Millerton Village Center Project is unveiled

MILLERTON — Residents who attended Saturday’s presentation on the Millerton Village Center Project got a glimpse of the future, thanks to the community betterment group Townscape and the county’s planning department.

“The Village Board authorized Townscape to spearhead the plan with the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development,†Townscape President Cathy Fenn said to those who sat in the Millerton Moviehouse, awaiting a PowerPoint presentation from the county’s Planning Coordinator John Clarke.

Clarke discussed ways in which the village of Millerton can shape its development to the best advantage.

He spoke about the benefits the village could draw as a member of the Greenway Compact.

“As part of the Greenway we offer special assistance. The Greenway is all about guidelines instead of mandates,†Clarke said, adding that Greenways are more than just trails, but rather paths where natural and human landscapes collide. “Greenways are about making our Main Streets places that are connected to areas around it. This project is about Main Street from Maple to Route 22.â€

Clarke talked about specifics. He said what makes a good Main Street is a narrow roadway that slows traffic to a pedestrian pace. He said on-street parking also helps slow traffic, and provides convenience for shoppers. A canopy of street trees “helps create rhythm,†and a good sidewalk system with crosswalks is also key. Outdoor seating helps, as does continuous store frontage, “because people don’t like to walk next to empty spaces.†Pedestrian-scale signs and color-quality lighting also contribute to the overall effect.

“You only need a couple of blocks to make a good Main Street work,†he said. “Those are the general principles.â€

According to Clarke, Millerton is the smallest village in Dutchess County. But that doesn’t mean it can’t have a big impact on those who visit it and reside there.

“It’s a walkable community, and the more people who get out of their vehicles, walking around, the more successful Main Street will be,†he said.

One thing that is sorely needed to help make Main Street more of an attraction is a “Welcome to Millerton†sign, at both ends of the village.

“Your entrances are very weak but they could be very strong,†Clarke said, adding that once people enter the village there needs to be a way to get them “around the corner†to where the shops are.

“You could make a whole afternoon of Millerton, if you treat it right,†he said.

Clarke suggested:

• Place “Welcome to Millerton†signs

• Install continuous sidewalks and regular crosswalks to reinforce the pedestrian center

• Highlight a well-defined village square at Railroad Plaza

• Enlarge green/patio area in front of railroad station with parking to the north

• Add curbs, street trees, sidewalks and benches to emphasize the edge of the green

• Make John Street one way eastbound

• Add a landscaped plaza at John Street as a focal point for the Main Street curve (by the bank)

• Redesign Memorial Park with a summer food building/information kiosk at the eastern end

•  Add a covering arbor and movable chairs and tables for flexible seating

• Plant regularly spaced canopy street trees along the entire length of Main Street

• Create a double row of trees on east Main Street to unify setback and remove front yard parking

• Narrow pavement on Century Boulevard with sidewalks and street trees, stripe diagonal parking and build a central landscaped island to visually shorten the block

• Construct a connecting mid-block drive/walkway to Main Street

Clarke also said that in the near future the village will need a sewer system to encourage economic investment and development.

“In order to create new building opportunities, you have to deal with a sewer system,†he said. “I’m suggesting at a half-mile radius [around the center of the village] that could be funded through private development.â€

Clarke was asked how a project like the one he presented could come to fruition.

“The county has the community development block grant program, up to $150,000, or there’s the state’s small cities program up to $400,000,†he said. “Then the Greenway compact also has funding. Once we adopt a plan we can be much more successful because we can include it in grant applications.â€

“How do we go beyond today?†asked resident and Townscape Board member Ralph Fedele.

Townscape’s Fenn responded that the next step is for the Village Board to endorse the plan and adopt it.

“Once that’s done there’s always funding and grants out there,†she said. “Townscape would like to continue working on projects, because it’s volunteer groups who want to make a difference spearheading these things that do make a difference.â€

“This is not going to happen unless we all get involved,†added Townscape member Carol Sadlon. “There is no ‘they’ here.â€

Townscape member John Gilmor summed up his thoughts about the presentation.

“I think it looks great, but we need to get the Village Board involved with this and start moving forward. I’m all for it,†he said. “It certainly would be good for business and also it would give residents a sense of pride that we’re designing a thriving downtown that’s going to be good to look at.â€

“We need more local people involved... to make it happen,†Fedele said. “Getting the Village Board involved, that’s going to help a lot of things, but it’s going to require a lot of money. Little by little it can be done. If we can only do something about our gateway entrances, and get the cars to turn off of Route 22.â€

To learn more about Townscape, and the proposed village plan, e-mail townscapemillerton@yahoo.com.