Town Board fine-tuning proposed halt to Route 299 development
Town Board members will consider finetuning a proposed temporary ban on development along a section of state Route 299 east of the village.
The session is set for 7:30 p.m. at the community center on Veterans Drive.
“We’re going to try to change some of the language in the (moratorium) that would allow current occupancy of existing buildings with permitted use,” Supervisor Neil Bettez said. “We’re not trying to stop all activity. If you have a building and redo the building and you are doing the same (use), we’re not trying to stop that.”
Wording of the moratorium is being discussed a week ahead of a scheduled Oct. 20 public hearing on the proposed nine-month ban. Under the proposed moratorium, about 25 parcels would be included along a “gateway” area covering slightly more than one mile of state Route 299 going east from the Shoprite Plaza. The moratorium is being proposed in the wake of a controversial application to construct a CVS pharmacy and Five Guys Burger and Fries restaurant at the intersection of state Route 299 and North Putt Corners Road.
A moratorium would give the town time to revise the town’s comprehensive plan for that area and adjust town code zoning regulations governing development accordingly. Bettez said officials expect the moratorium would halt reviews of all site plan applications that have raised concern by residents who opposed development in the gateway area.
Under the proposed moratorium, town officials would not be able to review any site plan, special permit application, area variance, use variance or subdivision except for residential developments of five units or less and nonresidential structures of 2,500 square feet or less.
In a report by an ad hoc committee, officials were told that much of the proposed developed in the gateway area had not been anticipated in the town’s 1996 comprehensive plan.
“While there are individual examples of recent positive development due to the community-mindedness of key businesses like Ulster Savings Bank and the Hampton Inn, our town’s codes have no requirements to ensure that this type of coordination and design input occur,” they wrote.
“This area is the primary gateway to our community,” committee member said. “Virtually all of us who live, work/commute, go to school and visit New Paltz routinely navigate the Route 299 corridor from Ohioville to Putt Corners. Simply put, how this part of our community develops affects us all.”