed wastewater treatment plant. · Municipal Retainers: Attended Planning Board meetings and conducted site plan, subdivision plan, and SEQRA reviews of projects proposed in the Villages of Sloatsburg and Suffern in Rockland County; Town of Tuxedo, Orange County; and Town of Mamakating in Sullivan County. . Municipal Comprehensive Planning: Consulted to Comprehensive Plan Committees and prepared background data, goals, objectives and policies associated with comprehensive plan development for the Towns of Hyde Park, Cortlandt, Wawayanda, Cornwall, Mamakating, Stony Point; and Villages of Greenwood Lake, Suffern, Wurtsboro, Bloomingburg, Sloatsburg, Montebello. . Municipal Zoning Code Preparation/Revision: Drafted comprehensive zoning amendments for the Cities of Poughkeepsie and Newburgh; Towns of Mamakating, Tuxedo, Stony Point, Wawayanda and Hyde Park; and Villages of Suffern, Greenwood Lake, Montebello, Sloatsburg. · Miscellaneous Municipal Projects: Drafted the Cortlandt Housing Action Plan; prepared the adopted City of Newburgh Local Waterfront Revitalization Program; prepared and administered the Montebello Affordable Housing Program; drafted the adopted Stony Point Watershed Protection Plan; drafted design guidelines for Colonial Terraces in the City of Newburgh; prepared the adopted Suffern Conservation Central Business District Plan; conducted student projections and prepared the Ramapo Central School District Demographic Study; conducted demographic projections for the western Ramapo Buildout Study, Rockland County Sewer District NO.1. III l III L L L L t .. L L L i .. L l l L l L" f" l i ... ~ f:( t, .. Experience i II. H2M Catholic Charities Heyer, Gruel & Associates The Louis Berger Group AEC Software, Inc, The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality f .. Education Master of City and Regional Planning, Edward J, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy BS, Environmental Science, College of Integrated Science and Technology, James Madison University .. t f ~ i .. License/Certifications Professional Planner: NJ American Institute of Certified Planners , ~ Ii. Memberships American Planning Association L Honors/Awards New Jersey Planning Officials Achievement in Planning Award: Lodi Land Use and Circulation Plan, 2010 New Jersey Planning Officials Achievement in Planning Award: Lincoln Park Redevelopment Plan, 2011 L t II. L L t ... I i ~ ... l II ~ Jessica L Glorgianni, AICP, PP Senior Project Planner Ms. Giorgianni is a licensed Professional Planner providing planning and design services to municipalities and land use boards throughout New York and New Jersey, She is highly skilled at providing development review services, community outreach, and planning documents and analysis such as-- master plans, zoning ordinances, redevelopment plans, vision plans, build-out scenarios, market analysis, GIS mapping, surveys, and economic and demographic analysis. Selected experience: · Village of Port Washington North, Waterfront Study: Prepared a land use/recreation/zoning study for this Village located on the Long Island Sound waterfront, intended to address land use and zoning issues within 2,000 feet of the Village's waterfront Recommendations include: incentive zoning to encourage architectural designs that reflect historic patterns; a focus on water- dependent and water-enhanced uses; open space linkages within the waterfront corridor; reuse of an underutilized shopping center site, · Village of Washingtonville, Community Visioning: Assessing existing land use and Village policies, zoning and regulations that impact the Village's important commercial corridors, Will be facilitating a community visioning workshop to identify and get community consensus on a vision to revitalize the corridors, · Tuxedo Reserve SmartCode Review: Assisted the Engineer to the Tuxedo Town Board with the review of the Tuxedo Reserve Smart Code, a regulatory design manual for the mixed-use development project spanning 2,376 acres, . East Patchogue Blight Study and Economic Revitalization Plan: Developed a Blight Study, Economic Plan and Concept Plans for a two-acre site in downtown East Patchogue, NY containing the small "Plaza Theater" that had stood vacant for more than two decades. Analyzed area development history, crime reports, accident data, and site conditions. Developed an Economic Plan that analyzed local market and demographic data to determine new uses for the site, Prepared concepts for mixed-use, housing and park/playground use of the site. · Municipal Planner: Serving as the Municipal Planner to the Township of Livingston in Essex County and the Borough of Rockaway in Morris County. Also serving as the Planner to the Planning Board and Zoning Boards of Adjustment in Livingston and Rockaway reviewing all development applications and representing the Boards at public hearings. · Lodi Borough Land Use and Circulation Connection Plan: Prepared an award- winning combined Master Plan Element that that identified barriers to pedestrian, bicycle use and transit use, and causes of automobile and truck traffic; provided new policy, infrastructure recommendations and conceptual designs to improve land use patterns and reduce congestion. Involved the community through public workshops and a public survey. · Pompton Lakes Master Plan: Developed a comprehensive Master Plan update that proposed recommendations (policy, zoning and design concepts) for downtown revitalization, gateway treatments, the reclamation of contaminated and environmentally sensitive lands, redevelopment / rehabilitation opportunities, and other targeted strategies. l l L Jessica L. Giorgianni, P.P., AICP · Pompton Lakes Zoning Ordinance: Developed comprehensive zoning to implement the recommendations of the new Master Plan. Established land use and bulk requirements for six new zone districts and an extensive set of design guidelines for the downtown districts, mixed-use areas, and industrial areas. · Leonia Sustainability Plan: Preparing a Green Buildings and Sustainability Master Plan with the Leonia "Green Team" that will set policy in areas of green building and design, transportation/mobility, renewable energy, water, wastewater and food systems. Organized and facilitated a Community Visioning meeting to engage Borough residents in planning for sustainability. · Leonia Economic Plan: Prepared a plan to improve Leonia's economic conditions and increase ratables, while maintaining Borough small town character. Analyzed demographic, employer and work force characteristics; Evaluated land use and zoning conditions to determine realistic development opportunities within three "economic opportunity focus areas." . Lincoln Park Redevelopment Plan, City of Newark: Developed an award- winning plan for the Historic District that incorporates Form Based Code zoning, architectural design, sustainability standards, circulation and bike-ped priorities and street art elements, which respect and promote neighborhood historic and cultural assets and "green" development objectives. Maywood Redevelopment Plan: Prepared a transit-oriented Redevelopment Plan for a 65.5-acre USEPA superfund site that anticipates compact development along a proposed train station, and incorporates residential, hotel, retail, restaurants, office, a community center, grocery store and large park. . Glen Rock Environmental Resources Inventory (ERI) and Conservation Plan: Worked with the Borough Environmental Commission to develop the Borough's first ERI and Conservation Master Plan Element. Managed the production of both documents and prepared all GIS maps depicting environmental conditions. . Madison ERI: Facilitated the development and production of a new ERI for the Borough of Madison, including all GIS mapping. . Leonia Transit Planning Services: Provided planning services in preparation for a NJ Transit-proposed light rail line, station and parking in the Borough. Responsible for public outreach through a series of public meetings and a public survey. Reviewed the 1,000-page DEIS and assisted in developing a consensus Borough response for negotiating with NJ Transit. · Hudson County Sustainable Site Plan and Subdivision Ordinance: Worked with County Engineers and Planners to develop the County's new Sustainable Development Regulations which incorporate: modern design; Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater management; requirements for improving bicycle and pedestrian realms; and design standards that focus on energy- efficiency, emissions reduction, pollution prevention, resource protection, and improving the visual character of county roads. · Frankford TDR Plan: Assisted in the preparation of a Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Plan for Frankford Township. Inventoried and prioritized privately- held farmland and open space for preservation. Provided a mechanism for transferring development rights of protected land ("sending zone") into a proposed 240-acre Frankford Center ("receiving zone"). Developed a mixed- use land use concept for Frankford Center. _ L L l l l l l ~ .. l l L L L i l ..., l L L l l t L L 1 1 l l l l L I l l L L L Section 3 (in separate envelope) LAND USE REPORT Including Shore Road Corridor Study Area VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Table of Contents I. Introduction."., ......""" ......""" ......"""""" ......""" .........,.."""""" ......,.""."",.."" ......."""""", ......" 4 II, Existing land use .."""...."..,.."""'..........,.......""""""......,.,,,.......,..,.."",'......,."..""""""",....""... 10 III, Land Use Trends ."......""""".""".....,.."""",......"""....""""....."",......."",...,.,.....,'...",.....,......"" 22 IV, Existing Recreational Facilities and Open Space .......................................,..............................,.... 26 V. Existing Zoning .."",....... ......" "" "".."""......", ",......,'....",... .."..""..""".,..""...."....""" ""', "",.,.", 32 VI, Existing Planning ,..""", ......"..., ......"""..,...,'.......... ......""" ......,.",. ......"",.""'...,.,....",...""....,.,.,,. 40 vii. Recommendations..".........", .....""", ......""".."",..."""" .........,.,....",....."."....... ......"'..."...""..",,, 43 June 2012 3 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Long Island Coastal Management Program The importance of Long Island Sound and its coastal communities is recognized at the state level. The Long Island Sound Coastal Management Program (LISCMP) was completed and published in 1999. The L1SCMP is a statement of New York State's policies for the Long Island Sound shoreline areas. Its standards are used for consistency determinations made by the NYS Department of State in the absence of a locally adopted Local Waterfront Revitalization program. Although the Village does consider the effects of local policies and development programs on its waterfront area, the Village of Port Washington North has not adopted a LWRP. The Vision for Long Island Sound is in many ways consistent with the Village's expression of protecting its waterfront character and is a document that provided guidance during this review of the Village's land uses and land use regulations. The L1SCMP envisions a "Long Island Sound coastal area enriched by enhancing community character, reclaiming the quality of natural resources, reinvigorating the working waterfront, and connecting people to the Sound." A notable theme in the L1SCMP is its identification of maritime centers. The Manorhaven-Port Washington area is one of ten such designated maritime centers along Long Island Sound - the Village of Port Washington North is part of this maritime center. A maritime center is a "discrete portion or area of a harbor or bay that is developed with, and contains concentrations of, water- dependent commercial and industrial uses or essential support facilities. The harbor or bay area is a center for waterborne commerce, recreation, or other water-dependent business activity, making it an important component of the regional transportation system." The area has been designated a maritime center as a result of its location on Manhasset Bay, a sheltered bay on the Sound. Maritime centers are intended to be the locations of concentrated water dependent uses. The L1SCMP specifically recognizes maritime centers as a means to better protect existing water dependent uses, to foster development of new water-dependent uses in appropriate locations where growth opportunities exist, and to protect and ensure the wise use of underutilized commercial waterfront land that is suitable for water dependent uses. The location of the state-designated coastal zone and its relationship to the Village's boundaries is shown on Figure 3, Coastal Zone Boundary Map, The coastal zone is encompassed by the Corridor Study Area. In the absence of a Village-adopted Local Waterfront Revitalization Program which may amend the coastal zone boundary, this is the current boundary regulated by the NYS Department of State. General Findings At just under one half (0.5) square mile in area, the Village is well-served by many commercial amenities and conveniences (shopping, restaurants, entertainment, etc.) which are within walking or bicycling distance of most Village residents and businesses. The Village also maintains a healthy diversity of housing types, ranging from single family detached dwellings to apartment complexes. More recently, a large area of the Village was developed for active adult senior housing. However, certain land uses are underrepresented in the community when one considers the Village's strategic location on Long Island Sound, namely, open space, water-dependent and water-enhanced uses. June 2012 5 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Figure 1: Regional Map REGIONAL MAP Village of Port Washington North Town of North Hempstead ow Data Sources: Nassau County Geogaphic Information Systems (NCGlS) Nassau County Department of Assessment VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Figure 3: Coastal Zone Boundary Map r~:;=:'- /' Sea CUfI'(Nortb) ~i,.jr I I I 1_ , -.-- 1!111 r)p ;/;- 1.1 ,- I . I June 2012 9 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH RESIDENTIAL LAND USE REPORT Residential uses occupy more than half (51.3%) of the Village's land area. However, as residential properties are smaller in size than most non-residential properties, there are significantly more residential tax lots in the Village than any other property type. According to the NCGIS data, out of 849 total properties in the Village, 735 (86.6%) are for residential use, including approximately 698 single-family properties, 25 two-family properties, three properties containing 3-family units, four apartment/condominium properties and one large senior townhouse community. The Mill Pond Acres senior citizen development includes 250 townhouse units on 33 acres. The average size of a one-, two- or three-family residential property is 0.16 acres, or just under 7,000 square feet. Homes on the northerly side of Mill Pond The largest contiguous area of residential use is in the northern half of the Village, nearly exclusively occupied by single-family homes. This area includes the Soundview neighborhoods that extend from the Soundview Drive loop. Another residential neighborhood is located on the easterly border of the Village; here, the properties that lie on the southerly side of Valley Road and the easterly extension of the Village are a mixture of single-family and two-family dwellings. The other major residential neighborhoods include the Mill Pond Acres active adult community and the residences surrounding Mill Pond. COMMERCIAL Commercial uses are located primarily in the southern portion of Port Washington North, occupying two principal locations on the northeasterly side of Shore Road. One property is the 11.5-acre Soundview Marketplace shopping center; and the second is the nearly 12-acre Stop & Shop shopping center constructed in 2004, which replaced the Lewis Oil facility. Both shopping centers offer retail, service and some restaurant options in a conventional shopping center layout. Soundview Marketplace includes 183,400 square feet of retail - King Kullen is its current anchor tenant. A Tuesday Morning discount homewares retailer recently opened its doors. A Carvel ice cream shop is located in the shopping strip, having once occupied a standalone building in the plaza. Other stores include a vitamin retailer, video gaming retailer, deli shop, drycleaner, shoe store, bicycle shop, pharmacy, hardware store, pizzeria and bank. In recent years, Soundview Marketplace has been impacted by a number of vacancies. One of the anchor tenants, Clearview Cinema, closed its doors in September 2010 and a number of other retailers in the shopping center, including a Wachovia and a Little Gym, have also closed. In January 2011, the property was in foreclosure. These uses are primarily oriented to serving local retail and commercial service needs of area residents. June 2012 11 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT The Stop & Shop plaza includes the 65,000 square foot supermarket, and an additional 65,000 square feet dedicated to other uses including a pet store, electronics store, coffee shop, liquor store, fast food restaurants (no drive through), optometrist and eyeglass store, drycleaners, nail salon, video store, deli, and real estate office. An older building of stores and the new Stop & Shop buildings occupy this shopping center. Currently, the Village is using retail space within the Stop & Shop plaza for its Village Hall, which is insufficient according to discussions with Village officials. The newer Stop & Shop Plaza The older Soundview Marketplace Plaza The design of both shopping centers is similar. Buildings are set to the rear of the lot and large parking lots front to Shore Road. The Stop & Shop building, for example, is set back more than 300 feet from the Shore Road right-of-way. The parking expanse between the buildings and Shore Road does not cultivate a sense of place or promote waterfront character. The layouts of both centers were designed to accommodate large numbers of vehicles - the centers are not linked to the sidewalks along Shore Road. "Green" space has not been incorporated into the overall design of the centers. To the south of the Stop & Shop Center and fronting on Shore Road is "restaurant row," a line of several restaurants including Sisina, La Piccala Liguria, Brio Ristaurante Italiano and Diwan Restaurant. The restaurants line the street up to the sidewalk, similar to a traditional downtown layout. The street trees, awnings, signage and outdoor cafe associated with one of the restaurants are pedestrian-scaled. The row of restaurants, interspersed with parking lots, extends to Mill Pond Road. Outside of retail, service and restaurant uses, there are several auto-oriented commercial uses, including gas and service stations and a car wash located between the shopping centers on Shore Road. There are also several professional office buildings in the Village, and an animal clinic. June 2012 Buildings up to the street along "Restaurant Row' on Shore Road One of Port Washington North's gas stations 13 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION Mill Pond and the Bay Walk Park are the two parks in the Village. Open space and recreation is discussed in detail in Chapter IV - Existing Recreational and Open Space Needs. WATER DEPENDENT AND WATER ENHANCED USES The NYSDOS Department of State Division of Coastal Resources, based on regulatory law in New York State Executive Law (Article 42), defines a water dependent use as "an activity which can only be conducted on, in, over or acfjacent to a water body because such activity requires direct access to that water body, and which involves, as an integral part of such activity, the use of the water': The ports and harbors of New York State are where most of these uses are concentrated." Water-dependent uses and businesses include international shipping facilities, marinas, mooring areas, yacht clubs, boat yards, commercial and recreational fishing operations, and various support facilities for waterborne commerce and recreation. Water dependent uses in the Village include an existing marina on the southwesterly side of Shore Road, approximately across from the road's intersection with Old Shore Road. A fishing pier has been constructed and is south of the marina. With the exception of these uses, there are no other water dependent uses in the Village or within the Corridor Study Area. Water-enhanced uses are defined "as an activity which does not require a location acfjacent to coastal waters, but whose location on the waterfront adds to the public use and enjoyment of the water's edge'. Water-enhanced uses are primarily recreational, cultural, retail, or entertainment uses. These uses are also important to the economy, character, and public enjoyment of a community's waterfront, and include such uses as restaurants, parks, and shops. The public walking trail and parkland fronting to the bay are water enhanced uses. According to the NYSDOS, when developed in association with water-dependent uses, a water enhanced use can provide necessary economic support; however, it may also compete with water-dependent uses. A community needs to decide the mix of uses that is suitable for its waterfront. An important question to consider when evaluating whether it would be appropriate to allow a water enhanced use is: will it benefit the waterfront and be compatible with water dependent uses? Can it be conducted elsewhere, Le., it does not rely on, nor is it significantly enhanced by, a waterfront location? For example, a retail marine supply store will benefit a water dependent use rather than a pet store. A restaurant does not require a waterfront location, but its incorporation into a marina or outdoor area with views of the waterfront provide public enjoyment. The immediate shoreline in the Village is developed with water dependent and water enhanced uses. However, the northeasterly side of Shore Road is not used by water dependent uses. The restaurants located immediately along Shore Road's frontage could be considered water enhanced uses as they can and do benefit from the scenic views over to the bay. However, a large portion of the Corridor Study Area is mostly developed with non-water dependent/enhanced uses. The parking lots that front to Shore Road in particular offer no visual or other benefit to the waterfront's character, June 2012 15 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH Figure 5: Public and Vacant Land Map LAND USE REPORT PUBLIC & VACANT LAND MAP Village of Port Washington North Town of North Hempstead VACANT LAND (PER TAX ASSESSOR) . TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD . COUNTY OF NASSAU . VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH . PORT WASHINGTON SEWER DISTRICT ,,'l"'^~'" III DlIIa Sources: Nassau County Geographic Information S~s (NCGlS) Nassau County Department of Assessment VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Water Quality For the most part, the properties on the northeast side of Shore Road (the area which contains vacant and underutilized properties) are not constrained by sensitive environmental features. The primary natural feature is Mill Pond. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation classifies water bodies based on their best and intended use. Mill Pond has a water quality classification of SC. On the other side of Shore Road, the portion of the bay within the Village has a water quality classification of S8 and SC. The classification "S8" (marine waters) indicates a best usage for swimming and other recreation, and fishing. The classification "SC" (marine waters) indicates a best usage for fishing. lOO-year Floodplain The Corridor Study Area does include areas contained within the 100-year floodplain. The Floodplain Map is presented below. The 100-year floodplain Zone AE encompasses lands on either side of Mill Pond. The floodplain also extends to the northeast side of Shore Road to encompass "restaurant row" as well as some of the parking lot area associated with the Stop & Shop Plaza. The floodplain comes farther inland to include the gas station and car wash and marina on either side of Shore Road. It also includes the vacant property located at the corner of Shore Road and Channel Drive, a property located in the Village of Manorhaven but which extends into the Village of Port Washington North. Zone X, or an area of moderate flood hazard, also encompasses portions of the Shore Road aea. This has implications for overall design and planning when considering land uses for the shoreline area. Figure 7: Floodplain Map June 2012 19 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT The closest sampling location discussed in the report is Baxter Beach. A general conclusion of the report was that both fecal coliform and enterococci levels rose at Baxter Beach (the closest sampling site to the study area) from 2005 to 2007. It is anticipated that proposed improvements to regional wastewater treatment plants will remediate pollutant levels, which are to a large extent beyond the control of the Village. However, other pollutants, including suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, certain pathogens, and metals can be controlled by ensuring appropriate stormwater controls are in place. In particular, for properties that are vacant or underutilized, constructed wetlands, grassed swales, vegetative strips, rain gardens, and other vegetative controls could be constructed that would not only be used as a means of capturing and removing pollutants from stormwater emanating from a developed site, but as a means of introducing vegetation and landscaping into the overall design of a site. June 2012 21 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT . The methodologies of previous data land use data are not provided. The Nassau County Comprehensive Master Plan Inventory for Sept 1997 seems to be the source of the 1999 JAC Report, and by extension, the 2004 Moratorium Report. . As indicated in the 2004 Moratorium Report, some data represents acreages by Zoning District, rather than by actual land use type. This can misrepresent actual land use data since not all uses within a zoning district are the same. . While past studies indicate the size of the Village is approximately 315 acres, the current relied upon GIS data indicates 323 acres. The GIS data is also expected to have some margin of error. The data comparison of land use change over time in the table below should not be seen as precise acreages and percentages but rather as representing general land use trends in the Village. The Chart below visibly represents these trends by land use category. Acreage by Land Use Category: 1966-2011 180 160 140 120 Ii> 100 ~ u <( 80 60 40 20 0 .~ ~ .~q,~ "'~ ~e 111966 . 2011 ,~ ..s ~.;:,r.; ,~ ~ ,,'1; ~'6 "," e ~~ ~~ ~ ~o q,'1> 6 ~(l; rb ~~ ~., ~ ~o .~~ \:)~ ~~ ~:<:> ~ ~~o ,~,v o June 2012 23 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT The slight increase in recreational use over time (from 1.3% in 1997 to 2.7% of land area in 2011) can likely be attributed to the development of the Mill Pond Park surrounding Mill Pond and the waterfront parks. Recreational uses are discussed in the next section. Historical Aerial Imagery Series of Port Washington North (Google Earth) 1994 2004 2000 2010 With little vacant land available for new development, future development will result only from redevelopment or infill opportunities. June 2012 25 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT . Facilities standards ("x" soccer fields per 10,000 population) . Location criteria (Minimum distance of X mile to playgrounds) The NRPA previously developed standards that were intended to be used as guidelines at the local level. However, there is no longer a national standard of "x" number of acres of park per 1,000 persons; the NRPA and other organizations now recognize that this method is simplistic and not an accurate indicator of recreation needs. Communities are encouraged to set their own standards based on current and predicted demand. In doing so, communities can use available standards as reference points. Current methodology calls on each community to determine its own standards based on a Level of Service (LOS) approach that considers local land use, social and economic characteristics. The standards should take into consideration an appropriate range, quantity and quality of recreational facilities within fiscal limits. The Village of Port Washington North may at some future point, develop standards for its own park development and location criteria based on characteristics the Village deems important. When the Village conducts its park planning, it will need to consider the existing and anticipated socioeconomic profile of the Village. PARKS & RECREATION FACILITIES - REGIONAL ACCESS Across the entire peninsula there are a number of parks and recreational areas including, but not limited to, the following: . County parks (Hempstead Harbor Park, Sands Point Park, Leeds Pond Preserve); . Town parks (Bar Beach and Manorhaven Beach); . "Other" Village-owned parks (Sands Point East Creek Wildlife Sanctuary); and . Sewer District Recreational Areas (Lions Field and Sunset Park) There are also various school district properties containing grounds for athletic fields (Sousa Junior High School, Guggenheim School). With school facilities, however, access is often limited to school use or scheduled organized play for local groups or leagues. Commercial and membership recreational opportunities also exist in the form of golf and country clubs (Sands Point Golf Course), private tennis clubs, yacht clubs, local beach associations, and private marinas. June 2012 The Baseball, Soccer and Lacrosse Fields at Lions Park Bridge Trail at Sands Point Preserve Waterpark at Manorhaven Beach Park 27 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH Private Athletic Club - On Channel Drive there is a private athleticlfitness club (The Training Station) available to paid members. Waterfront Marina - Located off Shore Road, there is a private boat servicing center and marina (Gulfway Marine Services). LAND USE REPORT Mill Pond Acres Amenities - The 250-unit active adult townhouse community includes recreational amenities, including two outdoor tennis courts for resident use. . Surrounding Facilities The following park and recreation facilities are not located within the Village of Port Washington North, but as shown on the Village Proximity to Parks Map below, they are within a % mile of the Port Washington North boundary. There are also two private golf courses within a % mile of the Village. Public Sunset Park (Baxter Estates) - A small park on the Bay adjacent to the "PAL" Police Athletic League baseball fields. Baxter Pond Park (Baxter Estates) - A 5-acre passive park with a walking trail around Baxter Pond, also known as Barbara Johnson Park. Picnicking and bird watching are popular activities here. Lions Field (Port Washington) -- Lions Field is the home of Port Youth Activities. PYA is a multi-sport organization for children from Kindergarten to 6th grade. Sports include Little League Baseball, softball, lacrosse, football, roller hockey, basketball, and wrestling. Manorhaven Beach Park (Manorhaven) - Manorhaven Beach Park offers an outdoor Olympic size pool, surrounding sundeck with food concession area, renovated children's pool, and access to the beach overlooking Manhasset Bay. Outdoor recreation activities include basketball, tennis, handball, horseshoe pits, and racquetball and bocci courts. Athletic fields for soccer and softball may be reserved. Picnic areas, boat ramp and playground are available. Sands Point Park (Sands Point) - Sands Point Park is a large park with nature trails and a nature preserve, as well as historic buildings such as the Hempstead House and Falaise House. The park also offers environmental educational programs. June 2012 29 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Figure 8: Village Proximity to Parks TlIdor III ...~ ~ ~ '''' "0' ~'~ ,'.... . \. 0' Or \ " ..., f~ ~ ... .. . '\" ~ o 0\11\ 1\4 ..9 ~t/I...e< ..." ....t/I '\" .Rd 'f,\oO<,. ..~I!;' . 51 c"al'.. "". &a;v I"" ,..e n !. VILLAGE PROXIMITY TO PARKS Village of Port Washington North Town of North Hempstead III Data Sources: Nassau County Geographic Infonnation Systems (NCGIS) Nassau County Deparbnent of Assessment VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Within the Shore Road Corridor area, every zoning district that has been established in the Village is represented. The Residence A3 district includes the single family detached dwellings located in the Soundview Drive neighborhood. The Residence B district includes properties on either side of Mill Pond Road. The Residence C district includes the small lots along Smull Place and Morgan Place, as well as dwellings along Pleasant Avenue. The Apartment District includes the apartment complexes that front to Waterview Drive and Soundview Drive. The Senior Citizen district encompasses that active adult housing community of Mill Pond Acres. The Waterfront District includes waterfront properties on the southwest side of Shore Road. The Business Zoning District includes "restaurant row", the Stop & Shop Plaza, as well as Soundview Plaza. It also includes several small properties that front to Shore Road and Old Shore Road. The Economic Development A district includes a single property with frontage on Pleasant Avenue and several properties that front to Harbor Road. Lastly, the Economic Development B district encompasses properties that front to Channel Drive. The zoning table that follows provides a synopsis of the land uses that are allowed in each zoning district (the zoning also explicitly prohibits two uses). For simplicity, the table does not describe all the conditions that must be met to allow particular uses. The purpose of the table is to summarize the uses that are primarily allowed in each zoning district. A few trends are evident: · The Village does not permit mixed use zoning, Le., it does not allow residential and nonresidential uses in the same district. It also does not allow residential and nonresidential uses to occupy the same building. · The Village does allow a diverse range of housing types, ranging from single-family detached to multifamily dwellings. It also allows housing for active adult senior citizens. · The ED A and ED B zoning districts allow almost the same exact uses, except that the ED B district also allows fitness type clubs as well as Village governmental or other uses. Note that the Business district allows all governmental and municipal purposes. · The Residence C district allows hospitals and sanitariums, a use that is unlikely to occur given the small lot arrangement of the zoning district. · The Business District is the only zoning district that allows the full range of retail and personal service uses that serve residents in the Village. It also allows offices, which are permitted in the ED A and ED B district. · Lastly, the Village created a waterfront district intended to support water dependent uses. However, the Waterfront district only has one parcel with sufficient land to support a substantial water dependent use - the marina property with frontage on Shore Road. No other zoning districts, even if they are proximate to the waterfront, allow water-dependent uses, nor do they specifically encourage water-enhanced uses. · The zoning map indicates that a single lot exists in the ED A district on Pleasant Avenue, although the uses allowed are essentially the same as what is permitted in the ED B zone. As a general observation, the Village has not enacted any design guidelines or standards as part of its general zoning or as a chapter in the Village Code that would regulate the architectural design 3 AlsoA-7 June 2012 33 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT LAND USES ALLOWED BY ZONING DISTRICT Res. Res. Res. Apt. Senior Business Water- EDA EDB A B C Citizen front Pet store, for the sale of pet food, pet toys, X pet supplies and the following enumerated pets only: puppies, kittens, tropical fish, birds, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, newts, chameleons, turtles, hermit crabs and lizards; subject to Nassau County, New York State and federal restrictions; and pet grooming, No other pets shall be sold without the express authorization of the VB Sale at retail or repair of jewelry, watches, X clocks or optical goods, musical, professional, or scientific instruments, radio, television, record players and recorders. The foregoing permitted uses are intended to be limited to shops and stores for the sale at retail of consumer merchandise and service where the transaction with the consumer and the operation of the business is conducted entirely within a building, Drive-in establishments Prohibited Vending machines and other similar coin- Prohibited operated devices which automatically deliver goods or render services When authorized by the VB, as an accessory X use to a shopping center that provides not less than a total of 100 parking spaces, to provide off-street parking, for another business which is located within the Village All other uses which, in the opinion of the X X X X Board of Trustees after public hearing, are of the same general character as those specifically permitted herein in accordance with applicable procedures... The ZBA, utilizing general standards - theater; X bowling alley; church or other building for religious purposes; school; telephone exchange; funeral home; and food establishments (excluding the consumption of food or beverage on the premises outside a building) The Village Board, utilizing the general X standards - shops or stores which make available any facility for, or which permit the consumption of, food or beverage on the premises outside a building; open-front shops or stores; and the outdoor display or storage of merchandise June 2012 35 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT LAND USES ALLOWED BY ZONING DISTRICT Res. Res. Res. Apt. Senior Business Water- EOA EOB A B C Citizen front Village government and Village municipal X purposes, including, but not limited to, Village halls, Village clubs, the Village Department of Public Works, and Village parks Health clubs, spas, gymnasiums, physical X fitness centers, physical training centers, physical therapy centers, and similar establishments The Village's bulk regulations were also reviewed to assess their regulatory implications on development within the Village and in the Shore Road Corridor Area. The following is noted: . Although open space protection is an important objective of the Village, only the Senior Citizen Housing District requires that a defined percentage of open space be set aside. This district requires that a development include a 10 percent open space set aside. . The trend in zoning is for municipalities to regulate the maximum amount of impervious surface area, e.g., pavement and building footprints, which will be permitted on an individual lot. Regulating total impervious surface area ensures that a minimum area remains pervious, or "green", Le., landscaped or left in a natural state. However, the zoning regulations only regulate building area which is determined by "measuring around the exterior of the foundation walls or foundation structure of buildings and shall include the floor area of porches". The total amount of parking and other impervious surfaces is not regulated. The Business and Economic Development B districts allow a substantial area of a property to be developed with impervious surface area. This has implications for stormwater runoff. . Although the Economic Development A and B districts allow virtually the same uses, the Economic Development A zone requires a minimum lot size of 3 acres. This, coupled with the lower maximum building area requirement, allows for more open space to be integrated into a site's design. June 2012 37 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Figure 9: Existing Zoning Map / t ;;'+ '\ ~, ~ ',,- ,\ ~f .-:: ~ '.\ ...;:" ~. ~~ - I, ,4' \\ ~~ ,4 .....;' .......f' .~ ",,'" .\ " ., ",'" ~,'" ~,~ ~' 4\ U! i , , I \,-'~ i 1\ 1\ 1\ I ,[ i , i : i ~ j \....... : \~I ' /~ ~ II ......., 1\ -:::"" \ ~. i i I\i,j t Iii \1 \1 \1 \ \ ~... \\ -po' ~ \, , i I I .../1 ,!,,,, ,a \: 'I ....t.. -:' ,I I -: "".-... -- ..';'/' ----~-;:::. ~.~.. \~ p, "". ,/ '., \ ,......." I! I II! I -....... I I 1\ ,.. ... PORT WASHINGTON NORTH "-.......~- ~:'^>i'.>'~ , GoagIopIIie 1- SyolIm . .._,...j . ----, .:.,~ :':;:-.~~~ i .-~- '."''''''''''- i '- ~~ z...,..~: 'IU~ c::J"""~-_1kAlII _Ill.. ""'--' L,~J~ _...e ~ _ (01 _ s.onn:N ~""'T iSm.,,.,.,"Wt .. 1 inch ..... 200_ ===--.... June 2012 39 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT L1SCMP in the absence of a locally adopted LWRP. The Village of Port Washington North has not adopted a L WRP. The overall Vision for Long Island Sound is expressed as follows: "a Long Island Sound coastal area enriched by enhancing community character, reclaiming the quality of natural resources, reinvigorating the working waterfront and connecting people to the Sound." The L1SCMP categorizes the Sound's coastal area into four distinct types: developed, natural, public, and working. The primary themes for these four types of coastal areas are as follows: · The Developed Coast - the purpose is to enhance community character by improving the quality of existing development, promoting a sense of connection to the Sound, and focusing growth and investment to preserve the positive relationship between the built and natural landscape and between existing and new development. · The Natural Coast - the purpose is to reclaim the value and achieve sustainable use of the Sound's natural resources by improving the quality and quality and function of ecological systems, respecting the dynamics of shoreline change, and providing high quality coastal waters. Another important recommendation of the L1SCMP is to promote standards and activities that improve water quality of the Sound's waters. The program recommends that municipalities adopt measures to reduce nonpoint source pollution from new development. · The Public Coast - the purpose is to connect people to the Sound and its public resources by improving visual and physical access and by providing a diversity of recreational opportunities. Retaining vegetation, including mature trees, and providing a diversity of recreational opportunities, is an objective of this coastal theme. In promoting the natural landscape, the L1SCMP strives to protect open space, and to create linkages within communities that promote public access between these communities and the shoreline. · The Working Coast - the purpose is to reinvigorate the Sound's working waterfront, its jobs and products, at appropriate locations by protecting uses dependent on the Sound, furnishing necessary infrastructure, providing business and marketing assistance, and promoting efficient harbor operation. The L1SCMP identifies the Manorhaven-Port Washington area as one of ten designated maritime centers along Long Island Sound. The area has been designated a maritime center as a result of its location on Manhasset Bay, a sheltered bay on the Sound. Maritime centers are intended to be the locations of concentrated water dependent uses. The L1SCP includes an identification of maritime centers to better protect existing water dependent uses, to foster development of new water-dependent uses in appropriate locations where growth opportunities exist, and to protect and ensure the wise use of underutilized commercial waterfront land that is suitable for water dependent uses. A maritime center is specifically defined as: June 2012 41 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT VII. RECOMMENDA liONS Based on the foregoing analyses, this Report recommends that the Village consider the following zoning revisions to assist it in accomplishing the objectives set forth in Local Law NO.1 of 2010. Consider Creating a Zoning District That Supports Water Dependent/Enhanced Uses or Add Uses to Existing Zoning Districts It is evident from the analyses contained in this report that the zoning within the Corridor Study Area does not favor the creation of water dependent and water enhanced uses. The existing Waterfront zoning district includes only 6 percent of the Village's total land area, and much of the land within the district is underwater. Thus, the ability to situate water-dependent and water- enhanced uses within the Village, particularly within areas that are proximate to the shoreline, is limited. Where the zoning allows a broad range of uses to occur within a zoning district, the likelihood of creating a core area with water-dependent or water-enhanced uses will not occur as there will be competition from non-water dependenUenhanced uses. These conclusions are consistent with the findings of the L1SCMP. Consistent with the findings of the L1SCMP, which acknowledges that the Village is part of a maritime center, the Village should explore creating a type of "maritime" zoning district or districts which would favor water-dependent or water-enhanced uses. It is acknowledged that any rezoning has implications for land uses which presently occupy land within the Corridor Study Area. To address this concern, the rezoning could allow pre-existing uses to continue. In considering the location for a maritime zoning district, this report does not anticipate that there will be opportunity to introduce water-dependent or water-enhanced uses in any existing residential zoning district, as these zones are entirely developed and the introduction of nonresidential uses would impact the quality of life for the residents of those zones. However, significant opportunity exists to introduce water-dependent and water-enhanced uses to the existing nonresidential zones that are in close proximity to the shoreline. There are numerous examples of communities that have adopted maritime zoning districts that allow different sets of water dependent or water enhanced uses, depending upon location. For example, the City of Annapolis, Maryland, has four different maritime zones with different purposes. While one zone has been established to encourage maritime industrial related uses, another zone allows mixed residential and retail uses. The same would be recommended for Port Washington North, and the zoning could be implemented in two or more phases. The first phase could include establishing a maritime district along Channel Drive, or portions of Channel Drive, that would allow maritime business and other uses which may include: educational, cultural, institutional marine related uses, offices for marine-related activities, indoor storage of marine equipment, etc, by right. The Village could allow the uses allowed presently in the ED-A and ED-B districts to continue as special uses. In addition, to encourage marine-related uses, the proposed "by right" uses could be allowed a higher 10Ubuilding coverage than uses that are not water dependent. As the property on which the Publishers Clearing House buildings is outside the Corridor Study area, it is recommended that the present use be allowed to continue but rezoned to the ED-A district. The ED-A district allows the same uses as the property's current zoning, Le., June 2012 43 ~ \I VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT report recommends that the zoning not allow an accessory use on an individual lot that is not occupied by the principal use that it is serving. While the existing zoning provisions "hint" to this requirement, it should be made explicit. Likewise, land should not be subdivided for purposes of accommodating an accessory use/building only. The zoning regulations should not permit an accessory use/building be located in a zoning district if the principal use to which it is accessory is not allowed in the applicable zoning district. Valuable land within the Corridor Study Area should be used for its intended principal purposes. Revise Bulk Requirements to Ensure Open Space is Integrated into Overall Site Design - Regulate Impervious Surface Areas Within the Corridor Study Area, the development of properties for nonresidential uses has resulted in a significant amount of impervious surface area being introduced into the waterfront's visual environment. Not only does this detract from the visual environment, the amount of impervious surface area increases the amount of pollutants that run off from these surfaces during storm events. Pollutants in runoff ultimately discharge to Manhasset Bay, degrading the water quality of this valuable resource. Control of impervious surface areas is particularly critical for the nonresidential uses and zoning districts in the Village, as these uses typically demand significant more parking and result in substantially more impervious surface area than the residential land uses in the Village. Consider Site Plan Standards for Encouraging Non-Structural, Green Stormwater Techniques It is recommended that when a land use application is received for the development or redevelopment of nonresidential properties in the Village, that an applicant be required to integrate stormwater management structures that also meet the Village's objective of creating a more attractive visual environment within the community and specifically within the waterfront area. This intent could be added to the site plan and subdivision regulations, or as a design standard in the zoning regulations for the Village. Consider Architectural Design Standards It is recommended that the Village consider adopting architectural design standards to guide the development and redevelopment of properties within the Corridor Study Area that front to Shore Road and the waterfront as a second phase of rezoning. Architectural design standards would incorporate and reference vernacular maritime architecture of Long Island. This would be consistent with the recommendations expressed for the Long Island state heritage area. A sense of place, i.e., entering an area with waterfront character, can be created if buildings are designed to integrate defined architectural features, e.g. shingle-style buildings, widow walks, and other features unique to historic maritime communities. Flexibility should be included in any design standards where materials are varied so long as the maritime "feel" is created. June 2012 45 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Table of Contents I, Introduction"",...."",...""""",."""""" ......"""