Population and Housing 12-8-06Population and Housing
III.POPULATION AND HOUSING
Housing is essential to the quality of life of every individual, family and community.
Housing, food and water, and the means to achieve these (employment) are the
foundations of life. As part of the overall goal of this plan of improving the quality of
life of the residents of Wappinger and people who work in Wappinger, this chapter
outlines the basicchallenges confronting the community in terms of housing, and
describesthe goals and objectivesdeveloped in order to achieve measurable
improvements in housing opportunities for existing and future residents.
Issues and Opportunities
The housing challenges confronting the community are twofold:
1.Housing costs have increased at a rate far greater than incomes.
2.There is a growing mismatch between the trend of smaller household sizes and the
large three-or-more bedroom homes that have been built and will be built under
current zoning.
These challenges threaten the quality of life of all members of the community, including
residents, business owners and employees. The escalating housing costs hinder efforts to
achieve a better jobs-housing balance, and result in less time spent by individuals in the
community, less disposable income available for non-essential goods and services, and
more traffic in theTown and throughout the region. The housing mismatch has
contributed to high housing costs, since small families or single people may be paying for
a larger home than they really need. The housing mismatch also makes it difficult for
small families, seniors, and young adults to remain in the community, and for those who
work in Wappinger to move to the Town. What follows is a deeper analysis of the facts
and figures behind these findings, including an analysis of the demographic changes that
have set the stage (for yet more detailed data and documentation,please refer to the
companion volume to the Plan, the Inventory and Analysis).
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan26
Population and Housing
Demographic Changes
Highlights:
1.The Town of Wappinger has experienced no population growth over the past
20 years, while nearby communities have grown.
2.The senior population is projected to grow considerably over the next 20 years.
3.The number of school-aged children has decreased by approximately 14% over the
last 10 years.
The Town of Wappinger experienced rapid population growth in the 1960s and ‘70s,
which leveled off at approximately 22,500 persons from 1980 through 2000.
Neighboring communities and the county continued to grow over the same period, as can
be seen in the chart below. Wappinger’s population appears to be relatively stable for the
time being, and is not expected to change substantially in the next 10 years.
Town of
Wappinger*
45,000
City of
Poughkeepsie
40,000
Town of
LaGrange
35,000
Town of East
Fishkill
30,000
Town of
Fishkill
25,000
City of Beacon
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
192019301940195019601970198019902000
Year
* Does not include the Village of Wappinger Falls.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Dutchess County Department of Planning.
Prepared by Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc.
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan27
Population and Housing
The senior population, whichhas
grown in the 1980s and ‘90s, is
expected to continue to increase.
The 55-64 age group will
increase by 75% in the next two
decades (from approximately
2,250 to 4,000 persons) and the
65-74 age group will double
(from approximately 1,400 to
3,000 persons) in the same 20
years.Larger numbers of
seniors living in the community
will increase the demand for
smallerhousing units, senior
housing such as assisted
living, and other products and
services.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Dutchess County Department of Planning.
Prepared by Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc.
The number of school-aged childrenin the Town of Wappinger may drop slightly in the
coming five to 10 years due to fewer children ages 0-5 than in previous Census counts.
There were 1,427 0-5 year-olds in 2000, versus 1,649 in 1990, a drop of 222 persons, or
14%. The current numbers of 5 to 9 year olds and 10 to 14 year olds confirm a likely
drop in the population of school-aged children in the Town, which will have an impact on
the school system, the use and market for existing housing, and the demand for new
housing.
Housing Trends
Highlights:
1.The median price of a single-family detached home in Wappinger has nearly
1
doubled in the past four years, rising from $179,000 in 2000 to $300,000 by the end
2
of 2004. Rents have increased by 6½% per year, rising from $750 in 1998 to $1,030
in 2003 for a typical two-bedroom apartment.
2.The Town’s housing stock is currently comprised of 64% single-family detached units
and 36% multi-family units, condominiums or mobile homes. However, housing
1
Source: New York State Office of Real Property Services.
2
Source: Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development, Rental Housing
Survey (2003).
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan28
Population and Housing
types and sizes have failed to meet the needs of households with changing
demographics for the past 20 years, and the mismatch between needs and production
has grown more acute.
3.While there has been no population growth in the Town since 1980, 2,834 acres of
land have been consumed for housing since 1986 (a 59% increase). Multi-family
housing usesless land on a per unit basis, preserves more open space and creates less
impervious surface than single-family detached housing.Over 3,000 multi-family
housing units fit into just 9% of residential land.
