Public can finally view master plan
Poughkeepsie developments are key issues

By Michael Valkys Poughkeepsie Journal January 30, 2006

After years of delay, Town of Poughkeepsie residents Wednesday will finally get a look at the proposed master plan to chart the future course of Dutchess County's largest municipality.
Consultant Arthur Brod is set to outline recommendations for the update. Planning Board Chairman John Weisman will also take part, officials said.
Supervisor Patricia Myers encouraged residents to attend the session.
"We're all very excited about it, so we're looking forward to this," Myers said.
The master plan update — the first in 15 years — has been anxiously awaited by residents and developers, who want to learn what impact the document and accompanying zoning changes will have on the town and several large pending projects.
The town board must approve the update and zoning changes to go along with it. Public hearings are expected to be held in the coming months before the board makes any changes.
Covers many areas
Development in Poughkeepsie has become a major concern in recent years, especially along the already busy Route 9 corridor. The master plan will have recommendations for other parts of town, including the Raymond Avenue corridor in Arlington, Red Oaks Mill and the Hudson River waterfront.
Efforts to update the master plan began more than five years ago but stalled when town officials weren't happy with recommendations from an upstate consultant. Brod, of Planners East Inc., was hired about a year ago to continue work on the update.
Concerns over development led the town board last year to approve a nine-month ban on residential construction of 11 lots or more.
The board this month voted to extend the moratorium by another four months, with its expiration set for the middle of June.
Policy switch possible
The moratorium ap-proved last year allowed developers to proceed with environmental reviews for pending projects at their own risk.
The board may not continue that policy during the extension, which would halt environmental reviews at least until the spring. Public hearings on that issue are set for Feb. 15.
A principal with the partnership behind a plan to redevelop the massive former Hudson River Psychiatric Center property off Route 9 north of Marist College urged the board to allow developers to continue with environmental reviews.
"This is of critical concern to us," Alex Reese of Hudson Heritage CPCR Ventures told the board this month. Reese said the company has already spent $500,000 on preliminary plans to convert the site into a mixed-use of residential and commercial space.
Reese said Hudson Heritage needs to continue that process before historic buildings they hope to preserve on the property deteriorate even further.
The moratorium and master plan update also come as Hawthorne-based Ginsburg Development plans to add 468 homes at the Casperkill Golf Club site off Route 9. Ginsburg has opted to proceed with environmental studies despite the building ban.
The developer wants to build town homes and single-family homes but plans to preserve the site's 18-hole golf course.
The Casperkill site is zoned residential but that could change with the master plan update. Ginsburg would then have to revise its plans for the property.

Michael Valkys can be reached at mvalkys@poughkeepsiejournal.com

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