2006-040RESOLUTION NO. 2006-40
TOWN OF WAPPINGER TOWN BOARD
RE: RESOLUTION ADOPTING AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN REGARDING FARMLAND PROTECTION
At a regular meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess
County, New York, held at Town Hall, 20 Middlebush Road, Wappingers Falls, New York
on the 17th day of January, 2006 at 7:30 P.M.
The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Joseph Ruggiero, and upon roll being
called, the following were:
PRESENT: Supervisor
Councilmembers
ABSENT:
JOSEPH RUGGIERO
JOSEPH PAOLONI
MAUREEN McCARTHY
VINCENT F. BETTINA
The following resolution was moved by Councilmember McCarthy and seconded by
Councilmember Paoloni.
WHEREAS, the Town Board wishes to amend the Goals and Objectives of the
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan to add the following goal and objectives to
page 17, which shall read as follows:
13. Goal: Protect farms and agricultural lands.
Objectives: - Purchase or transfer development rights from farms to
permanently protect agricultural land and compensate
landowners for the equity in their land.
- Encourage the economic viability of local agriculture.
- Preserve as many operating farms as possible.
- Create incentives for landowners to maintain land in
agricultural use, keeping it affordable so a new generation of
farmers can begin or continue farming.
Resolution Adopting Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan — Farmland Protection
- Discourage incompatible nearby land uses which have the
potential to place burdensome pressures on farming activities;
and
WHEREAS, the Town Board wishes to amend the Open Space Plan of the Town
of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan to add text at the bottom of page 25, which shall read
as follows:
Farmland protection can also contribute to maintaining open space in the
community. Forested areas, wetlands, steep slopes and other natural areas
are generally better protected by the low -intensity land uses of agriculture.
Farms, in turn, benefit from the buffering effect of natural areas. Farms
contribute to the scenic character of the community, maintain open areas
which provide views and vistas, and produce agricultural products for local
consumption. Though fewer in number than in previous decades, farms in
Wappinger continue to provide local jobs and local income, and stimulate a
demand for local services to farm operations. The Town can protect the
remaining farms in Wappinger by working to discourage land -use conflicts
near farms and agricultural lands and by encouraging the economic viability
of the business of farming through incentives, such as purchasing or
transferring of development rights from the farms; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board wishes to amend the "Implementation" section,
specifically the section under "Additional Methods" on page 27, to add the following:
- Purchase of development rights or farmland conservation easements
- Facilitation of the donation of farmland conservation easements; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board determined that the Proposed Action is an Unlisted
Action pursuant to Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law, Part 617 NYCRR
(commonly known as "SEQRA"); and
WHEREAS, two (2) duly advertised public hearings were held on the 9a' day of
January, 2006 and on the 10th day of January, 2006 at the Wappinger Town Hall, 20
Middlebush Road, Wappingers Falls, New York at which times all those wishing to be
heard were given the opportunity to be heard and the hearings were closed on said dates;
and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 272-a (5) of Town Law, the proposed amendment
was referred to the Dutchess County Planning Department for review and
recommendation as required by section 239-m of the General Municipal Law, and the
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Resolution Adopting Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan —Farmland Protection
Dutchess County Planning Department responded, by way of correspondence dated
7anuary 5, 200& that it is a matter of local concern ancl that the Dutchess County Planning
)epartment has no comments.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Town Board hereby adopts and incorporates the recitations and statements set
forth above as if fully set forth and resolved herein.
2. Pursuant to State Environmental Quality Review regulations, the Town Board
hereby adopts a Negative Declaration, attached hereto, on the grounds that the
Proposed Action will not result in any adverse environmental impacts as no
construction will occur as a direct result of the amendments and the amendments
will help to preserve existing farms and agricultural lands.
3. The Town Board of the Town of Wappinger hereby adopts the amendments to the
Comprehensive Plan contained in the first three WHEREAS paragraphs cited above.
The question of the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly put to a roll call vote,
which resulted as follows:
JOSEPH RUGGIERO
VINCENT F. BETTINA
JOSEPH PAOLONI
MAUREEN McCARTHY
The resolution is hereby duly declared adopted.
Dated: January 17, 2006
Wappinger, New York
Attachment: Negative Declaration
voting Aye
voting Absent
voting Aye
voting Aye
OHN CL t'MAS &SOic:
Town Clerk
Town of Wappinger
J:\DOCS2\500\Wappinger\Comprehensive PlanVarm pres pm adopt 12-15-05.dhs.doc:ev
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