4.One-quarter of the households in the Town (about 800 renters and 1,100 owners) have
a high housing burden (meaning they are paying more than 30% of their income for
housing).
5.Preliminary results from the 2004 Town-wideSurvey show that housing is one of two
single-most important issues for Wappinger residents. There is strong support for a
greater diversity of housing types and sizes, and one-third of residents responding to
the survey said they would prefer to live in well designed, low maintenance housing
such as townhouses, condominiums or apartments if such housing was available in the
Town.
Background.At the time of the 2000 Census, there were 8,466 housing units in the Town
of Wappinger. (Unless stated otherwise, figures are for the Town exclusive of the
Village of Wappingers Falls.) Of these, 5,407(64%)are single-family detached units and
3,059 (36%)are multi-family units, condominiums, or mobile homes. Single-family
detached homes dominate the residential landscape of the community, with over 7,000
acres (91% of residential land).
Multi-family homes use land more efficiently, squeezing over 3,000 housing units into
just 685 acres (9%) of residential land. This mix of housing is typical of Dutchess
County as a whole, but includes considerably more multi-family housing than the
neighboring communities of LaGrange and East Fishkill, and substantially less multi-
family housing than Poughkeepsie and Fishkill.Overall, land developed for housing has
increased 59% from 4,868 acres in 1986 to 7,733 acres in 2003, consuming 2,834 acres
of land, yet population growth has been zero over the same time period.
Owner-occupied housing accounts for 71% of the occupied housing, and renters for 29%
(similar to the owner/renter ratios for Dutchess County, at 69% and 31%, respectively).
Vacancy rates decreased overall between 1990 and 2000, indicating a tighter housing
market (4.0% in 1990 versus 2.8% in 2000). The vacancy rate of rental units dropped
from 6.3% to 1.0% over the decade, and the vacancy rate of houses for sale remained at
about 1%. While there were 450 new households residing in the Town in 2000, there
were only 366 new housing units.
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan29
Population and Housing
Housing Cost.The impact of increasing housing costs on residency, transportation,
employment and economic development was one of two single most important issues to
the residents of Wappinger, based on preliminary results from the 2004 Survey. Ninety
percent of residents said that this issue was either important or very important,
representing a remarkable consensus on the subject.Housing prices, both in terms of
renting and owning, have risen at rates considerablyhigher than that of incomes between
2000 and 2004. The median price for a house in 2000 was about $179,000; it had risen to
$300,000 by the end of 2004.At these prices, many Wappinger residents would not be
able to afford to buy the home they currently live in today.
The graph below illustrates the relationship between the increasing housing prices and
local median incomes, with an additional line showing the median household’s ability to
afford a home, based on a price three times the annual median household income.
Average Wages versus Median Home Prices:
Housing Affordability in Dutchess County and Wappinger
$350,000
House Prices
Dutchess County
$300,000
$300,000
House Prices
Wappinger
$250,000
Housing Affordability
(three times income)
$200,000
$169,700
Wappinger Median
$150,000
Household Income
Wages (Dept. Labor)
$100,000
Dutchess County
$58,079
$48,659
Wages (Census)
$50,000
Dutchess County
$43,073
$29,200
Wages (Census)
$-
Wappinger
Source: US Census (American Factfinder) P080A, P053, H061A, H085, P068, P043, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
Dutchess County Planning Department, NYSORPS. Prepared by Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc.
According to the rental housing survey conducted annually by the Dutchess County
Planning Department, rents have increased about 6½% per year from 1998 to 2003,
climbing from about $750 for a two-bedroom apartment in 1998 to about $1,030 in 2003.
Average wages in Dutchess County increased at a much lower rate (3.9% per year) over
the same period. Average rents in Wappinger are generally the same as average rents
County-wide.According to preliminary results of the 2004 Survey, 34% of renters hope
to purchase a home in the Town of Wappinger.
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan30
Population and Housing
At the time of the 2000 Census, a total of 1,866 households (about one-quarter of all
households in the Town) had a high housing burden, meaning that they were paying more
than 30% of their income for housing. About 40% of these households were renters, and
about 60% were owners. We can assume that the number of households with a high
housing burden has increased among renters (who are paying higher rents now than in
2000) and among homeowners who have recently purchased or refinanced a home. The
number of households with a high housing burden is an indicator of housing affordability.
Households throughout Dutchess County are under similar circumstances.
