Letters to the editor: Thursday, March 20

Thanks from the Fire Co.

On Sunday, March 16, the Amenia Fire Company sponsored our monthly Pancake Breakfast. We were pleased to have a large crowd of 187 people in attendance for our monthly meal. We rely on the breakfasts to raise needed money for general operations and we always appreciate the support of the community. We thank everyone who attends our events and due to Easter falling on the third Sunday, we have moved our next and final breakfast of the season to April 13.

Andy Murphy,

on behalf of the Breakfast Committee, Amenia Fire Co.

Amenia

Concern: 150-foot cell tower proposed on Rte. 22

I wonder how many people in our local area realize that there is a 150-foot cell tower proposed on the east side of Route 22 just north of the intersection with Catalano Road in Ancram.While there may be a need to improve cellphone service in our vicinity, I am concerned about the possibility of erecting a 150-foot cell tower in Ancram’s Scenic Corridor Overlay Zone along Route 22.The proposed site, at a rise in the highway, would make the cell tower a featured part of the landscape for anyone driving north or south along Route 22. And it would have a very negative impact on the broad and open expanse of the Oblong Valley for residents of Ancram, Millerton, and other neighboring towns.We must determine whether there are alternative places to site the tower.

Here is a portion of the Scenic Corridor Overlay Zone text from the Ancram zoning law: “The Town of Ancram, New York, recognizes that the New York State Route 22 corridor and that portion of the Harlem Valley lying within that corridor, including the Taconic State Park and its mountain ranges and Fox Hill, are some of the Town’s and surrounding community’s premium scenic assets.

Within this corridor there exists a confluence of valuable assets for the Town and its residents including, but not limited to, environmental, recreational and scenic resources, and these scenic resources contribute significantly to the overall rural character of the town and possess attributes which the community seeks to preserve and enhance, while accommodating growth and change.”

The zoning law that covers the Scenic Corridor Overlay Zone also notes that any telecommunication tower within the Scenic Corridor Overlay Zone must be limited to 100 foot.Homeland Towers and Verizon seek to build a very tall and obtrusive 150ft cell tower well above the reasonable limit set by the town zoning. Constructing a 150-foot cell tower at this site would be a huge intrusion upon and devaluation of the special recognized character of this area.We hope that the Ancram Zoning Board of Appeals will deny the major variance for a 150-foot cell tower.We encourage the ZBA to uphold the 100-foot cell tower limit, thus preserving the scenic value rather than damaging it.

The Oblong Valley area is home to several noteworthy and scenic hiking and recreational areas that include the Columbia Land Conservancy’s Overmountain Conservation Area, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, the Taconic State Park Rudd Pond Area, and the Taconic Ridge Trail over Brace and South Brace Mountains.Views from these well-used and treasured recreational areas should be preserved rather than diminished.

Balloon tests at 100 feet and 150 feet for this proposed cell tower are set to take place on upcoming Saturdays when the wind is predicted to be light.So far, four Saturdays have proven to be too windy to run the tests.Please do your part to protect our scenic corridor and the Oblong Valley by finding out more about this proposal, observing balloon tests to assess the visual impact of the cell tower, and informing your neighbors of this cell tower proposal.Help to preserve this valuable scenic and recreational community resource.

Jane H. Meigs

Millerton, New York

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Farm Fall Block Party returns to Rock Steady Farm
Rock Steady Farm during the 2024 Farm Fall Block Party. This year’s event returns Sept. 6.
Provided

On Saturday, Sept. 6, from 12 to 5 p.m., Rock Steady Farm in Millerton opens its fields once again for the third annual Farm Fall Block Party, a vibrant, heart-forward gathering of queer and BIPOC farmers, neighbors, families, artists, and allies from across the Hudson Valley and beyond.

Co-hosted with Catalyst Collaborative Farm, The Watershed Center, WILDSEED Community Farm & Healing Village, and Seasoned Delicious Foods, this year’s party promises its biggest celebration yet. Part harvest festival, part community reunion, the gathering is a reflection of the region’s rich agricultural and cultural ecosystem.

Keep ReadingShow less
The art of Marilyn Hock

Waterlily (8”x12”) made by Marilyn Hock

Provided

It takes a lot of courage to share your art for the first time and Marilyn Hock is taking that leap with her debut exhibition at Sharon Town Hall on Sept. 12. A realist painter with a deep love for wildlife, florals, and landscapes, Hock has spent the past few years immersed in watercolor, teaching herself, failing forward, and returning again and again to the page. This 18-piece collection is a testament to courage, practice and a genuine love for the craft.

“I always start with the eyes,” said Hock of her animal portraits. “That’s where the soul lives.” This attentiveness runs through her work, each piece rendered with care, clarity, and a respect for the subtle variations of color and light in the natural world.

Keep ReadingShow less
Reading and recommendations from Carissa Unite of Oblong Books

Carissa Unite, general manager of Oblong Books in Millerton.

Provided

Carissa Unite of Millerton, began working at Oblong Books 16 years ago as a high schooler. She recently celebrated her eight-year anniversary as the general manager.

Unite’s journey at Oblong began even before she applied for her first position.An avid reader from a young age, she was a frequent customer at the store. During those years, Unite bonded with a former employee who encouraged her to apply for a position after connecting over their shared love of reading.

Keep ReadingShow less