Media: For more information, please contact
Barry Benepe, 845-246-6491 or barrybenepe@aol.com
Dave Minch, 845-246-2711 or architrek12477@yahoo.com
Drawing: Barry Benepe

Saugerties Citizens for Smart Development (CSD) calls upon Congressman Maurice Hinchey to tell the truth about the proposed Partition Street Project planned for Saugerties.  Congressman Hinchey’s statement that “there is no limitation on the views of the fall” is false on its face.  The Partition Street Project as proposed will block the views of the magnificent Cantine Mill Falls from the public.  The developer/owners of whom Hinchey is one provide two points that they call “public access.”  However, neither is adequate in size or placement.  One is known as the “snow dump” and is not shown on the plan, is not owned by the developers, and is far from the waterfall and blocked by trees.  The second site offered is on the southern most end of the project overlooking the hydro electric plant, not the waterfall.  The rest of the waterfront is blocked from public view and is privatized for the purpose of commercial ventures.  A third suggestion that has been made by the developer is that the public can go to the restaurant, order a glass of water, and enjoy the view.  CSD’s point of view is that with some planning real public access could be provided at the Partition Street Project which would become a regional attraction that would draw people to Saugerties and be a boost to the local economy and to the Partition Street Project itself.  What is proposed will cut off this possibility forever.
To add insult to injury the plan calls for the blasting of Nanny Goat Hill, an ice age formation unique in Ulster County, to build a two-tier overflow parking lot.  Let us not destroy what nature gave us (or to quote a Joni Mitchell song they plan to “pave [d] paradise and put up a parking lot”) in order to satisfy the occasional parking needs for special events.  CSD has many other approaches to offer the Congressman, if he would listen.
CSD, a group formed to provide public access to the waterfront with a walkway along the bluff, protect Nanny Goat Hill, reduce the amount of surface parking, and provide an attractive landscaped entrance with buildings that fit into the historic context of the Village of Saugerties was disappointed to learn that Congressman Maurice Hinchey, an owner of the Partition Street Project, seeks to divert public attention away from the real issues.  Hinchey says and we all — including CSD members — agree that the project will be good for Saugerties.  The issue is whether the Congressman will honor the community vision and the law.
When Congressman Hinchey discussed the planning of the Hudson Landing project in Kingston, he raised his concerns about the environment to make sure that the process was properly followed.  But in the case of the Partition Street Project the Congressman is promoting a double standard: one for his project and another for all other projects.  If the Congressman would just substitute “Saugerties” for “Kingston” in the attached press release and letter, the project could be improved and be better for Saugerties.
Why does the Congressman apply a double standard when it comes to the Partition Street Project?  Why is the process conducted without a full environmental review that is usually required in a project of this size and complexity?  Why are the Congressman’s constituents concerns being dismissed?
The Congressman attempts to de-legitimize the concerns of CSD because we are a “small group.”  This is irrelevant.  As the Congressman well knows the history of the environmental movement in this country is full of examples of the efforts of small groups of environmentally aware citizens making a huge difference. Our willingness to stand up for the environment and be heard, as others have done often against tremendous odds, is the kind of grassroots guts upon which the movement was built. How does the Congressman think groups like Scenic Hudson and Clearwater were born?

Attached is a letter from CSD’s attorney, Grant & Lyons, LLP that spells out CSD’s concerns including the closed nature of the environmental review, the double standard embraced by Congressman Hinchey, the original vision for this property as supported by Hinchey and Mayor Yerick, and the need for a positive declaration to be issued by the Village of Saugerties Planning Board in the State Environmental Review Act process.

Barry Benepe's Drawing for Cantine Mill Walkway

Frank Greco Senior Center

March 18:  Help Support the Alternate Site Plans for the Partition Street Project
Please join us at the Public Hearing on Thursday, March 18, as we advocate for improvement of the Partition Street Project. The Village Planning Board will be reviewing the site plan, special use permit, and lot line change submitted by the applicant as required under the Zoning Law. This will be your only opportunity to make your views known.