Number of Households with High Housing Burden:
Town of Wappinger 2000: Renters and Owners
1600
Total Households
1400
Housing Burden
1200
1000
800
600
476
366409
345
400
164
200
78
1216
0
Renters Owners
Source: US Census (American Factfinder) P052, H073, H097. Prepared by Frederick. P. Clark Associates, Inc.
New housing construction in nearby communities in Dutchess County in 2000 averaged
twice the median sales price of all homes in each community, according to the Dutchess
County Smart Growth Housing Task Force Report (December 2001). This is partly
th
because new single-family housing is generally much larger than it was mid-20century.
According to the report, housing built in the 1950s in Wappinger had a median square
footage of 1,296, versus a home built in the 1990s with a median of almost twice the size,
at 2,268 square feet. Likewise, the average single family home in Wappinger the ‘50s
stood on a ½ acre lot, versus 1.3 acres in ‘90s.
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan31
Population and Housing
According to the most current information available, housing costs are likely to continue
to increase in the short term (“Housing Market Is Still Going Strong,” NY Times,
February 6, 2005). Increasing housing prices were a concern in the 1988 Wappinger
Town Plan as well. At that time, two-thirdsof Dutchess County households could not
afford to purchase a median priced house in Wappinger. In 2000, incomes had caught up
somewhat with housing prices, and less than half of Dutchess County households would
have found home prices unaffordable, but by 2004, again, more than two-thirds of
Dutchess County households are priced out of the Wappinger housing market. Housing
costs are once again a primary concern for Wappinger.
Housing Mismatch. There is a mismatch between the need for smaller housing units for
more non-traditional households and seniors, and the market’s supply of large housing
units with three or more bedrooms.The Town bears some responsibility for this as well.
Under current zoning, virtually all future residential growth (96% of all possible housing
units) will be single-family detached housing. Current zoning would support a projected
80 to 100 additional multi-family units (of approximately 2,000 potential housing units
total) before reaching ‘fullbuild-out.’ Very few alternatives to single-family detached
homes have been built in the Town over the past 20 years.
The average household size has declined steadilysince 1970, when it was 3.39 in
Wappinger and 3.14 in the U.S. as a whole, to 2.67 and 2.59 respectively. There are
fewer households composed of a married couple with children (30% in 2000, down from
35% in 1990) and the percentage of senior, single-parentor childless households has
increased and is expected to continue to grow. The 1988 Plan found that, “More than 43
percent of households consist of only one or two persons, yet 60 percent of housing units
have three or more bedrooms.”This trend in housing mismatch has only gotten worse:
now even more households are only one or two persons (54%), yet more housing in the
Town consists of three or more bedrooms (64%). The housing mismatch has contributed
to higher housing costs, since small families or single people may be paying for a larger
home than they really need or want.
Amajority of Wappinger residents responding to the 2004 Survey (58% of preliminary
results) supported a greater diversity of housing types and sizes to meet the changing
needs of the community. Thirty-five percent of residents responded that they would
prefer to live (either now or in the near future) in well designed, low maintenance
housing such as townhouses, condominiums or apartments if such housing was available
in the Town. Sinceonly 24% of the populationcurrentlylives intownhouses,
condominiums, or apartments, the difference (11%) represents a potential demand of
2,500 people for such housing currently or in the near future.
Water and Sewer.Housing development entails water and sewage disposal systems, and
Wappinger faces specific constraints with regard to local water supplies and the
timeframe of sewer line construction, as is detailed in the chapter on community services
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan32
Population and Housing
and facilities.If multi-family housing options are to be expanded, extending water and
sewer service may be necessary.Multi-family and commercial development can help
make such links economically viable. Due to limited drinking water resources in the
Town (estimated to supply 400 additional homes), and to the layout of existing systems,
the Town will probably need to work with neighboring municipalities (Wappinger Falls,
the Town of Poughkeepsie and theTown of Fishkill) for further development of utilities
in the water and sewer district.
Implications.The trends described above have significant implications for the quality of
life of all members of the community, including residents, business owners and
employees. Escalating housing costs will push individuals to work further from home
and longer hours, resulting in less time spent in the community and more traffic in the
Town and throughout the region. Many households will respond simply by cutting
spending on all non-essential expenses, which will have negative impacts on local and
regional businesses and markets. Homeowners with middle or low incomes may find that
they must sell, or struggle to remain in place. The high cost of purchasing a home also
means that many families currently renting in Wappinger may not be able to fulfill their
dream of someday buying a home of their own in the community. The housing mismatch
will continue to make it difficult for small families, seniors, and young adults to remain
in the community, and for those who work in Wappinger to move to the Town.
