Public continues to weigh in on Troutbeck expansion

AMENIA — The Amenia Town Hall prepared for a large audience for the planning board meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at which the topic of interest for most was the continuation of the public hearing for an application by Troutbeck Holdings Inc. to expand its business.

The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. in the auditorium rather than the usual meeting room to allow more people to attend. While the planning board members and attorney sat at a table in front of the stage, a podium was set up toward the back for those who wanted to speak. Many did, some because they are against the expansion and some because they are for it.

Sharon Johnson, owner of Hilltop House Bed and Breakfast, was there to learn more about it. She admitted that she had just heard about the meeting and was still learning about the Troutbeck expansion plans. She’s been in business in Amenia for 13 years: “I’m not sure how I feel about it. As far as business goes, it’s been good for us. They do weddings and we get guests from the weddings who stay with us.” However, there are portions of the plans she’s not happy about: “I don’t know about that parking lot being visible from that bend in the road. They have a lot of property; maybe they can put that somewhere else.”

One of the owners, Anthony Champalimaud, said later that Troutbeck plans to revisit the parking site plan. After all, Troutbeck want the views to be as pleasant as possible for the guests as well as for the neighbors. One of his partners is Douglas Horne, a well-known preservationist, therefore Troutbeck contends it would do nothing to harm the area ecologically, and that it is in its own best interests to preserve the land. Fifty-three percent of the land is dedicated to conservation. The entire holdings are 250 acres, but the area sited for expansion is only 43 acres.

Troutbeck is also historically known, and the owners both respect that heritage and hope to preserve it. Theodore Roosevelt, W.E.B. Du Bois, Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway were among many famous visitors to Troutbeck.

Champalimaud also noted that the owners of Troutbeck agree with the Amenia Comprehensive Plan, and the Historic District Overlay was in place when they bought the estate in 2016 from Jim Flaherty and Robert Skibsted. Flaherty attended both this meeting and the Nov. 9 meeting, and has stated that the new owners have done an amazing job of preserving the land and the heritage. Flaherty pointed out that, in 35 years, there were never any lawsuits, never any injuries, and that Troutbeck made Amenia a better place. They turned down offers prior to Champalimaud and his partners because they wanted owners who would keep the integrity and preservation aspects of the site intact. He said the new owners have followed through on those promises, and he pointed out that he still lives in Amenia.

The group Citizens for True Progress put up a “Keep Amenia Rural” website with information, much of which Troutbeck refutes, including the number of sleeping accommodations planned. They mentioned the number of guests the inn would be entertaining, about 700, with two 30-room hotels, 19 cabins and a man-made pond to be drawn from the current aquifer shared by residents. Champalimaud said Troutbeck currently has 38 guest rooms and wants to expand to 80, with a total of 118 listed on the application to the planning board. Someone also brought up the fact that while most innkeepers would like to claim full capacity at all times, that is rarely the case.

Troutbeck employed 214 people in 2022, about 60 full-time. About 80% of those are locals of Dutchess County or nearby Connecticut. When it has no rooms, the inn also refers people to White Hart Inn in Salisbury, Connecticut, and the aforementioned Hilltop House. There are guides on hand for visitors to peruse listing local activities and places to visit and to eat outside of Troutbeck, so the business adds to the local economy in many ways.

The entire plan was presented to the board along with presentations; the idea is to do it in nine phases over a six-year period, with the main work being done during the slower times of November through April without shutting down, which would be an economic hardship.

While people are concerned with density and water, Troutbeck says it has two wells, one of which is barely in use right now. And as far as density, the numbers are far less than what many have expected or talked about. The prior owners hosted about 25 weddings per year or more; those events are now capped off at 12.

The public hearing on the Troutbeck site application remains open. The next planning board meeting is on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 6 p.m. at Amenia Town Hall.