."", ......""" ......,.'", ......"""..""...", ......,..""""",.""", 4 II, Existing land use ..""" ......"",.......",.,...".. ......."",...... ",..."""..""......"""."",...",....."".."" "",.,.", 1 0 III. Land Use Trends ..."..,....... ,...."""......"""..... ,..,...,.,.,....."""......""'...'".......",, ."", """ """'.".,, ,.... 22 IV. Existing Recreational Facilities and Open Space ........................................................................... 26 V, Existing Zoning ..""" ""........,., ",.."" ..,..""",...... ",'..""".......,.,.,......"".. """..", ,...,.".....,.....""", "" 32 VI, Existing Planning,..."..,.............."", ......""".."., ......""" ......".,.........",.,...." ......,'....",..."",.."""."" 40 vii. Recommendations"" ......",..,.......,.",......"....".", ......""",....""........."""...",......"...."""."."""""" 43 June 2012 3 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Long Island Coastal Management Program The importance of Long Island Sound and its coastal communities is recognized at the state level. The Long Island Sound Coastal Management Program (L1SCMP) was completed and published in 1999. The L1SCMP is a statement of New York State's policies for the Long Island Sound shoreline areas. Its standards are used for consistency determinations made by the NYS Department of State in the absence of a locally adopted Local Waterfront Revitalization program. Although the Village does consider the effects of local policies and development programs on its waterfront area, the Village of Port Washington North has not adopted a LWRP. The Vision for Long Island Sound is in many ways consistent with the Village's expression of protecting its waterfront character and is a document that provided guidance during this review of the Village's land uses and land use regulations. The L1SCMP envisions a "Long Island Sound coastal area enriched by enhancing community character, reclaiming the quality of natural resources, reinvigorating the working waterfront, and connecting people to the Sound." A notable theme in the L1SCMP is its identification of maritime centers. The Manorhaven-Port Washington area is one of ten such designated maritime centers along Long Island Sound - the Village of Port Washington North is part of this maritime center. A maritime center is a "discrete portion or area of a harbor or bay that is developed with, and contains concentrations of, water- dependent commercial and industrial uses or essential support facilities. The harbor or bay area is a center for waterborne commerce, recreation, or other water-dependent business activity, making it an important component of the regional transportation system." The area has been designated a maritime center as a result of its location on Manhasset Bay, a sheltered bay on the Sound. Maritime centers are intended to be the locations of concentrated water dependent uses. The L1SCMP specifically recognizes maritime centers as a means to better protect existing water dependent uses, to foster development of new water-dependent uses in appropriate locations where growth opportunities exist, and to protect and ensure the wise use of underutilized commercial waterfront land that is suitable for water dependent uses. The location of the state-designated coastal zone and its relationship to the Village's boundaries is shown on Figure 3, Coastal Zone Boundary Map. The coastal zone is encompassed by the Corridor Study Area. In the absence of a Village-adopted Local Waterfront Revitalization Program which may amend the coastal zone boundary, this is the current boundary regulated by the NYS Department of State, General Findings At just under one half (0.5) square mile in area, the Village is well-served by many commercial amenities and conveniences (shopping, restaurants, entertainment, etc.) which are within walking or bicycling distance of most Village residents and businesses. The Village also maintains a healthy diversity of housing types, ranging from single family detached dwellings to apartment complexes. More recently, a large area of the Village was developed for active adult senior housing. However, certain land uses are underrepresented in the community when one considers the Village's strategic location on Long Island Sound, namely, open space, water-dependent and water-enhanced uses. June 2012 5 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Figure 1: Regional Map REGIONAL MAP Village of Port Washington North Town of North Hempstead Dfj Data Sources: Nassau County Geographic Information Systems (NCGlS) Nassau County Department of Assessment VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Figure 3: Coastal Zone Boundary Map ,':;.:.::..- ./ Sea CUff (North) 'i,/' I I 2_ . -.-. 2_ efp ;J;~ .. $,1 " I June 2012 9 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH RESIDENTIAL LAND USE REPORT Residential uses occupy more than half (51.3%) of the Village's land area. However, as residential properties are smaller in size than most non-residential properties, there are significantly more residential tax lots in the Village than any other property type. According to the NCGIS data, out of 849 total properties in the Village, 735 (86.6%) are for residential use, including approximately 698 single-family properties, 25 two-family properties, three properties containing 3-family units, four apartment/condominium properties and one large senior townhouse community. The Mill Pond Acres senior citizen development includes 250 townhouse units on 33 acres. The average size of a one-, two- or three-family residential property is 0.16 acres, or just under 7,000 square feet. Homes on the northerly side of Mill Pond The largest contiguous area of residential use is in the northern half of the Village, nearly exclusively occupied by single-family homes. This area includes the Soundview neighborhoods that extend from the Soundview Drive loop. Another residential neighborhood is located on the easterly border of the Village; here, the properties that lie on the southerly side of Valley Road and the easterly extension of the Village are a mixture of single-family and two-family dwellings. The other major residential neighborhoods include the Mill Pond Acres active adult community and the residences surrounding Mill Pond. COMMERCIAL Commercial uses are located primarily in the southern portion of Port Washington North, occupying two principal locations on the northeasterly side of Shore Road. One property is the 11.5-acre Soundview Marketplace shopping center; and the second is the nearly 12-acre Stop & Shop shopping center constructed in 2004, which replaced the Lewis Oil facility. Both shopping centers offer retail, service and some restaurant options in a conventional shopping center layout. Soundview Marketplace includes 183,400 square feet of retail - King Kullen is its current anchor tenant. A Tuesday Morning discount homewares retailer recently opened its doors. A Carvel ice cream shop is located in the shopping strip, having once occupied a standalone building in the plaza. Other stores include a vitamin retailer, video gaming retailer, deli shop, drycleaner, shoe store, bicycle shop, pharmacy, hardware store, pizzeria and bank. In recent years, Soundview Marketplace has been impacted by a number of vacancies. One of the anchor tenants, Clearview Cinema, closed its doors in September 2010 and a number of other retailers in the shopping center, including a Wachovia and a Little Gym, have also closed. In January 2011, the property was in foreclosure. These uses are primarily oriented to serving local retail and commercial service needs of area residents. June 2012 11 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT The Stop & Shop plaza includes the 65,000 square foot supermarket, and an additional 65,000 square feet dedicated to other uses including a pet store, electronics store, coffee shop, liquor store, fast food restaurants (no drive through), optometrist and eyeglass store, drycleaners, nail salon, video store, deli, and real estate office. An older building of stores and the new Stop & Shop buildings occupy this shopping center. Currently, the Village is using retail space within the Stop & Shop plaza for its Village Hall, which is insufficient according to discussions with Village officials. The newer Stop & Shop Plaza The older Soundview Marketplace Plaza The design of both shopping centers is similar. Buildings are set to the rear of the lot and large parking lots front to Shore Road. The Stop & Shop building, for example, is set back more than 300 feet from the Shore Road right-of-way. The parking expanse between the buildings and Shore Road does not cultivate a sense of place or promote waterfront character, The layouts of both centers were designed to accommodate large numbers of vehicles - the centers are not linked to the sidewalks along Shore Road. "Green" space has not been incorporated into the overall design of the centers, To the south of the Stop & Shop Center and fronting on Shore Road is "restaurant row," a line of several restaurants including Sisina, La Piccala Liguria, Brio Ristaurante Italiano and Diwan Restaurant. The restaurants line the street up to the sidewalk, similar to a traditional downtown layout. The street trees, awnings, signage and outdoor cafe associated with one of the restaurants are pedestrian-scaled. The row of restaurants, interspersed with parking lots, extends to Mill Pond Road. Outside of retail, service and restaurant uses, there are several auto-oriented commercial uses, including gas and service stations and a car wash located between the shopping centers on Shore Road. There are also several professional office buildings in the Village, and an animal clinic. June 2012 ~, 11< ~' .." " .',.- , "'",," ," ...... . ''''. .~. tt\!W . ;#.',,~ ..- ~-. Buildings up to the street along "Restaurant Row' on Shore Road One of Port Washington North's gas stations 13 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION Mill Pond and the Bay Walk Park are the two parks in the Village. Open space and recreation is discussed in detail in Chapter IV - Existing Recreational and Open Space Needs. WATER DEPENDENT AND WATER ENHANCED USES The NYSDOS Department of State Division of Coastal Resources, based on regulatory law in New York State Executive Law (Article 42), defines a water dependent use as "an activity which can only be conducted on, in, over or aqjacent to a water body because such activity requires direct access to that water body, and which involves, as an integral part of such activity, the use of the water". The ports and harbors of New York State are where most of these uses are concentrated" Water-dependent uses and businesses include international shipping facilities, marinas, mooring areas, yacht clubs, boat yards, commercial and recreational fishing operations, and various support facilities for waterborne commerce and recreation. Water dependent uses in the Village include an existing marina on the southwesterly side of Shore Road, approximately across from the road's intersection with Old Shore Road. A fishing pier has been constructed and is south of the marina. With the exception of these uses, there are no other water dependent uses in the Village or within the Corridor Study Area. Water-enhanced uses are defined "as an activity which does not require a location aqjacent to coastal waters, but whose location on the waterfront adds to the public use and enjoyment of the waters edge'. Water-enhanced uses are primarily recreational, cultural, retail, or entertainment uses. These uses are also important to the economy, character, and public enjoyment of a community's waterfront, and include such uses as restaurants, parks, and shops. The public walking trail and parkland fronting to the bay are water enhanced uses. According to the NYSDOS, when developed in association with water-dependent uses, a water enhanced use can provide necessary economic support; however, it may also compete with water-dependent uses, A community needs to decide the mix of uses that is suitable for its waterfront. An important question to consider when evaluating whether it would be appropriate to allow a water enhanced use is: will it benefit the waterfront and be compatible with water dependent uses? Can it be conducted elsewhere, Le., it does not rely on, nor is it significantly enhanced by, a waterfront location? For example, a retail marine supply store will benefit a water dependent use rather than a pet store. A restaurant does not require a waterfront location, but its incorporation into a marina or outdoor area with views of the waterfront provide public enjoyment. The immediate shoreline in the Village is developed with water dependent and water enhanced uses. However, the northeasterly side of Shore Road is not used by water dependent uses. The restaurants located immediately along Shore Road's frontage could be considered water enhanced uses as they can and do benefit from the scenic views over to the bay. However, a large portion of the Corridor Study Area is mostly developed with non-water dependent/enhanced uses. The parking lots that front to Shore Road in particular offer no visual or other benefit to the waterfront's character. June 2012 15 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Figure 5: Public and Vacant Land Map VACANT LAND (PER TAX ASSESSOR) TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD . COUNTY OF NASSAU . VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH . PORT WASHINGTON SEWER DISTRICT ",'f"~, PUBLIC & VACANT LAND MAP Village of Port Washington North Town of North Hempstead II Data Sources: Nassau County Geographic Information S~s (NCGlS) Nassau County Oeperlment of Assessment VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Water Quality For the most part, the properties on the northeast side of Shore Road (the area which contains vacant and underutilized properties) are not constrained by sensitive environmental features. The primary natural feature is Mill Pond. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation classifies water bodies based on their best and intended use. Mill Pond has a water quality classification of SC. On the other side of Shore Road, the portion of the bay within the Village has a water quality classification of S8 and SC. The classification "S8" (marine waters) indicates a best usage for swimming and other recreation, and fishing. The classification "SC" (marine waters) indicates a best usage for fishing. 700-year Floodplain The Corridor Study Area does include areas contained within the 1 DO-year floodplain. The Floodplain Map is presented below. The 1 DO-year floodplain Zone AE encompasses lands on either side of Mill Pond. The floodplain also extends to the northeast side of Shore Road to encompass "restaurant row" as well as some of the parking lot area associated with the Stop & Shop Plaza. The floodplain comes farther inland to include the gas station and car wash and marina on either side of Shore Road. It also includes the vacant property located at the corner of Shore Road and Channel Drive, a property located in the Village of Manorhaven but which extends into the Village of Port Washington North, Zone X, or an area of moderate flood hazard, also encompasses portions of the Shore Road aea. This has implications for overall design and planning when considering land uses for the shoreline area. Figure 7: Floodplain Map June 2012 19 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT The closest sampling location discussed in the report is Baxter Beach. A general conclusion of the report was that both fecal coliform and enterococci levels rose at Baxter Beach (the closest sampling site to the study area) from 2005 to 2007. It is anticipated that proposed improvements to regional wastewater treatment plants will remediate pollutant levels, which are to a large extent beyond the control of the Village. However, other pollutants, including suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus, certain pathogens, and metals can be controlled by ensuring appropriate stormwater controls are in place. In particular, for properties that are vacant or underutilized, constructed wetlands, grassed swales, vegetative strips, rain gardens, and other vegetative controls could be constructed that would not only be used as a means of capturing and removing pollutants from stormwater emanating from a developed site, but as a means of introducing vegetation and landscaping into the overall design of a site. June 2012 21 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT . The methodologies of previous data land use data are not provided. The Nassau County Comprehensive Master Plan Inventory for Sept 1997 seems to be the source of the 1999 JAC Report, and by extension, the 2004 Moratorium Report. . As indicated in the 2004 Moratorium Report, some data represents acreages by Zoning District, rather than by actual land use type. This can misrepresent actual land use data since not all uses within a zoning district are the same. . While past studies indicate the size of the Village is approximately 315 acres, the current relied upon GIS data indicates 323 acres. The GIS data is also expected to have some margin of error. The data comparison of land use change over time in the table below should not be seen as precise acreages and percentages but rather as representing general land use trends in the Village. The Chart below visibly represents these trends by land use category. Acreage by Land Use Category: 1966-2011 180 160 140 120 II> 100 cu ... u <( 80 60 40 20 0 .~ ~ .be~ ",,, ~e "._,_~___~~m._____^"~_~____"__'____~~__"'__________~__~_________~.~_._.____"______~_ ___________~______~~____________n__ II 1966 . 2011 _____________~_____________..__.________________"________m.___.____ ._ .----., ,~ ~.... b~" ,~ ~ ~ ~",(,; ",,:> e ~~ <o~ .~ ~o e~ r# ~ ~ ~~ b':> !li ~o .~~ .::,~ ,~ ,:,~ ~~ \00 .r;,.\ O~ June 2012 23 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT The slight increase in recreational use over time (from 1.3% in 1997 to 2.7% of land area in 2011) can likely be attributed to the development of the Mill Pond Park surrounding Mill Pond and the waterfront parks. Recreational uses are discussed in the next section. Historical Aerial Imagery Series of Port Washington North (Google Earth) 1994 2004 2000 2010 With little vacant land available for new development, future development will result only from redevelopment or infill opportunities. June 2012 25 :. VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT ED-B, but allows a larger lot size and less building coverage. This would ensure that the property meets the other objectives of this study - limiting lot and building coverage to ensure that portion of every site in the Village retains some amount of open space. As a second phase, the Village could consider establishing a maritime "entertainment" zoning district along the northerly frontage of Shore Road that is directly across and visible from the waterfront. It would include the existing restaurants and properties that front to Shore Road, as well as the frontage of the Stop & Shop Center (not the entire property). Any uses that are allowed in this maritime "entertainment" district should encourage activities which create energy and activity along the shorefront. Uses which may be allowed would include sit-down restaurants with outdoor seating areas, art galleries, and specialty retail shops. These buildings would be subject to architectural design guidelines so that the buildings are designed with a maritime ambience, whether that includes shingle style facades, interesting details such as widow walks or cupolas, eyebrow windows, etc. In addition, these buildings would incorporate landscaping to further beautify Shore Road. This would encourage additional development to bolster the Village's tax base, at the same time beautifying the waterfront. Rather than viewing large expanses of parking lot, residents would view attractive buildings and landscapes. This potential maritime "entertainment" zoning district, if implemented, would be a second phase, as design guidelines must be prepared to regulate buildings within this proposed zone. Also, additional detailed analysis is required to determine how much building square footage could be accommodated on the Stop & Shop Center parking lot without compromising the need for parking to serve patrons and employees of the existing businesses that are part of the shopping center. The specific mix of water-dependent and water-enhanced uses that would be allowed within a maritime zoning district would be determined at the time of rezoning. Rezone Properties Along Channel Drive to ED-A In lieu of the zoning option above, or as an interim measure, this study recommends that the larger properties on the east side of Channel Drive be rezoned from ED-B to ED-A. Channel Drive properties were formerly zoned Industrial District. As part of a prior rezoning, the Village determined that the Industrial District uses were no longer appropriate, and the intent was to rezone all of the properties to ED-A. However, it appears that while the uses for the ED-A were applied to Channel Drive, the old zoning bulk requirements from the Industrial District were retained, The bulk requirements applicable to the ED-A zoning district would be more appropriate for a number of the properties along Channel Drive, as it will retain larger contiguous areas to be developed for single purpose economic development related uses, and preserve areas on the properties as "open space" for incorporation of appropriate water' quality control measures to treat stormwater runoff that ultimately discharges to Manhasset Bay. Consider How Accessory Uses are Regulated Land within the Shore Road Corridor Area, and the Village in general, is valuable, and should be dedicated to the principal uses allowed by the Village's zoning. Individual parcels should not be used for accessory uses or buildings where a principal use is not developed on the same lot. This June 2012 44 'i VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT . A discrete portion or area of a harbor or bay that is developed with, and contains concentrations of, water-dependent commercial and industrial uses or essential support facilities. The harbor or bay area is a center for waterborne commerce, recreation, or other water-dependent business activity, making it an important component of the regional transportation system The following characteristics are used to identify maritime centers: . Concentrations of large and intensive water-dependent commercial or industrial uses; . Sheltered locations and suitable hydrologic conditions, such as sufficient water depth and good flushing; . Adequate existing navigation channels, anchorage and turning basins, piers and docks, and land-based infrastructure essential for the operation of water-dependent commercial and industrial uses; if needed, new infrastructure could be provided more easily and at lower cost; . Physical conditions meet the unique siting and operation requirements of most water- dependent commercial and industrial uses to ensure the efficient and effective operation of water-dependent uses; . Close proximity to central business districts where commercial uses can be located that complement or support water-dependent uses, but which are inappropriate for a waterfront location; . lack of conflict with high value natural resources, such as beaches, dunes or bluffs; wetlands, shellfish beds, bird habitat or other fish and wildlife habitat; or exceptional surface water quality. The L1SCMP notes that certain areas of long Island, including the Village of Port Washington North, are located within the long Island Sound state heritage area. Among other purposes, the intent of the heritage area is to highlight significant early American history and the development and character of the historic maritime communities. Within the maritime centers, the program recommends that water-dependent commercial and industrial uses be protected and promoted. Appropriate water-dependent use development should occur. Water-enhanced uses should also support the maritime heritage of the community, and the natural resources that have supported maritime activities should be preserved. June 2012 42 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT VI. EXISTING PLANNING General Planning Efforts According to the 2004 Village of Port Washington North Moratorium Commission Report, the Village has not produced a comprehensive planning study since 1974. The Commission reports that a new "Master Plan" is needed to outline the changes that have occurred in the last 30 years, guide the Village with regard to land use and development over the next 10 years, and most importantly, engage community leaders to promote real problem-solving. Since the 1970's there have been a variety of planning efforts within the Village, including: General Land Use Plannina · Planning and Zoning Study, McCrosky-Reuter, 1974 · Planning and Zoning Study, JAC Planning Corp, 1999 · Village of Port Washington North Moratorium Commission Report, 2004 · Residential Planning Study, Saccardi & Schiff, Inc., 2006 Waterfront Plannina · Shoreline Preservation Plan, McCrosky-Reuter, 1973 · The Port Washington North Bay Walk Park Plan, 2006 · Shared Vision Plan · Walkable Communities Workshop, 2003 Traffic and Circulation Plannina · Shore Road Traffic Calming Plan, RBA Group, 2005 · A Safer Shore Road for the Residents of the Port Washington Peninsula, Phase II (A Grant Application for the NYSDOT) Nassau County is currently updating its Master Plan, but has prepared several updates since the last Comprehensive Plan in 1998. · Nassau County Master Plan, 2010 (DRAFT) · Nassau County Master Plan Update 2008 · Nassau County Master Plan Update 2003 · Nassau County Comprehensive Master Plan 1998 These various studies touch upon planning issues and opportunities that affect the Village as a whole, but they do not specifically address land use and zoning for the waterfront area. Long Island Coastal Management Program The Long Island Sound Coastal Management Program was published in 1999. The Long Island Coastal Management Program (L1SCMP) replaces the state Coastal Zone Management Program for the Long Island Sound shoreline areas. Its standards are used for consistency determinations made by the New York State Department of State in those communities where a local waterfront revitalization program (LWRP) has not been adopted. NYSDOS relies on the policies of the June 2012 40 ~ VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Zoning Bulk Requirements Zoning District Min. Max. Min. Min. Min. Min. Bldg. Ht. Min. Min. Lot Area Building Front Rear Side Side (Stories, ft) Street Lot (sf) Area (%) Yard (ft) Yard yard; yard, Frontage Width (ft) One(ft) Both (ft) Residence A 6,000 30% 25 feet 25 7 15 2.5 31 60 60 Residence B 5,000 35% 20 25 5 12 2.5 31 50 50 Residence C 4,000 45% 15 25 5 13 2.5 31 45 45 Apartment Apt 1,500* 45% 15 25 15 30 2,5 31 --- --- Senior Citizen 15 acres; 27% 9 20 10 20 2.5 31 --- --- Housing 8 du/ac Business None 70% 10 20 0, or 5 if provided. 2.5 31 _n --- Economic 3 acres 35% 100 30** 30** 60 2 25 n_ --- Development A Economic 40,000 50% 10 25 5 20 2 25 --- --- Development B Waterfront None 40% 10 20 0, or 5 if provided. 15 n_ --- --- Table Notes: * per apartment. ** 50 ft where adjoins residential district June 2012 38 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT LAND USES ALLOWED BY ZONING DISTRICT Res. Res. Res. Apt. Senior Business Water- fDA fDB A B C Citizen front Yards and marinas, including wet and dry X storage, for construction of and repairs to boats of not more than 20 tons and not more than 85 feet in length Fishing stations X Gas filling station for boats, when authorized X by the Board of Appeals... Bathing or swimming facilities X Yacht and boat clubs X Parks, playgrounds, and docks X Launching ramps X Party boat charter enterprises X The following accessory uses, so long as such X accessory uses do not exceed 50% of the commercial floor area of the first floor of the building within which it is located: Stores for the display and sale and/or rental of X boats, marine equipment, and supplies, including bait and tackle Restaurants, when authorized by the Board of X Appeals... Offices for executive, administrative or X X professional purposes Scientific and/or research laboratories X X Assembly, fabrication and finishing of articles X X of small compass and high value, such as cameras, watches, precision instruments, electronic instruments, business machines and the like Storage facilities provided there shall be no X X outside storage of any nature and no warehousing or storage of building materials or other heavy products Telephone exchanges and other similar public X X utility facilities; facilities for organizations which provide fire protection and ambulance services to the Village and the residents Establishments for printing, book binding, X X lithographing and similar reproduction processes Libraries, educational and cultural centers X X Food establishments serving the general X X public, as conditionally permitted uses when authorized by the Board of Appeals... Food establishments incidental to any other X X uses permitted within an ED-A District, as conditional uses when authorized by the Board of Appeals... June 2012 36 '. VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT of buildings in the Village, including specifically the waterfront area. Also, it is not clear from the zoning whether accessory uses or buildings may be permitted on an individual lot in the absence of a principal use being present on the same property. Land Uses Allowed by Zoning District LAND USES ALLOWED BY ZONING DISTRICT Res. Res. Res. Apt. Senior Business Water- EDA EDB A B C Citizen front Detached single-family dwelling X X X X House of worship, a public or nonprofit school, X X X X X X X X and municipal recreational use, when permitted as a special exception by the Village Board The office of a doctor, dentist, teacher, X X X X musician or other professional person residing on the premises... Hospital or sanitarium, other than those for x infectious or contagious diseases or for the care of the mentally ill or mentally disabled or persons with alcohol and substance abuse problems. Telephone exchange x Multiple dwelling or apartment house X Cluster housing for elderly persons X Governmental and municipal purposes X Banks and financial institutions X Offices, including professional offices and X professional buildings provided that no part of such office or offices shall be used for the storage, packaging, processing or selling of products sold at wholesale Stores and shops for conducting any of the X following retail and service businesses: Barbershop, beauty parlor, shoe repair, hardware, drug, tobacco, newspaper and magazines, custom tailoring, dressmaking and millinery, clothing, dry goods, furniture, home appliances, decorator goods, paints, stationery, book, fur, toys, florist, floor covering and rugs, health club, spa, gymnasium, nail salon, hobby and crafts, sports and sporting goods, and audio and video sales and rentals. June 2012 34 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT V. EXISTING ZONING The Village of Port Washington North is divided into nine (9) zoning districts as follows: 1. Residence A District 2. Residence B District 3. Residence C District 4, Apartment District 5. Senior Citizen Housing District 6. Business District 7. Economic Development A District 8. Economic Development B District 9. Waterfront District There are five (5) residential zone districts in the Village, accounting for nearly 72% of total Village area. Single-family residential dwellings are permitted in Residence A and B Districts, while two- family residential dwellings are also permitted in Residence C districts. Apartments and multiple- family dwellings are restricted to the Apartment District. The Senior Citizen Housing district is limited to age-restricted cluster housing, as well as customary accessory facilities (parks, clubhouse, library, health clinic, garages, recreation, etc.). Non-residential zoning districts including the Business District, the Economic Development Districts and the Waterfront District, and make up 89 acres or 28% of the Village area. The Business District, which accounts for just 5% of Village area, permits retail, service, office, banks, and governmental uses. Entertainment uses, schools, houses of worship, and restaurants are permitted as conditional uses in the Business District. In the Economic Development A and B zones, permitted uses include office, research labs, storage, and assembly/fabrication. The Waterfront District permits uses oriented to maritime (marinas, launches, boat clubs) and recreation (parks, swimming, fishing), as well as shops and restaurants as accessory uses. Zoning District Land Area Percentages Zone District Label % ofT otal Acres 1 Residence A Res-A 15,3% 48,1 2 Residence B Res-B 25,9% 81.5 3 Residence C Res-C 6.5% 20,6 4 Apartments APT 4.6% 14.6 5 Business BUS 5.0% 15.7 6 Economic Development A EDA 5.0% 15.9 7 Economic Development B EDB 12.5% 39.4 8 Senior Citizen Housing SH 19.3% 60.9 9 Waterfront District WD 5.8% 18.4 100,0% 315 As indicated above, the zoning district classifications and permitted uses are designed to segregate land uses in the Village. The mixing of land uses, particularly residential and commercial uses, is not allowed by the current zoning. June 2012 32 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT Private Sands Point Golf Course (Sands Point) Village Club of Sands Point (Sands Point) Village residents could benefit from additional facilities. For one, there are no playgrounds (or "mini-parks" or "pocket-parks") within walking distance of Village residences. The majority of the Village is poorly served in terms of recreation and open space. While this report offers a basic inventory of park and recreation facilities, further evaluation of park and recreational needs is warranted so the Village can determine appropriate goals with regard to recreational needs, in terms of specific activities that could be accommodated at any future facility. To that extent, the Village should involve residents in the needs analysis, such as by surveying users of the facilities, as well as the general public. A survey can better inform Village decision- makers as to where to target future programs and spending. A needs analysis of parks and recreational facilities for Port Washington North residents may consider: ? location and access (Do people walk or bike? Is there parking?) ? Users (Who should be served - small children, teens, adults, seniors?) ? Diversity of park types (Do residents prefer mini-parks? A regional park? More ball fields?) ? Diversity of recreation facilities (Are there adequate soccer fields, tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, playgrounds, picnic benches, beaches, boating, fishing, etc?) ? Quantity and quality of facilities (Are they well maintained? Do they have appropriate hours of operation? Is there equitable access to all users?) ? Available land and Character of the land (how much space is there and what recreation facilities/activities can be accommodated there?) The presence of high quality parkland has economic advantages that should be considered when evaluating the cost to acquire/construct recreational facilities. Parks beautify an area and are attractors of new residents, businesses and leisure activity visitors. Properties near parks often see property values rise, which benefits the tax rolls. Parks also protect against the impacts of overdevelopment (by providing natural stormwater management, flood prevention, erosion control, heat island affect reduction, water supply protection, etc.). Convenient access to parks and recreation can also serve to improve the health of Village residents by providing access to nature and fitness opportunities, thereby reducing long-term health care costs and combating the growing obesity epidemic. The cumulative benefits of acquiring land for parkland must therefore be considered when making these decisions. As described below, parks are also considered "water- enhanced uses". The need for recreational opportunities is documented in this report, and will be an important consideration when considering future use of the remaining vacant and underutilized parcels in the Village. June 2012 30 VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH LAND USE REPORT PARKS & RECREATION FACILITIES - PROXIMATE TO PORT WASHINGTON NORTH The Village Proximity to Parks Map below shows the location of designated public parks and some private facilities within and surrounding the Village, as well as a X-mile (5 minute walk) and %-mile (10 minute walk) radius around each park; it is widely recognized that most people will walk a distance of 5 to 10 minutes before they opt to take a car trip. As indicated, there are few residences in the Village that are within a 5 minutes walking distance to a park. The residential northern half of the Village is not served by any parks within a 10 minute walk. The available parks and facilities are discussed below. . Within Port Washington North Public Mill Pond Park - Mill Pond Park is the only designated park in the Village. It includes a new brick/paver walking path that surrounds most of the pond, along with benches and low-lying landscaping. The path does not currently enable a full walking loop around the pond as it does not extend in front of several homes fronting on the pond. The entire Park, including the Pond, is approximately 10 acres. Bay Walk Waterfront Park and Path - The Village is in the process of transforming the approximately 1/3 square mile of waterfront within its borders that runs along and overlooks Manhasset Bay. The Village of Port Washington North (which owns 1.42 acres) and the Town of North Hempstead (owns 0.28 acres) hope to create an active waterfront park that encourages walking, jogging, bicycling, rollerblading, nature observation and education, fishing, boating, and kayaking, and creates a destination point along the proposed North Hempstead Blueway Trail. Phase 1 of the project is nearing completion and includes construction of: a meandering 10-foot-wide paved walkway; decorative "old world" lighting, benches facing the water, and landscaping that acts as irrigation; a "nautical history tour" of Manhasset Bay using artistic inlays, sculptures, and signage; a renovated fishing and sightseeing pier with eventual water taxi access; and shoreline stabilization in certain areas. Phase 2 considers replacing the southern pier, erosion control, installation of a kayak launch, and installing park amenities to create an active waterfront park on the land between the Bay and the walkway. June 2012 The walking path around most of Mill Pond Park New waterfront walkway ana renovated pier. 28 TOWN OF TUXEDO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK AUGUST 2011 Prepared By; Town Board of the Town of Tuxedo, New York With Technical Assistance Provided by; H2M and Tim Miller Associates, Inc. This project is made possible, in part, with funds from the County of Orange and the Orange County Planning Department. TOWN OF TUXEDO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Adopted by the Town Board on ______________________. 2011 TOWN OF TUXEDO TOWN BOARD Mr. Peter Dolan, Supervisor Ms. Lisa Spivak, Councilwoman Mr. Gary Phelps, Councilman Mr. Tom Darling, Councilman Mr. Cliff Loncar, Councilman Cover Page: Ramapo River, as viewed from the dam north of the new Town park. TABLE OF CONTENTS Pa2e No. I. INTRODUCTION....... ............. ........... ............... ............. ............................. ........ ......... .......... 1 II. ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ............... ........................ ........ .......... ......... .......... ............. 7 III. GOALS AND 0 B ]ECTIVES ........................... ........... ........ ....... ............ .................................. 9 IV. THE LANDSCAPE .............. ..... ................. ......................... ...... ...... ............ ........ ....... ............ 13 V. POPULATION AND HOUSING ........... ............................................................................28 VI. LAND USE AND ZONING ..................................................................................................42 VII. COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES ................................................................... 57 VIII. HISTORIC RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY APPEARANCE .................................... 73 IX. TRANSPO R T A TION ..... ...... .......................... .......... ..................... .......... ..... ................. ........83 X. IMPLEMENT A TI ON..... ........................................ ................ ............... .............. ...................90 TABLES Pa2e 1. Regional Population Trends.. ......... ...... ...... .... ............. ........ ............. ........ .............. ........ .......... 4 2. Management Guidance Summary - Sterling Forest State Park BCA................................... 20 3. Town of Tuxedo: Population T rends.................................................................................... 28 4. General Population Characteristics: 2000............................................................................ 29 5. Population by Household Characteristics: 200.................................................................... 30 6. Residential Mobility............ ....... .......... ................ ...... ..... ................ ............. ................... ........31 7. Place of Workers 16 years and Older: 2000 ......................................................................... 