Goal
Improve housing choice in the Town by encouraging a balance of housing types and
sizes that meet the needs of existing and future Wappinger residents and employees
.
Wappinger should be a community where housing of the right size and type, at a
reasonable cost, is available to everyone in the community at every stage of life. People
should have the opportunity to live out their lives in Wappinger, surrounded by friends
and family. Housing and employment opportunities should be availablein close
proximity, making commuting easier, and businesses more efficient. With housing costs
at reasonable levels and shorter commutes, residents will have both more time and money
to contribute to the community, and also more opportunities to enjoy the recreational and
social benefits of living in Wappinger.
Objectives
A.Affordable / Workforce housing
. Encourage a sufficient supply of homes within
economic reach of Town residents.
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan33
Population and Housing
Town residents, regardless of age or income level, need a decent place to live. A
sufficient supply of housing that is affordable to average-income working households
provides opportunities to local businesses to expand and for new business to locate in the
region,therebyimproving the local economy. Affordable housing is about individuals
and families not experiencing housing costs as a burden. Since housing costs have
climbed so rapidly in the New York metropolitan area, solutions to affordable and
workforcehousing issues are now much more diverse and innovative than subsidized
housing.
B.Accessory apartments.Continue toallowthe developmentofaccessory
apartments in appropriate conditions on single-family lots.
Accessory apartments can make more efficient use of existing housing stock, by
converting underused spaces to additional living quarters. The visual impact of an
accessory apartment on the neighborhood can be mitigated through regulating building
height, setbacks, number of bedrooms, parking and design, so that the apartment blends
into the fabric of the neighborhood. By encouraging the construction of accessory
apartments, the Town is helping to provide a better housing mix, specifically by
encouraging the development of smaller units. Accessory apartmentsprovide
opportunities for families as they grow and change. They can allow teenagers and young
adults to begin living independently next door to the family home, and provide extra
income through rent when the children are grown. As the senior members of the
household age, they can retire to the smaller quarters of the accessory apartment if they
choose, and making room for grown children and grandchildren in the main house, or
they can rent the main house to cover living expenses. The ability to rent out a portion of
the property on a single-family lot can make the difference between staying or being
forced to leave for seniors with limited incomes.
C.Variety of housing types. Require
that certain percentages of large, new
A
developments be comprised of a variety of housing
types (such as attached
maj
single-family homes, duplexes and apartments) .
orit
y
(58%) of Wappinger residents want a greater diversity of housing types and sizes to meet
the changing needs of the community, according to preliminary results of the 2004
Survey. About one-third of respondents said that they would like to live (either now or in
the near future) in well designed, low-maintenance housing such as townhouses,
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan34
Population and Housing
condominiums or apartments if such housing was available in the Town. Increasing the
variety of housing types and sizes will help to alleviate the problem of a housing
mismatch in the Town.
D.Development in existing centers.Encourage newhigher density
residential
development in existing centers that can be most economically served by exist
ing
roads, utilities and community facilities. Any new higher density residential
development should occur in relation to existing centers.
Town residents support traditional, walkable Town and hamlet style development with
two- to three-story buildings and a mix of retail, office and residential uses in existing
centers and in particular, locating new multi-family development close to existing
commercial areas and services, and in areas with existing sewer and water service.
Application of this objective to the future development of the community will allow the
Town to grow without consuming a disproportionate share of the undeveloped open
space in the rural areas of the Town.It will alsohelp keep taxes down, by adding to the
tax base while minimizing the demand for municipal services.
E.Variety of architectural styles.Encourage a variety of architectural styles (such
as Colonial, Arts and Crafts, Modern/Contemporary, etc.) in new single-
family
housing developments.
The residents of Wappinger expect the best in new housing construction, and aethetics
are important to the life and spirit of a community. The Town has a legitimate interest in
ensuring that new housing is well-designed, including a sufficient variety of styles, and
that it fits in with the history and character of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Recommendations
The housing situation in the region is complex and interconnected with the economy,
land use, environmental impacts and with transportation. A successful approach will
incorporate the multiple aspects of the problem through the objectives outlined above,
and each objective, in turn,requires the implementation of a variety of tools and
mechanisms on the part of the Town. The specific recommendations that follow are
organized according to the objectives above, with the addition of a look at the
effectiveness of existing housing-relatedprovisions of the Town Code.
