Kent reviews 13-unit affordable housing proposal

A rendering of the proposed 13-unit affordable housing building that was discussed at Thursday’s hearing of the Kent Planning and Zoning Commission.
Ruth Epstein
A rendering of the proposed 13-unit affordable housing building that was discussed at Thursday’s hearing of the Kent Planning and Zoning Commission.
KENT — Deciding to get an opinion from its engineer, the Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday continued the hearing until next month on Kent Affordable Housing’s application for the 13-unit affordable housing project off Maple Street despite pleas from KAH board members.
Justin Potter, chairman of KAH, went through a detailed presentation of the plan, which calls for a single building with an elevator to be located adjacent to the South Common affordable housing complex on 1.15 acres now owned by the town. Once all approvals are received, the town will pass the property to KAH.
Potter began by explaining the group has been working on this project for more than two years, aware of the great need for more affordable housing in town. There are currently 37 affordable units with 24 at South Common and three separate buildings at Stuart Farms. Rents range from $400 to $1,400. Typically, there are between 40 and 60 families on the waiting list and 70% of business owners say they have trouble with staffing because rents are too high for employees.
“In July, the figure for the median house price in Kent was $665,000,” Potter said.
The property for the project is near the public works garage and recreational space for Park and Recreation. Potter said those two entities would not be infringed upon.
Laura Crowley, an architect with Schader Seinau Associates, hired by KAH, gave some details on landscaping, lighting and fire alarm systems. There will be two- and three-story walkouts from the building. Sidewalks will connect the building to the nearby park so residents can access it safely, as well as to South Common. She said conceptual approval has been received from the Sewer Commission.
Potter talked about the parking, which is being proposed at 18 spaces for the building that will contain nine one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom units. The proposal will seek reserved spots for the tenants, with additional parking provided at South Common, where there is an abundance of space.
When discussing fire safety, Crowley said all fire and building code requirements have been met. Potter said they would seek emergency access through the transfer station, which has been given the nod by the fire department and fire marshal.
Fire chief Alan Gawel spoke about needing access for dealing with a three-story building and suggested perhaps the gravel parking area near the tennis courts could be designated for the ladder truck if needed. First Selectman Martin Lindenmayer took strong exception, saying that was never part of the discussion when the whole proposal was formulated. “This is getting out of hand,” he said strongly. “We need more recreation. We already discussed this.”
Potter responded, “There’s a balancing of different priorities. We can work out details for making things easier for the fire department.”
When Commission Chairman Wes Wyrick said he had some concerns with stormwater runoff, KAH’s engineer Roy Seelye of Cardinal Engineering said an analysis showed a small increase in runoff, “but because of its proximity to the brook, I didn’t think much about it.”
Donna Hayes, former zoning enforcement official, asked commissioners if they thought their engineer should look at the drainage. Members were polled and said they thought that was a good idea.
Current Land Use Administrator Tai Kern said if the commission’s engineer is brought in, the cost is borne by the applicant. Potter said he didn’t see the need since the application went through scrutiny by the Inland Wetlands Commission, which gave its approval.
KAH member Gregg Sheridan said, “KAH has been a responsible developer in Kent since the 1990s. What we’ve paid Cardinal is formidable. To put this cost on us, as a nonprofit, is unreasonable.”
Kern responded, “Someone has to pay them.” Sheridan said, “I expect a partnership. It’s not unreasonable for the town to take on some of the cost.” Potter said time is also a concern, since the matter won’t be discussed for another month.
When Seelye said it was his engineer’s intuition that there would be little increase in stormwater drainage from this project, commissioner Sarah Chase said, “We’ve never worked off intuition. It’s like working off assumption and the commission should never do that.”
Built in 1820, 1168 Bangall Amenia Road sold for $875,000 on July 31 with the transfer recorded in August. It has a Millbrook post office and is located in the Webutuck school district.
STANFORD — The Town of Stanford with nine transfers in two months reached a median price in August of $573,000 for single family homes, still below Stanford’s all-time median high in August 2024 of $640,000.