32 8. Industry of Workers Employed and 16 years and Older: 2000...........................................33 9. Occupation of Workers Employed and 16 years and Older: 2000.....................................34 10. Housing Units by Housing Type ...................................... ............... .................. .............. .......37 11. Occupied Housing Units by Tenure: 2000 .......................................................................... 37 12. Bedroom Mix by Housing Tenure: 2000.............................................................................. 38 13. Average Household Size by Tenure: 2000 ............................................................................ 39 14. 2007 Existing Land Use: Town of Tuxedo Unincorporated Area ......................................43 15. Enrollment Trends ....... .............................. ................................ .............. ...... ..... ...................63 16 . Town Recreation Facilities ........ ........... ...... ............. ............ ....... ..... .............. .........................66 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 5a Figure 5b Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 FIGURES Follows Pa2e Regional Location ... .................... ............ ......................... ........ ......... ..... ...... ...............3 Town of Tuxedo. ...... ......... ......... ............ ............................ ............ ............... ............... 3 Environmental Resources .......... ............ ........ .............................. ......................... .....27 Housing and Neighborhoods . ........... ..................... ........... .......... ......... ...... ...............41 T ownwide Land Use.. ........ ....... ......... .................. ........................ ...... ........................56 Southfields Land Use ..... .................... .............. .... ....... ................. ..............................56 Tuxedo Hamlet Land Use............. .............. ................................. .............. ................ 56 Conceptual Land Use ................... ................ ........... ................. ......... ........ ................56 Community Facilities..... .... ....... ......... ........... ............. ............... ......... ........................72 Open Space and Recreation..... ..................... ...... ........... .............. ........... ................... 72 Transportation ................... ....... ............... ................... ......... ....... ............... ................. 89 APPENDICES Appendix A. 2003 Town Center Plan Appendix B. 2004 Community Survey Appendix C. 2004 Recreation Plan 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update I. INTRODUCTION In 2007, the Town of Tuxedo commenced the update of the Town's 1972 Master Plan. The Town seeks to implement a land use strategy for the next 10-20 years that revitalizes the Town's existing hamlets and stimulates appropriate use and reuse of the remaining developable areas of the Town. The Plan also seeks to preserve the Town's natural, historic and scenic assets that are important defining elements of the community and which provide the Town its unique sense of place. New York State Town Law regulates the preparation of comprehensive plans. Section 272-a states that a comprehensive plan is one that will "identify the goals and objectives, principles, guidelines, policies, standards, devices and instruments for the immediate and long-range protection, enhancement, growth and development" of a town. The preparation of a comprehensive plan is not mandatory. However, if a plan is prepared, it should be adopted by the Town Board as an official statement of the community's land use policies. Once adopted, any subsequent land use regulations must be in accordance with the Town's adopted comprehensive plan. The Town Board has held three public meetings - September 8, 2008, February 9, 2009 and June 13, 2011 - to discuss draft versions of the Plan Update. The Town Board also considered all written public comments received on the Plan Update in its deliberations. As per the regulations implementing the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, adoption of a land use plan is categorized as a Type I action. The Town Board classified the action as a Type I action, and has reviewed an expanded Environmental Assessment Form documenting the potential effects that adoption of the Plan Update would have on the environment. This Plan Update is designed to serve as a general guide for the development and redevelopment of the Town. As a guide, the plan should serve the Planning Board and other boards and agencies in the formulation of policies and programs. The Plan Update must have community understanding and support to be an effective policy instrument. As stated in the 1972 Plan, the Town of Tuxedo is endowed with many outstanding natural features and resources. In a region that has been experiencing rapidly diminishing open space, Tuxedo today can point with pride to the preservation of substantially large, contiguous areas of environmentally significant and magnificent woodland setting. A. VISION STATEMENT Tuxedo is a large, approximately 47 -square mile T own situated within the nationally-recognized Highlands landscape, a region encompassing four states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticu t. Topography and geology are key determinants of the Highlands region within which the Town is situated. The landscape of this region is 1 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update characterized by a series of "Appalachian" high hills and ridges that are bedrock-controlled and cut by deep narrow valleys, such as the Ramapo River valley, that distinguish it from the adjoining regional landscape. To view the Town from the air in the summer, one would observe a green mantle of woodland draping much of Tuxedo. Within the Town, the Highlands are bisected by a narrow valley through which the Ramapo River flows. The Ramapo River valley historically and presently serves as a major transportation route to inland areas of New York State - NYS Route 17, the NYS Thruway, and major rail and utility corridors traverse the Town from north to south through this river valley corridor. The Town's forested landscape also serves as the setting for historically significant communities and estate properties in the Town, including but not limited to: the Tuxedo Park village, a National Register historic district; the Tuxedo hamlet; Southfields; Eagle Valley; and Arden, the former estate of the Harriman family. The Town recognizes that the acquisition of Sterling Forest for the formation of a new state park has diminished opportunities to create the large-scale industrial and office parks envisioned in the 1972 Master Plan. A collection of existing nonresidential and vacant properties that are zoned for nonresidential use will pose development and redevelopment challenges over the next few years. An opportunity exists to develop a small-scale nonresidential business enclave on Tuxedo Reserve's Northern Tract. The Town also seeks to allow limited commercial uses that are consistent and compatible with the Town's environment along Route 17 and Route 17 A. The large swaths of open space that have been dedicated as parkland create challenges to maintaining a cohesive community. The Plan Update seeks to meet the needs of its existing and future residents in a manner that emphasizes community-building through a variety of social programs and physical "linkages". The Town of Tuxedo, once confronted by developments that would have changed the Town forever by inducing a build-out population of 35,000-50,000 persons, will now remain the rural, and, in many places, bucolic community that has existed since it was first founded. Although it is unlikely that the Town's total population will ever exceed 10,000 persons, Tuxedo's population will at least double in size with construction of Tuxedo Reserve. The Town will grapple with the service demands created by this new neighborhood. Tuxedo Reserve must be integrated in a manner that unifies, rather than segments, the Town. The Town must proactively consider appropriate land uses for the Arden Farms area of the T own. Arden represents the single largest privately-owned and mostly undeveloped area of Tuxedo. Lastly, the Town desires to focus on the redevelopment of its older hamlets, centered along Route 17, providing options for diversifying its housing stock and expanding business opportunities. 2 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update B. REGIONAL SETTING The Town of Tuxedo is located in the southeastern portion of Orange County, New York. The T own is generally located at the confluence of four counties - Orange and Rockland counties in New York, and Bergen and Passaic counties in New Jersey (Figure 1). According to the 1972 Plan, the u.s. Census estimated that more than 1.8 million persons resided in the 4-county region in 1970, which represented an increase of more than 300,000 persons from the previous decade. In 2000, growth in the overall region slowed and the regional population totaled 2 million persons. As per the findings set forth in the 1972 Plan, population growth in the 1970s and 1980s was anticipated to take place primarily in Bergen and Rockland counties. The Regional Plan Association predicted that as land available for development in these two counties diminished, the 90s would likely see substantial population growth in rural outlying counties including Orange County. Table 1 presents population estimates for the counties and communities surrounding the Town of Tuxedo. Population growth in Bergen and Passaic counties has slowed and even declined. However, Orange County's population increased dramatically. Over the past four decades, development has "skipped over" the Town of Tuxedo and occurred in the neighboring Towns of Monroe, Warwick, and Woodbury. During this time period, two large landholders, Sterling Forest Corporation and Related Companies, submitted development applications to the Tuxedo Town Board and the applications underwent rigorous environmental review. Tuxedo Reserve was approved in 2004. Tuxedo's unincorporated area has experienced some population growth while the incorporated Village of Tuxedo Park has experienced population decline. According to 2009 Census estimates, the Town of Tuxedo's population totaled 3,683 persons, a population increase of 349 persons since 2000. During the 2000s, new residents were inttoduced from construction of the Woodlands, Table Rock Estates, Hamilton Estates, and Sterling Mine Estates (amounting to 300:.!: lots for single family detached and attached dwellings) as well as numerous smaller subdivisions. In 2009, the Village of Tuxedo Park had an estimated population of 722 persons, representing a decline of nine (9) persons since 2000. Section II of the Plan Update provides detailed demographic data for the Town's population and discusses the implications for long-term planning. 3 \. .. ;/ -':t- f I ( // ~ .. .,.."',1' ./ / .f ,....v '-<::........ f /; , I V,,, III;!.'.- / I I /' / ,/ ,A :1,," it,.....;;... ..",..,....., ..... ~ ';"-',-if' .,,<;- .'~. --=~~< w.' s ::.. :,::.! County Boundary Figure 1: Regional Location Map Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Source: USGS 7,5-Minute Topographic Quad Maps Prepared by: TIm Miller Associates, Inc., 3/06/08 Scale: As shown 1 0.5 - - 1 Miles KEY ,.----- 1.,____: Town I Village Boundaries ! a '/~ " i# WOODBURY /'/ I ,// ~~ CI>M' wlNAK' Haverstraw .. ,/ ~/ ~.(y \ ~ 1 0.5 -::- ,..... .' s 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Table 1 Regional Population Trends 2000 % Change 2009 Est. Persons Persons 341,367 286,753 884,118 489,049 TOWN OF 2,106 3,334 1UXEOO (including Village)l V.ofTuxedoPark 731 -15.1% 722 -9 Uninc. Area 2,961 358 Ad'oinin Communities Town of Warwick Town of 4,639 9,460 Woodbury Town of Monroe 3,796 31,407 Town of Ramapo 45,711 108,905 Village of 3,134 3,117 Sloatsburg Borough of 10,393 12,396 Ringwood Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2009. Note: 2010 Census data are not yet released. Orange, NY Rockland, NY Bergen, NJ Passaic, NJ 1970 Persons 220,558 229,903 898,012 460,782 54.7% 383,532 24.7% 300,173 -1.6% 895,250 6.1% 491,778 58.2% 3,683 Change in % Change Persons 42,165 12.4% 13,420 4.7% 11,132 1.3% 2,729 0.6% 349 10.5% C. WHY AN UPDATE? -1.2% 13.8% The Town's 1972 Plan was prepared about 39 years ago. Since 1972, the Town's primary master plan goal of preserving the Town's natural and open space features has been achieved through public acquisition of major landholdings. Specifically: . Sterling Forest Corporation landholdings have been purchased to create Sterling Forest State Park. Other land holdings, including a large parcel owned by New York University (along Long Meadow Road) and Indian Hill (north of Tuxedo Heights in Southfields) have been acquired for open space. These acquisitions have enabled the Town to meet its 1972 "saturation goal", i.e., to maintain at least 50 percent of all major private land holdings in open space, including "ridgelines, streams, rivers, lakes, and forested land in a continuous network." . Tuxedo Reserve, aI, 195 dwelling unit residential development, received special use permit approval from the Tuxedo Town Board in November 2004. Development is clustered on the Southern Tract, while most of the Northern Tract and all of the Fox Hill Tract will remain undeveloped. 4 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update Also since 1972: . New Residential Development. Several major residential subdivisions have been constructed in Eagle Valley, including Table Rock Estates, Sterling Mine Estates, Hamilton Estates and the Woodlands which will introduce 300~ dwelling units at completion, enlarging this neighborhood area substantially. . Town Center. In 2003, a Town Center Study and Master Plan was prepared and the study recommended various strategies to revitalize properties along Route 17 in the Tuxedo hamlet, which represents the Town's civic, commercial and social center. . Nonresidential Uses. The Town's nonresidential tax base, particularly research and office space, is dwindling. Vacant nonresidential buildings are located along Long Meadow Road and Route 17 A - these include the former facilities for International Paper and Xicom. Various proposals for reuse of these properties have been circulated, but none have advanced beyond initial discussions. . Commercial Uses. Commercial activity in the Southfields and Tuxedo hamlets has been mostly stagnant. Along Route 17, Duck Cedar Inn and the Red Apple Restaurant had been vacant for some time, although Duck Cedar Inn was approved recently to convert its space to retail and manufacturing use and is partially occupied. In addition, a new retail and commercial building is under construction at the corner of Long Meadow Road and Sterling Mine Road in Eagle Valley. D. 2003 TOWN CENTER STUDY AND MASTER PLAN In 2001, the Tuxedo Town Board initiated an extensive public planning and design process for the Tuxedo hamlet which is the Town's existing civic, commercial and social center. The concept of the Tuxedo hamlet constituting the "Town Center" evolved during review of the Tuxedo Reserve planned integrated development ("PID") application. As that development application advanced, the Town wanted to ensure that any nonresidential uses introduced to Tuxedo Reserve would not impact the hamlet's viability. A Town Center Plan was prepared by Burgis Associates (Appendix A) focusing on properties with frontage on Route 17 in the hamlet. The final draft of the Town Center Plan suggested several development scenarios. The most aggressive design option proposed redevelopment of several commercial parcels that would result in the introduction of 250 residential apartments and approximately 43,000 square feet of new retail space. A marketing report prepared by the Williams Group concluded that Tuxedo could support an additional 62,000-72,000 square feet of retail space once the "three major residential developments are built". The Palisades Interstate Park Commission ("PIPC") purchased Sterling Forge, one of the three major developments noted in the study. Therefore, some market support for additional retail development was eliminated. The modified special use permit for Tuxedo Reserve, approved in 2010, increased the amount of retail space that would be permitted in the Commons area of that development - project amenities and commercial uses are allowed on the Southern Tract in an amount not to exceed 100,000 square feet commercial space. Market support for this amount of nonresidential development was demonstrated in a market study prepared by the Gibbs Planning Group. 5 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update E. 2004 TOWN OF TUXEDO COMMUNITY SURVEY The Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce sponsored a community survey in 2004 (Appendix B). The purpose of the survey was to: . capture resident attitudes about town businesses, government, municipal servIces, schools, recreation and development; . provide feedback for the business community and elected officials; and . use the findings to improve business opportunities, community services, resources and relations. According to the summary, 1,900 survey questionnaires were distributed and 356 households responded (19% response rate). Most respondents resided in the Eagle Valley neighborhood, followed by Tuxedo Park, Laurel Ridge/Clinton Woods and the Hamlet/East Village. Based on a review of the responses, the Chamber of Commerce concluded: . The level of satisfaction with the Town is fairly high across all response categories. Some of this may be attributed to "home town bias", i.e., whatever the shortcomings, it is still our town. . Residents, once they move to Tuxedo, tend to stay. Nearly half of all respondents have resided in the town 10 years or longer. . Tuxedo's open spaces and small-town size are major attractions and the reason most people come and remain. . Town demography, based on the survey, is skewed toward small families and "empty nest/third age" households. This is reflected in several response areas with regard to school and municipal taxes, recreation and community activities. . Correspondingly, the survey highlights the challenges the town faces in serving the needs of its youth. Organized athletic and other activities are limited. The paucity of youth oriented summer recreation and the absence of swimming facilities was frequently cited by those who provided comments. . Despite its small size, Tuxedo is still a fragmented community not only in terms of geography and regional separation, but also in terms of perception. Respondents' views of the town depend to a high degree upon the section of town in which they reside. . Businesses in Tuxedo are incidental rather than central to the community dynamic. While past development in the northern section of town envisioned integration of commercial and residential areas, the historic record and recent withdrawal of commercial interests have rendered the vision unfulfilled. . The challenges facing the business community will likely persist until the town population grows to a size sufficient to support small local businesses. In the meantime, the business community can be a positive force for community awareness, integration and an advocate for targeted planned development. 6 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update The Community Survey results served as input into the identification of issues and opportunities. II. ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES As a result of the various analyses conducted as part of the comprehensive plan process, the following issues and opportunities confronting the Town of Tuxedo have been identified: . Geographically, the Town consists of a series of attractive but isolated residential neighborhoods separated physically by intervening parkland. This fact presents a challenge to creating a cohesive community. . Children from Tuxedo's neighborhoods attend two different school districts, compounding this sense of separation. . Tuxedo's population reflects the Town's primarily low-density, single-family detached housing character. While this is the Town's preferred housing pattern, additional opportunities should be provided to meet the needs of young adults, empty nesters, and volunteers serving the needs of the community who earn a modest income in comparison to the Town's average household income. . Tuxedo businesses are not supported presently by a sufficient number of households to thrive. . The Southfields hamlet contains underutilized or inappropriately utilized properties that may in turn be diminishing property values of adjoining properties. The Town desires to revitalize the hamlet. . The Town's potential property tax ratable base is limited due to acquisition of much of the Town's land area for parkland. While the acquisition achieves the Town's objective to protect sensitive environmental resources in the community, opportunities must be explored to enhance the Town's nonresidential tax base and sustain/create local opportunities for employment. . The County Route 84 corridor, Long Meadow Road, was intended to be a major light industrial! office park area. Except for the former International Paper complex, properties along this corridor have been acquired for parkland. The remaining large vacant landholdings that could be developed for nonresidential uses are limited to properties along the Route 17 A corridor and part of the Arden Farms property. The T own seeks to establish locations to allow alternative, low-impact nonresidential development that would be consistent with the Town's environs and would enhance the town's nonresidential tax base. 7 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update . The Arden area is a historic neighborhood in the community consisting of several large properties. The existing PID regulations could be applied to these large properties which would be inconsistent with the vision expressed in this Plan Update. The Town proposes to eliminate the PID special use permit from the Town's zoning law and allow conservation-oriented residential development in Arden. . The Route 17 corridor is heavily traveled, affecting the quality of life for residents of the Tuxedo and Southfields hamlets. The Town continues to support construction of Interchange 15B to reduce the traffic load within these hamlets. This would, in turn, allow for the creation of pedestrian friendly hamlets that could be redeveloped with housing, introducing new residents who would shop, dine, and recreate in the revitalized hamlets. . The Town seeks to improve and strengthen relationships with regional, state, county and local agencies in order to implement a recreational program that serves not only the larger region but also serves local community recreation needs. . The Tuxedo Union Free School District ("TUFSD") is a small "local school district" that serves primarily residents in the southern portion of the Town. The TUFSD faces the potential loss of Greenwood Lake school district students. The Town supports efforts to ensure the long-term viability of the school district. . A number of abandoned historic properties are falling into disrepair. These properties, which help form the Town's sense of place, need to be secured and protected. (Photo: Abandoned ice house at Arden Farms.) . The Ramapo River is a major underutilized environmental resource in the community. The river corridor is highly fragmented due to the existence of utility and highway corridors through the Ramapo River valley. The Town seeks to improve accessibility to the river. . The Town's natural resources should be further protected through implementation of town design standards that would limit disturbances to the Town's geology, surface water, and significant ecological habitat. 8 2011 Town of Tuxedo ComDrehensive Plan Update Ill. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The goals and objectives of this Plan Update are intended to address issues presently confronting Tuxedo. The goals and objectives of the 1972 Plan have been evaluated and updated to reflect present conditions in the Town. "Goals" are value statements that describe the aspirations of the community, and "objectives" are methods by which to achieve the goals. This list of goals and objectives was formulated through review of the conclusions of the 2004 Townwide Community Survey and the findings made by the Tuxedo Town Board in preparing this Plan Update. As stated in the 1972 Plan: "In order to maintain Tuxedo's unique physical setting, the most important goals are to protect and maintain the ecological environment and continue the present Town character." Community-Wide Goals To maintain the rustic woodland setting of the Town. To preserve the natural beauty and ecology of the Town. To provide a framework of orderly planning and development for the future. To provide a balanced land use policy permitting a variety of housing, commerce and employment opportunities. To provide and maintain a program of meaningful community and neighborhood citizen participation in directing the Town's future growth. Land Use: Provide a reasonable balance of residential uses and nonresidential uses that will serve the Town's existing and future population and will maintain Tuxedo's tax base. Maintain the Town's attractive woodland setting by ensuring that future development is designed in a manner that protects the character of the existing landscape. Introduce opportunities for a diversified mix of business and housing within the Town's hamlets. Protect the single.family character of the Town's major residential neighborhoods, including the Bramertown, Eagle Valley, Clinton Woods-Laurel Ridge communities. Economic Development: Encourage nonresidential uses along Route 17 and Route 17 At and promote reuse of the existing nonresidential facilities. Seek the redevelopment of the large vacant and underutilized light industrial and office buildings for nonresidential uses that maintain the Town's tax base and provide employment opportunities. Encourage "tourist-related" uses that would benefit from proximity to state parkland. Explore various financing and business incentives that can be packaged to prospective tenants of existing large-scale nonresidential facilities to promote reuse of the facilities. 9 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Seek appropriate mixed use development of the Faire Partners properties on Route 17 A, situated strategically in the middle of Sterling Forest State Park. Consider potential low-intensity second home residential and resort-, agricultural- and equestrian-oriented uses for the portion of the Arden Farms property in close proximity to Route 17. Encourage small business development within the Town's existing hamlets along the Route 17 corridor. Natural Resources: Protect the T ownt s natural resources. Continue to acknowledge the significant natural resources of the Town of Tuxedo and allow future development that is compatible with these natural resources. Protect the water quality of the Towns waterways and streams, especially the Ramapo River which is a major underutilized yet stressed natural resource. Explore the acquisition of property to create a linear trail along the Ramapo River corridor. Protect the Town's wetland resources through Town Board adoption of a local freshwater wetlands law. Provide educational and community outreach regarding the Town's status as a National Audubon Society "Important Birding Area" and NYSDEC "Bird Conservation Area" . Maintain all forms of nonresidential development under the highest standards of pollution control in order to maintain the Town's environment. Infrastructure: Expand utilities to encourage redevelopment of the Townts existing hamlets and introduce infrastructure where necessary to protect the environment. Ensure the proper upgrade of existing facilities, especially the existing hamlet sewage treatment plant. Protect the water quality of the Indian Kill Reservoir and Ramapo River, major sources of potable water. Assess the feasibility of providing central water and/ or sewer facilities to the Southfields hamlet. Community Facilities and Services: Ensure that the Town's community facilities and services are expanded to meet the needs of an expanding residential population base. Town unter Assert the Tuxedo hamlet's role as the civic and cultural Town Center of the community. Create an "anchor" for the Tuxedo hamlet that will draw residents and other patrons into the hamlet who will then utilize the businesses and resources located there. Schools Support the long-term viability of the Tuxedo Union Free School District. 10 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comvrehensive Plan Update Continue to explore consolidation of the Town's multiple school districts into one T ownwide school district. In coordination with the Tuxedo Union Free School District, explore the acquisition of property to create a centralized core campus for the district that could be situated elsewhere than on Route 17. Library Continue to work cooperatively with the Tuxedo Park Library to expand its resources as the Town's population expands. Recreation Prepare an addendum to the 2004 Recreation Plan that describes revised capital improvement plans and costs associated with same. Construct a Town pooL Create a recreation center. Develop pedestrian and bicycle paths throughout the unincorporated areas of the Town to link its neighborhoods. Develop and expand a continuous system of hiking, pedestrian and cycling paths throughout the unincorporated area of the Town of Tuxedo that link to the regional trail system. Encourage the use, development and maintenance of recreational facilities under various jurisdictions and for multiple purposes. Continue to expand the Town's recreation programs to meet the needs of all segments of the Town's population. Explore recreational linkages between Town and PI PC facilities. Historic Resources and Community Appearance: Preserve, improve and enhance areas of scenic, recreational and/or historic value or potential within the Town. Prepare a comprehensive inventory, and map the historic structures within the Town. Coordinate these efforts with the Tuxedo Historical Society. Inventory and recommend various properties for designation on the National Register of Historic Places. Review developments in a manner that considers the potential impact on significant historic viewsheds in the community. Should Arden Farms be developed in the future, ensure that any future re-use of the property protects the historic and scenic attributes of the property. As part of the review of major subdivisions, require preparation of design guidelines so that the subdivider has input into the future home designs in a subdivision and homeowners will have advance notice of the design standards that would apply to them. Amend, as necessary, the standards guiding the ARB based on a review of the ARB's experience with the 5+ year old regulations and specific project reviews. Said review and amendment will be conducted by the Town Board. 11 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Transportation: Promote a safet efficientt multimodal transportation system. Continue to encourage the creation of a new "1/2" Interchange 15B which would reduce traffic along the Route 17 corridor. The interchange would consist of a southbound "on" ramp, and a northbound "off" ramp, connecting the NYS Thruway with NYS Routes 17 and 17 A. Maintain and improve the street and circulation system in the Town and provide access to all portions of the unincorporated area. Encourage a balanced transportation system including full use of rail and bus service. As Tuxedo Reserve is developed, examine the feasibility of expanding jitney service to other portions of the community including visitor destinations. 12 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update IV. THE LANDSCAPE It is evident from the numerous publications and studies, and the focused acquisition of land for public open space, that the Town of Tuxedo is part of a nationally significant physiographic and ecological landscape. Focused efforts to acquire private lands have resulted in the creation of Sterling Forest State Park. Governmental organizations continue to acquire land to add to the Highlands open space system. Land use decisionmaking in the Town needs to continue to remain informed of the Town's unique geographic position in the Highland region and the implications that development can have on this region. Governmental organizations need to be kept informed of the potential effects their decisions have on the Town's ability to meet its own community service needs. Recommendations associated with the Town's natural resources are described at the end of this section. A. Tuxedots Physiography The pattern of land use development in the Town of Tuxedo has been established in part as a result of the underlying geologic and surficial soil structure of the community. Geomorphic, or physiographic, regions are broad-scale areas defined by comparable terrain texture, rock type, and geologic structure and history. The Town of Tuxedo is situated in the Ramapo Mountains and Hudson Highlands, a part of the New England Upland physiographic province. (Photo; Bedrock in Tuxedo, viewed from Arden.) As described in the publication Significant Habitats and Habitat Complexes of the New York Bight Watershed published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1997), the New England province is a northward extension of the larger Appalachian Mountains or Highlands region. The province sends out two prongs southeastward from New England that serve to connect it with the Appalachian provinces, one of which is the Reading Prong, extending beyond the Hudson and Delaware Rivers to Reading, Pennsylvania. This region, of which Tuxedo is a part, is one of complex mountains consisting primarily of metamorphic (schist, gneiss, slate, and marble) and igneous (largely granite) rocks of ancient age (Precambrian to Triassic) that have been compressed, uplifted, and deeply denuded, first by fluvial agents and later by glaciers. The New England province differs from the southern 13 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Appalachian region primarily in that the New England province was glaciated. Glaciation, the rugged topography, preponderance of crystalline rocks, and scarcity of calcareous rocks, has resulted in thinner, patchier, and generally acidic tills, which are stony and boulder strewn. The "Reading Prong" is identified locally as the Hudson Highlands or "Highlands". The mountains and valleys that make up the Highlands are part of a relatively long, linear, and narrow regional geological feature that averages 10 to 20 miles in width, with a maximum width of 25 miles. It extends in a southwest-northeast trending direction for nearly 140 miles, from southeastern Pennsylvania near Reading, to southwestern Connecticut in the vicinity of Danbury, where it joins the Taconic Mountains and Housatonic Highlands of the New England Uplands plateau. The Hudson River cuts a deep gorge through the Highlands in New York. According to the study: "The New York - New Jersey Highlands section is very complex geologically and is composed predominantly of erosion-resistant, contorted, and strongly metamorphosed crystalline rocks (gneisses and schist) and marble, mostly overlain with glacial till, with many areas of softer limestones and shales, especially in the valleys. This large group of rocks, the oldest in the Bight watershed that makes up the Highlands is called the Highlands Complex. The northern section of the Highlands was glaciated during the last glacial period, resulting in very different landscape features and physiography north and south of the terminal moraine (along which Interstate 80 traversing east-west through northern New Jersey is roughly aligned). Areas to the north of the moraine are more rugged in topography, with massive, discontinuous rock ridges, steep, narrow valleys, frequent rock outcropPings, and elevations averaging about 300 meters (ca. 1,000 feet) up to 460 meters (1,500 feet) above sea level. The northern section also contains many large, glacially-formed lakes and wetlands and is generally heavily forested; all of these features are of great ecological significance... Soils in the Highlands, especially in the northern, glaciated sections, are generally very shallow, rocky, and strongly acidic. One especially noteworthy feature of the Highlands is the fact that it is an important drainage divide and headwater source for several major river systems in the watershed...." In terms of surficial soils, much of the Town is overlain by the "Hollis-Rock outcrop" 1 general soil group. The soils are described as being dominantly sloping and moderately steep, somewhat excessively drained and well drained, medium textured soils that are shallow over schist, granite and gneiss, and rock outcrop on mountainous uplands. Tuxedo Park, the Bramertown neighborhood, Clinton Woods and Laurel Ridge, Arden, Tuxedo hamlet, Tuxedo 1 Orange County Soil Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 14 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Reserve and the unincorporated area of the Town east of the New York State Thruway are mapped within this general soil group (Photo: Winter waterfall . Sons of Italy.) Clinton Woods, Laurel Ridge and the former Emcon building (now University Center) are located within areas underlain by Hollis soils. According to the Soil Survey, these soils are poorly suited to most "urban" uses because of the shallowness over bedrock and associated dryness. Deep excavation is very difficult as a result of the hardness of the underlying rock although a few areas provide sites for structures without basements; careful selection is needed. The RenFaire properties, an area of potential future development along Route 17 A, are characterized by these same soils. Soils underlying the Arden area of Tuxedo, also located within this same general soil mapping unit, consist of a combination of moderately suitable to unsuitable soils for development. Pockets of Hoosic gravelly sandy loam and Charlton fine sandy loam soils that are suitable for urban uses and development are in meadow and have been cultivated in the past, probably for pasture. The Arden area also contains areas of Hollis soils which pose some constraint to development as mentioned previously. Lastly, the Charlton-Paxton complex (extremely stony, sloping to moderately steep) and Rock outcrop-Hollis complex (sloping to moderately steep slopes) dominate most of Arden, posing severe limitations to building development. For comparison, Rock outcrop-Hollis complex soils are also found in the Village of Tuxedo Park which is low density residential and undeveloped in character. These soils are also prominent on the Fox Hill and N orthern Tracts of Tuxedo Reserve, which are to remain primarily as open space as per the special use permit approval for Tuxedo Reserve. At the southern end of Tuxedo, from Tuxedo Lake to the Rockland County border, the Arnot- Swartswood-Hollis soil complex is prevalent. These dominantly sloping, somewhat excessively drained and well drained, medium textured soils are shallow and deep over gneiss and schist located on uplands. This general soil group is found in Eagle Valley as well as lands now part of Sterling Forest State Park. According to the Soil Survey, Swartwood soils, because of moderately slow permeability in the fragipan, slope, temporary wetness in spring, and stones, provide limited potential for urban uses. Careful installation of drains around foundations of dwellings minimizes the hazard of lateral seepage across the top of the pan early in spring. Other areas are very stony, a limiting factor. Geology and soil types have influenced building development patterns in the community. Tuxedo's development pattern is discussed in the land use section of this Plan Update. B. Ecology Numerous detailed studies and environmental analyses have been published analyzing the potential impacts associated with the abandoned Sterling Forest Planned Integrated Development (PID) community and the Tuxedo Reserve PID that was approved in 2004 and re-approved in 2010. This Comprehensive Plan Update focuses on the broad ecological communities that dominate the Town of Tuxedo. Figure 3 illustrates certain environmental features in Tuxedo. 15 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update 1. Federal Studies The study, Significant Habitats and Habitat Complexes of the New York Bight Watershed (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1997) provides an excellent synopsis of the ecological characteristics of the Highlands region for general planning purposes. According to the study: "...the core habitat of the Highlands region contains continuous and relatively unfragmented forests, higher elevation ridges, and networks of relatively undisturbed wetlands in the valleys. The Highlands forest is dominated by upland hardwood forest types on the ridges and valley slopes, and forested wetlands in the valleys. The most common upland forest type is the dry-mesic (dry to moderately moist), mixed-oak forest dominated by red (Quercus rubra), black (Q. velutina), and white (Q. alba) oaks with lesser numbers of white ash (Fraxinus americana), red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), scarlet oak (Q. coccinea), hickory (Carya spp.), American beech (Fagus gmndifolia), and tulip tree (Uriodendron tulipifera). Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) and maple-leaved viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) are dominant understory trees and shrubs, with hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana), and sassafras (Sassafras albidum) also present. Another common forest type, occurring primarily in ravines or cool north-facing slopes, is the mesic (moderately moist), hemlock-hardwood forest dominated by eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) with red maple, sugar maple, yellow birch (Betula lutea), sweet birch (B. lenta), American basswood (Tilia americana), American beech, white ash, and tulip tree. The understory shrub and herbaceous layer is generally sparse under the hemlocks, with the exception of rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) thickets in some places. A recent infestation of the hemlock wooly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) has killed many of the hemlocks in the Highlands and will likely result in a major change in the forest community in these areas. Another, more xeric (dry), forest type found on steep slopes and dry ridge tops is the chestnut oak forest with dominance by chestnut oak and associated species including scarlet, white, black, and scrub (Quercus ilicifolia) oaks, Pitch pine (Pinus rigida), sweet birch, and hickories, with a shrub layer of heaths, including blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), and black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata). On the exposed ridgetops, a Pitch Pine-scrub oak community is found, dominated by Pitch pine with lesser numbers of sweet birch, red maple, gray birch (Betula populifolia), serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), chestnut, scarlet, and white oaks, and a shrub layer of scrub oak in exposed areas, black huckleberry and various other shrubs in protected areas, and grasses in open areas. Unvegetated rock faces and outcrops are found on all the ridges in the Highlands and talus slopes tyPically occur at the bases of steep cliffs. In the valleys there are numerous forested wetlands; commonly, these are red maple swamps dominated by red maple with black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), ashes (Fraxinus spp.) and yellow birch, a shrub layer of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), speckled alder (Alnus rugosa), sPicebush (Undem benzoin), buttonbush (Cephlanthus occidentalis), swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum), and winterberry ([lex verticillata), and groundcovers of skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetida), ferns, and mosses. Other less common forested wetlands found in the Highlands include hardwood-conifer swamps with red maple and eastern hemlock as co- dominants with a rhododendron understory, and floodplain forests along the rivers dominated by a variety of hardwood species..." The ecological significance of this area is directly related to its size and the contiguity of the forested area. Species populations in the Highlands indicative of undisturbed forest and wetland habitats include wood turtle (Clemmys insculpta), timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), red- 16 2011 Town of Tuxedo ComDrehensive Plan Update shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), barred owl (Strix varia), warblers and thrushes, black bear (Ursus americanus), bobcat (Lynx rufus) , and native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The Highlands regional study conducted by the U.S. Forest Service estimated that roughly 50% of the area between the Delaware and Hudson Rivers, or about 500,000 acres, is important habitat based on the presence of species that are endangered, threatened, or of special concern. Birds The Highlands, and Sterling Forest in particular, have gained prominence as an important breeding ground and stop over for neotropical migrant bird species. The study states: "For thousands of years, the ridges of the Highlands have been used as a visual guideline for songbirds and rap tors during spring and fall migrations, with the forests and wetlands providing food and resting places for the migrants. The forests, wetlands, and successional habitats of the Highlands support about 150 species of breeding birds. Many of these species are generally associated with relatively unfragmented, undisturbed forest interior habitats. Examples include wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus), and hooded warbler (Wilsonia citrina) which breed in the mesic forests, black-throated green warbler (Dendroica virens) and black-throated blue warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) which prefer the hemlock forests, Louisiana waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla) which breeds in riparian areas, and barred owl (Strix varia) and red- shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) which prefer the large wooded swamps. The New York State Breeding Bird Atlas indicates a thriving population of cerulean warbler in the deciduous forests of the Highlands, one of the few concentrations of this species in the state. Golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera), another rare breeder in the region, is locally common in the successional forests of the Highlands. The Highlands support 24 of the 29 middle and long- distance migrant birds whose numbers have declined significantly in the Northeast, as indicated by analysis of the breeding bird survey, and 26 of the 35 long-distance migrants ranked in a recent Partners in Flight study as of highest concern in the Northeast. These migrants include both successional and forest-nesting species." (Photo of Golden-Winged Warbler; Courtesy of Gerry Dewaghe, Seattle Audubon Society website.) According to the study, there are 19 raptor species that utilize the Highlands seasonally or year- round, 10 of which breed in the Highlands region, including the regionally rare Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii), northern goshawk, sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus), red-shouldered hawk, northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), short-eared owl (Asio [lammeus), long-eared owl (Asio otus), barred owl, common barn-owl (Tyto alba), and, northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus). Reptiles and Amphibians At least 45 species (a high diversity) of amphibian and reptile species, including several rare species, have populations in the Highlands. Among them is the timber rattlesnake, a regionally rare and vulnerable species listed as endangered in New Jersey and threatened in New York (Photo of timber 17 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update rattlesnake. Source: Kissling). Its populations in the Highlands are an important stronghold for this species in the region, and include at least 30 known den sites in New York. These den sites tend to be in or near wooded rocky ledges with southern exposures. According to the study, important concentration areas occur in Sterling Forest and adjacent ridges. Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) cohabit many of the den and basking sites of the timber rattlesnake. The wood turtle is found in or near riparian habitat throughout the Highlands, especially near deep, low gradient streams in the spring and winter and, generally, in more terrestrial habitats in the summer. Amphibians in the Highlands include regionally rare salamanders such as the blue-spotted (Ambystoma laterale) and four-toed (Hemidactylium scutatum) salamanders, as well as eastern spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus holbrookii) and several populations in Harriman State Park of northern cricket frog (Acris c. crepitans), which constitute some of the northernmost known occurrences of this species. Mammals According to the study, over 40 species of mammals, including several large and free-roaming mammal species, occur in the Highlands. Bears are generally found in the forested regions, specifically in the swamps and lowland forests. Dens occur in both wetlands and upland areas and almost all bear locations are within 650 feet of wetlands. Den site locations are generally greater than 1,600 feet from roads and occupied dwellings. Male bears have average home ranges of 70 square miles. Abandoned iron mines provide winter hibernacula for several species of bats, including the federally listed endangered Indiana bat, the species of concern small-footed bat, northern long-eared myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), little brown bat (M. l. lucifugus), eastern pipistrelle (PiPistrellus subfiavus), and big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). The federally listed endangered Indiana bat is known to occur at three abandoned mines in the Highlands. Sterlin2 Forest Sterling Forest and most of the Tuxedo's environs are specifically characterized in the Highlands regional study as a contiguous area of forest and wetlands. The forests are primarily mixed oak forest, with hemlock-hardwood forest in the low-lying areas. Sterling Forest habitat is a key area for those species such as barred owl and red-shouldered hawk that rely on large unfragmented forest and wetland areas. The complex of ridges and valleys in and adjacent to Sterling Forest is one of the more important areas, with 10 known den sites, for timber rattlesnake in the Highlands and in the region. Several of the abandoned mines in this area are known to be hibernacula for bats, including small-footed bat. Numerous species of forest interior-nesting neotropical migrants nest here, including the regionally rare golden-winged warbler. Rare wetland communities occur at Little Cedar Pond within Sterling Forest. 2. Sterling Forest Bird Conservation Area To further emphasize the importance of Tuxedo and its environs as important ecological habitat for neotropical migrants, New York State designated Sterling Forest as a Bird Conservation Area (BCA) in October 2001. The BCA encompasses portions of the Towns of Tuxedo, Warwick and 18 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Monroe and consists of approximately 16,833 acres. A map is available for review at the following link: http://www.dec.ny.gov/ animals/31936.html. As described at the NYSDEC website, the Sterling Forest BCA is part of Sterling Forest State Park (SFSP). SFSP is within a natural area of state and national importance due to its watershed, wildlife habitat, cultural resources, open space and outdoor recreation significance. A comprehensive inventory conducted by the New York Natural Heritage Program indicates that most of the Park is covered by either ecological communities that have statewide significance or of such quality that they should be protected as significant examples within New York State. The Park has considerable biodiversity including a diversity of bird species. The Vision Statement for the BCA is as follows: "Recreational opportunities and access will continue in a manner consistent with conservation of the diverse assemblage of bird species using the area for breeding or during migration. This area will also serve as an important resource for research into the conservation of bird diversity and for environmental interpretation and education." Criteria that were met for designation of SFSP as a BCA include: migratory concentration site; diverse species concentration site; individual species concentration site; species at risk site; and a bird research site (ECL 911-2001, 3.e-h). Birds identified within the park include Peregrine Falcon (endangered), Pied-billed Grebe (threatened), Least Bittern (threatened), American Bittern (special concern), Osprey (special concern), Sharp-shinned Hawk (special concern), Cooper's Hawk (special concern) Northern Goshawk (special concern), Red-shouldered Hawk (special concern), Common Nighthawk (special concern), Whitypoor-will (special concern), Red-headed Woodpecker (special concern), Horned Lark (special concern), Golden-winged Warbler (special concern), Cerulean Warbler (special concern), and Yellow-breasted Chat (special concern). Numerous other species contribute to the diversity of birds within the BCA including Broad-winged Hawk, Acadian Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Worm-eating Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Pine Warbler, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Hooded Warbler, Canada Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Rose- breasted Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, and Purple Finch. Critical habitat types in the BCA include forest, wetland complexes (such as the Cedar Pond area), lakes, and patches of early successional habitat. Significant ecological community types include Appalachian oak-hickory forest, hemlock-northern hardwood forest, inland Atlantic white cedar swamp, dwarf shrub bog and successional old field habitat. The Management Plan Summary for the BCA identifies the following management priorities - refer to Table 2 below. The Plan Update recommends that signs be installed throughout the Town that identifies Sterling Forest as a BCA. 19 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Table 2 Management Guidance Summary - Sterling Forest State Park BCA . Management of the BCA, which has also been designated as a Park Preservation Area, will safeguard and enhance populations of wild birds and the habitats that the birds depend upon for breeding, migration, shelter, and sustenance. . Early successional habitat is important to the Golden-winged Warbler (species of special concern). Provisions will be made for maintaining early succession habitat in the Indian Hill and Laurel Pond areas. OPRHP will consult closely with scientists on the maintenance of early successional habitat within the BCA. . OPRHP will consider specific management steps for species such as the Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers when warranted by findings from scientific research. Such actions however must be considered not only with respect to the specific species studied but also to impacts on other species of plants and wildlife in the park as well as on recreation opportunities. There is also a need to evaluate habitat availability on a region wide basis. . OPRHP remains flexible with respect to the need for specific steps to protect biodiversity such as the control of invasive species. . Maintenance by utilities of the Rights-of-Way (ROW) within the park results in early successional habitat. OPRHP will consult and coordinate with utility managers so as to assure that routine operation and maintenance activities of ROW managers and OPRHP staff do not adversely impact bird nesting. . OPRHP maintains a comprehensive trail system throughout the Park. Portions of this trail system pass through important habitat areas. Removal or significant disturbance of vegetation in such areas during the nesting season could disturb breeding birds. OPRHP will take steps to assure that the extent of mowing through such areas is the minimum necessary. Mowing to create more extensive trail widths through these important habitat areas will be deferred until after July 15. The final plan calls for a Comprehensive Trail Plan for the Park. Any new trails or trail segments will be located and designed so as to minimize impacts on birds and their habitats. Trailhead access, visibility and parking will be improved for safety and accessibility, where necessary. . The visitor center will be a primary facility for interpretation of natural resources. Key locations will be identified throughout the park that provide a variety of viewing opportunities. The sites will be located where they can easily be controlled and managed. Blinds and viewing platforms will be developed as appropriate. . Interpretative materials about the diverse bird species, including bird checklists, will be developed. OPRHP will partner with Audubon and local bird clubs on interpretive programs and inventories. . Inventory of bird species is important to establishing a baseline. Periodic inventory will serve as a comparison with this baseline. Monitoring will have a focus on federally and/or state-listed species. The site is one of the few locations where Golden-winged Warblers and Blue-winged Warblers occur together in an apparently stable ratio. Research on how the two species are co-existing here could be critical to understanding, and perhaps preventing, the loss of Golden-winged Warblers in the State. Conduct additional inventories of Cerulean Warblers. Continuation of warbler research will be encouraged. . Studies on nesting raptors, including Red-shouldered Hawks and Cooper's Hawks will be encouraged and continued. Other target areas for bird conservation research include estimates on biodiversity of bird species; habitat changes relative to bird species nesting preferences; and identification of goals for bird conservation. Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 20 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update 3. National Audubon Society The National Audubon Society has designated Sterling Forest and Harriman State Parks as an Important Birding Area (IBA). The IBA supports a community of forest breeders, including the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Yellow- throated Vireo, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, Blackthroated Blue Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Hooded Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Purple Finch. Additional at-risk species supported at this site include the Osprey (possible breeder), Bald Eagle (winters, eight individuals in 2003 and three in 2002), American Woodcock (probable breeder), Whip-poor-will (breeder), Olive-sided Flycatcher (possible breeder), Blue-winged Warbler (confirmed breeder), Golden-winged Warbler (confirmed breeder), and Prairie Warbler (confirmed breeder). Conservation issues for the IBA are documented at the following link and described here: http://iba.audubon.org/iba/profileReport.do? s iteId =85 3&navSite=search&pagerOffset=0&oage= 1 The Audubon Society recommends regular inventorying and monitoring, particularly of at-risk species. The IBA site is one of the few where Blue-winged warblers and Golden-winged warblers occur together in an apparently stable ratio. In other areas of their range, Golden-winged warblers are undergoing rapid declines with replacement by Blue-winged warblers. According to the Audubon Society, in most areas where these two species occur, the habitat becomes a sink for Golden-winged warblers. Research into how the two species are coexisting at Sterling Forest is ongoing and could be critical to preventing the loss of Goldenwinged warblers as a breeding species in the state and the region. Over-browsing by deer and invasion by non-native vegetation has significantly altered the forest in much of this area. Other opportunities exist to revegetate areas in a manner that support neotropical migrants, including the Golden-winged warbler. For example, a recent proposal to re-use the Duck Cedar Inn site will result in the elimination of impervious pavement, and native meadow vegetation will be incorporated into the landscape. A seed mix has been selected that supports native species. c. Watersheds 1. Ramapo River Aquifer Basin Designation The Ramapo River Aquifer Basin is a federally designated sole source aquifer located within EPA Region 2 established under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDW A). In 1990, the Township of Mahwah and the Passaic River Coalition petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EP A) Administrator to declare the Rarnapo River Basin Aquifer Systems, consisting of the complex of aquifers within the Rarnapo River Basin, as defined in the petition, a Sole Source 21 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Aquifer (SSA) under the provisions of the SDW A. In New York, the aquifers include the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) designated Ramapo Mahwah Primary Aquifer as illustrated in the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 874274 Potential Yields in Unconsolidated Aquifers in Upstate New York Lower Hudson Sheet, Scale 1:250,000. The aquifer is delineated in detail on the U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 82114, Geohydrolo2V of the Valley Fill Aquifer in the Ramapo and Mahwah Rivers Area Rockland County. New York, Scale 1:24,000. The SSA includes the aquifer recharge areas defined as the entire Ramapo River Basin, which encompasses all streamflow source areas including the Ramapo River headwaters near Monroe, New York. Almost all ground and surface water within the basin originates as precipitation. The Ramapo River drains an area of 161 square miles of which 112.4 square miles are in New York State (Vermeil, 1894). The drainage basin includes the Town of Tuxedo and parts of Orange and Rockland Counties in New York and parts of Passaic and Bergen Counties in New Jersey. The total channel length of the Ramapo is thirty-four miles (Vermeil, 1894). Recharge in this area by naturally occurring seepage from the Ramapo River during flood stages is considered to be a major source of recharge to the valley-fill aquifer. Also important is the recharge induced from the river by the withdrawal of water from wells tapping the aquifer. (Photo: Ramapo River north of Tuxedo hamlet). For the sand and gravel valley-fill deposits to supply high sustained well yields, the deposits must be hydraulically connected with the river in order to receive seepage from the river. In a study published in 1974 by authors Vecchioli and Miller, the existence of the hydraulic connection between the Ramapo River and the valley-fill aquifer was documented. Because the US EP A has determined that contaminants introduced in any of these areas have the potential to adversely affect the Ramapo River Basin Aquifer Systems, the designated Sole Source Aquifer includes the aquifer recharge areas and streamflow source areas encompassed by the Ramapo River Basin boundaries. The Ramapo River Basin Aquifer Systems are vulnerable to contamination from many sources. The Ramapo River Basin Aquifer Systems are unconfined, or water-table aquifers, which makes them vulnerable to contamination. In addition, much of the soil overlying the valley-fill aquifer in the Ramapo and Mahwah river valleys is highly permeable. The aquifer is naturally recharged by 22 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update the river and recharge is also induced by pumpage. As such, the potential exists for incidents of surface water contamination to affect public supply wells tapping the Ramapo River Basin Aquifer Systems. Development activities and infrastructure improvements within the Town of Tuxedo need to consider the environmental impacts to the sole source aquifer. 2. Watershed Management Plan, Orange County Section of the Ramapo River The Orange County section of the Ramapo River closely parallels two major highways, the New York State Thruway (1-87) and New York State Route 17, a railroad right-of-way and utility rights- of-way. These infrastructure corridors limit access to the Ramapo River and contribute pollutants to the river from stormwater runoff. Maintenance of the rights-of-way, requiring removal and control of vegetation, limits the possibility of establishing riparian buffer zones and stream cover to maintain temperatures. Recommendations applicable to the Town of Tuxedo that are provided in the management plan and are aimed at mitigating adverse impacts from non-point source pollution include the following (not listed by priority): a. Town of Tuxedo: Recreation area. Install curb line and drain water into adjacent vegetation. Stabilize the river bank for access. b. Consider complying with the Orange County Sewer District #1 Final EIS Biota Report. Recommendations include: . Excavating the pond upstream of outfall # 1; . Creating deeper pools; . Installing riffle bars; . Providing stream bank vegetation; . Creating wetland detention at the plant; . Municipal erosion control and pollution prevention planning in vicinity of the Ramapo; . DOT and Thruway management of run-off, monitoring of Nepera ( this may already be taking place); . Railroad management of its rights-of-way; and . Regional stream restoration activities should be developed to dredge areas where sediment has built up, improve stream geomorphology to stabilize banks, revegetate for cover to reduce temperature and restore riparian buffer capacity. See summary of Stream Visual Assessment Protocol Surveys, Appendix D1 c. Regional considerations should be given to developing ordinances to assist in the enforcement of erosion/sediment control and stormwater management practices. Appendix A, Reducing The Impacts of Stormwater runoff from New Development, NY State DEC, Division of Water, Bureau of Water Quality Management, 2nd edition, April 1993. d. Maintenance of existing stormwater management practices should be enforced to cut down on the sedimentation build-up in of lakes, ponds, wetlands and waterways. Retrofits may be needed in areas where stormwater management practices are not adequate. Specific findings have been provided to municipalities. 23 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update e. Create a regional planning forum to help manage non-point source impacts in the Ramapo River Basin in Orange County. This forum would be coordinated with the Orange County Water Quality Committee and be made up of municipal stakeholders, the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Orange County Water Authority and other stakeholders. Some of the benefits that a forum could provide are: . Develop capacity for review, technical and inspection assistance; . Coordinate capacity for providing education and training on erosion/sediment control and stormwater management practices; . Coordinate submission of funding requests; . Coordinate actual work in the area; . Support a general permit approach to maintaining and restoring streams in the Ramapo River Basin; and . Support a review of the 1985 Flood Mitigation Study performed by the US Army Corps of Engineers New York District for current support and applicability. f. The impacts of new development in available areas needs to be analyzed in light of the adverse impact it can have by increasing impervious area percentage. The Plan Update supports these recommendations. In particular, given the reduced capacity and depths of the Ramapo River in places, stream restoration activities to dredge areas where sediment has built up should be pursued in order to improve flood capacity and quality of aquatic habitat. D. Regional Environmental Planning Studies Numerous environmental studies have been prepared which continue to document the importance of the Highlands region. These have included studies conducted at the federal, state, county and local levels. 1. New York State Open Space Conservation Plan In 2006, New York State updated the state's Open Space Conservation Plan. New York State continues to prioritize acquisition of property within the Town of Tuxedo and its environs for open space purposes. As summarized in the Plan: "The Highlands are a unique physiographic region running through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. The USDA Forest Service has analyzed and documented this area as a high priority for conservation efforts. The New York Highlands are characterized by forested ridges, rocky outcrops, pristine streams and wetlands, special geologic features, and exceptional scenic vistas. They also contain numerous historic sites and State Parks including Sterling Forest, Harriman, Bear Mountain, Storm King Mountain, Huclson Highlands and Clarence Fahnestock. The Highlancls are located in the densely populated New York metropolitan area, and three of the five counties in which they fall are among the fastest growing in the State. They provide and protect water for millions of New York and New Jersey residents. Priority will be given to connections of existing protected lancls on both sides of the Huclson River and to the creation of a corridor comprised of State Parks, DEC Forests and other lands that span the length of the Highlands in New York...Some of the 24 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Uvdate most important and representative areas within the New York Highlands include but are not limited to: Highlands West of Hudson River Ramapo Mountains and Watershed - The Ramapo Mountains are Rockland County's Highlands, and parts of the Ramapos are permanently protected as Harriman State Park. The Ramapo River Watershed is an irreplaceable regional water supply, recreational resource and key ecosystem in the Highlands. The Ramapo VaUey Aquifer-listed as a Federa! Sole Source Aquifer in 1992-supplies a third of Rockland County's public water supply and over 2 miWon people derive aU or part of their water supply from the Ramapo River Basin. The Forest Service has identified this as a Highlands Conservation Foca! Area. Greater Sterling Forest _ In Orange County, nearly 20,000 acres of contiguous open space has been preserved through public/private partnerships. Additiona! targets for protection include inho!dings and buffers such as Arrow Park. Continuation of successful preservation efforts in Sterling Forest is critical to maintain the rich biodiversity and diverse habitats that this ecosystem and vita! watershed provides. " Open space acquisition continues to be a state priority even after the acquisition of the Sterling Forest property. 2. Tuxedo and the Greensward Concept The Regional Plan Association, a not-for-profit planning organization, published its third regional plan for the New York metropolitan region entitled "A Region at Risk," in 1996. A major defining element of the plan was the proposed creation of a three-million acre Greensward network of protected natural resources. The Greensward concept encompasses the area identified as the "Appalachian Highlands", i.e., the Highlands region within which Tuxedo is situated. According to the RPA website, "this region- shaping landscape encompasses more than 235,000 acres of public open space hosting more than fourteen miWon recreation visits yearly, clean drinking water for twelve miWon people, and much of the region's biological heritage, including the few remaining unfragmented forests critical to the survival of migratory songbirds. The vast open spaces of the Highlands stH! function as an effective, if undesignated, green belt. But the High!and's ability to provide such shape and form to the region is in jeopardy due to unfettered growth." Within the Town of Tuxedo, Tuxedo and Arden are identified by the Regional Plan Association as a conservation focal area. 3. Orange County Open Space Plan The Orange County Open Space Plan was prepared in 2004. The Plan acknowledges the "globally significant" open space habitat located in the Town of Tuxedo. The recommendations of the plan are general in nature; many of the open space preservation objectives described in the Recommended Actions would apply to the Town of Tuxedo. 25 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update is website: E. Recommendations It is evident that the Town of Tuxedo is part of a nationally important physiographic and ecological landscape. Land use decisionmaking in the Town must continue to remain informed of the Town's unique geographic position in the Highland region and the implications that development can have on this regionally-important natural resource base. The Town supports the following policies: as a Determinant in the Devdo ment 0 Ren-Faire and Arden area ro erties . As part of any land planning and future development of the Ren-Faire property and Arden, an evaluation must be first made of the underlying ecological base; study any impacts to the watershed to which they contribute and mitigate any impacts associated with development. . Establish impervious surface limitations, taking into consideration the watershed to which these properties contribute. . Retrofit new development with appropriate stormwater management infrastructure. . Ensure that any expansion or introduction of centralized wastewater treatment systems is designed to provide appropriate water quality measures since discharges would be introduced to a sole source aquifer. UpQradindMaintenance of Infrastructure . With regard to the NY State Thruway and Route 17, work with state agencies to introduce stormwater management facilities that will improve the Ramapo River's water quality. . Implement and pursue the recommendations of the Orange County Watershed Management Plan. Exptore creation of a Town Environmenwt ManaJ!ement Councit Explore the creation of an Environmental Management Council that would: . Be a central repository for environmental information applicable to the Town. . Provide education and programmatic functions. . Consult with environmental organizations and specialists in the development of environmental improvements and demonstration projects. . Provide regular updates on environmental matters to the Town Board. . Recommend environmental strategies to the Planning Board during site and subdivision plan review. . Research and submit grant applications. 26 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Wetland and Stream Corridors Local Law . Protect wetland and stream corridors through Town Board revisions to the existing local wetland and watercourse law. Ramapo River T raiVPlanning . Explore in detail the ability to create a river trail and/or segments along which access can be achieved. Collaborate with other organizations, especially the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, to achieve this objective. . Create and design fishing access to the waterfall north of the new town park along the Ramapo. Eliminate unsafe entry points from Route 17 that require crossing the existing rail right-of-way. . Explore extension of a trail south into the hamlet, and north of the falls along the east side of the Ramapo River. Educational Outreach . Educate landowners as to how to landscape properties with beneficial native species. . Educate landowners regarding invasive/exotic species which should be avoided. . Use the Town website as a vehicle for distributing environmental information. Use of Best Manae:ement Practices . As part of zoning and subdivision review processes, require best management practices for stormwater management and soil erosion! sediment control. Demonstration Proiects . Work with local property owners to create demonstration projects such as landscaping the former Tuxedo landfill area as a habitat for Golden-winged warblers. . Encourage communitywide participation in any demonstration project, by involving the school district, local scout groups and other community organizations. 27 ,'Ilw ", i" " ke "Il..., 'r/ " O,.tl i"" :1 , "', PO " if?O.23 / '. I ,~C/ . ~ PC!",-2,~ ," T -1 I,'" , "" ; " ' ''S V" // c...... ji...... .,,' \;:'e Lon~' ...tt,7(~~:tl nd ~ ".,..;/'La ~.'>i. /)/ .~< Sk~~atah r'i ;, ^ f, ,i' Lake " ) / ~}", Kanawauke : 1" 1; " S ntel,,'" 9J:j' " " " .,' " ~, " " ,--,' ~' ,,' ." , .,' L-2i, ,//' \ {,fI; I' f ~ /,11 SL-24 ,,/' \=.; "", ,Ji~L.2~""/ rJI,/ f1 " .Ii .' ~ ,'! Lake I /.~,!tahahe ;i'~r~~)~~~i..;l/"""~ ,f 1 '//!' , ' /~"- .~ SL-14 t ,; I: Legend - Notes: SL-1 =NY . .s. Weijand LO. Watarbodie. _ Fadaral watland. OEC Waijand. _ Fk>odplains Streams Parcals Villaga Boundary ________ Town Boundary ~__ 0.5 - 1 ..... w.' s Figure 3' E . Tuxedo co~vlronmental Resou Source' 0 prehensive PI rces Prepar~d ;:~ge County Water A an l:Ipdate Scale: As J; Tim Miller Associat uthOI rity & NYSGIS own es, nc., 3/06/08 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update V. POPULATION AND HOUSING A. Population Characteristics The characteristics of Tuxedo's existing and anticipated population have been evaluated in order to plan for the future needs of the community, e.g., demand for community facilities and services. As mentioned previously, the Town of Tuxedo is located in the southeastern portion of Orange County, New York. The Town is located proximate to the confluence of four counties - Orange and Rockland counties in New York and Bergen and Passaic counties in New Jersey. Table 1 of the Plan Update presents population estimates for neighboring counties and communities. Results of the 2010 U.S. Census have not been released. Table 4 presents historic and current population estimates for the Town of Tuxedo and the incorporated Village of Tuxedo Park. The Town grew from 2,314 persons in 1940 to an estimated population of 3,683 persons in 2009. During this time period, the most significant population increases occurred between 1960-1970 and 2000-2009. In the 1960s, the Sterling Forest residential communities of Maplebrook, Clinton Woods, and Laurel Ridge were constructed. Growth since 1990 has occurred primarily in the Eagle Valley neighborhood. The 2000 U.S. Census reported a Townwide population of 3,334 persons. As indicated in Table 3, this represents an increase of 311 persons since the 1990 census. The U.S. Census estimates that the Town's population has grown to 3,683 persons, an increase of 21.8 percent. The Village of Tuxedo Park's population has remained stable since its incorporation in 1952, with slight population increases and decreases to date. Most growth since 1990 has occurred in Eagle Valley, with completion of the Woodlands (174 townhomes and 26 single family dwellings), and single family dwellings constructed in Table Rock Estates (35 single family detached dwellings), Hamilton Estates (48 single family detached dwellings), and Sterling Mine Estates (25 single family detached dwellings). Table 3 Town of Tuxedo: Population Trends 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2009 Change (1990- 2009)/% Change Town of Tuxedo 2,314 2,281 2,227 2,967 3069 3,023 3,334 3,683 +660/21.8% Village of - 691 723 861 809 706 731 722 + 16/2.3% Tuxedo Park Unincorporated 1,590 1,504 2,106 2,260 2,317 2,603 2,961 +644/27.8% Area Source; U.S. Census Bureau, 2011. Other minor subdivisions along South Gate Road, Warwick Brook Road, and in the Bramertown Road area have introduced new residents to the community. A continuing care retirement 28 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update community offering independent and assistive living to adults ages 55 and over has been constructed in the Tuxedo hamlet. Table 4 presents the general characteristics of the Orange County, Town of Tuxedo, and Village of Tuxedo Park populations. Table 4 General Population Characteristics: 2000 Town of Tuxedo Village of Tuxedo Unincorporated Orange County Park Area Total Population 3,334 731 2,603 341,367 Male 1,665 (49.9%) 362 (49.5%) 1,303 (50.1%) 170,965 (50.1 %) Female 1,669 (50.1 %) 369 (50.5%) 1,300 (49.9%) 170,402 (49.9%) Under 5 years 188 (5.6%) 45 (6.2%) 143 25,970 (7.6%) 18 years+ 2,612 (78.3%) 569 (77 .8%) 2043 242,211 (71%) 65 years+ 391 (11.7%) 89 (12.2%) 302 35,185 (10.3%) Median Age 40.7 44.6 - 34.7 (years) Average 2.48 2.51 - 2.85 Household Size Average 2.91 2.88 - 3.35 Family Size Persons 25 years+ 2,442 518 1,924 212,816 HS Graduate or 2,272 (93%) 499 (96.3%) 1,773 (92.2%) 174,187 (81.8%) higher (persons) Bachelors or 1,147 (50.5%) 349 (67.4%) 798 (41.5%) 47,953 (22.5%) higher (persons) Median HH $70,417 $91,820 - $52,058 income Median Family $88,718 $102,056 - $60,355 Income Per Capita $41,410 $63,538 - $21,597 Income Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000. According to 2000 Census estimates, the Town's population, like the County population, was evenly distributed between males and females. The segment of the population 5 years of age and younger was slightly less than the same segment of the population in the Village and the County. As a percentage of population, the Town's senior segment - ages 65 and older - was slightly higher than the same age segment countywide. The median age of the Village and Town population is significantly higher than the median age for the County. T ownwide, the median age of the population was 40.7 years, while the County median age was 34.7 years; the Village had a median age of 44.6 years. Average family size in the 29 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Town of Tuxedo was 2.91 persons in 2000; Countywide, the average family size was 3.35 persons. The Town's average household size and family size is also less than that of the County. In 2000, the average household size in the Town was 2.48 persons, and the County's average household size was 2.85 persons. Table 4 also provides educational attainment data for the population that was 25 years and older in 2000. The percentage of the population with a high school degree in the Town exceeded that of the County by approximately 11 percent. Significantly, the proportion of the Town's population with a bachelors degree or higher was 50.5 percent; this compared with 22.5 percent of the County's population. The Village had a higher percentage, with 67.4 percent of the population graduating with a bachelor's degree or higher. The higher degree of educational attainment and older median age level may be reflected in median income levels. The median family income in the Town of Tuxedo was $88,718 compared to the median family income in Orange County of $60,355. Likewise, median household income in the Town of Tuxedo was $70,417 compared to a countywide median income of $52,058. The Village's median family income was $102,056 and $91,820, respectively. Per capita income in Orange County is approximately one-half the per capita income in the Town of Tuxedo - the County per capita income was $21,597 while the Town had a per capita income of $41,410. Median income levels in the Town of Tuxedo, including the Village, are comparable to income levels in northern Bergen County. Households Most households in the Town consist of family households (see Table 5). The percentage of family households in the community is comparable to the percentage countywide. Of the total 292 non-family households in the Town, approximately 62.4 percent consisted of persons living alone. The Village and County had a higher percentage of persons living alone than the unincorporated Town. Few persons lived in group quarters in the Town and Village compared with the County. Table 5 Population by Household Characteristics: 2000 Town of Tuxedo Village of Tuxedo Unincorporated Orange County Park Area Total Persons 3,334 732 2,602 341,367 In Family 2,849 (85.5%) 641 (87.6%) 2,208 (84.9%) 290,103 (85%) Households In Non-Family 468 (14%) 91 (12.4%) 377 (14.5%) 37,572 (11%) Households Living Alone 292 63 229 24,624 (62.4%) (69.2%) (60.7%) (65.5%) In Group 17 (0.5%) o (0%) 17 (0.6%) 13,692 (4%) Quarters Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007. 30 2011 Town of Tuxedo ComDrehensive Plan Update Residential Mobility Table 6 provides statistics regarding residential mobility. A significant portion of the Town's population, approximately 40.1 percent, resided elsewhere in 1995. This is comparable to the County trend. A notable difference is that persons who moved to the Town in the 5 years prior to the Census resided in a different County (68.8 percent). In comparison, many more residents who had moved in Orange County in 1995 already resided in the County (55.9 percent). Similar to Orange County, a fair amount of housing turnover was experienced in the five years preceding the 2000 Census. Table 6 Residential Mobility Town of Village of Orange Tuxedo Tuxedo Park County Total Population 5 yrs of age and older 3,159 678 315,429 Same house in 1995 1,892 387 185,663 (59.9%) (57%) (58.9%) Different house in 1995 1,267 291 129,766 (40.1%) (43%) (41.1 %) 1,183 272 123,632 In United States in 1995 (93.4%) (93.5%) (95.2%) Same county 369 72 69,084 (31.2%) (26.4%) (55.9%) Different county 814 200 54,548 (68.8%) (73.6%) (44.1 %) Same state 483 138 34,437 (59.3%) (69%) (63.1 %) Source; U.S. Census Bureau 2000. Workforce Table 7 provides data on the place of employment of workers age 16 years and older who reside in the Town. Due in part to the Town's proximity to county and state borders, a sizeable percentage of residents worked outside Orange County and New York State when compared to Orange County residents. Approximately 31.8 percent of the Town's residents worked outside New York State, compared with only 8.9 percent of residents in Orange County working outside the state. Only 38.4 percent of employees who resided in Tuxedo worked within Orange County, while 71.9 percent of Orange County resident employees worked within the County. 31 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Table 7 Place of Workers 16 years and Older: 2000 Village of Orange If own of Tuxedo County Tuxedo Park Total Persons: 1,817 362 152,489 Worked in state of residence: 1,240 269 138924 (68.2%) (74.3%) 91.1%) Worked in county of residence 476 100 ~9,901 (38.4%) (37.2%) 71.9%) Worked outside county of residence 764 169 39,023 (61.6%) (62.8%) 28.1%) Worked outside state of residence 077 93 13,565 (31.8%) 25.7%) 8.9%) ~ource; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000. Employment Table 8 presents statistics on the industry occupation of workers in the Town, Village and County. In the Town of Tuxedo, the majority of workers were employed in the educational, health, and social services category (17.8%). Workers employed in the finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing made up 13.6 percent of the Town's population. Approximately 12 percent of workers were employed in manufacturing, while 11.3 percent of all workers were employed in retail trade. By comparison, the majority of workers in the Village were employed in the finance, insurance and real estate sector. Professional, scientific, management and administrative services accounted for 17.7 percent of all Village workers. Approximately 15.2 percent of Village residents who were employed worked in the educational, health and social services sector. Countywide, the majority of workers were employed in the educational, health and social services sector. Approximately 13.4 percent of Orange County residents who worked were employed in retail trade, while 10.2 percent were employed in manufacturing. 32 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Table 8 Industry of Workers Employed and 16 years and Older: 2000 Town of Tuxedo Village of Tuxedo Orange County Park Total Workers: 1,818 362 151,744 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, mining 8 8 1,546 (0.4%) (2.2%) (1%) Construction 151 23 10,297 (8.3%) (6.4%) (6.8%) Manufacturing 219 21 15,404 (12.0%) (5.8%) (10.2%) Wholesale Trade ~8 8 6,146 0.2%) (2.2%) (4.1 %) Retail Trade 205 30 20,399 (11.3%) (8.3%) (13.4%) Transportation and Warehousing, and utilities 60 9 9,081 0.3%) (2.5%) (6%) Information 80 17 15,255 (4.4%) (4.7%) 0.5%) Finance, insurance, real estate and rental and leasing 248 86 9,702 (13.6%) (23.8%) (6.4%) Professional, scientific, management, administrative 183 64 11,579 semces (10.1%) (17.7%) (7.6%) Educational, health and social services 323 55 36,167 (17.8%) (15.2%) (23.8%) Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and 83 13 8,379 food services (4.6%) (3.6%) (5.5%) Other services 103 21 6,332 (5.7%) (5.8%) (4.2%) Public Administration 97 7 11,457 (5.3%) (1.9%) (7.6%) ~ource; u.s. Census Bureau, 2000. Persons, and percent of total, provided for each category. Table 9 presents statistICS regarding employment of County and Town residents by major occupational category. The majority of Tuxedo residents were employed in management, professional and related occupations (44.6%). This compared to 63.8 percent of Village residents being employed in these same occupations, and 33.2 percent being employed in these occupations countywide. Approximately 29 percent of Town residents were employed in sales and office occupations, while fewer Village (21.3%) and County (27.6%) were employed in the similar occupations. Approximately 12.9 percent of Town workers were employed in service occupations - this was less than the County percentage (16.5%). 33 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comorehensive Plan Update Table 9 Occupation of Workers Employed and 16 years and Older: 2000 Town of Tuxedo Village of Tuxedo Orange County Park Total Workers: 1,818 362 151,744 Management, Professional and related occupations 810 231 50,357 (44.6%) (63.8%) (33.2%) Service Occupations 234 35 25,050 02.9%) (9.7%) (16.5%) Sales and Office Occupations 527 77 41,809 (29%) (21.3%) (27.6%) Farming, fishing and forestry occupations 2 2 602 (0.4%) (0.1 %) (0.6%) Construction, extraction and maintenance occupations 151 10 15,533 (8.3%) (2.8%) 00.2%) Production, transportation and material moving 94 7 18,393 workers (5.2%) (1.9%) 02.1%) Source; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000. Tuxedo Reserve In November 2010, the Tuxedo Town Board approved special use permit modifications for Tuxedo Reserve, a development originally approved in 2004. As per the Lead Agency Findings Statement, the project is anticipated to add 3,223 new residents to the Town of Tuxedo. This population, when added to the Town's estimated population of 3,683 persons in 2009, would result in a Town population of 6,906 persons. The special permit indicates that the buildout time period for Tuxedo Reserve is 12 years. At this time, the applicant has obtained preliminary site plan and subdivision approval from the Planning Board for a sub-phase of the first phase of the project, i.e., North Ridge. B. HOUSING 1. The Development of a Balanced Housing Supply This Plan Update considers the existing housing stock in the Town, the anticipated housing stock upon completion of Tuxedo Reserve, and anticipated housing needs for the future. The 1972 Plan acknowledged that the Town of Tuxedo is a community made up primarily of single-family detached owner-occupied homes. The Plan also indicated that as the Town grows, it was desirous to remain primarily a community of homeowners. However, the Plan also acknowledged the need to provide some variety of housing types to serve an expanding population 34 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update base. These housing types could include "single-family houses on various size lots" as well as "townhomes and multifamily uses". + The 1972 Plan recognized the basic residential character of the unincorporated Town - to date, this residential character has been preserved. The 1972 Plan designated the following locations as residential planning areas: Residential Area Name Arden Little Lake Dam Central Western Southern Hamlet Residential Areas/Subdivisions Arden Southfields Laurel Ridge, Clinton Woods Scott Mine Eagle Valley, Maple Brook Tuxedo Hamlet, East Village In the past 39 years, residential growth has been centered in Eagle Valley. The 1972 Plan did not specifically acknowledge the Bramertown Road area as a residential area. However, as of 2011, most of the developable land in this area is now committed to single-family detached residential uses. Although this Plan Update sets the land use goals and objectives for the unincorporated area of Tuxedo, it is important to acknowledge that the Village of Tuxedo Park is another large residential community within the Town of Tuxedo whose community service and facility needs are met in part by the Town. (Photo; Table Rock as viewed from a horse farm on Eagle Valley Road.) Tuxedo Reserve will be the newest and largest neighborhood in Tuxedo - this development will introduce up to 1,195 dwelling units on the Southern Tract. The housing mix is described later in this section. Residential development pressure will continue, and it is anticipated that in the next 20 years, the Town will experience revitalization and reuse of underdeveloped properties, especially within the hamlet areas along the Route 17 and Route 17A corridors. In addition, the Town should plan now for the potential development of Arden. 