An Evaluation of Existing Tools
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan35
Population and Housing
The Town already has in place a variety of provisions designed to meet the housing needs
of the community while minimizing conflicts involving neighborhood character. These
provisions are outlined below, including the location of the provisions in the Town Code,
an analysis of the success and usefulness of each provision, and proposals for improving
the effectiveness of the provisions.
Accessory Apartments (for family members).This provision allows for a second,
smaller dwelling unit to be located on the premises of a single family home, with
occupancy restricted to family members.Among the tools listed in this section,
this provision has been the mostfrequently used andsuccessful in terms of
meeting housing needs while maintaining neighborhood character. It has
withstood the test of time, having been in the zoning regulations (as Section 240-
53) for the better part of two decades.The special permit requirement for an
accessory apartment is being reconsidered by the Town.
Guest House and Caretaker Dwellings. This provision(Section 240-61)allows
construction of a second, smaller dwelling on properties of 10 or more acres.This
allows the owners of farms and estates to maintain their properties intact, while
providing additional housing within the community. This provision has been
utilized occasionally over the past 10 years in the Town, and should be kept in
place as is.
Conversion of large single-family homes withover 3,000 square feet of floor area
to multi-family use.This provision allows one additional unit per 20,000 square
feet of lot area over 20,000 square feet for houses built prior to 1962. Each
dwelling unit must have a separate entrance, and no more than two entrances are
permitted in front of the building.Only one property has been redeveloped
through the existing Town Law(Section 240-56)over the past 10 years. This
provisionis no longer appropriate for the Town and should be removed from the
Town’s zoning.
Senior Housing.The Town allowed the conversion of an existing hotel/motel to a
congregate care facility in 1998. This has been a successful use, meeting the
housing needs of community residents, and the Town should encourage similar
conversions if and when they become available.
ECHO (Elderly Cottage Housing Opportunity, Section 240-60). This provision
has not been used or applied for once since its inclusion in the Town Code. The
mandate that the elderly housing unit be temporary has likely been a major
deterrent, since even the most basic conversions of small existing structures to
residential use cost at least $30,000 in labor and materials. This provision should
be repealed following the adoption of a more inclusive accessory apartment
regulation.
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan36
Population and Housing
Planned Residential Development (Section 240-39). This provision was intended
to provide greater flexibility to developers, to allow for the incorporation of a
diversity of housing types as well as land uses offering employment and shopping,
all as a part of a single large development. This provision has not been used since
its inclusion in the Town Code.The application process is complicated and
requires considerable investment in design without offering much certainty of
approval to prospective developers. The Town may consider amending the code
to streamline the process, and investigating similar codes and conditions in
neighboring communities where such provisions have been utilized successfully.
The Town should also consider amending the Code to specify water and sewer
service requirements necessary for site plan approval.
Mixed Use.While there are severalnon-residentialzoning districts that permit
residential use as principal or special permit uses (including Highway Business,
Mixed Use, Hamlet Mixed Use, Neighborhood Business, General Business and
Shopping Center Districts), there has been very little residential construction in
these zones in the last 10 years.Possible deterrents are requirements for elevators
and fire separation, additional water and sewer demands, floor area ratios and
parking requirements. The Town should study this further, with the objective of
removing or ameliorating deterrents with respect to the development of residential
uses in these districts.
Mobile Homes.Mobile homes are permitted at the same density as single-family
homes in most Wappinger residential districts.There are at least four mobile
home parks in the Town, all of which are pre-existing non-conforming uses.
Mobile home parks generally have a higher population density than single-family
housing, offering similar advantages and constraints as multi-familyhousing.
There have been no newmobile home parks in the past 10 years in the Town
because the low density permitted by the Code is a substantial disincentive to
develop lower-cost housing on relatively high-value lots.The Gables in
Poughkeepsie is a good example of a new,well-designed manufactured housing/
mobile home development.
Implementation Strategies
A.Affordable / WorkforceHousing
Affordable / Workforce and Senior housing overlay districts. The 1988 Plan
recommended establishing a floating zone for affordable housing. This option has
not been acted upon by the Town, partly because it entails a rezoning each time it
is used, and would subject both the applicant and the Town Board to controversial
public hearings on each occasion in which a developer applies for inclusion into
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan37
Population and Housing
such a zone. The floating zone offers a lower than average degree of certainty to a
would-be developer of affordable housing, and is not strongly recommended at
this time.
