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Habitat for Humanity plans new affordable home in Amenia

Habitat for Humanity plans new affordable home in Amenia

The town-owned parcel of land that Habitat for Humanity plans to buy a half-acre portion of in the Town of Amenia, as seen from the Harlem Valley Rail Trail parking lot on Mechanic Street. The electric vehicle charging station shown above is located on the parcel, and the town will have to divide that portion of land from the rest of the parcel before Habitat for Humanity takes ownership.

Photo by Nathan Miller

AMENIA — Habitat for Humanity is planning to build a workforce housing unit in Amenia after the Town Board approved the sale of a portion of a town-owned parcel of land.

The 0.71-acre parcel is currently vacant, except for a new electric vehicle charging station currently being installed along its northern edge, where the property abuts the Harlem Valley Rail Trail parking lot located where Mechanic Street becomes Depot Hill Road.

The Town Board approved a resolution at its Thursday, Feb. 5, meeting to sell the empty half-acre portion of the parcel to Habitat for Humanity of Dutchess County for $30,000.

Town Board attorney Ian Lindars noted that the sale is conditional and requires a subdivision to carve out the land occupied by the new EV charging station before the approval process can proceed.

The resolution approval is subject to a “permissive referendum,” meaning that if no citizen petitions are submitted, then the sale can proceed.

Councilmember Vicki Doyle said she was pleased that the EV charging station project is nearing completion.

“Once it’s up and running, we’ll need to have someone monitor it to be sure that no one is parking there beyond the time needed to accomplish the vehicle charging process,” Doyle said.

Doyle added that the EV charging station will be free to use for the first two years of operation.

The Town Board, joined by councilmember Walter Dietrich, also reminded residents of the annual winter street parking ban, which runs from Nov. 1 through April 1. Under town code, no parking is permitted on any roads, streets or highways between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. He also noted the one-hour parking limit for the parking spaces in front of the post office.

In other action the Town Board scheduled a public hearing for the Northern Red Oak Recreational Trail project on Old Route 22 in Wassaic. Plans for the 450-acre parcel will create 10 to 12 miles of recreational mountain biking and hiking trails. The hearing will be held on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m.

Leila Hawken
government

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Artist Eve Biddle and Tremaine Gallery Director Terri Moore.

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