35 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update As described in the 1970 Census of Housing, the Town's housing characteristics were unique when compared to the overall Orange County housing market - this still holds true today: . In 1970, the Census reported a total of 980 housing units in the Town and Village. In 2000, the Town's housing stock totaled 1,457 dwelling units, an increase of 477 dwelling units. . In 1970, the average value of a one-family dwelling in the Town and Village, $37,760, was almost 74 percent higher than the County average. In 2000, the median housing value of an owner-occupied dwelling in the Town of Tuxedo was $275,800 in 2000; in the Village, the median value was $719,400. In the County, the median housing value was $141,500. The Town's housing value was almost double that of the County, and the Village's median housing value was five (5) times the County's value. . In 1970, the average rental value within the Town and Village was 36 percent higher than the County average. In 2000, the average rental value was approximately 27 percent higher than the County average. . In 1970, The Town maintained a higher percentage of single-family dwelling units, 73.2 percent, than the County at 61.6 percent. This is still true, although the percentage of single-family detached dwelling units in the Town has declined. T ownwide, single-family detached dwelling units comprised 68.8 percent of the Town's total housing stock in 2000 - in the County, it was 62.3 percent. 2000 U.S. Census Housing Unit by Units in Structure In 2000, the Town's housing stock consisted primarily of single-family detached dwellings (Table 10). The Village of Tuxedo Park's housing stock was overwhelmingly single family detached in character. Another 8.2 percent of the Town's housing stock consisted of single-family attached dwellings - this percentage was higher than the County's percentage. Compared with the County's housing stock, the Town had no structures with 20 or more dwelling units, mobile homes, or boats, rvs, vans, etc., serving as housing units. (Photo; Woodlands is a development of single family detached and single family attached, or townhome, dwellings.) 36 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Table 10 Housing Units by Housing Type Town of Tuxedo Village of Tuxedo Orange County Park Total housing units 1,4571 %of 360 I %of 122,7541 %of Total Total Total UNITS IN STRUCTURE I-unit, detached 1,003 68.8 320 88.9 76,454 62.3 I-unit, attached 119 8.2 8 2.2 8,012 6.5 2 units 105 7.2 14 3.9 10,209 8.3 3 or 4 units 101 6.9 8 2.2 9,554 7.8 5 to 9 units 83 5.7 10 2.8 7,244 5.9 10 to 19 units 46 3.2 0 0 3,351 2.7 20 or more units 0 0 0 0 4,273 3.5 Mobile home 0 0 0 0 3,608 2.9 Boat, RV, van, etc. 0 0 0 0 49 0 Source: U.S. Census, 2000. Occupied Housing Units by Tenure Approximately 73.9 percent of all occupied housing units in the Town were owner-occupied (refer to Table 11). This is higher than the County average of 67 percent of all housing units being owner-occupied. Approximately 33 percent of all occupied housing units in Orange County were renter-occupied; this compared with 26.1 percent of occupied housing units being renter-occupied in the Town. Table 11 Occupied Housing Units by Tenure: 2000 Village Town of %of of %of Orange %of Tuxedo Total Tuxedo Total County Total Park Total Occupied Housing Units: 1,337 291 114,788 Owner occupied: 988 73.9% 234 80.4% 76,959 67.0% Renter occupied: 349 26.1% 57 19.6% 37,829 33.0% Source; u.s. Census Bureau, 2000. 37 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Bedroom Mix by Tenure Table 12 summarizes bedroom mix by housing tenure. Of all occupied housing units, 40.6 percent of the units consisted of 3 bedrooms dwellings in Tuxedo, and 26.1 percent of all owner- occupied housing units consisted of 4 bedroom dwellings. The percentage of 3-bedroom dwellings in Orange County was higher at 47.1 percent. The percentage of 4-bedroom dwellings within the Town, Village and County were comparable. However, the percentage of units with five bedrooms or more was higher in the Town and Village than in the County. Tuxedo and Tuxedo Park had a higher percentage of renter-occupied dwelling units consisting of 2- and 3-bedroom dwellings than Orange County. Orange County had a higher percentage of 1- bedroom renter-occupied dwellings. The bedroom mix and the median number of rooms in a structure reflected the larger homes being constructed in the Town. The median number of rooms in a Tuxedo dwelling was 6.6 rooms; in the Village, the median number of rooms was 7.9 rooms. In 2000, the median number of rooms in a dwelling in Orange County was 5.8 rooms. The Town had a higher percentage of single-family detached dwellings that were being rented than the County. Of all renter-occupied housing units, 32.4 percent consisted of single-family detached dwellings. In the Village, this percentage was 37.9 percent. By comparison, only 20.3 percent consisted of single-family detached dwellings in Orange County. Table 12 Bedroom Mix by Housing Tenure: 2000 Village of Town of Tuxedo Orange Tuxedo % Park % County % Total Occupied Housing Units: 1,337 292 114,788 Owner occupied: 988 73.9% 234 80.1% 76,948 67.0% No bedroom 7 0.7% 0 0.0% 102 0.1% 1 bedroom 37 3.7% 5 2.1% 1,937 2.5% 2 bedrooms 165 16.7% 20 8.5% 13,220 17.2% 3 bedrooms 401 40.6% 71 30.3% 36,214 47.1% 4 bedrooms 258 26.1% 68 29.1% 20,807 27.0% 5 or more bedrooms 120 12.1% 70 29.9% 4,668 6.1% Renter occupied: 349 26.1% 58 19.9% 37,840 33.0% No bedroom 17 4.9% 0 0.0% 1,621 4.3% 1 bedroom 66 18.9% 5 8.6% 11,410 30.2% 2 bedrooms 163 46.7% 26 44.8% 13,801 36.5% 3 bedrooms 80 22.9% 16 27.6% 7,898 20.9% 4 bedrooms 19 5.4% 7 12.1% 2,563 6.8% 5 or more bedrooms 4 1.1% 4 6.9% 547 1.4% Source; U.S. Census, 2000. 38 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Household Size by Housing Tenure Table 13 presents average household size by housing tenure. Table 13 Average Household Size by Tenure: 2000 Tuxedo Tuxedo town, Park Orange Orange village, County, New County, New New York York York All Occupied Housing Units 2.48 2.51 2.85 Owner occupied 2.56 2.57 2.96 Renter occupied 2.27 2.28 2.64 Source; U.S. Census, 2000. Median Year Structure Built In Tuxedo, the median year that a dwelling was constructed was 1963; in the Village, the median year a structure was built was pre-1940. In Orange County, the median year a structure was built was 1967. According to Census statistics, 65.8 percent of the Village's total housing stock was constructed before 1940, a reflection of the community's historic status. (Photo; Older modest homes in Southfields hamlet). Median Housing Value and Rent The median housing value of an owner-occupied dwelling in the Town of Tuxedo was $275,800 in 2000; in the Village, the median value was $719,400. In the County, the median housing value was $141,500. The Town's housing value was almost double that of the County, while the Village's median housing value was five times the County's value. The gross rent of an occupied housing unit in Tuxedo was $903 per month in 2000; in the Village, the gross rent was $933 per month. In Orange County, the gross rent was $714 per month. Rents are higher in Tuxedo than in the County. 39 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Countywide, in 2011, the median housing value for a single family dwelling increased to $244,5002, compared with a median housing value of $141,500 in 2000. Median housing values declined in the wake of the recent economic recession. Although there is no current median housing value data for the Town, the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) was reviewed to obtain a snapshot of asking prices for dwellings in the Town of Tuxedo. Based on a review of 2011 MLS information: . Single-family detached dwellings ranged from an asking price of $925,000 (Hamilton Estates) for 4 bedrooms, built in 2005 on a 1 acre lot, to $199,000 for a 3-bedroom dwelling built in 1935 on a 0.12 acre lot. . Asking prices for single-family detached dwellings in laurel Ridge were in the $350,000- 400,000 range. . Sales prices for single-family attached dwellings in the Woodlands were about $500,000. . In Tuxedo Park, asking prices ranged from $5.5 million to $549,000 for single-family dwellings. Based on a review of MLS data, homes in the Town of Tuxedo, including the Village of Tuxedo Park, have asking prices significantly above the median sales price in Orange County, New York. Thus, the conclusion of the 1972 Comprehensive Plan, that housing characteristics in the Town of Tuxedo are "unique" compared to the County, is still true today. Tuxedo Reserve The construction of Tuxedo Reserve would introduce up to 1,195 dwelling units to the Town's housing stock of 1,457 dwelling units, an 82 percent increase. The development was approved with a mix of 998 non-age restricted dwellings, and 197 dwellings restricted in occupancy to active adults 55 years of age and older. All dwellings would be owner-occupied. The development program includes 764 single family detached and semi-detached dwellings and 431 multifamily dwellings townhouses, flats and duplexes. Construction phasing will proceed in accordance with the 2010 special use permit. C. POPULATION AND HOUSING SUMMARY In summary: . The Town's population had increased moderately in the past 10 years, with growth centered in the Eagle Valley neighborhood of Tuxedo. . Since the 1970s, much of the population growth experienced in the neighboring communities, especially in Orange County, bypassed the Town as the Town processed two large PID development applications, one of which was approved in 2004, and the other, Sterling Forest, which was withdrawn due to a series of open space acquisitions. Tuxedo 2 Orange County Association of Realtors, 2011. 40 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Reserve, which would introduce 1,195 dwelling units, is still proceeding through the subdivision/site plan review process for the component subphases. . The Town's population is affluent and highly educated. . The Town's housing stock is predominately single-family detached in character. With the exception of the Woodlands single-family detached and attached dwellings and the introduction of a senior housing community in the Tuxedo hamlet, the trend has been to construct high value, single family detached dwellings in Tuxedo. The lack of available central water and sewer service has resulted in the development of large lot, single family detached dwellings with individual wells and septic systems. . Median housing values in the Town exceeded the median housing value in Orange County in 2000. Housing values in Tuxedo appear to be in line with values in northern New Jersey communities and affluent villages in the adjoining Town of Ramapo. . The Town's rental housing stock includes larger two and three-bedroom dwellings when compared with the County, with a large percentage of rentals consisting of single-family detached dwellings. Rental dwellings have not been introduced to the Town's housing stock in recent years. New non-age restricted multifamily dwellings have not been constructed in the past decade. Phase I of the Tuxedo Reserve project will introduce multifamily dwellings to the Town's housing mix. The Plan Update acknowledges the importance and role of the Town's senior population - many seniors are retirees who volunteer their time to community service. The introduction of jitney service and establishment of a community center dedicated to use by seniors are recommendations of this Plan Update. The Town seeks to continue the current housing pattern that is predominately low-density single-family in character. However, opportunities exist to construct attractive, quality multifamily and higher density single-family dwellings within the existing hamlets and other areas where central sewer and water could be expanded. The Land Use and Zoning section of the Plan Update recommends areas where these housing types may be accommodated. 41 \ ! a .f Ii i# ~f' WOODBURY // vt&~ c>>M' WlIlN'\ Haverstraw #'/ ~<- ~ " , " , , Ramapo El!gie Valley \ .~ Figure 4: Housing and Neighborhoods Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Source: Orange County Water Authority & NYSGIS Prepared by: TIm Miller Associates, Inc., 3/06/08 Scale: As shown _ _ _ _ Neighborhood " . cY' ~,; j' l ~.r ~ i # ;; LEGEND N ~ 1 0.5 WWE -.- S 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update VI. LAND USE AND ZONING The future development of land in Tuxedo is a critical element of this Plan Update. The manner in which land is utilized, the relationship of uses to one another and to the circulation system, the intensity of development and the necessary community services required to support the elements of the plan, will determine the character and quality of Tuxedo in the future. The land use plan for Tuxedo serves as the basis for the Town's long term future growth and development. The plan should be considered a comprehensive statement of the community's total development which must remain flexible to meet changing conditions in the future. This Plan Update is in accord with the Town's expressed desire to remain a rural woodland residential community. A. EXISTING LAND USE INVENTORY An inventory and analysis of existing land use in the Town was conducted in 2007. The following describes land use patterns in the community. Existing land use was determined based upon review of the land use classification codes that are used to identify the use of each parcel included in the Town's tax roll. The data were then checked by field surveys. The analysis is intended to provide an "order of magnitude" comparison of the various major land use categories within the unincorporated area. According to Orange County Planning Department statistics, the Town of Tuxedo is approximately 47.48 square miles. Of this total, 2.68 acres of the Town is the incorporated Village of Tuxedo Park. Land uses, as per the New York Real Property Services, can be broken down into several major categories as provided in Table 13 below. Figure 5 illustrates existing land use in the unincorporated area. 42 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update Table 14 2007 Existing Land Use TOWN OF TUXEDO: UNINCORPORATED AREA nd Use Category Lan ercen Are of (Approx. Tota Acres) 0 0 1,05 3.70/<: 76 2.70/<: 3,700 12.90/<: gricultural Uses (l00 Category) Residential Uses (200s Category) Single Family Residential (including single-family attached) All Other Residential Uses (2-Family, 3-Family, Multifamily) acant Land (300s Category) Includes vacant property and property with vacant buildings Commercial Land (400s Category) Includes commercial, retail, service type uses Recreation and Entertainment (500s Category) Includes golf courses, recreational clubs, amusement facilities Community Services (600s Category) Includes education, libraries, religious uses Industrial Uses (700s Category) 0.30/<: Public Services (SOOs Category) Includes utilities for water supply, wastewater treatment, communication, electri and gas; transportation rights-of-way also included in the category 0.70/<: 0.60/<: 0.20/<: 1.9% Conservation Lands and Public Parks (900s Category) Includes state parkland 22,100 77.0% TOTAL LAND AR 2S,67 1000/<: Source: Town of Tuxedo Tax Roll, 2007 Field Survey by Tim Miller Associates, Inc., updated to 2011. Most of the land area constituting the unincorporated portion of the Town is in open space and parkland use. This acreage includes land within Sterling Forest State Park (west side of the Thruway), and Harriman State Park (east side of the Thruway). In addition, a substantial amount of land identified as "vacant" land is also slated to be preserved as open space - much of this acreage is encompassed within the Tuxedo Reserve Northern and Fox Hill tracts. Of the developed lands, residential uses represent the largest land use category. Much of the Town's residential acreage is devoted to single-family detached or attached residential use, although a sizeable amount of acreage is also devoted to other residential land use types, including 43 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update two-family, three-family, multifamily and estate residential uses. Most of the two- and three-family dwellings are located in the East Village and Tuxedo hamlet areas. Two properties are classified as "estate" residential (250 land use code); both parcels are in the Arden area and encompass approximately 682 acres of the total 1,050 acres devoted to single-family use. Almost all commercial properties identified in the land use analysis are located along the Route 17 corridor, centered mostly in the Tuxedo and Southfield hamlets. In terms of recreational uses, approximately 25.7 acres of the Renaissance Faire property is classified as recreation; the remainder is identified as vacant. In addition, 170.4 acres of land in Eagle Valley, in the ownership of the Tuxedo Club, is used as a golf course. Community facilities and services include lands owned and used by the Town, the Tuxedo Union Free School District, the Tuxedo Fire District, the library, and places of worship. Tuxedo Place, the assisted living facility, is also included in this land use category. Approximately 60 acres are shown in the light industrial category - the amount of acreage was reduced by 100 acres once the transfer of former Union Carbide property was completed and made part of Palisades Interstate Park Commission's (PIPC) landholdings. The remaining parcel in industrial use is the International Paper property (50.5 acres); this property is now vacant. A substantial amount of acreage in the Town is used for utility purposes. The Town is criss-crossed by numerous utility corridors, including rights-of-way in the ownership of Con Edison and Orange and Rockland Utilities. Develooment of Vacant Land Developable land in the Town of Tuxedo over the past 35 years has dwindled dramatically. Since the 1972 Master Plan was prepared, the Town of Tuxedo was involved in the review of two major "Planned Integrated Development" special use permit applications: R.H. Tuxedo PID and Sterling Forest PID. Sterling Forest In 1953, the Harriman Family sold property that was the Sterling Iron and Railway Company's landholdings to City Investing, a subsidiary of the Home Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut. Between 1958 and 1990, parcels of this large landholding were sold off for various development projects, including IBM, International Paper, Union Carbide (later Cintichem), International Nickel, Xicom, Wehran Enviro Tech, and New York University. Also, the residential communities of Maplebrook, Clinton Woods, and Laurel Ridge were carved from the property. In the 1980s, City Investing's former subsidiary, Home Insurance, created a subsidiary, the Sterling Forest Corporation (SFC), to sell or develop its large landholding. SFC retained Sedway Cooke Associates to develop an overall plan for the development of the entire tract. The impetus for this development push was due in part to the proposed construction of a new NYS 44 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Thruway interchange that could serve the development. In 1990, SFC released a concept plan proposing the construction of 14,500 dwellings and 7.4 million square feet of commercial and light industrial space to be located in the Towns of Tuxedo, Warwick, and Monroe. In Tuxedo, a special use permit application to allow a "planned integrated development" was submitted to the Town Board. During the environmental review process, Sterling Forest Corporation landholdings became the subject of state- and federal-level negotiations to purchase the property for open space. In 1998, an agreement was signed and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission took over ownership of the lands that became Sterling Forest State Park. Other property acquired and added to Sterling Forest State Park and the Town's permanent open space base have included the former NYU property (695 acres by Open Space Institute, OSI, and Trust for Public Land) and the 490-acre Indian Hill tract by Scenic Hudson. At the end of 2006, the State of New York came to an agreement with Sterling Forest Corporation to purchase the 571-acre tract of land proposed to be developed for Sterling Forge Estates. The property is now in PI PC ownership. Tuxedo Reserve During this same time period, the Town of Tuxedo commenced review of another proposed "planned integrated development", R.H. Tuxedo, which initially proposed the construction of 2,450 dwelling units and 1.1 million square feet of commercial and industrial space on three tracts ofland surrounding the Village of Tuxedo Park: the N orthern Tract, the Southern Tract, and the Fox Hill Tract (a very small area of Tuxedo Reserve is located in the Village of Sloatsburg). As a result of the environmental review process, the project evolved and was reduced in scale. In 2004, the Tuxedo Town Board approved a special use permit for 1,195 dwelling units and approximately 200,000 square feet of nonresidential space. The residential development is to be situated on the Southern Tract property which is situated between the Eagle Valley hamlet, the Tuxedo hamlet, the Village of Tuxedo Park, and the Village of Sloatsburg. The nonresidential uses are to be located on the Northern Tract near the intersection of Long Meadow Road and Warwick Brook Road. The special use permit was subsequently amended and re-approved in 2010. Development on the Southern Tract is being laid out in a manner that will allow the creation of pedestrian and transportation linkages between the Eagle Valley hamlet and the Tuxedo hamlet, which remains the Town's commercial and civic center. The Tuxedo Reserve development incorporates a mixed use commons area intended to serve local commercial needs for Tuxedo Reserve residents. Tuxedo Reserve will be the single most important determinant of community form and land use over the next 10-20 years. 45 Renaissance Faire Properties Arden 2011 Town a/Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update A sizeable area of land with frontage on the Route 17 A corridor between Benjamin Meadow Road and Long Meadow Road is in private ownership. Faire Partners, LLC, owns the former Sterling Gardens and Ski Center area (now "Tuxedo Ridge"). This area totals approximately 232 acres and could be developed in the future. The challenge will be to establish a range of acceptable uses which allow for the redevelopment of the property, but which would still be environmentally compatible with the site's setting in the midst of Sterling Forest State Park. The property also drains to the Indian Kill that feeds the Indian Kill Reservoir, a source of potable water in the community (Photo: Entrance to the grounds of the Renaissance Faire, held annually during the summer). Arden is a historic area within the Town of Tuxedo located on the east side of the NYS Thruway adjoining the Town's northern border with the Village of Woodbury. Edward H. Harriman, in 1886, purchased Peter Parrott's holdings in 1886, ending the era of mining, and establishing the beginning of agricultural uses in this portion of the Ramapo River valley. For an excellent description of the Arden Farm area, see E.H. Harriman at Arden Farms authored by Michelle P. Figliomeni. The Arden Farm has numerous extant historic buildings associated with the farm operation, as well as the Parrott furnace, which are worthy of protection and which should be made integral elements of any future development of land within this vicinity. The total acreage of property in large lot residential, private or institutional land ownership is approximately 1,416 acres. 46 Redevelopment 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update With the acquisition of a substantial amount of Town land for open space purposes, it may be anticipated that existing underutilized properties within the Town may be subjected to development pressure. Nonresidential Buildings While not significant in acreage, there are several existing office and light industrial buildings that are vacant; it is anticipated that property owners may pursue alternative uses. These facilities include the former Emcon building, International Paper, and Xicom. Redevelopment of these parcels may require the establishment of specific performance criteria to limit impacts to neighboring residential uses - this is particularly true of the Xicom property. (Photo; Green roof of the Xi com building.) Before "green building" and "LEED certification" were buzz words, there was Xicom. Xicom is a nonresidential facility that was constructed with many of the features now popular in green building programs, including a green roof. To the maximum extent, and as discussed below under Land Use Recommendations, the "green features" of the Xicom building should be preserved. Southfields A number of vacant and underutilized commercial properties are located in Southfields that could be redeveloped for alternative uses. In particular, the former Red Apple Rest is a large property within the hamlet that is presently for sale. A major issue associated with the redevelopment of Southfields properties is the lack of central water or sewer to serve the hamlet. Figure 5a illustrates existing land uses in the hamlet. 47 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Tuxedo Hamlet The Tuxedo hamlet and its revitalization was the subject of a report prepared in 2003 entitled "Town of Tuxedo Town Center Study and Master Plan". Section 6.2 of the report presents a design concept for the Route 17 corridor within the hamlet. The recommendations are included in Appendix A. Figure 5b illustrates existing land uses in the hamlet. C. LAND USE RECOMMENDATIONS Figure 6 presents the conceptual land use plan for the Town of Tuxedo. This land use plan establishes the recommended uses for the various areas of the unincorporated Town. 1. Open Space and Recreational Land Use Much of the land in the Town has been acquired by the state and is now in public ownership. The Special Recreation (SR) zoning district was created to encompass lands set aside for public parkland. Presently, the SR district encompasses state parkland within Harriman State Park only; land acquired to create Sterling Forest State Park on the west side of the Thruway is contained in a variety of residential and nonresidential zoning districts. This Comprehensive Plan Update recommends that public parkland be rezoned to the SR zone. The SR zone should also include federal lands that buffer the Appalachian Trail from surrounding development. In certain areas, such as in the Bramertown Road area, pockets of existing residential properties are surrounded by parkland. There are two proposed approaches to ensure that residential properties remain conforming uses: - amend the SR district to allow pre-existing single-family residential dwellings; or - connect the isolated residential pockets of development along the Bramertown and Benjamin Meadow Road corridors by zoning these areas R-l or R-2. This alternative would result in some portions of state parkland being residentially zoned. 2. Conservation Residential: Arden The area compnsmg the Arden neighborhood is geographically large - it encompasses approximately 1,429 acres of property situated between Route 17 and the New York State Thruway to the west, and Harriman State Park to the east. Although the Orange County Historical Society also owns property in this area, much of the land is controlled by a handful of private property owners. Arden is isolated from the remainder of the developed portions of Tuxedo. It is located in the northernmost corner of the Town and surrounded by state parkland. Based on review of the Orange County Soil Survey, soils and topography are not conducive to intense residential 48 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update development. The topography ranges generally between 8-25 percent slopes and soils are bedrock- controlled throughout much of Arden. Limited areas within the 1,429 acres are conducive to building development including a narrow valley running northeast-southwest through Arden and sloping lands adjacent to the Ramapo River. These areas are characterized by Chenango and Hoosic gravelly soils and were cultivated with crops or used for pasture in the past. Arden is situated in the Monroe-Woodbury School District and would be served by the Tuxedo Fire District. The nearest firehouse to the site is the Sterling Forest Volunteer Fire Company. The majority of the property is presently zoned R-l which allows single-family detached dwellings on 80,000 square foot lots as principal permitted uses. A limited area of the Arden area is also zoned RO, Research Office. However, due to on-site geologic and topographic constraints, most of the property is not conducive to large building pads or uses which are allowed within the RO zoning district. The Plan Update recommends that this environmentally-challenged and isolated area be developed for conservation-oriented residential development that would consist primarily of very low-density residential uses but may also accommodate limited alternative uses accessory to a residential development. There are a number of examples of mixed use, conservation-oriented developments that include features such as: equestrian facilities, organic farming areas, spas, small-scale lodges, restaurants and boutique retail as part of a small-scale lodge or spa. The overall residential density should be limited to one dwelling unit per 8-10 acres. The steps in designing a conservation-oriented subdivision would include: 1. Identify all potential conservation areas, including sensitive ecological habitat. 2. Locate the house sites. 3. Design the street alignments and trails. Utilize existing roads and drives to the maximum extent. 4. Draw the lot lines. 5. Specify the septic fields and wells. 6. Plan recreational areas, foot trails and exercise paths to link the development. 7. Identify areas that could support crops or support wildlife habitat. Community or individual garden plots and/or pastures would be preserved or created. 8. Adaptively reuse existing on-site historic structures to preserve the unique sense of place at Arden. Within environmentally unconstrained areas, allow complementary low-intensity nonresidential uses. Land suitable for farming, grazing, and pasture would remain open. These common areas would become community land owned by residents through a homeowners association. Open space could also be used for community gardens. House sites would be situated on more developable portions of the site but it is also the intent to provide adequate spacing for privacy among the dwellings. This Plan Update recommends that an incentive bonus be explored, e.g., 20 percent increase in the density, if a percentage of the incentive units are preserved for moderate income households, 49 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update i.e., moderate for the Town of Tuxedo. include: Homes on small lots or single-family attached dwellings would be allowed and initial sales price restrictions would be implemented to ensure that Town residents and volunteers with moderate incomes have an opportunity to purchase a moderately priced dwelling. Clustering these units in the vicinity of the existing former "worker" housing on the site could be explored. (Photo; "Workforce" housing in Arden.) A key component of a conservation-oriented development is accessibility and use of outdoor space. Design elements would . Connections to existing trails in the surrounding state parkland; . On-site nature trails; . Equestrian trails; · Other recreational amenities that do not require extensive grading and contouring of the existing landscape. Randall Arendt, a leading proponent of conservation subdivisions, has referred to these subdivisions as "golf course communities without the golf courses." Many homeowners in golf course communities prefer the park-like atmosphere that a golf course provides. The following link provides one example of a conservation-oriented subdivision: http://www.droversroad.com. The Planned Integrated Development special use permit would be eliminated and conservation- oriented subdivisions would be allowed, providing similar design flexibility, but at a density that is consistent with the character of the land. 3. Residential Neighborhoods The Town's single-family residential neighborhoods are included in one of four zoning districts: R-l, R-2, R-3, and R-4. The principal permitted use allowed in the zoning districts is the single- family detached dwelling. The residential density of each district varies and increases from R-l to R-4, i.e., the R-l allows the lowest residential density and the R-4 district allows the highest density. The Tuxedo hamlet, where residential uses are most dense, is zoned R-3 and R-4. The Bramertown Road area, the least dense of the Town's neighborhoods, is zoned R-l and R-2. The housing types allowed in each district also vary with the R-l and R-2 districts permitting a limited number of housing types due to the prevalence of environmental constraints within the 50 2011 Town a/Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update zone compared to the higher density R-3 and R4 districts that allow the greatest variety of housing types. The R-l district allows single-family detached dwellings only. The R-4 district, in addition to single-family detached dwellings, allows two-family, single-family attached, and multiple-family residences. It is noted that the existing residential zoning districts allow various other types of uses that are deemed no longer desirable. The Plan Update recommends that uses such as commercial forestry and quarrying operations be eliminated from the Town's residential zoning districts. During subsequent zoning revisions, uses that are incompatible with the maintenance of a high quality residential environment will be reviewed, identified and eliminated from the zoning law. Low Density Residential: Bramertown Road The Bramertown Road area includes properties that front on Bramertown Road and Benjamin Meadow Road or along residential cul-de-sacs that connect to same. Presently, this neighborhood is zoned a combination of R-l and R-2 zoning. Uses allowed in these zoning districts are similar, except that the R-2 zone also allows two-family dwellings. Although the R-2 zone allows planned integrated developments (lipID"), parcels in the Bramertown Road area do not meet the minimum lot area requirement for the PID special use. The R-l district requires a minimum lot size of 80,000 square feet per dwelling; the R-2 district allows 40,000-50,000 square feet lots for a single- family dwelling, depending on the availability of central water and sewer. The Bramertown residential neighborhood consists almost entirely of single-family detached residential uses. Most lots are two acres in size and larger. The Plan Update recommends that the Bramertown Road neighborhood be encompassed within one zoning district, the R-l zoning district. Provisions would be added to the zoning law to grandfather pre-existing lots that do not meet the 2-acre minimum lot size in order to limit the need for area variances in the future. Low-Medium Density Residential: Eagle Valley Eagle Valley is the largest of the Town's residential neighborhoods and is served by various community services and facilities. Residential developments in this neighborhood include: Maplebrook (zoned R-2), Table Rock, Sterling Mine Estates, Woodlands (zoned R-2), and Hamilton Estates (zoned R-3). The Woodlands is a PID that consists of single-family detached and attached dwellings. Its gross residential density is one (1) dwelling unit per one (1) acre. However, homes are clustered on smaller lots, with open space areas owned by a homeowners association. Dwellings 51 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update located outside of these subdivisions line Eagle Valley Road, Shepherd Pond Road, and other small roads ending in cul-de-sacs. The Tuxedo Club golf course, zoned R-2, separates Maplebrook from other subdivisions located in Eagle Valley. (Photo; Tuxedo golf course.) A property with frontage on Sterling Mine Road is zoned NB, Neighborhood Business, and is currently being developed for retail and commercial use. Other uses in Eagle Valley include the Eagle Valley firehouse, a playground, and Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate, a place of worship. The Plan Update recommends that during rezoning, the Town analyze whether it would be feasible to rezone the entire Eagle Valley neighborhood to R-2, with the exception of an existing commercial parcel along Sterling Mine Road that would remain in the NB district. The R-2 zoning district better reflects the residential land use pattern that has evolved in Eagle Valley and most lots conform to the bulk requirements for the district. Since the golf course is in recreational use, it may be rezoned to SR, Special Recreation. Medium Density Residential: Clinton Woods and Laurel Ridge Clinton Woods and Laurel Ridge are well-established residential neighborhoods comprised of single-family detached residential dwellings on individual lots. Although lot sizes in both neighborhoods are comparable, Clinton Woods is zoned R-2 and Laurel Ridge is zoned R-3. Uses allowed in the R-2 and R-3 district are essentially the same, except that the R-3 district also allows single-family attached dwellings. However, these neighborhoods have been developed exclusively as single-family detached residential enclaves and no further major subdivision is possible. The Plan Update recommends that Laurel Ridge and Clinton Woods be placed in the same zoning district, and that the district be regulated by bulk requirements that could be applied to both neighborhoods without creating nonconformities. Medium Density Residential: Scattered Residential Enclaves A number of scattered residential enclaves exist in the Town, particularly along Route 17, that are zoned R-3 or R4. The Plan Update recommends that these properties be rezoned to allow single- family detached and two-family dwellings at a density comparable to the existing density of the enclave wherever possible. The properties are too small and access in some areas is inadequate to accommodate the higher density residential developments permitted in the R-3 and R4 districts. Medium-Hig'h Density Residential: Route 17 This land use category encompasses the Tuxedo Manor Apartment as well as miscellaneous properties along Route 17 just south of the Tuxedo hamlet. The Plan Update recommends that the same mix of higher density housing be continued in this location. 52 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update 4. Mixed Use Hamlets The Concept Land Use Plan identifies two mixed use hamlets in the Town: Southfields and Tuxedo. Southfields The Southfields hamlet is a historic mixed use community that was closely affiliated with activities that occurred in Arden and on Arden Farms. South fields is characterized by modest, older single- family dwellings, auto-oriented uses, a light industrial use, warehouse, and limited retail uses. The Town of Tuxedo police headquarters is located in this hamlet. Tuxedo Heights, a residential community of multifamily condominium units, is also situated there. A hotel located on 6.2 acres fronts on the west side of Route 17 on sloping terrain. The former Red Apple Rest property is vacant and encompasses approximately nine (9) acres. The hamlet is located in the Monroe- Woodbury School District. The hamlet is presently zoned Highway Business, HB. Tuxedo Heights and a small residential enclave north of Tuxedo Heights are zoned R-4. Indian Hill, a large property zoned R-2, was acquired for open space. The Plan Update recommends that the Southfields hamlet be revitalized to accommodate additional residential uses consistent with the density of existing residential uses in the hamlet. The boundary of the HB zoning district should be revised to exclude existing residential concentrations in the hamlet located on the east side of Route 17 - these properties should be zoned residential. The Plan recommends that the existing hotel be redeveloped for residential uses including single-family attached or multifamily residences. The Plan also recommends that the Red Apple Rest property be redeveloped with a combination of retail and multifamily residential uses. Development in the Southfields hamlet would be subject to design review, and coordinated landscape and streets cape treatments would be installed to enhance the visual quality of the hamlet. Incentive zoning could be used to allow a slight increase in residential density if an applicant constructs streetscape improvements as a benefit. While existing auto-oriented uses would be allowed to continue, no new automotive uses would be introduced to the hamlet. Redevelopment of the Southfields hamlet will require the provision of central water and sewer services. Extension of the Indian Kill water system should be explored and innovative wastewater treatment systems studied to determine applicability to the hamlet. Grants and low-interest loans to pay for the cost of infrastructure expansion would need to be pursued to achieve full redevelopment of the hamlet. Tuxedo Hamlet Much analysis of the Tuxedo hamlet, especially the corridor adjoining Route 17, has been conducted. The Plan Update includes the Town Center Study in its entirety as Appendix B. Consistent with the Town Center Study, the Plan Update seeks to: 53 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update · Preserve the integrity of existing residential neighborhoods on either side of the Route 17 corridor. · Expand pedestrian access within the hamlet, especially providing linkages between the East Village and the Town Center proper. · Market and promote the establishment of an "anchor", specifically an expanded grocery store, as a draw for residents throughout the community. · Complete improvements to the new Town park, which would directly benefit hamlet residents. · As the hamlet sewage treatment plant undergoes expansion, analyze the need for additional capacity to accommodate future needs of potential multifamily development within the Town Center. · Acquire/improve land along the Ramapo River within the hamlet for purposes of creating a linear river trail. The Town already owns numerous parcels along the river corridor. These would be linked via a walking trail. The trail would extend from Augusta Falls to the north, to an area south of the hamlet. · Rezone the Tuxedo hamlet to achieve the objectives of the Plan Update and Town Center study. · The Plan Update does not support the acquisition of residential properties by eminent domain to effectuate the objectives of the Town Center Study. 5. Faire Tourism-Oriented Mixed Use/Tourism Related Community Much of the land area west of the Indian Kill Reservoir is now set aside as public parkland. However, approximately 232 acres of vacant and developable land remains in private ownership. Faire Partners, LLC, has acquired the former Sterling Gardens site, the ski center, and lands on either side of Route 17 A. The property is used presently to support the Renaissance Faire, a fair recreating the Elizabethan (1590) period of history, which is held during the months of August and September. The soils and topography of the site are mixed, with flat areas of the site adjoining Route 17 A and higher elevations extending to the south. Some portions of the site, especially the higher elevations, are bedrock controlled. Since the site was developed as a ski center and gardens, there are portions of the property that have already been disturbed. The 100-year floodplain is present and is associated with the Indian Kill. Portions of the floodplain have already been disturbed to accommodate a former air strip on the property, now used as parking for the Renaissance Faire and ski center. The Faire Partners property is located in the Monroe-Woodbury School District. The site maintains excellent highway access. However, during special seasonal events, such as fall apple picking in Warwick, or when the Renaissance Faire is in operation, traffic can back up from the fair site to Route 17, an inconvenience to residents of Clinton Woods and Laurel Ridge. United Water New York water service extends to the property, and the Faire site has its own package 54 2011 Town o/Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update wastewater treatment plant. Single-family residential land uses are beginning to be introduced to the Route 17 A corridor - Ski Side Villas is located just east of the RenFaire site, and a newly platted residential subdivision (T orsoe) exists at the corner of Route 17 A and Benjamin Meadow Road. Thus, residential development pressure is being exerted along the Route 17 A corridor. Due to its proximity to a major highway corridor and availability of utilities, the Faire property is well situated to accommodate a variety of land uses. The property is presently zoned R-l and R-2. R-l and R-2 zoning allows single-family detached residences at low to low-medium densities; the density depends on the availability of central water and sewer - it ranges from one dwelling unit per 40,000-80,000 square foot of lot area. The Plan Update recommends that the RenFaire property be rezoned to accommodate tourist- oriented activities, including overnight accommodations such as a resort lodge with accessory recreational uses. Small-scale boutique shops and restaurants could also be accommodated but only in association with a lodge. A conference center and office space could be introduced to the site. An active adult residential development could also be allowed, subject to density controls. The feasibility of a golf course should be explored. However, it is noted that this type of use should only be considered where any potential water quality effects associated with a golf course could be mitigated since runoff from the RenFaire site would discharge to the Indian Kill which drains to the Indian Kill reservoir. In summary, it is the intent of the Plan Update to encourage nonresidential uses along this corridor that would enhance the Town's tax base. Conservation-oriented residential uses, similar to that proposed at Arden, could be allowed by special use permit. An active adult community and workforce housing could also be permitted at densities of approximately one dwelling unit/one acre. If low-density conservation-oriented residential uses are allowed, these uses could be developed in conjunction with tourist-related uses. Potential zoning of the site could require that a percentage of the site first be developed for nonresidential uses to assure a balanced mix of uses on this property. 