We strongly support site plan improvements to the project that will provide a walkway along the bluff, protect Nanny Goat Hill, reduce the paved parking areas, and fit the buildings into the historic context of the Village of Saugerties. We encourage supporters to attend the March 18 meeting. Read more about the Partition Street Project http://www.partitionstreetproject.com

The public hearing is scheduled for:
Thursday, March 18
7pm
Senior Center, 207 Market Street

We see this hearing as a critical opportunity to demonstrate support for positive economic development at the site and improvements to meet public concerns. It is important to show all the stakeholders how both can be accomplished in a reasonable way that will not only not cost the applicant, but will actually save money and get a better result.

We have a list of issues that need to be addressed. It is essential to show that we have reasonable ideas that should be implemented, and that we support theVillage Planning Board in its authority to impose conditions to their approval of the site plan and special use permit. It is the responsibility of the Planning Board to protect the public interest of the community, not just to protect the owner’s investment.
At the same time we are reaching out to Mr. Struzzieri directly to show him the two alternate site plans that Dave Minch and Barry Benepe have developed that use the same square footage and parking requirements that the applicant proposes AND provide a walkway along the bluff, protect Nanny Goat Hill, reduce the impact of parking, and fit the buildings into the historic context of the Village of Saugerties.

Alternative Plan for Partition Street Project presented by Barry Benepe

Alternate plan prosed by David Minch for the Partition Street Project

Please join us in continuing to press for improvements to the Partition Street Project. We are happy to provide more detailed information at your request on any aspect of the project.

If you are interested in participating, please let us know.

We especially have not seen the treatment of Nanny Goat Hill.  How can we comment on something that has not been presented? We have not seen visuals from the bridge of the proposed two-tier parking and the suggestion to plant trees for screening is unrealistic.  You can’t plant trees in rock and expect them to thrive.

We have no clear definition of ‘special event’.  In the NEG DEC a wedding is referred to as a ‘special event’.  I find this misleading.  How can something that might happen twice a week be referred to as a ‘special event’?

The building has been referred to as a conference center, a banquet hall, a ballroom, a catering hall…which is it?  Once the space is defined, it is important to look at the NYS Building Code, which calculates Assembly Space at 5 square feet per person for a Ballroom, as opposed to 15 sq’ for a Banquet Hall.  Taking a very conservative estimate of this project’s public assembly space, the code allows for more than 700 people to attend an event in a space of this size. The Village has the authority to set the legal occupancy. Before issuing a special use permit, I suggest the occupancy for the assembly space be set at approximately 325 persons.

Another concern is traffic.   Has consideration been given to the traffic impact of future projects in conjunction with the impact of the Partition St Project?  With future development at Winston Farm and Kings Highway we can expect a tremendous increase in traffic through the village.

What impact will this have on the Village Business District?  Will people begin to avoid Saugerties because of the traffic?  This is a very realistic concern to a district that is struggling to be successful.

The traffic report in the NEG DEC refers to special events being held on the weekends/off peak. Will events happen simultaneously indoors and at the outdoor catering tent? As a requirement of the Special Use Permit I suggest you restrict the timing of events to non-peak traffic hours, as all the references in the traffic report of the NEG DEC.

Another disturbing fact is that Mr. Struzzieri has purchased many properties at the bottom of Partition Street, which implies future development as part of a larger plan. This segmentation of the plan to avoid State Environmental Quality Review (SEQRA) is very troubling. Might Mr. Struzzieri decide in the future to tear down historic buildings, changing the look of the entrance to our historic district to create more parking for his projects?  Will the entrance to our historic village be likened to a strip mall parking lot?

The other issue that concerns me is noise from the outdoor catering tent. The NEG DEC refers to ‘Noise emanating from the catering tent associated with gatherings, [bands, disc jockeys and localized public address systems.]  and goes on to say that the Village of Saugerties and its agencies possess the authority to respond to potential noise complaints, if necessary.  This will be especially problematic for the residential neighborhood across the creek.

Neighbors will have to rely on the police to enforce noise complaints.  Will villagers have to endure the noise of weekly, undefined ‘special events’ held at the outdoor catering tent? I suggest that the Planning Board require the applicant to limit the hours of use of an outdoor public address system, as the project is located in a residential/mixed district.

Before issuing a Special Use Permit, I urge you to require the developer to hone in on his definition of ‘special event,’ be clear as to the actual nature of the events to be held at this site, and require time and noise limits.

Thank you,

Virginia Luppino

Saugerties Village resident