Amenia Planning Board hears introductory Hudson River Housing plan

AMENIA — In addition to opening a pair of public hearings and then continuing them to its January meeting, the Amenia Planning Board at its regular meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 11, heard preliminary conceptual plans for Hudson River Housing to develop an affordable housing project to be known as Cascade Creek.

The first public hearing to be continued was to hear comments on plans for construction of an indoor pool at Troutbeck as part of Troutbeck’s Phase 8 construction planning. As a result of the continuation, comments will be heard during the January Planning Board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Residents did offer comments on plans for a sign at a new business, Da Vinci Windows, located at 3430 Route 343. Leading off the discussion, John Andrews, Planning board Engineer, detailed plans for the recently renovated property to create a window showroom to the first floor and an apartment above.

The business sign was originally proposed to be internally lit, but that type of sign is prohibited by local sign regulations. The applicant changed the sign’s lighting design to include exterior lighting from the bottom, but the sign code specifies that the lighting needs to shine down from above.

Planning Board member Nina Peek said that the plan should be revised to show the proper sign design.

Neighboring property owners expressed concern about debris on the property and a paved driveway near a wetlands buffer. Other neighbors raised questions about sight lines being obstructed by the new sign, pointing to speeding traffic in that stretch of highway where a blind spot exists.

Cascade Creek

Representatives from Hudson River Housing of Poughkeepsie preliminarily described plans to develop acreage at 34 Cascade Road to offer workforce housing to first-time homebuyers.

“This is the first time this is in front of you,” Andrews said of the planning for the property that is zoned suburban residential.
“We are going to need Planning Board guidance,” Andrews said, adding that on-site water and septic are envisioned for what is planned as a conservation subdivision.

Of initial concern, Andrews said, is that the maps on file are inconclusive in showing acreage that the applicant is describing.
“We need to know the size of the parcel,” Planning Board Attorney Paul Van Cott said.

Andrews added that the applicant is proposing to construct homes to become workforce housing, and that any workforce housing plan must be referred to the Housing Board.

Architect Peter Zander, describing the Hudson River Housing project and accompanying vice-president Mary Linge, reported that four construction phases would be planned with seven homes to be built in each phase for a total of 28 homes, each on a one-acre lot.

Zander said that there are no wetlands on the parcel, no endangered species, and no archeological history.

Linge indicated that single-family homes are envisioned to be sold to first-time home buyers. She added that she understands the process and she and Hudson River Housing are prepared for the long haul.

Attorney Van Cott said he will study the conservation analysis.

Planning Board member Ken Topolsky praised the work of the applicant in presenting the cultural history of the land, dating back thousands of years, as part of their efforts to plan a conservation subdivision.

Zander said that a certified survey will expand upon the conservation narrative.