At the beginning of October there is a large inventory of single-family homes listed for sale with only six of the 18 homes listed for below the median price of $573,000 and seven above $1 million.
July transfers
79 Ernest Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 6.87 acres in 2 parcels sold to Matthew C. Marinetti for $1,225,000.
29 Drake Road — 3 bedroom/3.5 bath home on 2 acres sold to Harper Montgomery for $850,000.
6042 Route 82 — 4 bedroom/2 bath home on 1.09 acres sold to Spencer Thompson for $795,000.
125 Tick Tock Way — 3 bedroom/2.5 bath ranch on 1.9 acres sold to Fleur Touchard for $475,000.
August transfers
102 Prospect Hill Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 6.35 acres sold to Karl Creighton Pfister for $565,000.
252 Ernest Road — 2 bedroom/1 bath cottage on .85 acres sold to Meg Bumie for $465,000.
1196 Bangall Amenia Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 2.16 acres sold to Roderick Alleyne for $875,000.
Hunns Lake Road (#759929) — 59.1 acres of residential land sold to Argos Farm LLC for $3,325,000.
* Town of Stanford recorded real estate transfers from July 1 to August 31 provided by Dutchess County Real Property Office monthly transfer reports. Details on each property from Dutchess Parcel Access - properties with an # indicate location on Dutchess Parcel Access. Market data from One Key MLS and Infosparks .Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Harlem Valley area activity reportSept. 18 to Sept. 30.
Sept. 23 — Deputies responded to 1542 State Route 292 in the Town of Pawling for the report of a suspicious vehicle at that location. Investigation resulted in the arrest of Sebastian Quiroga, age 26, for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. Quiroga to appear in the Town of Pawling court at a later date.
Sept. 30 — Deputies responded to Woodside Street in the Town of Pine Plains for a past-occurred verbal domestic dispute between a stepfather and stepson.Matter resolved without further police intervention.
PLEASE NOTE:All subjects arrested and charged are alleged to have committed the crime and are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are to appear in local courts later.
If you have any information relative to the aforementioned criminal cases, or any other suspected criminal activity please contact the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 845-605-CLUE (2583) or Emaildcsotips@gmail.com.All information will be kept confidential.
Hunt club members and friends gathered near Pugsley Hill at the historic Wethersfield Estate and Gardens in Amenia for the opening meet of the 2025-2026 Millbrook Hunt Club season on Saturday, Oct. 4. Foxhunters took off from Wethersfield’s hilltop gardens just after 8 a.m. for a hunting jaunt around Amenia’s countryside.
Joining in the fun at the dedication of the new pollinator pathway garden at The Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4, local expert gardener Maryanne Snow Pitts provides information about a planting to Lorraine Mirabella of Poughkeepsie.
MILLBROOK — Participating in a patchwork of libraries that have planted pollinator pathway gardens to attract insects and birds to their native plantings was one of the accomplishments being celebrated at the dedication of a new pollinator garden at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4.
“A lot of work went into it,” said Emma Sweeney, past President of the Millbrook Garden Club, who started the local library’s initiative two years ago.
The Pollinator Pathway program is a national effort to plant native plants that native insects depend upon for sustenance and preferred plants for their own seasonal reproduction.
Jana Hogan of Ridgefield, Connecticut, Executive Director of the Pollinator Pathway program, was on hand to present a plaque to the library for its successful participation.
“A garden is not just a garden,” said garden designer Andy Durbridge of Wassaic, designer of the library’s garden. “It may serve as a model for other gardens along the line.”
Speaking to the 50 visitors at the dedication, Durbridge said that the library’s garden has a mission, that it is a working garden, planned to serve insects and birds over their seasons. The earliest plants support pollinators, while the full range of plants continues to serve the needs of those they attract, offering habitat, shelter and food.
A pollinator garden is akin to a prairie, rather than a formalized European garden, Durbridge noted.
The garden project was supported by the library’s Friends group using funds raised during the Holiday Silent Auction and ongoing book sale. A grant from the Millbrook Garden Club also provided support.