Iron Star Retreat Center withdraws application for permit

ANCRAM — John Ingram, chairman of the Ancram Planning Board, received a letter on Dec. 13 via email from Taylor Palmer, a partner with the Cuddy and Feder law firm, which represents Iron Star Retreat Center, requesting a withdrawal of the pending application of a special use permit on behalf of RSG Farms LLC and SSG Farms LLC as well as a site plan and lot line adjustment approval.

The property in question is at 2450 State Route 82 in Ancram. The application was first submitted in October 2021, and a public hearing was opened at the Dec. 2 planning board meeting.

Jan Hanvik, who led in the movement of those who opposing the proposed retreat, sent out a communication advising of the withdrawal.

He noted: “This was one of many proposals for Columbia County from people not from the area that did not take into account what the people who live here love about the area, threats to the water supply, to nature, to traffic, etc. All construction was to take place off site. All food production on site. So, it was hard to see how anybody locally would benefit except from a few cleaning and maintenance jobs.”

This does not mean that while Iron Star has withdrawn its applications and proposals now, it can’t return at a later date and start all over again. This is only one of the many proposals that have been made in this area, with site plans and applications being submitted.

There was the Migdale plan in Mabbettsville, a hamlet of the Town of Washington/Millbrook, that seems to have fallen through. That would have been for an upscale resort with two restaurants, an outdoor theater, cabins and “glamping” tents. The plans were scaled back, but opposition was great; so far, that seems to be on hold.

Currently, Troutbeck in Amenia is looking to expand to add more sleeping accommodations and possibly a bakery. That permit is currently sitting with the Amenia Planning Board. Reviews of the expansion from residents are mixed.

Iron Star had submitted its application for a permit that would allow for a five-bedroom inn, four separate cottages, three recreational buildings and 22 “glamping” sites. It also requested a zone amendment, to convert a 13-acre piece of land to agriculture (AG) zoning.

The founder of Iron Star is Stacey Shurin, who has been in Ancram for about two years and is in real estate developing and management. As she described it: “Iron Star retreat will host guests who search for luxury unpretentious adventures close to home. A short trip up for city dwellers will leave them refreshed and renewed.” As with the Migdale proposal, the premise of “luxury” stands out.

The three proposals — Migdale, Troutbeck and Iron Star — have much in common; when there are public hearings on the matter, the meeting rooms are filled, often with an overflow, and if offered on Zoom, the number of participants can double.

Also in common are the reasons given by residents who are against these luxury getaways: noise, traffic, pollution and — the biggest fear — a problem with a diminishing water supply. People also fear that these types of establishments will put a strain on local resources, the fire departments, police departments and EMT services.

Ecological concerns are also at the top of the list of reasons not to allow for this type of building or expansion. Some people mention the many endangered species that live here and must be protected. Others think it will harm the character of the area, that it will lose the quaintness and the small-town charm.

While there are those who see that allowing these types of establishments could result in a lower tax base for residents, most don’t see that as a reality.

Many residents feel — and again, this is in all three townships — that these places do not conform with the municipalities’ comprehensive plans.

Most of the planned spas, retreats and vacation spots would have amenities that would not be open to the public. While they could provide some jobs for locals, that hasn’t always turned out to be the case. Shurin was planning on producing her own food and having buildings constructed off-property and brought in, so the economic impact locally would have been minimal.

With a desperate need for affordable housing in this part of Dutchess County, most residents think the concentration should be on that problem and in maintaining what is already here:  Shop local, build affordable housing and protect the natural resources.

The public hearing was left open until January, but with the withdrawal of the application, there won’t be another hearing.

But as Hanvik stated in his missive, “They have withdrawn their current proposal & applications for the Retreat/Resort, but that does not prevent them from coming back later with a different proposal and starting again from the beginning.”