6. Research Office Uses The International Paper property and Emcon property, used presently as a Buddhist retreat, are zoned LIO, Light Industrial Office. The small office building just south of the Sterling Forest firehouse and the Xicom building are zoned RO, Research Office. In addition, a vacant parcel adjoining Indian Kill Reservoir is also zoned LIO - it is now owned by the same owners of the former Emcon building. The LIO zoning district also includes vacant land on Tuxedo Reserve's Northern Tract that has been approved for the construction of nonresidential, office-type uses. The Plan Update recommends that one nonresidential zone be created that incorporates all of the properties listed above. It is the Town's objective for these properties to remain in office and research development use in order to provide a balanced ratable base. To that end, the zoning would be amended to permit office and research uses as principal permitted uses. Light industrial uses would be allowed 55 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update by special permit subject to a minimum lot size requirement that ensures a significant buffer between the light industrial use and adjoining residential properties. Special performance standards would be introduced to the zoning to ensure that residential neighborhoods are not impacted by re-use of nonresidential facilities. Where applicable, standards may be created to limit vehicular trips, number of employees, etc., to ensure that a use is low- impact. Residential uses would not be permitted by right in the new nonresidential zoning district nor would uses that are ancillary to or customarily serve residential uses except as noted below. To encourage adaptive reuse of the Xicom building, which is accessed exclusively through a residential neighborhood, a number of low intensity alternative uses will be considered during the rezoning process. Uses to be explored include but are not limited to residential use and artist lofts by special permit, and day spas, art studios and similar uses. Allowing a range of uses on this property will be with the intent of encouraging adaptive reuse of Xicom, which presents a local model of sustainable building design. 7. Neighborhood Commercial Uses A retail commercial center is under construction in the Eagle Valley neighborhood south of Sterling Mine Road at its intersection with Long Meadow Road. The Plan Update recommends that this area remain zoned NB, Neighborhood Business. Retail, service commercial and local office uses are recommended for this area. 8. General Business Uses There are several existing non-residential properties that are scattered along Route 17. These include properties being used for landscaping contractors, and the former Duck Cedar Inn property which is being redeveloped for a variety of commercial uses. These properties would continue to be used for a broader range of uses than the Neighborhood Commercial area, including limited light manufacturing, landscape businesses, and other general commercial uses. 56 "'".l "'-...... Woodbury .,>>",. Legend C:=:J Orango County Munlclpolltlos Roads LAND USE Residential 1 0.5 -- - _ Commercial _ Community Service _ Industrial _ 0lIIce _Pam _ PubllcServica [=-==~J Roads _loIIcant Figure 5: Townwide Land Use Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Source: Orange County Water Authority & NYS GIS Prepared by: Tim Miller Associates, Inc., 3/06/08 Scale: As shown W_E S 1 MIlos .' s Residential Commercial Community Service Industrial Office Parks Possible Subdivision Public Service Roads \tclcant Figure 5a: Southfields Hamlet Land Use Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Town of Tuxedo, Orange County, New York Source: Orange County Water Authority & NYSGIS Prepared by TIm Miller Associates, Inc., 3/06/08 TIm 1./HIe, A.societe., Inc., 10 North S17&e~ Cold Spring. New Yorl< 10516 (IUS) 261>-4400 Fex (IUS) 261>-4418 ~ ~ ~'" u ~% ~ ~..a o~ be; ~.~ ~ ~o legend Roa<l. LAND USE Future Greeting Center (Tuxedo Reserve) r==J Residential _ Commem.1 _ Community Service _ Indu....1 _Olfico -p- r==J Posaible Subdivision _ Pu"~ SeMco r==J Roa<l. -""'"", Tuxedo Manor Apts. W+E S Figure 5b: Tuxedo Hamlet land Use Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Source: Orange County Water Authority & NYSGIS Prepared by: Tim Miller Associates, Inc., 3/06/08 \ I & ., " i# 'I' WOODBURY /'/ I I ! // 1J'I'oE'/'Il'u;l'I cHlS'v;\1lAl<I Haverstraw LEGEND . Open Space/Recreation . Conservation Residential . Low Density Residential Low-Medium Density Residential Medium Density Residential Medium-High Density Residential Mixed Use/Tourism Related Development . Mixed Use Hamlets . Neighborhood Commercial . General Business Research Office \ ~ Note: Tuxedo Reserve development layout is not shown. Wf,E S 1 0.5 - - ,..... 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update VII. COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES The Town is divided into distinct neighborhoods separated by intervening parkland which tends to separate, rather than unify, the community. Thus, it is an objective of this Plan Update to continue and expand various recreational, social and cultural programs that reinforce a sense of community and provide opportunities for community gatherings that serve to unite, rather than isolate, residents of Tuxedo. It is also a goal of the Town to ensure that all residents are served adequately by programs and facilities which are considered to be basic necessities, including police and fire protection, emergency services, safe roads and adequate infrastructure. As set forth in the 1972 Plan, it will become increasingly important to expand community services and facilities as the Town's population grows. As was the case in the 1972 Plan, the number and type of active recreational facilities serving the Town are inadequate and the need for such facilities will increase in the future. The Town Hall, as an administrative center, is also in- adequate as described below. The objectives of the Plan Update, as they relate to Community Services and Facilities, include: . Seek funding to commence an analysis of long-term space needs for the Town's government and search for alternative locations that could accommodate an expanded Town government function. . Explore opportunity to acquire or lease the Union Carbide site from the PIPC for a Town recreation complex. . Continue to support the concept of an enlarged Tuxedo Union Free School District that would encompass the entire Town. . Active recreational facilities and programs must be expanded to serve the long-term needs of an expanding Town population. . Explore creation of a Ramapo River Trail and/or opportunities to add additional points of access to the Ramapo River. . Work jointly with other community organizations to plan and share facilities in order to maximize efficiencies in cost and space. . With the purchase of land for open space purposes, less land remains to accommodate sites to meet the needs of the expanding Town population. The Tuxedo Reserve site needs to be re-evaluated to determine whether any of the Town's future community service needs can be accommodated on Tuxedo Reserve property. This should be a consideration of any special use permit amendments that may be considered from time to time. The Town's community facilities are shown on Figure 7. 57 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update A. TUXEDO TOWN SERVICES The 1972 Plan recommended that the Town consider the feasibility of a municipal complex that would be situated on a site large enough to house a new Town Hall and a larger library facility. Additionally, the Plan recommended that a "Town center" could include a cultural facility, an expanded hospital, post office and related civic and religious uses and facilities. Police protective services were proposed to be housed in a municipal complex as well as one or two fire companies and ambulance services. Tuxedo Town Hall Presently, the Town of Tuxedo government and administrative offices are headquartered at Town Hall located on Temple Drive in the Tuxedo hamlet. The Town Hall maintains offices for: the Town Clerk, the Justice Court, the Supervisor and Supervisor Secretary/Bookkeeper, the Tax Assessor, and the Building Department. Two meeting spaces are available for use: one space is on the ground floor and is used for court appearances; another meeting room is on the second floor and is used by the Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and other groups for meetings. Parking facilities surround the building are inadequate and cannot handle the parking demand during court appearances and meetings that draw larger crowds. Parking overflows onto surrounding town roads. The Town Hall is hemmed in by existing residential properties. Limited opportunities exist to acquire adjoining property in order to expand the Town Hall in its present location. This Plan Update, like the 1972 Plan, acknowledges that a shortage of programmatic space exists at Town Hall. The Plan recommends that the Town seek grants to commence an assessment of the long-term needs associated with Town administrative and governmental functions that will result from the demands placed on these functions from anticipated, impending population growth. In response to the demands that Tuxedo Reserve will place on the Town's governmental functions, the Related Companies has agreed to donate to the Town the sales, marketing and administration center to be built on Quail Road near Route 17, also referred to as the Greeting Center for administrative office use twelve years after the first residential certificate of occupancy is issued or at an earlier time at the discretion of the Related Companies, subject to the Applicant's right to reserve a leasehold of up to 1,000 square feet of the Greeting Center for continued operations of the Project sales office up until final sellout of the Project. Further, the Related Companies has agreed that it will require that the Tuxedo Reserve Homeowners Association ("TRHOA") allow the Town Board to conduct special public meetings in the community space to be built in the Commons which will be capable of seating 200 people. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission recently acquired the former Union Carbide site, which was used recently as a staging area for the construction of the Millenium Pipeline. The Plan Update recommends that the Town discuss with the PI PC the feasibility of acquiring/leasing this property for its own purposes, including using it for recreational purposes. The Plan acknowledges that any development on this site will need to be set back sufficiently to buffer 58 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update activities which might occur on this property from the Indian Kill Reservoir. Other vacant buildings used for office, research and laboratory use exist and could be converted to a Town government center. While the Town seeks to preserve and enhance its ratable base and reuse former office and light industrial properties for tax-generating nonresidential uses, the Plan Update recognizes that conversion of one of these spaces for a government center would also be appropriate in the event the additional space provided by Related Companies is not sufficient to meet the Town's governmental space needs in its entirety. Preliminary discussions with the PI PC Executive Director indicate that the PI PC is willing to enter into a dialogue with the Town Board to see how each agency can mutual support each agency's objectives. Tuxedo Police Department The Tuxedo police department was headquartered in a former rail station in the Tuxedo hamlet for many years. In 2003, the police department moved to a renovated former elementary school building in the Southfields hamlet. The police department is well-served by the new location and the Plan Update does not anticipate that the police department will outgrow its space for the foreseeable future. However, the Plan acknowledges that as the Town's population grows, there will continue to be demand placed on equipment and personnel, and that it can be anticipated that the Town's police function will continue to expand. Tuxedo Highway Department The Town of Tuxedo maintains approximately 27 miles of roads within the community. The Highway department is presently headquartered at Long Meadow Road on an approximately 21- acre parcel. Central fuel and storage of school buses occurs on a parcel of land adjacent to the garden nursery at the corner of Warwick Brook Road and Route 17. In addition to road repairs and snow-plowing, the highway staff collects leaves for composting, maintain public recreation facilities; operate the hamlet wastewater treatment facility; and perform routine maintenance on town-owned property. The Highway Superintendent indicated that there will be a need to re-align existing sewer lines in the upcoming years. For the foreseeable future, the Highway Department will be maintained at its present location. Like police services, this Plan Update acknowledges that there will be increased demands placed on the Highway Department's equipment and personnel as a result of the impending construction of Tuxedo Reserve. The demands to be placed on the Town Highway Department from construction of the Tuxedo Reserve development were substantially reduced by the 2010 special use permit amendments which now require that most roads in the development be maintained as private roads. However, the main "spine" roads in the development, namely Quail Road, Bridle Trail, and Two Hills Road, will be dedicated to the Town. To facilitate maintenance of these roads by the Town's Highway Department, the Related Companies and the TRHOA shall lease to the Town for one dollar per year for 30 years 3,000 square feet of garage/storage space with two dual bays (for a total of four) in the planned maintenance facility. The facility shall be built by the 59 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Applicant in Phase 1 and shall be used by the Town for storage for equipment and materials needed to fulfill its maintenance responsibilities in Tuxedo Reserve. An improvement that the Highway Department will request the Town Board to pursue will be the creation of a recycling facility at the highway department facility. Presently, various junk and materials are deposited at the gates of the facility. The Highway Department would benefit from the introduction of bins to collect bulk materials, paints, and "white" goods. Tuxedo Joint Fire District The Tuxedo Joint Fire District operates three companies: Tuxedo Park (Fire Company 1), Sterling Forest (Company 2) and Eagle Valley (Fire Company 3). The Tuxedo Park fire company is located on Contractor's Road and Route 17 in the Tuxedo hamlet. The Eagle Valley fire company is situated at the intersection of Eagle Valley Road and Scott Mine Road, and the Sterling Forest station is located on Long Meadow Road just south of Route 17 A. The Tuxedo Park fire company, established in 1901, is comprised of 40 active members. In 2006, the company responded to 320 calls including structural fires, brush fires, vehicle accidents, especially on Route 17 and the NYS Thruway, downed trees, gas leaks, and other incidents. Apparatus is housed in a 3-bay firehouse, and includes a 1987 pumper truck, a 1991 heavy vehicle rescue truck, and a 1997 75-foot aerial ladder truck. The Sterling Forest fire company was established in 1960 and consists of approximately 27 active members. Apparatus is housed in a 3-bay firehouse, and includes a heavy duty rescue truck, a pick- up truck, and two pumpers. The fire company has responded to 187 calls since the beginning of the year to August 2007. The Eagle Valley fire company is housed in a 2-bay firehouse located at the end of Scott Mine Road in the vicinity of Murphy Field in Eagle Valley. The company maintains three pumper tankers. A recommendation from fire personnel is that stormwater basins be designed as retention basins that hold water. The fire department's hoses can connect to a dry hydrant to draw water from a basin in the event of an emergency. Tuxedo Ambulance Corps The Tuxedo Volunteer Ambulance Corps operates two-fully equipped ambulances that are located on Route 17 and Contractor's Road in the Tuxedo hamlet. The ambulance corps staff consists of 15 volunteer members, including emergency medical technicians and one full-time paid paramedic member provided by Rockland Paramedics. 60 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Tuxedo Train Station The former Tuxedo Train Station was occupied by the Tuxedo police department until it was vacated by same by the relocation of the police station to Southfields. The building has been restored for use as a multipurpose facility with space for train ticketing, an information center, and meetings. A Farmers Market operates on weekends in the commuter parking lot adjoining the rail station building and has been quite successful. Tuxedo Postal Service Three post offices serve the Town of Tuxedo: the post office that provides primary service to the Town is located in the Tuxedo hamlet. A second post office is situated in the Southfields hamlet; a small, third post office operates from Arden. The three post offices maintain separate zip codes: Tuxedo Park (0987), Southfields (0975) and Arden (10910). The Related Companies anticipates that a small post office will be constructed within the proposed Commons area of Tuxedo Reserve to handle the increase in postal service generated by this new development. B. PUBLIC SCHOOLS Portions of four school districts are situated in the Town of Tuxedo: Tuxedo Union Free, Monroe-Woodbury Central, Ramapo Central, and Haverstraw-Stony Point Central school districts. The Ramapo Central and Haverstraw-Stony Point districts encompass parkland property only located in the easternmost portion of the Town. Figure 7 illustrates school district boundaries. Monroe~ Woodbury Central School District The Monroe-Woodbury Central School District encompasses a large area located generally north of Warwick Brook Road. The Monroe-Woodbury School District serves the Arden Farms area, Laurel Ridge, Clinton Woods, Southfields, and the Bramertown Road neighborhoods. Approximately 400 dwelling units within the Town of Tuxedo are located in the Monroe-Woodbury School District. The School District maintains four elementary schools, a middle school and a high school as follows: . North Main Street School, Monroe (2-5) . Sapphire Elementary, Harriman (K-l) . Pine Tree Elementary, Monroe (2-5) . Smith Clove Elementary, Central Valley (K-l) . Monroe Woodbury Middle School, Central Valley (Grades 6-8) 61 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update . Monroe Woodbury High School, Central Valley (Grades 9-12) Although the district encompasses a sizeable portion of the Town, there are no school facilities in Tuxedo. Tuxedo Union Free School District The Tuxedo Union Free School District serves the remaining area of the T own, including Eagle Valley, the Tuxedo hamlet, Tuxedo Reserve, and the Village of Tuxedo Park. It also will serve the residential subdivision located at the intersection of Route 17 and Warwick Brook Road that has received preliminary plat approval (Sterling Place). Within the unincorporated Town area, there are approximately 680 dwelling units within the Tuxedo Union Free School District. An additional 346.:!:. dwelling units within the Village of Tuxedo Park are also in the school district. The School District consists of two schools: the George Grant Mason School, and the George F. Baker High School. Of the total enrollment, a significant number of high school attendees are from the Greenwood Lake Union Free School District. The Greenwood Lake USFD has an elementary and middle school but sends its high school students on a tuition basis to the Tuxedo UFSD. Greenwood Lake has been sending its high school students to the TUFSD since 1981. According to TUFSD publications, the total 2007 high school enrollment was 396 students. Of this, 90 students resided in the Town of Tuxedo, and the remainder resided in Greenwood Lake. The Greenwood Lake UFSD has been exploring tuition options with the Warwick Valley School District. The potential outcome, if Greenwood Lake were to tuition or merge with a different school district, is that there would be insufficient enrollment to continue operation of the Tuxedo High School. In 2007, a referendum to send Greenwood Lake students to the Warwick Valley Central School District was defeated by Warwick Valley voters. Table 15 provides a summary of enrollment trends m the Monroe-Woodbury and the Tuxedo Union Free School Districts. 62 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comorehensive Plan Update Table 15 Enrollment Trends Tuxedo Union Free School Monroe-Woodbury School 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 K 33 32 34 495 527 525 1 30 34 34 486 509 563 2 23 28 37 498 515 514 3 22 29 30 555 524 530 4 29 24 28 564 571 518 5 21 26 23 568 572 581 6 24 24 24 565 576 593 Ungraded Elementary 23 12 0 7 22 27 25 301 571 592 8 22 23 25 624 599 567 9 106 112 108 628 633 617 10 86 101 108 579 612 619 11 91 83 100 560 575 608 12 105 91 77 509 556 555 TOTAL 388 387 393 7,255 7,352 7,382 Source: New York State School Report Card, 2005-2006, New York State Education Dept. As a result of continuing uncertainty with future enrollment in the TUFSD, it has been and continues to be a primary Plan Update objective to explore the establishment of a school district in Tuxedo that is coterminous with present Town boundary lines, and one which would draw students presently attending the Monroe Woodbury School District. This objective was supported in the Community Survey. In 2008, the Town Board agreed to conduct a more detailed survey as to resident preferences with regard to the potential consolidation of the Town into one school district. New School Site Approval of a special use permit for Tuxedo Reserve was conditioned upon the developer providing a public school site for a new middle school that would be located at the terminus of Mountain Road. Specifically, prior to the issuance of the first building permit for Tuxedo Reserve, and prior to any construction or disturbance of the project site, the developer must convey a 40-acre parcel, as depicted on the preliminary plan for Tuxedo Reserve, as a future school site for the Tuxedo Union Free School District. The applicant is required to rough grade the property, complete any necessary environmental remediation and construct needed utility connections up to the school site. A conceptual site plan anticipated a two-story school building with several new playfields. In recognition of the topographic conditions of the site, the developer must pay for the costs associated with rock removal on the parcel to provide level, tiered building areas. The applicant will pay the cost to extend water, sewer, gas electric and cable into the school site to the edge of the school building. 63 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update C. TUXEDO LIBRARY The Tuxedo Park Library is housed within a historic building constructed in 1901 and designed by architect Bruce Price. The library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Library's mission is to provide a wide range of materials and services to meet patrons' independent education and recreational needs by utilizing in-house and system-wide resources and by keeping pace with current technology. Programs and outreach are intended to stimulate interest and appreciation for reading and affirm the historical significance of the Tuxedo community. The library serves as a primary meeting center for communication, information and entertainment resources among Town residents. According to the Library's website, the library's collection consists of 76,000 items including books, DVDs, magazines, videos, audio books, music CDs, and other materials. The library is a member of the Ramapo Catskill Library system which allows members to access materials in other member holdings. The buildings most recent renovation was completed in 1996. With the doubling of the Town's existing population as a result of Tuxedo Reserve, annual circulation at the library is anticipated to double. During review of Tuxedo Reserve, the Town Board, after discussion with the Library staff, determined that the library facility is inadequate to accommodate the anticipated increased in circulation and that approximately 18,000 square feet of space will be required to adequately serve the Town's total population at the development's buildout. The existing facility could be expanded to meet this demand if adjoining land is purchased. The Town has also determined that a library "annex" within the proposed Commons area of Tuxedo Reserve would also meet long-term needs. As a condition of the special use permit, Tuxedo Reserve is designed with a library site in the Commons that is approximately 0.5 acres and sized to allow construction of a library annex with required off-street parking and drainage facilities. The special permit allows the library to be situated at a different location on the Tuxedo Reserve site by mutual agreement of the developer and the library, and subject to Planning Board approval. In accordance with the special use permit, the library must notify the applicant in writing and within 12 years of the date of issuance of the special permit (November 14, 2004) that it has obtained a financing commitment to construct a library facility. At that time, the developer will convey title of the site to the Library. In the event the Library does not timely give such notification to the Tuxedo Reserve developer that it has obtaining a financing commitment, then the Town shall be given three years commencing on the expiration date of the 12-year period to secure financing to construct a community space with a similar intensity of use on the half acre lot. If, within that three-year period, the Town gives notice to the Applicant of its intent to build such a community space, then the Applicant shall convey title to the Town. With the construction of a library annex or expansion of the existing library, the Plan Update anticipates that the library's facility needs will be met for the foreseeable future. 64 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update D. RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE The Town of Tuxedo has an extensive open space resource base. However, limited developable land is available to construct active recreation facilities that are and will be in shortage. The following inventory presents the various facilities located in the Town (Figure 8). Federal The Appalachian National Scenic Trail traverses federally-owned lands in the northern portion of the Town. The trail's route travels from the Bramertown Road area to the north oflndian Hill at the north end of Southfields. It crosses over Route 17 and the NYS Thruway just south of Arden where it enters Harriman State Park and where it continues north and east to cross over the Bear Mountain Bridge. The Appalachian Trail was conceived by Benton MacKaye, a regional planner, and the Tuxedo portion is part of the first section of the footpath, stretching from Bear Mountain Bridge to Arden, that was completed in 1923. The trail extends from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. Within the Town, the trail is maintained by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Since preparation of the 1972 Plan, the trail is now situated entirely on federal and state parkland within Tuxedo. State Facilities Portions of Harriman State Park and Sterling Forest State Park are located within the Town of Tuxedo. The New York-New Jersey Trail conference publishes maps of the trail systems in the parks. The trail maps also illustrate planned trails. Harriman State Park is located in Rockland and Orange counties. According to the park's website, it is the second-largest park in the state's park system, with 31 lakes and reservoirs, 200 miles of hiking trails, three beaches, two public camping areas, a network of group camps, miles of streams and scenic roads, and scores of wildlife species, vistas and vantage points. Harriman State Park's major facilities include Lakes Welch, Sebago, Tiorati and Silvermine, the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area, Sebago Cabins and Beaver Pond Campgrounds. The land for Harriman State Park was donated by Mary Averell Harriman from the 30,000 acre estate centered in Arden. It is maintained by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. Recreational activities and facilities within Harriman State Park include: swimming and sunning, biking, boating, bridle paths, cross-country skiing, cabins and campsites, fishing and ice fishing, and hiking. Sterling Forest@ State Park comprises 17,953 acres of woodland and is a watershed for several major water supply systems in New York and New Jersey. The habitat is important for the survival of many resident and migratory species, including black bear, a variety of hawks and songbirds and many rare invertebrates and plants. Hunting, fishing and hiking opportunities are available. 65 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update The Frank R. Lautenberg Visitor Center overlooking Sterling Lake features exhibits about the park environment as well as an auditorium for related presentations. Activities permitted in the park include: archery, biking, fishing and ice fishing, hiking, boating, hunting, and snow-shoeing. Trails can be accessed throughout the Town from all neighborhoods. Sterling Forest State Park is maintained by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. County Facilities There are no County recreational facilities located in Tuxedo. The Orange County Historical Society owns Greenwood Furnace in the Arden neighborhood. Town Facilities In 2007, the Recreation Committee provided the following list documenting existing recreation facilities serving Town of Tuxedo residents. Table 16 Town Recreation Facilities Facility Name Location Recreational Facilities Acreage Tichy Field Laurel Ridge, off of - 1 Little League Baseball Field 7 Route 17A - 2 sets of tennis courts - 1 semi-V2 court for basketball - 1 newly installed playground for kids 2-12 years of age Eagle Valley Mini Park Eagle Valley at - Toddler playground 1 intersection of Eagle - 1 semi-V2 court for basketball Valley and South Gate Roads Eagle Valley Field Eagle Valley at end of - 1 Soccer Field 10 (Murphy Field) Scott Mine Road - 1 Softball Field - 1 Small Toddler Slide & Swing Set - 1 Little League Baseball Field (to be constructed by 2008) - 1 30' by 60' pavilion Lucky Recreation Site Tuxedo Hamlet along - former playground 3.5 Ramapo River New Town Park Tuxedo Hamlet along - Install Little League Field Ramapo River - Create Bandshell - Establish Walking Trail Euvrard Field Tuxedo Hamlet at - Ballfield owned by School District 6 end of Mountain Road Quarry Field Warwick Brook Road - Eliminated due to pending -10 development Source: Tuxedo Recreation Committee, 2007. 66 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update The Recreation Committee has established the following long-term recreation improvement program: - Baseball field for the majors - Second softball field - Town Swimming Pool - Two (2) full-size basketball courts - One (1) set of tennis courts - Roller Hockey Rink/Skate Park - Walking/Jogging Track - Water Spray Park at new Town Park _ Recreation Center. This would include office space, Summer Camp program, After School Programs, Kids Crises Center, Teen Dances. Geographically, the Bramertown neighborhood and South fields hamlet lack Town active recreational amenities - there is sufficient population to support a small park in each community. The Arden neighborhood likewise lacks any active recreational amenities. Long-term, if development is proposed in this area, the Town must evaluate the need for active recreation facilities in this neighborhood. Route 17 A represents a physical barrier for children and adults to safely access Tichy Field other than by automobile. The Town should explore a long-term solution to create safe access to Tichy Field. Grant funding from the NYS Department of Transportation should be explored. Town Recreation Plan In addition, the Plan Update desires to encourage pedestrian linkages within the Eagle Valley hamlet to allow children an opportunity to safely access recreational facilities at Murphy Field as well as the Mini Park. The Plan Update seeks the restoration of Lucky Park in the hamlet; the Lucky Bridge has been restored and once again provides fishing access within the hamlet. Lastly, the Plan Update recommends that the walking trail planned for the new town park extend northward to the falls to allow fishing access in the location of the former dam. In April 2004, the Town drafted a Recreation Plan. The report (by Burgis Associates) concluded that the Town was deficient approximately five acres of land devoted to recreation based on the Town's population. Based on the Town's projected population, the Town will be deficient 66.8 acres of land devoted to recreation facilities according to the plan. The Recreation Plan included 67 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update estimates for various improvements to be made to the Town's existing park system. Based on expenditures to date, it is apparent that the costs to improve Tuxedo's facility exceed the original estimates. The Plan Update recommends that an addendum to the recreation plan be prepared that updates the cost estimates for improvements and identifies any changes in the recreation improvement program. Palisades Interstate Park Commission In 2007 , Town Council members met with the newly designated Executive Director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and the Park Manager for Sterling Forest State Park to discuss potential opportunities to collaborate in the creation of active recreation facilities and trail routes. As a result of the various open space acquisitions that have occurred in Tuxedo, little land remains to address the Town's need for active recreation facilities. PIPC owns property adjacent to existing Town facilities or lands that are strategically situated to serve Town neighborhoods. The following locations were specifically discussed: . A parcel of land to the east of Murphy Field and south of the Eagle Valley firehouse. . The former Cintichem site. All structures associated with the Cintichem site have been demolished, and the property is presently being used as a staging area for Millenium Pipeline. Portions of the property have been graded and are relatively flat. The site has already been disturbed, thus, no clearing would be required to establish active recreational facilities on this property. Environmental factors associated with the former use of the site would need to be reviewed prior to the property's use as a recreational activity center. . An area at the southwest quadrant of the intersection of Route 17 A and Route 17 and north of the Indian Kill stream. . The old golf course area on the east side of the NYS Thruway. It is uncertain what access, if any, could be obtained to this area. The potential use of any of these areas depends on the environmental sensitivity of the site and adjoining lands. It is a general recommendation of the Plan Update that the Town develop a more formal and ongoing dialogue with the PIPC to address mutual short- and long-term planning objectives of both agencies. Ramapo River Trail During preparation of the Plan Update, portions of the Ramapo River corridor were field surveyed to assess the potential creation of a Ramapo River Trail. Aerial photos of the Ramapo River alignment were also assessed to determine potential 68 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update routing for a river trail. (Photo: Lucky Bridge in Tuxedo hamlet.) The following is noted: . A trail cannot physically be introduced immediately adjoining the Ramapo River along its full length within the Town. This is due to constraints imposed by geology and topography, and the criss-crossing of a rail right-of-way and utilities along the river's length. In places, the river is too close to existing highways and roads to allow a trail to be situated along the river. A trail extending north to south within the Town could follow the river along sections, but the trail would be required to use property not adjoining the river in order to create a continuous system. . The Town needs to collaborate with the PIPC to bring the trail to fruition. Much of the land adjoining the river, especially north of Route 17 NRoute 106, is in state ownership and maintained by the PIPe. The PI PC has indicated an interest in creating a trail. . The first segment of a river trail could be created within the Tuxedo hamlet. The trail would extend from the Augusta Falls through the new town park, south to Lucky Park, and then continue south of the hamlet. . Another segment could be created from the PIPC fishing access location on Route 106 to an area on the east side of the former Quarry Fields, provided the old golf course access "tunnel" is opened. . Lastly, a trail segment can be created along old Route 17 from the Town boundary to Arden Farm Road on PIPC property. As part of the 2010 special permit amendments, the Tuxedo Reserve developer has offered and agreed to gift to the Town, prior to the issuance of the first certificate of occupancy, Lot 9-1-19, comprised of approximately 41.8 acres, and Lot 9-1-22.11, comprised of approximately 3.1 acres, which are lands located outside the Project along the Ramapo River and owned by it. The lands have been gifted to facilitate the creation of a Ramapo River Trail. Sterling Place The Sterling Place subdivision plan will eliminate use of Quarry field as a track and ballfield. Should the subdivision plan not be pursued or modified at any time, the Town should discuss with the applicant the potential of preserving all or a portion of Quarry Field. Given the limited amount of developable land in the Town, the preservation of an existing ballfield remains a Plan Update objective. Tuxedo Reserve As a condition of the special permit for Tuxedo Reserve, open space lands are to be gifted or otherwise restricted by conservation easements. Approximately 702 acres of the Northern Tract, located north of the Village of Tuxedo Park, are to be gifted to a conservation organization acceptable to the Town, and approximately 50 acres are to be set aside as a conservation buffer for the Village of Tuxedo Park. The entire Fox Hill Tract excluding a portion of land to be annexed 69 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update into the Village, is to be gifted to the Village of Tuxedo Park. Open space lands in the Southern Tract are to be restricted to either open space or recreational use consistent with the preliminary plan approved by the Town Board. As a condition of the special permit approving Tuxedo Reserve, the trail system on the Southern Tract must be made permanently available to Town of Tuxedo residents utilizing an annual free-of- charge permit system administered by the Tuxedo Reserve Homeowners Association (TRHOA). The TRHOA will be responsible for all trail maintenance and security. As per the 2010 special permit amendments, the Tuxedo Reserve developer has agreed to donate one acre of land located in the Phase 2 portion of the development for open space and/or future recreational purposes. An important conclusion reached during environmental review of the proposed development is that Tuxedo Reserve does not integrate sufficient playfields and other recreational amenities to meet the demand it will place on active recreational facilities. The developer of Tuxedo Reserve must pay fees in lieu of providing recreation. The trail use by Town residents described above is not considered a fee in lieu of recreation by which the applicant can claim a credit or offset against recreation fees otherwise required by the town's local law. As per the 2010 special permit amendments, the Tuxedo Reserve developer may pursue the acquisition of other land that may be suitable for use by the Town for active recreation use or construct active recreation facilities to be donated to the Town for Town-wide use. If the Tuxedo Reserve developer acquires such property or constructs such active recreation facilities for Town-wide use and the Town Board agrees to accept the donation of such land or facilities, then it shall be credited against the recreation fees in a manner set forth in the special permit amendments. The Plan Update recommends that the Town Board review the existing recreation fee amount and determine whether it is adequate to meet the facility needs identified by the Town Recreation Committee. Hamlet Revitalization Fund As a condition of approval of the Tuxedo Reserve special permit and 2010 special permit amendments, the developer is required to establish a Revitalization Fund of $6 million. The Fund is actually made up of two distinct funds: Grant Fund - $2 million in direct grant funds to be used entirely for infrastructure and physical beautification improvements within the hamlet; and Loan Fund - $ 4 million in revolving loan funds to be used for commercially viable new construction rehabilitation and leasehold improvement projects within the Hamlet. The primary goals and objectives of the Grant and Loan Funds are the revitalization of the Hamlet, as set forth in a Town Center Study and Master Plan prepared by Burgis Associates, Inc., dated September 2004. They are as follows: 70 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Strengthening and expanding retail services and other activities that would provide for the needs of town residents and attract new shoppers, including transient traffic and tourists. Providing new housing, in varying formats; Renewing and enhancing the streetscape and the building facades of the hamlet; Improving pedestrian accessibility both to and within the hamlet area, particularly across Route 17; Improving vehicular access and increasing parking in the hamlet area for both shoppers and commuters and Preserving the historic ambiance of the Hamlet area and encouraging the reuse of historic buildings. The Tuxedo Reserve developer paid $1 million dollars of the Grant Fund following the approval of the 2004 Special Permit. The Applicant shall pay the remaining $1 million in Grant funds following approval of the 2010 amendments. The Plan Update's funds can be used for a variety of purposes, including the pedestrian trail system within the hamlet. Other Private Resources Several residential developments in the Town maintain limited recreation facilities that benefit residents of the development. Specifically: . The Woodlands maintains a recreation center, an outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts; . Tuxedo Manor apartments has an outdoor pool; and . Tuxedo Heights has an outdoor swimming pool for use by its residents. While these amenities provide some recreation benefits, they do not meet the full complement of recreational activities demanded by residents. E. RECOMMENDATIONS With regard to community facilities and services, the Plan Update incorporates the following recommendations: . Conduct a long-term space and utilization analysis for Town governmental functions; . Work with the Palisades Interstate Park Commission to utilize/acquire lands for active recreation; . Create the Ramapo Trail; . Continue to support creation of a single, unified school district encompassing the entire 71 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update Town of Tuxedo; · Monitor space needs at the Tuxedo Police Headquarters as growth occurs m the community; · Create a recycling center at the Town highway department garage; · Consider use of stormwater management basins as water source for emergency services; · Work cooperatively with the library to monitor library space needs as population growth occurs in the Town; · Update the Town Recreation Plan and review the recreation fee in lieu of land; · Monitor the progress of Sterling Place and explore preservation of Quarry Field; and · Establish a permitting system for future use of Tuxedo Reserve trails. 72 ;~ ~ i# \ CHESTER/~ /'/ I INSET .1 1V~~1f, k ,,~ o.~ ( ~8~,.. 8~~ 81".A ~ ....1"~ Figure 7: Community Facilities Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Source: Orange County Water Authority & NYSGIS Prepared by: Tim Miller Associates, Inc., 3/06/08 Scale: As shown \ Notes: 1) Recreational facilities are shown on Fig. 8 2) Entire Town is in the Tuxedo Fire District 1 - 0.' - w4E S . j'./l II'P ,/ ~.