Building ban nears in Pine Plains
Moratorium would be for year

By Michael Woyton Poughkeepsie Journal January 23, 2006

PINE PLAINS — A 12-month moratorium on development will soon go into effect in the town.
After five months of de-bate, the town board voted to enact the ban on certain types of building proposals.
Supervisor Gregg Pulver said the ban applies to major developments, which are four lots or more.
"Moratoriums have never been my favorite things," he said. "In our case, it was our only option — to take a step back, look at where the zoning commission is going and still allow the projects that are in the process to at least go through the (environmental review) process."
The moratorium will officially go into effect when notice of the legislation being filed with the New York secretary of state is received by the town. That is expected this week.
Zoning commission Chairman Jon DePreter asked the board in August to consider a hold on building while his group wrote zoning laws based on the 2004 revision of the comprehensive plan.
"Our original request was to have the time to complete our work," he said. "Obviously, this will have an impact" on pre-existing proposals.
Seen as beneficial
Pine Plains resident Paul Jordon said putting the moratorium in place was the best thing for the town.
"We need time to really know what's what," he said. "We need to know how [major developments] will affect the whole process."
Three major projects are before the planning board: the Carvel golf community, Village Green and Parkview Estates.
If the three are approved as proposed, an additional 1,300 housing units could be built in the town.
The projects can proceed with State Environmental Quality Review Act studies by applying to the town to do so, planning board Chairman Don Bartles Jr. said. They will be subject to the new zoning laws when they are enacted.
"The worst part was being in limbo," Bartles said. "Any application that came in while we were waiting [for the moratorium] was awkwardly on hold."
Some exceptions
He said the ban does not apply to single- or two-family lots. Commercial expansion under 25 percent is also exempt.
Minor subdivisions — under three lots — can proceed during the 12-month period.
Carvel planner Matthew Rudikoff said his proposal's draft environmental study is being reviewed by the town. He thinks that information will be helpful to the zoning commission.
"We are happy the [commission] will have all that for use as part of the zoning process," Rudikoff said. "Having this extremely detailed environmental information is going to inform the zoning decisions.
"This is the proper way for land-use decisions to be made," he said.

Michael Woyton can be reached at mwoyton@poughkeepsiejournal.com

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