Aerial of Cantine Dam Property

saugerties flood over cantine dam

cantine mill dam ruins

saugerties cantine dam

site plan partition street project

Partition Street Project presented new visuals of their proposed Cantine Paper Mill property banquet/restaurant and hotel development in Saugerties Village New York.

They include a landscape plan and 2 views (from Partition St looking down the hill entitled “Preliminary Northerly View” and from across the bridge as you would be entering the Village from the south called Preliminary Southerly view).

Circa 2001: Congressman Hinchey Praises Public Access at the Proposed Cantine Mill Park

In 2001, Saugerties’ hometown congressman Maurice Hinchey promoted Cantine Mill property as an opportunity for Saugerties’ citizens to take advantage of the magnificent views of historic Cantine Dam, which is in the heart of Saugerties’ Historic Business District.

Now, in 2009 congressman Hinchey dismisses requests for public access to the same Cantine Mill site stating its location as “…not even the best view of the falls.” Eight (8) years makes a big difference, especially when you are one of the Partition Street Project’s (Cantine Mill) present owners.

Hinchey promotes alternatives at Cafe Tamayo in Saugerties 2001

March 19, 2001 – Congressman Maurice Hinchey at Cafe Tamayo presenting “Cantine Mill Park Idea” for proposed Saugerties’ Town Hall location.

We’re genuinely proud of our hometown congressman. He’s been a tireless advocate for Hudson Valley and its natural resources. Please help us convince Maurice that Saugerties is worth the extra effort to make the Partition Street Project better for Saugerties citizens and our business district.

Saugerties Citizens for Smart Development Would you like to help? Call (845) 247-0909 or visit us online at www.PartitionStreetProject.com. We’re a local, Saugerties based community organization.

Eight Years Later: Hinchey Dismisses the Significance and Desirability of Public Access

partition street project access denied

2009 – Congressman Maurice Hinchey dismisses calls for public access to the Partition Street Project (Cantine Mill Park) as “…not even the best view of the falls.”

Often they do not own the land but have a contract for purchase pending development approvals.

Development is subject to local, county, state and sometimes federal approvals.

Development is subject to local, county, state and federal laws and land use plans as well as the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act which requires the consideration of alternate plans.

This specific proposal for the former Cantine Mill site overlooking the waterfall is subject to review and approval by the Village Planning Board of site plans, subdivision and special  use permit which may require conditions be met for approval.  The Village Board has already granted a zoning change to  permit a hotel, though not a conference center, reportedly without adequate public notice before the change. The complacent planning board appears to want to cave in and agree to virtually anything the developer wants to do. There will be one opportunity for members of the public to have three minutes to counter the claims of months and many thousands of dollars of presentations to the planning board to which the applicants have unlimited access. This is the same site for which the Mayor sought state funds nearly ten years ago for a public park and for which he applied for 2.5 million dollars two years ago to subsidize this private commercial development.

The applicants may own title to the land overlooking the waterfall, but they do not own one drop of the waterfall itself or the view of the historic creek and viewshed beyond, which have existed there for hundreds of years, though they wish to privatize and monopolize those features for their own commercial use. This site is of regional historic and scenic importance. The owners have the responsibility to treat it and us with respect. Martin Cantine gave us the unparalleled Cantine Field, home of the world famous Garlic Festival as well as hundreds of  baseball games every year. We need such vision and dedication to the public in this proposed Partition Street commercial development.

Barry Benepe

The writer is a retired professional planner, Member of the American Society of Consulting Planners, American Institute of Planners and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.  He is also a member of the Saugerties Citiizens for Smart Development.

There appears to be a lot of misinformation about the efforts of the Saugerties Citizens for Smart Development (CSD).  We are a community organization formed to support the Partition Street Project and to improve it.  We are in no way anti-business or trying to “hold up” the developer or kill the project.  In fact, our position is quite the opposite.

Everyone asks have we met with the owners of the property?  The answer is no because they will not meet with us.  We call upon the developers to work with us on a better plan that will add greatly to their project.  We propose a public walkway along the bluff on this project using a mere two percent of the property.  The walkway will be a magnet attracting visitors to Saugerties to view our “Niagara Falls.”  It will also enhance the outdoor dining experience serving as a people watching sight for restaurant patrons.  And it will not prevent private events that can be held on the second floor with a private balcony overlooking the falls.  It might also be closed, if necessary, for events.

We are told that it is highly unusual for a development of this size not to be required to submit a full environmental review.  Instead the owners are trying to do an “end run” around the law by picking and choosing the environmental impacts they study and not opening the process up to alternatives.  What are they afraid of?  If it is that we will hold them up for years with litigation, they should think again, as that is not our intention.  In fact what we want is to seek a middle ground where we can work together to come to a better project.  We are not in it to win it, but rather to come to accommodation in which the public interest is protected.  Shouldn’t the public funding in this project give the public a seat at the table?

SAUGERTIES CITIZENS FOR SMART DEVELOPMENT
Dave Minch

Gated (restricted) public access at Partition Street Project

Partition Street Project representatives offered an approximately small viewing area of the Cantine Dam as public access. The engineer, Dennis Larios made exceptions to the public access area which would be gated and only accessible when a private function was not being held.

proposed partition project access that is restricted

Planning Board member Jeff Helmuth, who was officiating in the absence of chair George Lewandowski, asked if there would be any parking for the access area. The response was what there would be no public parking area dedicated for the access area.

In New York state, planning and town/village boards and other government agencies (not the private developers) must comply with strict procedures for the review of environmental impacts of proposed projects they approve. If the procedures are not adhered to, citizens may challenge the agency’s decision in court using Chapter 78 of New York’s Civil Practice Law & Rules, in the county Supreme Court with the purpose of having the decision annulled and the environmental review process started over.

An easy-to-understand article titled “State Environmental Quality Review Act – A Citizens Primer” explains the process in simple terms. Another informative document available online is “Planning Board Basics” which is in a Power Point Presentation prepared by NYS Tug Hill Commission – 09/24/2009.

Below is a diagram that I took the liberty of duplicating from Environmental Justice and Permitting Resources

New York State SEQR Process