~ <<I!: .~ ~...>~....,'e...'" ../"~.~ " ~~ \ I 8 " I' WOODBURY // .,,}<tof.v@P' cNIG' W\IlAK' Haverstraw .. ... . N ,...... . . . ,f~ ~ i# \ I 8 .; I~ WOODBURY // ~~ c>>M' W\IlJII<' Havenstraw INSET p-------------------------~ . - ! I' ' Town: /j Land: I I I I I I - l ~ N Private Recreation 0.. - W+E S "' 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update VIII. HISTORIC RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY APPEARANCE History can be defined as a "narrative" or "story" of events. Tuxedo's history has numerous chapters, beginning with pre-historic (Le., pre-European contact) native American occupation, to the exploration of the Town by Europeans who settled in the Ramapo River valley, built homesteads, mined for iron, farmed, established businesses and enjoyed leisure pursuits. Historic buildings and structures are remnants of past events that continue to provide the community with its own unique sense of character. It is a goal of this Plan Update to preserve and protect the cultural and historic resources which reinforce the Town's unique identity, support its scenic character and are a source of pride for all Town citizens. '" ,~ A short narrative of the Town's history that is ...-.J'"rJ. gathered from various sources is provided here to inform new residents of the contributions that the Town's citizens have made to history. The Plan Update recommends that a Town Committee work with the Town Historical Society to develop a comprehensive list and map of historic features so that these resources can be identified and preserved wherever possible. Historic resources are found throughout the community, from Eagle Valley to Bramertown , and in the hamlets up and down the Ramapo River. Although the Town has a rich history, no formal local mechanism exists to protect historic structures. National Register listing does not protect a structure from alteration or demolition. Once the Town's historic resources have been identified and mapped, the Town should examine mechanisms to protect same. A. PRE.HISTORY Native American populations arrived in the Northeast after glaciers retreated north approximately 13,000 years ago. Rockshelter sites are common in the Highlands mountainous region. Within the Town of Tuxedo, the Man of War Rockshelter site was adjacent to Tuxedo Park cemetery, located directly east of the Ramapo River adjacent to what was a north-south Indian trail, now Route 17. Horsestable Rockshelter was reported two miles east of Tuxedo Park. It is anticipated that there are numerous unexcavated rockshelters, quarries, and other prehistoric sites throughout the Town. A pre-historic quarry site was recently examined at Tuxedo Reserve. 73 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Evidence exists that the Lenni-Lenape of the Delaware tribe enjoyed hunting in the woods and fishing in the streams and river in Tuxedo. Artifacts have been found in the rock shelters where they camped, including flint, spear points, pottery and animal bones. It is through the preparation of formal Cultural Resource Surveys that the pre-history of the region has been discovered and disclosed. All cultural resource surveys prepared in support of development applications should be transmitted to the Historical Society as the official repository of Town artifacts. B. HISTORY Tuxedo's Name What is now the Town of Tuxedo was part of the Chesekook, or Cheesecock Patent. The patent, granted by Queen Anne in 1707, was surveyed by Charles Clinton, grandfather of New York Governor DeWitt Clinton, in 1735. In 1714, what became the Town of Tuxedo was a part of the Precinct of Goshen. This then became a part of the New Cornwall Precinct in 1764 when the town was set off from Goshen and named Monroe, reportedly after James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. In 1863, Monroe was divided into Monroe, Highland and Southfield, with Southfield eventually becoming Tuxedo. In 1865, the three towns rejoined to reform Monroe, and in 1889 it once again divided into three, with Tuxedo including about 50,000 acres. "Tuxedo" Lake, for which the Town is named, was historically known as Truxedo, or Duck Cedar Pond. There are several interpretations as to the origin of the name "Tuxedo". One interpretation is that the town took its name from the Algonquin "Tucseto" meaning clear flowing water. The name Tuxedo is also said to have originated from an Indian name meaning "Place of the Bear." The Indian phrase "Taugh Seder" was corrupted by locals to Duck Sider, and finally Duck Cedar. Iron Mining and Colonial Period Early inhabitants of the Town discovered iron and mineral deposits in the granite and limestone bedrock. The discovery of iron in the Ramapo Mountains, containing magnetite with the highest known iron content, led speculators to establish mining and smelting facilities in Tuxedo. Growth of iron and related industries in the area induced the establishment of small communities and transportation routes linking these industries to small communities. The main settlements grew in Eagle Valley and near Sterling Lake. 74 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update The first furnace in the area was constructed in Ringwood, New Jersey. Furnaces are truncated pyramids of stone and brick, usually located at the foot of a hillside. From a point part way up the hillside, a bridge or loading platform was built across to the top of the furnace stack. Charcoal for fuel was initially the principal means of firing furnaces. For a description of area furnaces and the iron production process, refer to Ransom's The Vanishin!! Ironworks of the Ramapos. Another historic feature on the landscape are the charcoal kilns established on terraces adjacent to stone outcrops where wood could be brought and burned. The remants of temporary charcoal burners' huts and encampments are scattered throughout the Ramapo Mountains. Peter Hasenclaver, in 1765, established the first iron works in Tuxedo. Hasenclaver owned a ten acre tract on the northern outlet of Tuxedo Lake and was responsible for building the dam which diverted water south into a raceway which emptied to the Ringwood River and guaranteed an adequate water supply for Ringwood Furnace. By 1775, John Belcher acquired land just north of Tuxedo Lake where he had a forge on Warwick Brook. Sterling Furnace was established at the outlet of Sterling Pond by the 1950s by a London Company of which Lord Sterling of New Jersey was a member. Steel was first made there in 1776 by Peter Townsend. Together with John Noble, Peter Townsend helped erect the chain that was extended across the Hudson River in 1778, designed to block the English from making their way north during the American Revolution. Sterling Mines supplied iron used during the American Revolution, the Civil War, and World Wars I and II. The 1972 Plan references various historic landscape features associated with iron mining found in the Town of Tuxedo. These include: · the Greenwood Iron Furnace at Arden; · the Southfields Furnace on Old Orange Turnpike; · the Old Scott Mine and Crusher and Long Mine area (Sterling Forest); · the Bering Mine Shaft and Entrance (Sterling Forest). Ruttenber and Clark, in History of Orange County, reference the early names of Tuxedo's inhabitants that gave rise to some of the hamlets and neighborhoods in the community. A Victor and Thomas Helms resided in an area west of South field which became known as Helmsburgh. Richard Wilkes and Moses Cunningham are identified with the area known as Greenwood, which would be renamed to Arden. Elijiah Green lived on the east side of Mombasha Lake and David Miller nearby. John Belcher came to just north of Tuxedo Lake and had his forge on Warwick Brook. David Rogers had a farm on the mountain west of Tuxedo Lake. James Galloway, a pathmaster in 1775, lived in Southfield and kept an inn where George Washington spent a night in 177 7. 75 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update George Washington had one additional connection to the Town. During the American Revolution, the Route from New Jersey to New Windsor, New York, was well established with the road along the Ramapo River used as a common pass. In order to shorten the distance associated with this trip, a Continental Road was laid by Washington's Army through a valley south of Tuxedo Lake. The road, of which a part was to be a "corduroy" road made of horizontally-laid contiguous logs, was to begin in Eagle Valley, follow the east shore of Tuxedo Lake, and come out near the Southfields hamlet. Legend has it that George Washington named Eagle Valley for the great birds that circled overhead as he rode past. In 1780, the Marquis de Chastelleux, a friend of Lafayette, followed the Continental Road and wrote of Tuxedo Lake (Travels of America 1780-1782): "1 got on horse back and penetrated afresh into the woods, mounting and descending very high mountains until 1 found myself on the borders of a lake so solitary and concealed that it is only visible through the trees with which it is surrounded. " Industrial Era In 1783, Captain Solomon Townsend purchased land in the Town and named it the Augusta Tract. Solomon and his father-in-law Peter built the Augusta Iron Works, anchory and forge by the falls on the Ramapo River, just north of the new town park. In 1805, Townsend also established the Southfield furnace where he made pig iron. (Photos; Piers supporting PiPes at Augusta Falls.) Southfields was an early center of actIVIty as three roads converged in the hamlet: the road from Warwick, the Turnpike, and the road from Cornwall and Newburgh. Around 1808, Henry McFarlane and Joseph Blackwell built a factory to produce nails and iron hoops _ they called it Monroe Works and Southfields was originally given that name for a time. It is reported that more than a hundred people were employed there. The Adam Belcher house was centered on a hill above the Ramapo, now converted into apartments. Business accelerated in Southfields as a 4th road was built to connect to the hamlet - the Monroe and Haverstraw Turnpike crossing through Parker Cabin Hollow by Tom Jones Mountain to a landing on the Hudson. Roger Parmalee had built a slitting mill3 around 1808 where he made nails. He was an executor of Solomon Townsend's estate. 3 A slitting mill was a watermill for slitting bars of iron into rods. The rods then were passed to nailers w/w made the rods into nails, by giving them a point and head. Source: Wikipedia, 2007. 76 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update In 1812, a saw factory was established on Warwick Brook near its outlet with the Ramapo River, erected by the McCouns and Jacksons. The business expanded to manufacture plough shares, horse shoes, forge bellows, anvils and other articles. The Saw Works became part of the Townsend's Sterling Corporation, formed in 1814. At the north end of Town, in 1810, James Cunningham bought 3,000 acres of land at tax sale comprising half of Great Mountain Lot 3. The land contained significant deposits of iron ore. He built a furnace there in 1811 and called it Greenwood which name was applied to the surrounding area. (Photo: Greenwood Furnace in Arden.) During the War of 1812, cannonballs were made there for the army. In the 1820s the mines were taken over by Governeur Kemble, owner of the West Point Foundry at Cold Spring. It was not until 1837 when the Parrott brothers bought the property that the Greenwood Furnace was revived. This is the same furnace that can be seen from the New York State Thruway at Arden. Greenwood Iron Works would also make a major contribution during the Civil War, as Robert Parrott had developed a cannon that was chosen by the U.S. government for use in the war. The iron for the cannon was made at the Greenwood charcoal furnace and noted for its strength. Although now mostly parkland, approximately 1,500 persons resided at the Works with a concentration of homes at the furnace pond. Other houses were scattered through the mountains and along the Ravine through which "Slaughter Brook" ran. The Townsend brothers sold the Sterling property and Southfield in 1856. Both works were sold in 1864 to the newly formed Sterling Iron and Railroad Company. A railway was constructed from Erie at Sloatsburg through Eagle Valley (generally following present day County Road 72) to Sterling Furnace and Lakeville for the removal of iron ore. Farming In the early 1800s, farming was conducted in various sections in the town where the land was not constrained by bedrock. Greenwood (now Arden) was well suited to farming alongside the Ramapo River. The Bush family had a dairy farm there. To the west of Southfield, the Helms family farmed an extensive property. The land in the vicinity of Mombasha Lake was open and fertile and that area became known as Bramertown. A William and John Bramer lived there on farms with their families. By the mid-1800s, Helmsburg and Bramertown had summer hotels and hunting lodges. 77 2011 Town of Tuxedo ComDrehensive Plan Update In Eagle Valley, farms were also being introduced. The Belcher family established a dairy farm there that existed until around 1900 when the land was sold to William Hamilton. Hamilton called the estate "Table Rock Farms" and built a mansion overlooking the valley. The farms employed approximately one hundred to care for cows, sheep, pigs and chickens. Others living in Eagle Valley at the time were the Babcock, Burris, and Smith families. Early Places of Worship and Cemeteries The Parrotts built the Episcopal Church, St John's, in 1863, at Greenwood. The church exists today. Charles Babcock was the first rector and architect of the building. St. Mary's Church was also built at Greenwood in 1867. There is a large cemetery along Route 17 where the church was, but the church was demolished as it was no longer in use. (Photo; St. Mary's cemetery.) A Methodist Church was built at Southfield in 1848 by John Hermance and Robert Ashman with the backing of the T ownsends. The church and parish house still exist. St. Marys-in- Tuxedo was constructed in 1888 just inside the main gate of Tuxedo Park. It is built of native stone in a Gothic Style, designed by William A. Potter. The church exists today. In 1895, a piece of property was acquired from the Tuxedo Park Association and Our Lady of Mount Carmel was constructed. The present church was built in 1890 subsequent to a fire that destroyed the original building; the existing structure was designed by Heins and LaFarge. The church exists today. A methodist church was constructed at the end of Library Road in the hamlet in 1902. The church is now the home of the Tuxedo Historical Society. According to the 1972 Plan, there are a number of cemeteries in the Town, some associated with the churches in the community, which are the final resting places for a number of the early settlers of the community, including: · the Arden cemetery; · a cemetery on the easterly side of Route 17 in Southfields; · a cemetery adjacent to St. Mary's Episcopal church. · a cemetery located within the lands of Sterling Forest, north of Benjamin Meadow Road. · a cemetery located south of Scott Mine Road near the Village "west gate" on lands owned by the Tuxedo Park Association. This cemetery was located during preparation of the environmental impact statement for the Tuxedo Reserve project. 78 2011 Town of Tuxedo GJmprehensive Plan Update Tuxedo Park and Hamlet Before the Park was conceived, the Tuxedo hamlet was a railroad stop known as Woodpile. The Tuxedo Park tract and Augusta forge came into the possession of the Lorillard family in 1814 and the tract remained vacant until the introduction of the Erie Railroad in 1841. Following Lorillard's acquisition, water rights for Tuxedo Lake were sold to the Sterling Mines, and the Augusta forge was abandoned. Up until around 1885, the Augusta Tract, which was the land on which Tuxedo Park was established, housed a handful of homes, farms and structures - much of the land was forest land used to support the iron industry. Pierre Lorillard conceived plans for a hunting and fishing club to be centered around Tuxedo Lake. The concept expanded into a residential park. Bruce Price worked with Lorillard to create a planned community of wealthy residents. Laborers and builders from Italy and Hungary were employed to clear forest, build roads, and create a community where none had existed. The Italian immigrants established housing along the Ramapo River in what is now the East Village, while the Hungarians constructed frame dwellings against the mountain forming a separate community. Within a few years of its inception, a town center was constructed to provide services for the newly established population and included stores, churches, schoolhouses, a library and a hospital. Tuxedo Park continued to expand with the construction of many more cottages and villages throughout the 20th century. Tuxedo Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The determination of significance states: "Tuxedo Park is a well preserved village in Orange County, New York, with excellent architect- designed buildings dating from 1886. Often described as the first fully integrated suburb, it contains a great number of significant buildings and sites which retain the scale and quality of the turn of the century residential park. The vitality of its landscape is derived from judicious planning and appropriateness of siting. As a milieu for social and architectural experimentation, it insPired much of the cultural expression of the early 1900s". Within the hamlet, the Tuxedo Park Library, opened to the public in May 1902, was designed by Bruce Price. A hospital was built on a hill above Augusta Place and opened in 1908. The Tuxedo Electric Company constructed a powerhouse on the Ramapo near Augusta Falls in 1900. The Tuxedo Park National Bank, now Chase, was constructed in 1921. Arden House E.H. Harriman acquired property at Greenwood in 1885 through auction. The property included a cottage overlooking Echo Lake, which was made into the family's homestead. Harriman named the estate "Arden" after Robert Parrott's wife Mary Arden Parrott. The post office name was officially changed from Greenwood to Arden. 79 2011 Town a/Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Harriman added to his property by acquiring an additional forty farms and woodlots. He established a model farm at Arden, irrigating the fields with canals from the Ramapo River to improve the grazing. By forming the Arden Farm Dairy Company in 1896, he organized the local farmers into a league for their protection against price fluctuations. As stated in the 1972 Plan, the dedication of much of the Palisades Interstate Park, including Bear Mountain and Harriman State Park, bear witness to the significant role played by this family in the Town and region. C. NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES An online search of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places finds the following: . The Tuxedo Park National Register Historic District (National Register Number 90NR02356) . Southfields Furnace ruins (National Register Number 90NR02303) . The Tuxedo Park Railroad Station (National Register Number 00NR01692) As is evident from this short list, few of the historic properties in the Town outside the Village of Tuxedo Park have received official recognition as historic places. As mentioned previously, it is recommended that the Town develop a comprehensive inventory of historic structures in the community and map these resources. D. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD (ARB) The zoning regulations creating a Town Architectural Review Board were adopted in 2002. The ARB was formed in response to the review of the Tuxedo Reserve planned integrated development special use permit application. As per the PIO special use permit regulations, PIDs are to be subjected to community appearance and architectural review upon application for site plan approval. In response to the requirements of the PID, the Tuxedo Reserve developer established a set of design standards which are to guide the construction of buildings within the PID - the design standards require that buildings conform to a high standard of quality, and the applicant's fiscal analysis and projected market value are predicated on buildings and dwellings meeting these high design standards. The ARB has been given review authority over other elements of the Town's built environment. As established by the local law, it was the intent of the Town Board to preserve the aesthetic value of natural and manmade features and structures and to prevent the harmful effects of potentially unattractive or inappropriate building materials insofar as they may affect the visual environment. 80 2011 Town of Tuxedo OJmprehensive Plan Update The ARB's jurisdiction is defined in Section 98-59 of the Town zoning law. The ARB has the authority to approve all plans affecting commercial properties, all properties in planned integrated developments, all properties developed with new two-family or multifamily residences and all properties in residential subdivisions of five lots or more, in the following categories: . Plans for all municipal structures and facilities not owned by the Town of Tuxedo. . Plans for construction, exterior alterations or exterior additions to commercial buildings, structures or facilities, except to home occupations or offices having no exterior evidence of such use. . Plans for construction of two-family or multifamily residential buildings and structures. . Plans for construction of all buildings and structures in planned integrated developments. . Plans for construction, erection or alteration of signs visible from Route 17. The ARB also serves in an advisory capacity to the Town's boards. The Plan Update supports continuation of the ARB, but recommends that the 5 year old regulations be reviewed and updated by the Town Board based on the experiences of the ARB and applicants with actual design reviews. The ARB's review of an application can be straightforward where historic precedent exists or specific design standards have been established, e.g., the design standards set forth in the Town Center Study. However, the ARB's ability to render design decisions is made difficult where no historic precedent or design standards exist, e.g., new construction in major residential subdivisions. Likewise, homes constructed in the East Village share a common building vernacular. Although porches or fireplaces may have been added, or roofing and siding materials varied, the neighborhood still reflects an attractive and cohesive building pattern. Many of the Town's older residential neighborhoods have been developed in a consistent architectural style. For example, there is an obvious style to residences in certain neighborhoods of the hamlet. The photo to the left illustrates a series of homes with front facing gambrel roofs in the Dutch colonial style. Here, the building form unifies the streetscape, while the variations in roof and siding colors ensure that there is not excessive similarity. 81 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Several of the Town's established neighborhoods are guided by historic precedent and comparable architectural styles. Tuxedo Reserve, a new development, is guided by design standards imposed by the special permit approval. Several existing subdivisions may be guided by private restrictions imposed by a developer, e.g., Table Rock Estates, which mandate certain requirements such as minimum building size, size of the garage, etc. The Plan Update recommends that the Town consider requiring that applicants submit design standards prior to final subdivision plan approval to guide residential development within a subdivision - precedent exists with a development such as Tuxedo Reserve. In this way, future homeowners of the subdivision will be apprised early on that they will be subjected to certain design guidelines, and the ARB can be guided by guidelines in which the subdivider had input into the selection of architectural styles appropriate to the proposed subdivision. E. RECOMMENDATIONS The following recommendations are incorporated into this Plan Update: . Create an inventory and map of the Town's historic resources; . Upon completion of the inventory, explore and identify regulatory and other mechanisms for protecting the Town's historic resources; . Review and revise, if necessary, the regulations governing the Architectural Review Board and its responsibilities; and . During subdivision/site plan approval process, add the option for an applicant/developer to submit design guidelines and standards that would govern future construction. 82 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan UDdate IX. TRANSPORTATION The availability of transportation routes and facilities is a major determinant of land use and Town form. Information for this section came from a variety of sources, but a specific resource used for planning purposes was the Orange County Long Range Transportation which is available for review at the following link: http://www.orangecountygov.comlfilestorage/124/136211464/3361141 07/41091 Approved LR TP 11-27-07.pdf. A. COMMUTATION PATTERNS The 2000 U.S. Census of the population provides statistics regarding commutation patterns in the T own. Town statistics presented here also include information on commutation patterns for Village of Tuxedo Park residents. In 2000, there were 1,817 persons in the labor force. In terms of origin-destination patterns, 1,240 persons worked in New York State. Of the total persons employed in New York, 476 persons (38 percent) worked in Orange County. Workers employed outside New York State totaled 577 persons (32 percent of workforce). According to the Orange County Long Range Transportation Update (LRTU), more than 10 percent of the work trips made by residents of the Towns of Blooming Grove, Chester, Monroe, Tuxedo, Warwick, and Woodbury are to New York City. These six municipalities account for 57 percent of all Orange County resident trips to New York City. In terms of the mode of transportation used by residents, 1,516 persons, or 83.4 percent, used a vehicle to commute to work. Another 150 persons (8.2 percent) used public transportation. Six persons traveled by motorcycle, 51 persons walked to work, and 92 persons worked from home. Of the total number of persons who traveled via motor vehicle to work, 170 persons, or 11.2 percent, carpooled. The majority of persons who carpooled rode in a 2-person carpool (160 persons). Of those residents who used mass transit, the majority commuted by rail (97 persons, or 65 percent of those using mass transit). The remainder either used bus transportation (48 persons) and two (2) persons hired taxicabs to get to and from their place of employment. The following table provides a breakdown of commute times to work: 83 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Total Tuxedo Workforce Did Not Work from Home 0-15 minutes travel time 15-29 30-44 45-59 60+ minutes Persons 1,817 1,725 315 458 345 199 408 Percent 100 percent 18.3 percent 26.6 percent 20.0 percent 11.5 percent 23.6 percent Workers who use mass transit had the longest commute times. Of the 150 persons using public transit, 145 workers, or 97 percent, had commute times 60 minutes or more. Persons who traveled by mass transit with commute times of 60 minutes or more represent only 36 percent of all workers with travel times greater than 60 minutes - the remainder commuted by motor vehicle. The majority of workers left their residence between the hours of 7:00 to 7:29 AM (307 workers). The next highest commute period is 7:30-7:59 AM (275 workers). The third highest commute period was 8:00-8:29 AM (211 workers). A small majority of workers, 49 persons, left from home for work between the hours of 4-11:59 PM. The remainder of employees (54 percent of all workers) left home before or after the 7 :00-8:30 AM time period. To the extent that everyday needs are not met in the Town, it can be expected that vehicle trips will increase as the population increases. For example, there are no major retailers or supermarkets with the Town of Tuxedo - residents must travel elsewhere to meet these needs. The closest shopping centers are located either in the Suffern area, Harriman, or Ramsey, New Jersey. These trips are made primarily using Route 17 as the major arterial for access. B. MASS TRANSIT Train The Town of Tuxedo is well served by mass transit facilities. The MTA Metro-North Railroad serves the Town of Tuxedo through a service contract with New Jersey Transit. The Town is situated on the Port Jervis Line - the line extends from Port Jervis, New York to Secaucus Junction in New Jersey. From the Junction, trains connect to Penn Station in Manhattan or Hoboken Terminal where commuters take the PATH into Manhattan. A train stop is located in the Tuxedo hamlet. Train service is also available in Harriman and Sloatsburg. Metro-North recently constructed a new large commuter parking facility within the hamlet (see below). Norfolk Southern (NFS) operates from Port Jervis to Tuxedo on the same track owned by Metro North used for Port Jervis Line passenger service. According to the Orange County Long Range Transportation Update, NFS operates 2-4 freight trains each day. 84 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Bus Coach USNShortline bus service is available in the Town. According to the Orange County Long Range Transportation Update, Coach USA is the largest provider of bus service in and through Orange County. Coach USA provides major commuter service to New York City running over 32 trips per day to and from Orange County during AM and PM peak hours. Coach USA also provides service to the "East Side" of Manhattan via the George Washington Bridge and operates the Orange Westchester Link (OWL) which provides service to the White Plains area. Commuter routes in the Town serve New York City via Route 17. Commuter service to Westchester and White Plains is also available from Orange and Rockland counties. According to the Tuxedo Reserve Findings Statement, during Phase 1, a bus stop is to be provided in close proximity to Route 17 for residents who will use bus transit. Although it cannot be determined with certainty at this time, it is possible that Coach USA could extend bus service into Tuxedo Reserve to pick up commuters within the Commons given the amount and density of residential development anticipated. Park and Ride Lots There are two park and ride areas in Tuxedo: commuter parking facilities in the Tuxedo hamlet, and a park and ride lot located at the intersection of Route 17 A and Route 17. The Sterling Forest lot is owned by the NYSDOT and the PIPe. The lot has a capacity of 75 parking spaces and is maintained and operated by Coach USA. The Metro North Commuter rail station parking lot has 245 parking spaces and is owned by Metro North. It is maintained by the Town of Tuxedo. Other Four airports are located in Orange County: Stewart International Airport, Orange County Airport, Randall Airport and Warwick Airport. In 2007, the operating lease for Stewart International Airport was acquired by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In 2008, Metro North and the Port Authority agreed to conduct a feasibility study to extend rail service to Stewart International Airport. A three mile link would be constructed from the Salisbury Mills station to the airport. The study has not yet commenced. Tuxedo Reserve Tuxedo Reserve was designed with a northerly access point along Route 17 in part to provide the new development with a closer connection to the Tuxedo hamlet. It is anticipated that a proportion of new residents will commute via rail or bus service to employment centers in New Jersey and Manhattan. These residents are expected to use existing commuter parking facilities within the Tuxedo hamlet. As set forth in the Findings Statement to the Special Permit, a mitigation measure to the proposed project is the establishment of jitney service. A jitney service is to be operated during the weekday AM and PM peak hours to serve residents destined to and from the Tuxedo and Sloatsburg train 85 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update stations and nearby express bus stops. The services will be initiated at the beginning of Phase 1, i.e., within the first 50- units of development, through a contractual "taxi-type" car service that will be available to residents during morning and afternoon peak hours, and funded by the applicant and/or the Homeowners Association. As the density of the development increases, the ridership will increase to a level where a van or an airport-type bus will be utilized to transport residents to the same destinations identified above. Bus stops and bus shelters will be provided in select locations to be determined during subdivision! site plan review. It is recommended that the jitney service be expanded in the future to allow alternative uses on the weekend, such as train station pick-ups taking hikers to various park trailheads and amenities in the state park system. Tuxedo Reserve could benefit by routing passengers through the Commons. Muldmodal Study In 1998, the Town of Tuxedo was awarded a federal grant to prepare a multimodal transportation study. The project was initiated by Stone & Webster, an engineering firm that failed in 2000. The study was never completed. The last draft report on the multi modal project prepared by Stone & Webster is dated October 1999. In 2000, the draft report was used to submit a request for funding to improve Tuxedo's train station, referred to as the multi-modal Transportation and Tourist Information Center. This is the only improvement pursued from the proposals identified in the draft report. The Town Center Study improvements, as well as others that would improve pedestrian and transportation circulation in the Tuxedo hamlet, should be identified and set forth in a completed multimodal study report. This report could then be submitted to the regional transportation organizations for purposes of securing funding for any transportation improvements identified therein. Parking Improvement Project The success of Tuxedo hamlet's businesses relies on the provision of easy and ample parking for employees and visitors. The Plan Update recommends that the Town pursue a short-term parking improvement project that would introduce parking along Park Avenue north of its intersection with Nursery Road. The improvement is identified in the Town Center Study. Properties here are in the ownership of Tuxedo Park Associates, the Town and Village of Tuxedo Park. The objective will be to work cooperatively to introduce an improvement that would benefit all parties from the introduction of parking and beautification of Park Avenue. c. STREETS AND HIGHWAYS Orange County approved its Long Range Transportation Update in November 2007. According to that study, NYSDOT reported the following centerline highway mileage by jurisdiction in the Town of Tuxedo in 2005: 86 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Jurisdiction Municipal County NYSDOT Other Hillhwav Miles 23.0 13.2 11.3 11.4 Within the Town of Tuxedo, the following roads are under various jurisdictions: Road/H illhwav Interstate Route 87 Jurisdiction New York State Thruway Authority New York State Route 17 New York State Route 17 A New York State Dept. of Transportation New York State Dept. of Transportation Long Meadow Road (CR 84) Sterling Mine Road (CR 72) Orange Turnpike (CR 19) Lake Kanawauke Road (CR 106) Orange County Dept. of Public Works Orange County Dept. of Public Works Orange County Dept. of Public Works Orange County Dept. of Public Works All other roads, except minor private roads Town of Tuxedo Highway Dept. According to the LRTU, the following improvement is specifically programmed for the Town of Tuxedo: · CR 106 - Guiderail Improvements from Route 17 A to Kanawauke Circle in Harriman State Park With the exception of this improvement, there were no other improvements in the Town scheduled for the Orange County Transportation Council (OCTC) 2006-2010 planning horizon. The guiderail improvements have been completed. It is recommended that the Town's road specifications and subdivision regulations be updated so that the regulations present consistent transportation policies and design standards. Interchange 15B The Plan Update supports the construction of a lI2-interchange in the vicinity of Route 17 A and Route 17. This improvement would allow access onto the New York State Thruway via southbound entrance and northbound exit ramps. This would reduce morning and evening vehicular trips on Route 17. Reduction in traffic levels would benefit the Tuxedo hamlet's environs and increase the feasibility of establishing a walkable downtown. 87 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Tuxedo Reserve The original concept for Tuxedo Reserve prior to 1999 envisioned that the emergency access road to South Gate Road would have operated as a full access intersection. The plan prior to 1999 also did not include a road connection to Eagle Valley Road near its intersection with Sterling Mine Road. Orth-Rodgers, the Town's traffic consultant, evaluated this full access intersection and noted: "Eagle Valley Road and South Gate Road - This intersection would operate acceptably into the future. The reason is that the R.H. Tuxedo traffic would use the access to these roadways as a "back door" to the development. These two roadways, however, should be analyzed from a safety perspective. Issues to be checked include sight distance, accident history, and applicability of current traffic controls." (Source: 1999 Tuxedo Reserve DEIS). The Plan Update recommends that Town examine the provision of a full access road from Eagle Valley to Tuxedo Reserve via South Gate Road. First, it is anticipated that minimal to no regional traffic would use this access, since Tuxedo Reserve will construct a full access road to Sterling Mine Road, a county collector road. Full access on South Gate Road would facilitate interaction and easier connectivity between Eagle Valley and Tuxedo Reserve residents. As per the 2010 special use permit amendments, if a PIPC land exchange occurs, the Town would own any road that would extend to South Gate Road. At such time, the Town could analyze and consider whether to allow a full access connection. D. PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FACILITIES Sidewalks Few formal pedestrian walkways exist within the existing neighborhoods in the Town. Limited sidewalk access is available in the hamlet within the Route 17 right-of-way. Pedestrian access is proposed throughout Tuxedo Reserve and its location will be reviewed as part of the subdivision/site plan review process. The Plan Update recommends that paths be provided in Eagle Valley to connect the various subdivisions to the recreation amenities in the valley. In addition, there is an opportunity to extend pedestrian trails from Maplebrook into Tuxedo Reserve and its neighborhoods. The feasibility of creating alternatives to access Tichy Field from Clinton Woods should be explored. Route 17 A is a wide, four-lane highway in this location, and safe access to the ballfields and any future recreational facilities should be pursued. In addition, as the Tuxedo hamlet expands and is redeveloped consistent with the Town Center Plan, creative solutions to create pedestrian bridges over Route 17, as part of overall transit and parking expansion options, should be explored. 88 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Cyclists There are presently no formal bicycle routes within the Town of Tuxedo. However, cyclists are regularly observed using the major transportation corridors in the Town, including Route 17, County Road 84 (Long Meadow Road) County Road 72 (Sterling Mine Road), and the various roads within Harriman State Park. Cyclists travel within the designated shoulder or within the travel lane (especially in Harriman). To the extent that the roads are low traffic volume roads, e.g., CR 84, cyclists can be accommodated without posing a significant safety issue. However, stretches of Route 17, with its high volume of vehicles, are not designed to accommodate cyclists safely. The Tuxedo Reserve special permit requires that a pedestrian/bike path be included in the design of the project, linking the various neighborhoods within the development to the school site and the commons. It is noted that the Port Jervis Line allows bicycles to be brought on trains during off-peak weekdays and on weekends. E. RECOMMENDATIONS The Plan Update incorporates the following transportation-related recommendations: · Create safe pedestrian access connections, between Clinton Woods, Laurel Ridge, and Tichy Field; · Encourage and create pedestrian linkages between the Eagle Valley residential neighborhoods, Murphy Field and the Mini Park; · Explore ways to promote safe pedestrian connections within the Tuxedo hamlet; · Develop a bicycle plan for the Town, and strip and sign bicycle routes; · Explore expansion of planned jitney service in the Town to benefit seniors, hikers, and other potential users; · Monitor full access to South Gate Road; · Complete the Town multimodal report; · Revise the road specifications so that they are consistent throughout the Town's various regulatory documents; and · Support construction ofInterchange 15B. 89 1', 1# /'/ I I WOODBURY ~/ ~ v.l'I'~l.c>I c>>AP WlNAKI Haverstraw .~ INSET ~1 KEY - Metro North Rail Line - Federal - State - County All other roads are local and/or private 1 0,5 - - ,..... W.E S 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update X. IMPLEMENTATION This section of the Comprehensive Plan Update summarizes and lists the action items to be pursued upon adoption of the Update. The time horizon for this Plan Update is 10 years. Short- term (S) actions should be pursued within 3 years of adoption of the Plan Update; mid-term (M) actions should be pursued within 6 years; and long-term (L) actions are to be pursued over the next 10+ years. All actions involve input and or action by the Tuxedo Town Board. Where actions may be coordinated with other agencies, the agencies have been identified below. Many of the recommendations propose revisions to the Town's zoning law - it is anticipated that a Zoning Committee would be formed to oversee the zoning update process. Action Item Implementation Time Horizon The Landscape Install Signs throughout Town Town Board, NYSDEC M announcing the Sterling Forest BCA Revegetate areas with native Town Board, Zoning Committee - add S vegetation to support neotropical bird as landscape standard in zoning law species Demonstration Project - Revegetate Town Board; NYSDEC; Potential M,L landscape for golden-winged warblers EMC function; other community service agencies Ramapo River Sole Source Aquifer Town Board, Zoning Committee - S Acknowledge the objective to protect the SSA in the zonina law Promulgate Use of Best Management Town Board, Zoning Committee - S Practices for Stormwater Management update zoning and subdivision regulations to require use of BMPs Dredge Locations in Ramapo River to NYSDEC; ACOE; Town Board L Improve Water Quality; Flood Control Ren-Faire Development - conduct Town Board, Zoning Committee - S ecological analysis and protect Update Zoning downstream reservoir Introduce Stormwater Facilities to Require consultation with NYSDOT S Improve Ramapo River water quality for development/redevelopment projects along Route 17 Explore Creation of an Environmental Town Board - consider potential S Management Council local law establishing EMC Wetland and Stream Corridors Local Town Board - adopt as part of Zoning S Law or separate local law Prepare River Trail Study to explore Town Board; PIPC; NYSDOT M,L alignment - construct Ramapo River Trail 90 2011 Town of Tuxedo ComDrehensive Plan UDdate Action Item Implementation Time Horizon Design and Construct Fishing Access Town Board; Recreation Committee S to waterfall north of Town Park Prepare Pamphlet for Homeowners re: Town Board; Potential EMC function S,M native versus invasive species Create website link for environmental Town Board; Potential EMC function S,M information Prepare Materials regarding Audubon Town Board; Potential EMC function S,M Society Important Birding Area population and Housing Introduce Jitney service for seniors Town Board M Create senior citizen community Town Board; senior groups M,L center Land Use and Zoning Revise zoning to expand SR zone to Town Board; Zoning Committee- s encompass New State Parkland zoning law Explore rezoning Bramertown Road Town Board; Zoning Committee - S residential area to R-1 zoning law Create new Conservation Residential Town Board; Zoning Committee - S type zone for Arden zoning law Explore potential introduction of Town Board; Zoning Committee - S incentive zoning to establish zoning law moderate income housing in Arden Revise uses allowed in residential Town Board; Zoning Committee - S zones to eliminate incompatible zoning law nonresidential uses Remove PID special use permit from Town Board; Zoning Committee - S zoning law zoning law Consider zoning Tuxedo golf course Town Board; Zoning Committee - S toSR zoning law Explore rezoning Eagle Valley Town Board; Zoning Committee - S residential neighborhoods to R-2 zoning law Rezone Clinton Woods and Laurel Town Board; Zoning Committee - S Ridge to comparable residential zone zoning law which acknowledges the existing single-family detached residential character 91 - lmplementation Time Horizon Action ltem Rezone various small residential Town Board; Zoning Committee- s enclaves on Route 17 to similar zoning law residential zone for one- and two- family dwellings southfields: eliminate HB zoning from Town Board; Zoning Committee - S residential enclaves zoning law southfields: rezone to allow higher Town Board; Zoning Committee - S density residential development zoning law (single family attached and multiple residences) and mixed use development Explore incentive zoning to encourage Town Board; Zoning Committee - S streetscape improvements zoning law southfields: Prepare utility report with Town Board; Zoning Committee; M cost analysis for introduction of Town Engineer hamlet sewer and water Tuxedo hamlet: Revise zoning to Town Board; Zoning Committee- s effectuate Town Center Study zoning law RenFaire: Rezone to encourage Town Board; Zoning Committee - S tourist-oriented activities, limited zoning law residential uses by special permit, and recreation activities Explore consolidating L10 and RO Town Board; Zoning Committee - S zones into one nonresidential zone zoning law Apply stringent performance Town Board; Zoning Committee - S standards to properties with access zoning law through residential neighborhoods and create flexibility to allow residential uses on select properties Retain existing NB zones Town Board; Zoning Committee - S Create General Business zone for zoning law Town Board; Zoning Committee- s nonresidential properties along Route zoning law 17 outside the hamlets Community Services and Facilities Conduct a long-term space analysis Town Board M for Town's governmental functions Recreation: Work with PIPC to Town Board; Recreation Committee M,L utilize/acquire lands for active recreation 2011 Town of Tuxedo CQm rehensive Plan 11 date 92 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Action Item Implementation Time Horizon Recreation: Create Ramapo River Trail Town Board; Recreation Committee M,l Schools: Support actions that Town Board; TUFSD l promote creation of one unified school district for the entire Town Police Department: Monitor space Town Board; Tuxedo police l needs as Tuxedo Reserve is department constructed Highway Department: Create recycling Town Board; Tuxedo highway M,l center at the Highway department department garage Fire: Consider feasibility of using Town Board; Zoning Committee - S stormwater basins for water supply zoning law and subdivision for pumper trucks - add to subdivision regulations and site plan considerations Tuxedo Library - assist in monitoring Town Board; Planning Board; Library M,l space needs as Tuxedo Reserve is Board of Directors developed through planning review process Update Recreation Plan Town Board; Recreation Committee S,M Review Recreation Fee in lieu of land Town Board; Recreation Committee M upon completion of Recreation Plan Update; update as necessary Monitor progress of Sterling Place; Town Board; Planning Board M explore preservation of Quarry Field Establish Town permit system for use Town Board; Tuxedo Reserve M of Tuxedo Reserve trails developer; Recreation Committee Historic Resources and Community Appearance Create an inventory of the Town's Town Board; Town Historian S,M historic resources Consider mechanisms for protecting Town Board; Town Historian M,l historic resources Review and revise ARB regulations Town Board; ARB S Explore option to require developers Town Board; ARB S to submit design standards as part of subdivision/site plan process 93 2011 Town of Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan Update Action Item Implementation Time Horizon Transportation Create safe pedestrian access Town Board; NYSDOT M, l connections between Clinton Woods, laurel Ridge, and Tichy Field Encourage pedestrian linkages Town Board; Highway Department M, l between Eagle Valley residential neighborhoods and Murphy Field, Mini Park Explore methods to promote safe Town Board; NYSDOT M, l pedestrian connections within Tuxedo hamlet Develop bicycle plan; stripe and sign Town Board; NYSDOT; Orange M,l bicycle routes County DPW; Orange County Planning; Town Highway Department Monitor potential full access Town Board; Planning Board M,l connection to South Gate from Tuxedo Reserve Explore potential expansion of jitney Town Board; Tuxedo Reserve M,l service to benefit other segments of developer population, e.g. seniors, hikers Complete Multimodal report Town Board M Revise road specifications and Town Board; Planning Board; S subdivision regulations to present Highway department consistent road standards for the Town's roads Support construction of Interchange Town Board; NYSDOT; NYS Thruway l 15B Authority 94 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . prepared by the Town's Zoning Commission was reviewed, revised, and adopted as Local Law No.2 of 2009 ("Zoning Law"). Section 100-23, Affordable Housing, of the Pine Plains Zoning Law was enacted to specifically address the Comprehensive Plan's objective to create affordable housing. This section of the Zoning Law was developed in consultation with the Housing Coordinator of the Dutchess County Planning Department. Section 100-23 makes the following findings: · the social and economic diversity of the Town is dependent upon a reasonable supply of affordable housing; and · the Town's Comprehensive Plan encourages the creation of affordable housing within the Town; and · it is important that any householder earning no more than a moderate income that is employed in the Town of Pine Plains, or provides an essential volunteer service to the Town of Pine Plains, be provided an opportunity to obtain housing that is affordable to said household. The Zoning Law ensures that new residential developments will provide their fair share of affordable housing in Pine Plains. Specifically, any site plan, special use permit and/or subdivision plan application that proposes 10 or more residential lots or dwellings or combination thereof is required to set aside ten percent (10%) of the total number of lots/dwellings for "moderate income households". A market rate density bonus of ten percent (10%) of the total number of dwellings is granted to the applicant for meeting the required set aside. By example: Developer "A" desires to construct 30 dwellings: The Affordable HousinR Requirement: 30 dwellings x 10 percent affordable housing requirement= 3 affordable dwellings Market Rate Density Bonus: 30 dwellings/lots x 10 percent bonus = 3 market rate dwellings Total Buildout: 30 dwellings, of which 3 are required to be affordable dwellings, + 3 market rate dwellings = 33 dwellin2 units Section 100-23 also establishes requirements setting forth the methods by which affordable housing may be achieved, maximum income levels, an application process, and eligibility requirements to ensure that certain segments of the Pine Plains population are prioritized when affordable housing is made available. Although 100-23 establishes a framework and general procedures for administering the Town's affordable housing program, additional action is required to formulate specific guidelines and standards to implement it. The Affordable Housing Program established in 100-23 of the Zoning Law affords great flexibility in the manner in which a developer may achieve the required affordable housing set aside. Methods include: 4 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . · Construction of affordable housing on site; · Payment of an affordable housing fee to the Pine Plains Housing Trust Fund in lieu of the construction of affordable housing; · Donations of land to the Town suitable for the construction of affordable housing; · Construction of affordable housing off site within the Town; · Rehabilitation of substandard housing to standard affordable housing; · Purchase of existing housing for conversion to affordable housing; · A combination of the above. An applicant is required to submit an affordable housing statement which specifies how the affordable housing obligation will be fulfilled for the subject residential land use application. However, it is the Town Board. in its sole discretion, that approves the method or combination of methods that will be used to meet the Town's affordable housing needs. 2.3 Tvpes of Housine: Allowed bv the Town of Pine Plains Zonine: Law In addition to the Town's proactive policy of requiring the creation of affordable housing via the Town's affordable housing program, the Zoning Law also allows a diverse mix of housing to be constructed within Pine Plains at varying densities, depending on the zoning district and availability, or potential availability, of central water and sewer facilities. The following types of dwellings are allowed as permitted uses or by special use permit approval, in the various zoning districts: . Single family detached . Single family attached . Single family semi-attached . Single family attached (townhome) . Two family . Two family conversion . Multiple family . Manufactured homes . Senior citizen housing . Dwellings in mixed use buildings . Accessory dwelling . Elder Cottage dwelling . Caretaker or guest cottage dwelling The Pine Plains Zoning Law is an inclusionary law which supports the creation of a diverse range of housing types. 3.0 Affordable Housing Planning Process In order to formulate specific standards and guidelines to implement the Town's affordable housing program, the Pine Plains Town Board authorized the Town Attorney and the Town Board Planning Consultant, and retained the Dutchess County Housing Coordinator, to develop specific guidelines and standards to implement the affordable housing program for recommendation to the Town Board. It was also determined that it would be in the best interests of the Town to establish a group of Pine Plains residents and stakeholders to work with the consultants in developing these standards and guidelines. 5 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . To that end, the Town Board established the Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force as described previously in Section 1.0 of this report. The Housing Task Force began meeting in July 2010 to discuss and develop recommendations regarding the three products that were the focus of the 2010 resolution creating the Task Force. The Task Force meetings were open to the public, and minutes were taken of each meeting and posted to the Town's website to ensure transparency. The Task Force's minutes are available for review at: http://pineplains-ny.gov/content/MinuteCategories/View/9 The Task Force has been actively engaged in the first phase of a three phase planning process to implement the Town's affordable housing program. In general, implementation of an affordable housing program has three phases: a pre-development phase, a development phase, and a post- development phase: · The pre-development phase, i.e., planning activities conducted prior to or at the time an applicant submits a residential land use application and associated affordable housing statement to the Town's regulatory boards; · The development phase, which involves the actual construction of affordable housing, and the associated review of affordable housing applications and the household selection process at which time the units become occupied; and · The post-development phase, or the maintenance phase, which involves administration of the Town's housing affordable housing program, including development of guidelines for the maintenance and resale of affordable housing units. During the pre-development planning process, the Task Force collected data to comprehend, in detail, the Town's housing supply versus household needs. The Task Force considered the following questions in its discussions: . Who is the Town planning for? . What is the existing housing stock? . Where is there a gap? During this phase of the process, the Task Force collected demographic data from the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census, and real estate data regarding current sales prices of dwellings in Pine Plains. In order to determine Town preferences for affordable housing, the Task Force administered a public survey, as described in 3.1, Housing Survey, below. 6 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . The Role of a Housing Task Force/Committee In Development of Affordable Housing Program I. Pre-Development Phase - Planning - Task Force Demographics - Who is the Town planning for? U.S. Census American Housing Survey Public Opinion Surveys Housing Supply - What is the existing housing stock? Realtor Data land Use Surveys Census Data Housing Needs - Where is there a Gap? Housing Plan/Policy Menu of Options o Renter versus Owner o On-site versus Off-site o Bricks and Mortar versus Funds II. Development Phase - Construction and Selection - Housing Committee Application Process - Renter versus Owner Household Selection Process (including income limits) Occupancy of Units - Rules and Regulations o Covenants and Restrictions to Ensure Affordability o Disclosure Regarding Resales o Manual of Rules to Ensure Housing Remains Affordable o Process for Reviewing Improvements III. Post-Development Phase - Administration - Housing Committee Annual Income limit Determination Resales Continuing Household Selection Process 7 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . 3.1 Housinl!: Survey A housing survey was administered in February/March 2011 to obtain community input on the types of housing and methods that should be pursued to implement the Town's affordable housing program. The survey was prepared by the Affordable Housing Task Force, and approved by the Town Board. The survey was circulated to residents within the Pine Plains zip code as well as Town residents outside the zip code through review of tax parcel data. The Task Force, in consultation with its consultants, determined that the population surveyed was a representative sample of the Town's total population. Tabular results of the survey are appended to this report. Based on these tabulations, the following results are highlighted. The survey received a response rate of 8.6 percent - of the 1,585 surveys sent out, 136 were returned. Of this total, 11.8 percent of respondents were renters, and 86.8 percent were owners (with 1.5 percent offering no response). The majority of respondents, 50 percent, desire that the Town pursue the creation of both affordable ownership ("for sale") units and rental units. A housing program that would create rental units only was least favored, with only 4.4 percent favoring this option. It is noted that 33.1 percent of respondents favored creation of dwellings for owner occupancy only. In terms of housing type preferences!: · 75.7% of respondents prefer single family dwellings. · 46.4% of respondents found town homes desirable. · The results are mostly neutral with regard to two-family homes. In total, 35.3% of respondents found 2-family dwellings desirable, 25.7% were neutral, and 32.4% of respondents found them undesirable. · The majority of respondents found 3-4 family dwellings, multifamily buildings, (5-10 units), larger multifamily buildings (10+ units) and apartments above commercial uses undesirable. · 74.2% of respondents found larger multifamily buildings undesirable, 71.4% found multifamily buildings (5-10 units) undesirable, and 71.4% found 3-4 family homes undesirable. · Although the majority of respondents, 43.4%, found apartments over commercial uses undesirable, 16.9% were neutral, and 27.2% found these to be desirable. Respondents were also queried on the methods that should be pursued to achieve affordable housing: · The majority, 78%, found rehabilitating existing homes in the hamlet to be desirable while 8.8% indicated this option is undesirable. · 42.7% of respondents found developers paying into fund for Town sponsored housing to be desirable. 1 For purposes of this analysis, responses to columns "1" and "2" in the survey are identified as "desirable", "3" is identified as neutral, and "4" and "5" are identified as "undesirable". 8 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . · 42.6% percent of respondents indicated that locating affordable housing in a new development is desirable. · 52.2% indicated building a single development with all affordable homes is undesirable, while 17.6% found this to be desirable. · 50.7% indicated that converting a single family dwelling into two or more dwellings is undesirable. While the majority of all respondents indicated that they do not know family or friends who desire to live in Pine Plains but cannot afford to, the maioritv of renters indicated that they did know persons who desire to live in the Town but cannot find the type of housing they would desire. The Task Force, in discussing the results of the survey, believe that respondents may have a general misunderstanding of the concept of "affordable" versus "low income" housing. As the Town's affordable housing program evolves, additional outreach and public forums would be useful in order to educate the general public regarding the purpose of the affordable housing program. In the future, and to obtain additional input, the Task Force indicated it would be useful to interview various stakeholders in the community that may employ or have volunteers who are in need of housing, e.g., representatives of the Pine Plains School District or members of the volunteer fire companies. These interviews could provide additional insight into housing needs within the Town of Pine Plains. In summary, the majority of residents prefer to see affordable single family dwellings constructed, and respondents prefer that existing homes in the hamlet be rehabilitated to achieve the Town's affordable housing goals. 3.2 Town Demo2raDhics According to the U.S. Census, there were 2,473 persons residing in the Town of Pine Plains in 2010; this represented a decrease of 96 persons compared with the Town's 2000 population of 2,569 persons. There were a total of 1,007 households in Pine Plains in 2010. Approximately 67.2 percent of all households (677 households) were family households and there were 330 non-family households, or 32.8 percent of all households. Most of the non-family households consisted of persons living alone (265 households). Many of these single family householders are senior citizens. The Town's average household size was 2.44 persons, and the Town's average family size was 2.94 persons. The median age of a resident was 44.9 years of age. The median age reflects a population that is "aging in place" in the Town. In 2010, the Town had a housing stock of 1,284 housing units. Of this total, 1,007 units were occupied, and 277, or 21.6 percent, were vacant. Approximately 11.3 percent of all housing units in the Town were being used for recreational, seasonal or occasional use. While the homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6 percent, the rental vacancy rate was 9 percent of all housing units. 9 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . Most dwellings, 73.1 percent, are owner-occupied. The average household size of an owner-occupied housing unit is 2.43 persons. Interestingly, the average household size of renter-occupied housing units is 2.49 persons, larger than the household size of an owner-occupied housing unit. The Housing Survey results, which represent the preferences of existing Town residents, are consistent with the existing housing stock in the Town. The majority of residents support single-family owner- occupied dwelling units as this is consistent with the majority of housing units constructed in the Town of Pine Plains. This suggests that as the Town considers affordable housing options. the character of the Town. as reflected in the existing housing mix. needs to be maintained. 4.0 Affordable Housing Design Options The Task Force considered minimum design requirements for any affordable housing unit constructed in Pine Plains. As set forth in Section 100-23.F. Standards applicable to affordable dwellings, of the Town Zoning Law: · Integration of affordable dwellings. All affordable dwellings shall be physically integrated into the existing or new development and constructed with the same quality building materials as market rate units. An affordable dwelling shall resemble, from the exterior, the market rate dwellings in the development or surrounding neighborhood, as the case may be. The Town Board has the authority to review and approve the interior finishes of affordable housing. Said interior finishes may vary from those established for market rate dwellings within the same development where the Town Board finds that said variation will improve housing affordability. · Affordable dwellings by housing type. Affordable dwellings shall be the same housing type as the market rate housing type for single housing type developments. For example, if a development proposes single family detached dwellings, then the affordable housing units shall be single family detached dwellings. For mixed housing type developments, e.g., single-family detached and single- family attached, the affordable dwellings shall be constructed in the same proportion as the mix of housing types for the market rate units, except that the Town Board, in its discretion, may vary this requirement where it determines that an alternative mix of affordable housing units will improve housing affordability and negate equity issues when allocating dwellings among eligible households. · Dwelling type and size. An affordable dwelling may be a multi-family, single family detached or single family attached dwelling subject to the occupancy standards set forth below. The Town Board has the authority, by local law or resolution, to establish a minimum size for affordable dwellings by housing and bedroom type. Consistent with the Town Board's authority to vary or establish certain design requirements associated with the affordable housing program, the Task Force recommends the following design options: 10 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . Recommended Affordable Housing Size and Building Standards Building Type Bedroom Minimum Maximum Gross Number of Size Gross Square Square Footage Bathrooms Footage Single family attached or detached 2 1,200 1,500 1 3 1,400 2,000 1.5 Garden Style Condominiums (owner- 0 550 700 1 occupied)l Apartments (renter- 1 650 850 1 occupied) 2 800 1000 1 3 950 1200 1.5 Additional Design Recommendations: Note: Maximum Gross Square Footage as per Dutchess County Planning Department recommendation. 1. All affordable housing must have a refrigerator, range and range hood, dishwasher, and complete electric and plumbing connections and a dryer exhaust for a clothes washer and dryer. 2. The refrigerator must be at least 18 cubic feet and frost free. A 30-inch electric, porcelain enameled range/oven and range hood must be supplied. 3. All carpeting must meet minimum Federal Housing Administration (FHA) specifications. 4. Unit landscaping must be as designated on an approved site or subdivision plan. 5. Shelving must be included in closets. 6. The main bathroom must include a vanity. 7. Affordable housing shall have full ba.sements if market rate units have full basements. Optional Standards for Town Board consideration: 1. Use cement board siding or other long-lasting siding in the construction of affordable dwellings. 2. Use Energy Star compliant windows and doors. As per Dutchess County Planning Department recommendations, the Town could consider instituting a maximum square footage to ensure that affordability is maintained. These are also noted in the table above. At this time, the Task Force has recommended establishing minimum standards only, as it does not want to restrict an applicant from constructing larger dwellings. Should the Town Board, in its discretion, consider establishing maximum size standards, the Zoning Law may need to be amended as it presently only states that the Town Board may establish minimum sizes. 5.0 Maximum Income Guidelines and Maximum Sales Price/Rental Value 5.1 Maximum Income Guidelines A primary objective of the Town's affordable housing regulations is as follows: "it is important that any householder earning no more than a moderate income that is employed in the Town of Pine Plains, or provides an essential volunteer service to the Town of Pine Plains, be provided an opportunity to obtain housing that is affordable to said household." 11 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . In order for future affordable housing to be directed to the needs of moderate income households, maximum income guidelines must be established for renter households and owner households. Presently, Section 100-23.H. of the Zoning law establishes the following income eligibility guidelines _ these guidelines were established based on input provided from the Dutchess County Planning Department during preparation of the Zoning law: · Income eligibility. For "for sale" dwellings, a household shall be determined to be income eligible where its annual household income does not exceed 120 percent of the Dutchess County median income as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with adjustments for household size. For rental dwellings, a household shall be determined to be income eligible where its annual household income does not exceed 60 percent of the Dutchess County median income as established by the u.s. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with adjustments for household size. The Town Board may establish by local law or resolution additional standards to ensure income eligibility. The Task Force met and discussed with the Dutchess County Housing Coordinator the percentage of median income at which maximum income levels should be established. The following income levels were reviewed: · The 2000 median family income for Dutchess County and the Town of Pine Plains; · The 2010 median family income for Dutchess County and the Town of Pine Plains; · Matrices demonstrating maximum income levels by household size (1-6 person households) for "for sale" units (SO, 60, 80, 100 and 120 percent of median family income) and rental units (50,80 and 100 percent of median family income) Based on a review of these income matrices, the Task Force recommends that the maximum income levels for a "for sale" unit be revised from 120 percent of median income, to 80 percent of median income. Rental income would be limited to a maximum of 60 percent of median income as per the existing Zoning law for a household to be eligible. The Task Force proposes that the median income for the Town of Pine Plains be used in the calculations of maximum income, since the median income for Pine Plains has been released as of the 2010 Census. As set forth in the existing regulations, the income levels would be established by household size using income levels published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on an annual basis. Since HUD allocates income levels by family income and not household income, the Task Force also recommends that the term "household income" be revised to "family income" to be consistent with HUD income requirements wherever referenced in the Zoning law. "Family income" by definition, excludes the incomes of non-family households, e.g., single person households. Thus, the median family income will typically be higher than the median household income. According to Dutchess County Planning, HUD has accounted for incomes of non-family households in its income 12 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . tables - specifically, HUD has established median family income income levels for one person households when establishing median income levels by number of persons in a household. Ultimately, the effect of using family income rather than household income will be to set the maximum income level for affordable housing at a slightly higher dollar amount which increases the potential number of households that could apply. In 2010, the median family income in the Town of Pine Plains was $63,060 (as per U.S. Census 2006- 2010 ACS Data). As per the FY2012 HUD Income Limits Briefing Material excerpt below, family size adjustments in income levels are as follows: E. Family Size Adjustments The income limit statute requires adjustments for family size. The legislative history and conference committee repOlt indicates that the Congress intended that income limits should be higher for larger fanlilies and lower for smaller families. The same f8lllily size adjustments are used for all income limits. They are as follows: I 70% Number of Ptl'sons lu Family and Perceuta2e Adjustments 2 3 456 7 80% 90% Base 108% 116% 124% 8 132% Thus, the median family income applies to a family of four as per the guidance above. The median income is adjusted for family size using the percentage adjustments above. Based on the foregoing, the maximum income limits for families to be eligible for affordable "for sale" housing are as follows: MAXIMUM INCOME GUIDELINES - OWNER-OCCUPIED (FOR-SALE") DWELLING UNIT Pine Plains Median Family Income - 2010 (1) $ 63,060 Pine Plains Moderate Median Family Income (80% of median family income) (2) $ 50,448 Household Size 1 person 2 person 3 person 4 person 5 person 6 person Number of Persons Percentage Adjustments (3) 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.08 1.16 Maximum Income by Household Size (4) $35,314 $40,358 $45,403 $50,448 $54,484 $58,520 Notes: (1) Source for 2010 Town of Pine Plains Median Family Income - Table OP03, Selected Economic Characteristics, Town of Pine Plains, 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. (2) Multiply Pine Plains Median Income times 80 percent to obtain moderate median family income. (3) Source for adjustment factors - FY 2011 HUO Income Limits Briefing Material. (4) Multiply moderate median family income by the adjustment factor to determine moderate family income by household size It is noted that the Pine Plains median family income will need to be adjusted on an annual basis to account for inflation or deflation, as the case may be until the median family income is updated and 13 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . available from the next Census count. The Town should consider increasing (or decreasing) the median family income level for Pine Plains on an annual basis using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Urban Consumers for the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown Metropolitan Statistical Area (encompassing Dutchess and Orange County, NY), published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For example, the annula family income can be adjusted using the January CPI every year. Maximum income gUidelines for renter-occupied dwellings are calculated using the same methodology above, except that the maximum rent level is established using 60 percent of the median family income as a base income level for a family of four persons. MAXIMUM INCOME GUIDELINES - RENTER-oCCUPIED DWELLING UNIT Pine Plains Median Family Income - 2010 (1) $ 63,060 Pine Plains Moderate Median Family Income (60% of median family income) (2) $ 37,836 Household Size 1 person 2 person 3 person 4 person 5 person 6 person Number of Persons Percentage Adjustments (3) 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.08 1.16 Maximum Income by Household Size (4) $26,485 $30,269 $34,052 $37,836 $40,863 $43,890 Notes: (1) Source for 2010 Town of Pine Plains Median Family Income - Table DP03, Selected Economic Characteristics, Town of Pine Plains, 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. (2) Multiply Pine Plains Median Income times 60 percent to obtain moderate median family income. (3) Source for adjustment factors - FY 2011 HUD Income Limits Briefing Material. (4) Multiply moderate median family income by the adjustment factor to determine moderate family income by household size As with the maximum income guidelines for "for-sale" dwellings, the maximum income guidelines for renters will have to be adjusted annually until the U.S. Census Bureau publishes updated median family income data for Pine Plains. 5.2 Maximum Initial Sales Price/Rental Value Cost As an outcome of the proposed revisions to establishing the maximum income gUidelines described in Section 5.1 above, the Task Force also reviewed and concludes that the Town needs to reconsider the percentages that have been established for determining the maximum initial sales price (also referred to herein as the "restricted sales price")and rental costs for a dwelling unit. When the Zoning Law was first drafted, the regulations only proposed one set of percentages to guide how the Town would calculate eligible incomes, sales prices, and rental costs - income eligibility and the sales/rental price would be based on a household earning between 80-120 percent of Dutchess County's median income. As a result of comments recommended by outside agencies, the Zoning Law was revised and adopted with the following guidelines: 14 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . Maximum Income Levels to Establish Household Income Eligibility and Maximum Initial Sales Price/Rental Values - Existing Zoning Law Requirement Percent of Median Income Maximum Income to Establish Sales Price 100% of median income Maximum Income to be 120% of median income Eligible for a For Sale Unit Maximum Income to Establish Rental Cost 100% of median income Maximum Income to be Eligible for Affordable 60% of median income Rental A disparity already exists based on the table above: rents are established based on 100 percent of median income; however, the maximum median income to be eligible for an affordable rental unit is set at 60 percent of median income. Thus, the rental cost is theoretically being set higher than what an eligible household can afford. This was addressed in the Zoning Law by the addition of the following statement: "Maximum rent shall be set in such a manner that an income eligible household will have sufficient income to qualify to rent said dwelling". In effect, rent levels would have to be reduced to allow a family earning no more than 60 percent of median income to afford the proposed rent. At this time, the Task Force is recommending that the maximum income to be eligible for an affordable for sale dwelling unit be reduced to 80 percent of median family income. If this revision is adopted without revision to the income requirement that determine maximum initial sales price, another disparity will be created. The Task Force recommends that the Zoning Law be revised to establish sales price and rental costs based on the maximum income levels recommended in Section 5.1 as follows: 15 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . Proposed Maximum Income Levels to Establish Household Income Eligibility and Maximum Initial Sales Price/Rental Values - Existing Zoning Law Requirement Percent of Median Income Maximum Income to Establish Sales Price 80% of median income Maximum Income to be 80% of median income Eligible for a For Sale Unit Maximum Income to 60% of median income Establish Rental Cost Maximum Income to be Eligible for Affordable 60% of median income Rental The following would be examples of the maximum initial sales price based on the foregoing recommendation as well as the Zoning Law methodology and regulations. Presume that a developer is proposing to construct three bedroom single-family dwellings. The affordable dwelling must be a three- family dwelling, as per Section 100-23.F.(2) of the Zoning Law (unless the Town Board, in its discretion, approves a different type of housing). The Zoning Law states that the maximum initial sales price will be calculated based on the assumption of 1.5 persons per bedroom. In the case of a three-bedroom dwelling, the total number of persons would be 4.5 persons. As per the County's instructions, the maximum median family income is calculated as the average of the 4 person and 5 person household incomes. For purposes of the example below, the calculation presumes a 3D-year mortgage with a 4.5 percent interest rate, and five percent down payment. As per the Zoning Law, the annual cost shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the income of a household earning 80 percent of the Town of Pine Plains median family income, adjusted for bedroom size. Based on the foregoing, the maximum sales price for an affordable, three-bedroom dwelling in the Town of Pine Plains would be set at $195,000. Note that in calculating the maximum initial sales price, there is little difference when calculating the sales price of a three-bedroom single-family dwelling versus a three-bedroom town home - the only difference is that the three-bedroom townhome would likely be set at a lower maximum initial sales price since the cost of common charges (e.g., a homeowners association) must also be considered when calculating housing costs. The effect is the additional cost will lower the amount that can be spent toward principal and interest. 16 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . Sample Maximum Initial Sales Price - Single Family Dwelling 3 bedroom unit - Using Income for 4.5 person family size 1. 80% of median - 4 person household $ 50,448 2. 80% of median - 5 family household $ 54,484 3. 80% of median - 4.5 family household (average of 4 $ 52,466 and 5 family income) 4. Monthly Income - Divide by 12 $ 4,372 5. Monthly Income Available for Housing Costs (Multiply $ 1,312 by "4" by 30 percent) 6. Estimate Monthly Costs for Property Tax, Homeowners Insurance and Common Charges Taxes $306 Insurance $65 Commons Charge (if applicable) $0 Subtotal $ 371 7. Monthly Cost Allowable for Principal and Interest ("5" $ 941 minus "6 subtotal") 8. Maximum Initial Sales Price* $ 195,000 Notes: *Assumes 30 year fixed-rate mortgage, 5% down payment, at 4.5% interest. Calculated using online mortgage loan calculator. See http://www.mlcalc.com/. The calculation of maximum sales prices and rental values should be calculated annually to account for changes in mortgage rates and other inputs that go in to the calculation of maximum initial sales price/rental cost. To determine the maximum permissible rent, the following calculations would apply, based on a two- bedroom rental. Based on 1.5 persons per bedroom, the rent level is established using the maximum family income for a 3 person household. Maximum Permissible Rent - 2 bedroom rental dwelling 1. 60% of median family income -3 person household $ 34,052 2. Monthly Income - Divide by 12 $2,838 3. Monthly Income Available for Rental Costs (which shall $ 851 include utilities) = Permissible Rent 17 6.0 Fee In Lieu of Housing Options Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . As per Section 100-23 of the Town Zoning law, one method of achieving affordable housing, if approved by the Town Board, is for an applicant to make payment of an affordable housing fee to the Pine Plains Housing Trust Fund in lieu of constructing an affordable housing unit. The fee in lieu of housing option is common to most affordable housing laws and provides flexibility in how a community achieves its housing objectives. Ultimately, it is up to the Town Board, as part of its deliberations on individual land development applications, whether or not to accept a fee in lieu of housing. The affordability gap approach starts with the subsidy that would be needed to make an average market rate unit affordable to a family at the target income level, and adjusts this amount for unit size, number of bedrooms, and other factors. The production (or construction) cost approach sets the fee based on the estimated cost to the jurisdiction of providing the affordable unit itself, or the difference between what it costs to build a unit of housing and the affordable/restricted price. A prime responsibility of the Affordable Housing Task Force was to establish a methodology for determining how the fee is calculated. In making its determinations, the Task Force reviewed affordable housing local laws and regulations and the various formula for calculating fees in lieu of housing that have been established by communities in Dutchess County, New York State, and nationally. In is noted that the Task Force found that most Dutchess County communities had not yet grappled with defining a specific methodology for calculating a fee in lieu, even though the municipality may offer a fee in lieu of housing as an affordable housing option. Based on an extensive literature search and ordinance review, the Task Force determined that most fee-in-Iieu-of-housing calculations are based on one of two methods: the affordability gap approach and the production (or construction) cost approach. The Affordable Housing Task Force narrowed its analyses to four options: · Option 1 - Construction cost · Option 2 - Sales price (affordability gap) · Option 3 - A combination, or average of Options 1 and 2 · Option 4 - Developer Cost (with a potential fee in lieu cap) During review of the various methods by which to calculate the fee, the Affordable Housing Task Force also considered to what extent the fee should be adjusted to account for the ten percent density bonus that is awarded when an applicant constructs an affordable dwelling unit. Three alternative interpretations may be made with regard to how the residential density is to be calculated - the Task Force found that the zoning language could be made less ambiguous. For example: Scenario 1: Applicant proposes 10 dwelling units and constructs an affordable housing unit - the result: 9 market rate units + 1 affordable unit + 1 market rate unit = 10 market rate units + 1 affordable unit OR 18 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . Scenario 2: Applicant proposes 10 dwelling units and provides a fee in lieu of housing - the result: 10 market rate units + fee + 1 market rate unit = 11 market rate units + fee OR Scenario 3: Applicant proposes 10 dwelling units and provides a fee in lieu of housing - the result: 9 market rate units (as developer loses one unit which was to be affordable) + fee + 1 market rate unit = 10 market rate units + fee The Affordable Housing Task Force, in consultation with its advisors, confirmed that the intent of the Zoning Law is to regulate affordable housing in accordance with Scenario 3. The Task Force recommends that the Zoning Law be revised to make this intent absolutely clear. Based on its analyses, the Task Force endorses the construction cost approach. The Task Force recommends that the Town use the construction cost approach to determine a fee in lieu based on the intent of the law expressed in Scenario 3. The actual construction cost will depend on what the applicant proposes to build in terms of other dwellings in the proposed development. If the applicant is proposing three-bedroom town homes, the fee-in-Iieu should be based on the cost of constructing a three bedroom town home. If the applicant is proposing four-bedroom single family dwellings, the fee in lieu should be based on the construction cost of a four-bedroom dwelling. The following provides a sample fee-in-lieu calculation for the proposed construction of a two- or three- bedroom "for sale" dwelling unit. Sample Calculation of Fee-in-Lieu for 2-Bedroom and 3-Bedroom Dwelling 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom 1. Minimum Size of Dwelling 1,200 1,400 2. Construction Cost/Square Foot $150 $150 3. Construction Cost per Dwelling $180,000 $210,000 (Multiply "l" x "2") 4. land Cost (based on 0.5 acre lot) $40,000 $40,000 5. Construction of well/septic $25,000 $25,000 6. Subtotal Construction Cost $245,000 $275,000 7. Soft Costs and Administrative Fee $49,000 $55,000 (Multiply "6" times 20 percent) 8. Total Construction Cost $294,000 $330,000 9. Restricted Sales Price2 $170,000 $195,000 10. Fee-in-Lieu (Construction Cost - $124,000 $135,000 Restricted Sales Price) per Dwelling 2 Maximum initial sales price and restricted sales price are the same, for purposes of calculating the fee in lieu. For the calculation of the restricted sales price, it is based on the assumption that the property taxes would be less for a two-bedroom dwelling than the three bedroom dwelling, at $3,000 annually. 19 Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force Report . The minimum size of the dwelling is based on the minimum housing standards noted previously in Section 4.0 of this report. The other parameters will need to be determined at such time that each applicant proposes a fee-in-Iieu of housing option. Note that the fee should consider the type of market rate housing that the applicant is proposing to construct, as that is the type of housing that would otherwise be required as an affordable housing unit. For example, if the applicant is proposing to construct three-family dwellings, the fee-in-Iieu should be based on estimating a comparably sized dwelling as is required by Section 100-23.F.(2) of the Zoning Law (unless the Town Board, in its discretion, approves an alternative housing type). 7.0 Next Steps Section 100-23 of the Zoning Law addresses how the affordable housing program will be administered by the Town. Specifically, the Town Board is authorized to administer the program. As per the Zoning Law, the Town Board may delegate some of its responsibilities to an Affordable Housing Committee or may hire staff or contract with Dutchess County or other qualified not-for-profit organization, governmental agency, or private consultant to administer all or a portion of the affordable housing program under the direction and oversight of the Town Board or an Affordable Housing Committee. Administration... The Town Board may delegate its responsibilities to an Affordable Housing Committee: (1) Review and approve an Affordable Housing Application. (2) Maintain eligibility priority list, annually certify and re-certify applicants. (3) Establish annual maximum income limits; rental, sale and re-sale prices. (4) Maintain list of affordable dwellings in the Town. (5) Review and approve deed restrictions applicable to an affordable dwelling. (6) Review and approve the lease terms for an affordable rental dwelling. (7) Promulgate rules and regulations as necessary. (8) Such other and additional responsibilities and duties as established by the Town Board by local law or resolution. The Pine Plains Affordable Housing Task Force has concluded its primary responsibilities as set forth by the Town Board in its October 2010 resolution. However, the Task Force believes it can continue to provide guidance and input and assist the Town Board in its policymaking as the Town continues into other phases of the Town affordable housing program. To that end, the Task Force recommends that the Town Board continue the Task Force, or reconstitute the Task Force into an Affordable Housing Committee in the future. This future Affordable Housing Committee could administer some of the affordable housing responsibilities listed in the Zoning Law. 20