The second set of Tachronic photos, Americas most beautiful parkway. I will say it again, Northern Dutchess my Columbia.
From the oft-scanned hardcover delight, Man-Made America: Chaos or Control? Yale U Press, 1962. Other scanned spaces from the Transfer Archive.
We need farmland protection and investment. "We lose 2 acres everyday to development, whereas 84% of farmland borders the urban periphery"-> The American Farmland Trust is doing good things. Folks, it has to be local farms, regional food, efficiently integrated, distributed. Our over-industrialized waste stream is finally being put in check. Lets do this mid & upper hudson valley, for the local food revolution, for our fertile hillocks and fens. Because the NYC Metro could show the world a new agricultural paradigm. Don't just advocate open space, advocate for organic farming. The Times always has a way of making the yuppies resurgent interest, totally repugnant.
They f'ing approved the tax deal with Cappelli! Welcome a casino, Sullivan county. Blah. Bit - So... Cappelli's history of partnering with trump to build glassed grave markers in westchester brick towns sure qualifys him I guess. Not the right thing for the catskills, but we're glad its in sullivan county - where they roll like that. The big heads are looking up here with big shouldered clunkers, culdesacs and condos. Yikes. I'll hit the slots - that IT! Save our top soil.
Ang Lee's new woodstock film, looking for these particular scene shots. Interesting where this might be. Lastly, from the Historic Hudson website, Plumb_Bronson house, elevations by A.J. Davis. Somehow I missed this. Fantastic.
Anyone familiar with Manhattan real estate knows the Durst family, heck, anyone familiar the NYPost knows the Dursts (thanks Robert). What many folks in the Hudson Valley don't know is that the Durst Organization has been slowly accumulating massive parcels of land in and around Pine Plains. One of their colossal developments is the Carvel Property Development, in collaboration with golf resort developer Landmark. They recently submitted their draft DEIS. The Plan is massive, and disturbing.
The site as it exists includes: 140 acres of wetlands, 990 acres of prime and important farmland soils, 1,200 acres of undisturbed woodland, a 35 acre lake, & 35,000 feet of stream. These numbers from the Dutchess Land Conservancy
. Whats proposed: 951 homes on 1.5 acre lots, 16 miles of new pavement, and a 310 acre golf course. Condos, townhouses, and mcmansions. Here is their Own site plan (pdf); indeed, how vague a clue even this is and it still tells a horrible story. An abberation of land along the TSP and 199, Pine Plains will Never be the same. Imagine Florida off the Taconic, these people are not joking.
Pine Plains United is a coalition dedicated to raising awareness of runaway development in Pine Plains, they are the organizing committee against this monomanical plan.
James Sheldon, of Little Town Views , has some excellent coverage of this.
The Dutchess County Planning Department has recommended against the plan, saying essentially that this plan has no community character, useless open space (& pointless 'trails'), no affordability, and an insulting use of the word green: "In this project's current form, using the adjective "green" is nothing more than putting the proverbial 'spats on a pig'. "
The developers believe the Hudson Valley is the new baby boomer mecca for sunbelt style living. We cannot let the subdividing of our rural resources begin here. IT has to Stop.
Public Comment of Durst Draft DEIS
Fri Feb 29 7pm – Fri Feb 29 8:30pm
Stissing High School
Pine Plains, NY
PLEASE, if your unavailable to comment in person, submit comments in writing, mail them to the:
Town of Pine Plains Planning Board
Pine Plains Town Hall
PO Box 955
Pine Plains
New York, 12567.
-- Comments must be post marked no later than April 2nd, 2008 to be considered part of the official public record.
Red Hook Concerns has been providing some excellent coverage of the post election wooha in Red Hook. Seems the republican old guard, who lost their majority in Dutchess County for the first time in 20 years, wasn't too happy about losing their majority on the Red Hook board. So the Supervisor elect (Sue Crane) stepped down, then appointed a replacement before the newly elected members (Democrats) took their seats. Slick eh? Say nothing of the legality of such moves, why this wasn't in the bylaws is beyond most. The public comment at the first meeting, after the strategically muted announcement, was civil - beyond Sue's smarmy & inexplicably vague responses to concerns. This is Democracy baby! No need to give away the juicy goodness that is the most recent meeting, now that this move has been given some traction (and a petition)... see the video at RHconcerns.
Why is any of this important? Land Use! Zoning is becoming a tremendously important issue as development pressures push northward. Stay tuned for more about the Dursts in Dutchess.
Heres the Poughkeepsie Journal coverage, and the Daily Freeman coverage.
Asher Durand.
