Affordable rental duplex units under construction at 8 and 14 Powder House Road will be the subject of a Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing on Monday, Oct. 6.
AMENIA — Recently constructed affordable housing units contained within two buildings on Powder House Road came under discussion at the regular meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday, Sept. 15. Although construction is complete on one of the duplexes, the owners have yet to be granted a Certificate of Occupancy by the town, needed before tenants can occupy units.
Residents Wooley Pardoe and Olivia Berry, owners of 8 and 14 Powder House Road, were represented at the meeting by Attorney Joshua Mackey, Managing Partner of Mackey Butts and Whalen of Millbrook.
The project at 8 Powder House Road had been awarded a grant from the Dutchess County Housing Trust Fund in the amount of $200,000 to assist in the construction of a duplex housing unit holding two apartments, each with two bedrooms. The project was seen as a potential model for providing small-scale solutions to local rental housing shortages. The County Housing Trust Fund has as a goal the creation of 100 affordable rental housing units throughout the region.
Following discussion, the project that consists now of two duplex housing units in close proximity, was scheduled for the next meeting of the ZBA on Monday, Oct. 6, beginning at 6 p.m. One of the buildings is completely built; the other is nearing completion. The applicants are seeking an area variance on lot size.
Mackey sought to resolve interpretation of local regulations specifying lot sizes in relation to septic planning, noting that both lot sizes are in excess of the minimum requirements. The construction, he said, conforms to the character of the neighborhood.
Following discussion, Mackey and ZBA attorney Robert Stout plan to meet to examine the existing regulations and arrive at an agreeable interpretation in advance of the public hearing.
“They thought they had permission when they were granted a building permit,” Mackey explained about the applicants’ actions to proceed with construction.
The septic system has received the approval of the local Health Department, Mackey noted.
ZBA member Craig Meili saw potential that the project may be an example of higher density housing, particularly because the applicants described their intention to build another rental unit toward the rear of the property in the future.
The applicants noted the ongoing expense they are incurring in servicing borrowed funds while being unable to receive income from renters while they await a resolution to the situation that is delaying issuance of a CO. They asked that the process be expedited.
One of the entries in this year’s Community Day Scarecrow Contest, Ichabod Hiccup, at left, seems to be particularly enjoying the solo performance of Wil Greenstreet, whose strolling pop-up saxophone performances delighted visitors to the village on Saturday, Sept. 20. For more photos, turn to Page A8.
A popular feature of the Millbrook Library lawn area was a carpet of children’s books being given away for free. Appealing to little Julien Gulbrandsen, 3, of Pleasant Valley was the story of a pancake, being read by her mother Lauren Gulbrandsen. It is likely that the little book went home with them.Photo by Leila Hawken
Family fun and community were the order of the long-planned Community Day, on Saturday, Sept. 20, as village turned out to welcome visitors from throughout the region for a day of activities, contests, parades, displays, sales and the joy of being together.Photo by Leila Hawken
Top row, left to right, Caroline Kinsolving, Christopher McLinden, Dana Domenick, Reid Sinclair and Director Hunter Foster. Bottom row, left to right, Will Nash Broyles, Dick Terhune, Sandy York and Ricky Oliver in Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”
Opening on Sept. 26, Agatha Christie’s legendary whodunit “The Mousetrap” brings suspense and intrigue to the Sharon Playhouse stage, as the theater wraps up its 2025 Mainstage Season with a bold new take on the world’s longest-running play.
Running from Sept. 26 to Oct. 5, “The Mousetrap” marks another milestone for the award-winning regional theater, bringing together an ensemble of exceptional local talent under the direction of Broadway’s Hunter Foster, who also directed this summer’s productions of “Rock of Ages” and “Million Dollar Quartet.” With a career that spans stage and screen, Foster brings a fresh and suspense-filled staging to Christie’s classic.
The Playhouse’s casting includes Dana Domenick of Falls Village who leads the cast as Mollie Ralston, the newlywed innkeeper with a secret. Reid Sinclair of Norfolk plays Giles, her husband and partner in hospitality — and maybe in something more sinister. Will Nash Broyles from Lakeville plays the eccentric and enigmatic Christopher Wren, and Sandy York of Sharon will play the role of the imperious Mrs. Boyle. Dick Terhune (Litchfield), Caroline Kinsolving (Salisbury), Ricky Oliver (Pawling), and Christopher McLinden (also Lakeville) round out the cast as the play’s increasingly suspicious guests — and one very determined detective.
As always, Sharon Playhouse has gathered a top-tier creative team to match its cast. The Swader brothers (Christopher and Justin) return with their signature scenic designs, while Kathleen DeAngelis’s costumes and Bobbie Zlotnik’s wigs promise to anchor us firmly in postwar England, even as the plot spirals into timeless psychological suspense. Lighting by Wheeler Moon and sound design by Graham Stone will help turn the cozy theater into a stage crackling with tension.
If you’ve never seen “The Mousetrap,” here’s what you need to know: it’s the murder mystery that truly defined the genre. Premiering in London’s West End in 1952 and still running strong over 30,000 performances later, Christie’s ingenious puzzle unfolds in a snowbound manor house where everyone has something to hide, and no one is safe from suspicion. Its final twist is famously kept secret by audiences — a tradition of theatrical discretion that only deepens the sense of shared experience.
“The enduring success of ‘The Mousetrap’ lies in its suspense, yes, but also in its structure,” said the Playhouse’s Artistic Director Carl Andress. “It’s a masterclass in storytelling. And with Hunter Foster leading this incredible cast of local artists, we know our audiences are in for an evening of mystery, laughter, and yes, plenty of gasps.”
Tickets are available now at SharonPlayhouse.org.