The Townis instead considering the establishment of specific affordable and
senior housingoverlay districtsoveraverylimited number ofsingle-family
districtsthat would permit a developer to apply for density bonuses in exchange
for providing affordable/workforce housingor senior housing in
conservation/open space subdivisionson sites located within the districts. In these
cases,developmentbelowtheR-20 District requirements would not be permitted
and the projects would eachneed to include a substantial open space component.
Density bonuses.TheTownis considering amending themulti-familyzoning
districts to offer a density bonus for developments that include a certain
percentage of affordable housing units for seniors and the workforce. The density
bonus must be carefully tailored to the capacity of the zoning district and the
realities of the housing market in order for developers to apply for these bonuses.
Density bonuses would only be allowed in return for direct social benefits to the
Town.
B.Accessory Apartments
Zoningamendment.Currently, accessory dwelling units are allowed by special
permit in the Townfor occupants related to the owners of the main house and lot.
The Townhas recently modified its zoning provisions toallowaccessory
apartments subject to specific standards but without a special permit from the
Town Board.The accessory apartment provisions should be reviewed periodically
to determine their effectiveness.
C.Preserve and Re-use Older Housing
Historic preservation law.The Town should consider the adoption of a historic
preservation law using standards developed by New York State.
D.Variety of Housing Types
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan38
Population and Housing
Consider re-zoning appropriate lands near existing centers for multi-family
housing.Apotential location of higher-density residential development is Old
Route 9/Main Street (see the Old Route 9/Main Street Concept Plan).
Density units.The Town is currently considering using density units to achieve
affordable housing anda variety of housing sizes in a development. This was
introduced as part of an Affordable Housing Draft Law affecting RMF districts.
By introducing density units, the Town will encourage the production of different
sizes of housing units, because developers would be allowed to build 2 one-
bedroom units for every three-bedroom unit, or 1½ two-bedroom units for every
three-bedroom unit.
Construction of new multi-family homes that are of a similar size and design as
single-family homes. The Town could develop regulations to require any new
multi-family housing in certain districts to be designed so that it is virtually
indistinguishable from single-family detached housing, as viewed from the street.
This is a developing architectural form, with many well-known examples in the
U.S.
E.Development in Existing Centers
Housinginmixeduse:requiring and conserving. In certain districts, such as the
Old Route 9/Main Street district and the Hughsonville Hamlet, the Town should
consider requiring new development to include housing either on the floor(s)
above a retail use, or in some other location on the site.The Town may consider
changing the zoning in these districts to reduce building setbacks, and instead
require maximum setbacks to achieve greater development potential and
encourage pedestrian-oriented development. The Town can reduce parking
requirements, and require shared and coordinated parking instead. The Town can
also encourage multi-story buildings with offices and apartments above
commercial uses on the ground floor.
Transfer of development rights (TDR).The Town may consider drafting
legislation that allows the property owners in designated ‘sending’ districts (such
as farmland areas) to sell their development rights to property owners in
designated ‘receiving’ districts (such as the Route 9 corridor), which could then
build at a higher density with the purchased development rights. Such a plan must
be tailored to the local economic realities of development in order for owners and
developers to actually begin buying and selling the development rights.
Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan39
Population and Housing
F.Variety of Architectural Styles
Multi-family residential design guidelines. The Town may consider developing
design guidelines for multi-family districts in order to better ensure well-designed
townhouses, condominiums and apartments.
Resources. There are many resources available to Town residents, Board
members, and developers to help promote good design and a variety of
architectural styles.
x
The Town of Wappinger has a “Commercial and Mixed Use Design
Guidelines” document that not only guides development in these districts,
but can be used as a resource for design questions in other parts of the
Town as well.
x
TheDutchess County Planning Department has produced“Housing
Designed to Build Neighborhoods,” other wise known as the‘Green Book,’
which shows elevations, plans, and site plans of small homes in the
vernacular tradition of Dutchess County, including Dutch Colonial, Greek
Revival, Federal, Victorian Cottage, Arts and Crafts (Bungalow), and Neo-
Colonial.
x
The Dutchess County Planning Department has also produced Hamlet
Design Guidelines, which shows how to duplicate the historic development
patterns in today’s modern context.
x
The Dutchess County Planning Department’s “Greenway Connections” is a
useful resource on establishing and maintaining historic and ecological land
use practices.
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Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan40