The Irondale district, currently known as Highway Business District III, is comprised of just six parcels along Route 22 that are currently occupied by light industrial businesses.
MILLERTON — Though the Irondale District lies just outside of the Village of Millerton, it has become the center of a divisive conversation as the Town of North East continues to review a significant overhaul of its commercial zoning code.
Irondale, officially known as the Highway Business district under current town code, is a small stretch along Route 22 south of the village that some officials and residents believe could support additional businesses, while others argue development there could undermine efforts to boost Millerton’s existing downtown.
The issue emerged during the public hearing on the commercial zoning code overhaul, which has remained open since Jan. 8.
During the Jan. 8 public comment period, Kathy Chow, a North East resident and chair of the Millerton Climate Smart Task Force, urged the town to encourage artisan workshops and food-based businesses in the Irondale area, suggesting it could become a hub for small industry and capture Route 22 traffic.
Since then, board members from the town and the village have weighed in, discussing possible types of permitted businesses in Irondale and the potential impacts.
Irondale is currently zoned for highway-oriented commercial uses rather than village-style retail or restaurants. Permitted businesses include auto body shops, building materials sales such as lumberyards, construction equipment sales and rentals, mobile home and farm machinery sales, transportation terminals, warehouses and wholesale operations.
Councilwoman Meg Winkler has advocated expanding those uses to include restaurants, bakeries and small retail businesses, arguing the area already functions as a natural extension of the village, citing the existing Agway and Napa Auto Parts along the Route 22 corridor north of Millerton’s downtown.
Winkler said the town’s 2019 Comprehensive Plan encourages expanding commercial opportunities and believes allowing small-scale businesses there could strengthen the local economy.
“I stand firm on my decision and it’s not out of disrespect to the ZRC, and it’s not personal,” Winkler said. “It’s rooted in my belief as a businesswoman – and after talking to residents and business owners who want the flexibility in this district – that it would boost the economic vitality to the village and town.”
Others on the board, however, said expanding retail uses outside the village could weaken Main Street by diverting customers away from Main Street.
Town Supervisor Chris Kennan said the ZRC intentionally designed the district to support larger highway-oriented businesses while concentrating retail and restaurant activity in the village center.
“The goal of the ZRC was to support the village as in Main Street and not to provide shopping opportunities on Route 22 where people could just keep driving down 22 and not turn into the village,” Kennan said.
He added that protecting the village’s commercial core is part of what makes Millerton distinct from other communities.
Deputy Supervisor Chris Mayville said he has mixed feelings about the proposal and wants to better understand its long-term implications for planning and development in Irondale.
“If we’re working to expand the boulevard in the village,” Mayville asked, “why would we think mirroring development in the other direction would help that?”
Edie Greenwood, who chaired the ZRC throughout the process, said the group intentionally left the Irondale district unchanged in order to keep the process manageable.
“My approach was to simplify and not get into boundary changes,” Greenwood said, noting that broader conversations about commercial development along Route 22 will likely occur during the next phase of zoning work.
Councilwoman Rachele Grieco Cole said the debate seems like a chicken and egg dilemma.
“There’s tension between wanting the downtown to look and function a certain way and attract enough customers,” Cole said, adding that there is a risk of being too restrictive rather than drawing in as much business as possible.
Kennan ultimately attempted to pass a resolution to maintain the existing ZRC language, which would keep the current limitations in Irondale. The board did not adopt the resolution and will instead pick up the conversation during a regular meeting of the Town Board on Friday, March 20.
Village board members weigh in
Village officials also raised concerns about the proposal during a March 9 village board meeting, where Mayor Jenn Najdek warned that expanding retail and restaurant uses in the nearby Irondale district could create what she referred to as a “fly-by” scenario, diverting traffic and customers away from Main Street.
Trustees agreed the change could undermine long-standing efforts to concentrate commercial activity in the village center, particularly as plans move forward for the expensive wastewater infrastructure project intended to support future development in the Boulevard District.
The board said it plans to collectively draft a formal letter to the Town of North East board outlining their concerns.
Millerton News
Héctor Pacay Landscaping and Construction LLC: Fully insured. Renovation, decking, painting; interior exterior, mowing lawn, garden, stone wall, patio, tree work, clean gutters, mowing fields. 845-636-3212.
GRAND TAG SALE! Downsizing! 30+years. Exciting Bargains. We’ve got it all: home, garden, kids, tools, furniture, fishing poles, vintage and new. July 10 and 11 Friday, Saturday, 9 a.m-4 p.m. 118 Main St. North Canaan, CT 06018. Rain date: July 17 and 18.
TWO BIG INDOOR TAG SALES IN FALLS VILLAGE during Car Show weekend. July 11& 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Center on Main benefits Hunt Library. 85 Main Street multi-family eclectic furniture, art, and household plus ware-house find of never-worn British motorcycle jackets and gloves deeply discounted.
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Equal Housing Opportunity. All real estate advertised in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1966 revised March 12, 1989 which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color religion, sex, handicap or familial status or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All residential property advertised in the State of Connecticut General Statutes 46a-64c which prohibit the making, printing or publishing or causing to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or:rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, physical or mental disability or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.
2 Bedroom House. Millerton, NY. Quiet. 4 miles from town. $2500 monthly, plus utilities. 518-567-8277.
MT RIGA LAKEFRONT CABIN. Private beach, canoe, kayaks, fishing. $1,275/week. 585-355-5245.
Nathan Miller
Smoke rises from a downed power line at the Carey Institute outside Millbrook on Monday morning, July 6. The line fell during the weekend’s storms, and has been smoldering for days. A contracted representative from Central Hudson Gas & Electric is on site to quell any flare-ups until the proper authorities arrive for repairs.
Severe thunderstorms ripped through New York and Connecticut on Saturday, July 4, causing damage in some areas that has left tens of thousands without power.
The fast-moving thunderstorm on Saturday night brought heavy winds and rain that snapped branches and uprooted trees, causing damage to power lines and structures across Dutchess County and the Northwest Corner. Despite the extensive damage, impacts of the storm were localized to specific Connecticut areas that received the brunt of its force.
Over 50,000 Mid-Hudson Valley customers of Central Hudson Gas & Electric lost power over the weekend. By Sunday evening, the company had restored power to 17,000 customers, and estimated full Dutchess County restoration by Tuesday, July 7 at 10 p.m.
Officials in Millerton, Amenia, Millbrook and Pine Plains reported minimal damage and scattered power outages caused by the storm. A downed power line at the Carey Institute in Millbrook was still smoking as of Monday, July 6. Other impacts were limited, save for downed trees blocking Route 22 near Boston Corners north of Millerton in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 5.
The Amenia Fire Company’s Fourth of July fireworks display went on as planned, although the fair featuring live music and food outside the firehouse on Mechanic Street closed early because of heavy rain.
Communities just across the state line faced far more severe impacts. Salisbury, Lakeville and Falls Village in Connecticut experienced extensive damage that caused lasting power outages that dragged into the beginning of the week. Gas stations and the CVS in Millerton quickly sold out of essentials like bottled water, ice, and flashlights. Millerton businesses also reported a higher volume of pedestrian traffic on Monday morning as Connecticut residents sought out internet access, hot water, and electricity.
Many roads across northwest Connecticut were closed on Sunday, July 5, in the storm’s aftermath. More than 70,000 Eversource customers statewide lost power, though outages had fallen to fewer than 28,000 by Monday morning as crews worked to restore service.
In Salisbury, 93% of customers were without power on Sunday, with 2,792 of 3,006 customers affected.
Falls Village was also heavily affected, with more than 50% of customers without power.
Just under 20% of Sharon residents were impacted, with 415 customers without power.
Falls Village officials declared a local State of Emergency as a result of the storm damage. First Selectman David Barger said the move could help relieve the financial burden of the storm if state or federal funds become available.
“We want to be able to utilize all of our resources,” Barger said, adding that town crews have been called in for overtime hours to support the clean-up. He said he received calls from North Canaan and Kent town officials who offered their support.
“Whether it be with the volunteer fire departments or the department of public works, they stand ready to help us,” he said. “The towns in Region One have really been drawn together with some common problems and common initiatives, and this is one of those things where we’re all working together.”
Salisbury, Cornwall, Goshen, Harwinton and Torrington each declared a local State of Emergency as of 2 p.m. Sunday, Litchfield County Dispatch Supervisor Ryan Ptakowski said.
Communities in southern and eastern Dutchess County also sustained significant damage. Pawling, which was still recovering from a June storm that left much of the town without power for several days, was hit even harder Saturday night. Downed power lines caused widespread outages and sparked a fire at a CVS pharmacy that destroyed the building.
Additional reporting provided by Aly Morrissey, Alec Linden and Graham Corrigan.
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
Nathan Miller
The Millerton 175th Anniversary Committee's logo.
MILLERTON — Months of planning will culminate this weekend as Millerton kicks off nine days of events celebrating the village’s 175th anniversary, with festivities running from July 11 through July 19.
Lisa Hermann, a veteran festival organizer who has been leading the planning effort for Millerton 175, said the process intensified this year as the July start date crept closer.
“There’s a lot of moving parts,” Hermann said. “We’re very lucky for the volunteers we had, because we have people who live in such a small community but yet there are people with so many different backgrounds.”
The variety of expertise among Millerton’s 175 committee members lent itself to an expansive list of events spread across the nine days scheduled for the celebration. The celebration brings together local organizations, businesses and volunteers for what organizers say is one of Millerton’s largest community celebrations in years.
The celebration’s first day on Saturday, July 11, will feature the biggest lineup of distinct events. Plans for Saturday include:
Festivities continue with sports tournaments at Eddie Collins Memorial Park on Sunday, July 12. A 3-on-3 basketball tournament is set for 9:30 a.m., with sign-ups beginning at 8 a.m. Each team can register up to five players and registration costs $10 per player.
There will also be a cornhole tournament running at the park beginning at 11 a.m. Registration for that tournament begins at 10 a.m. and will carry a $30 entry fee.
Starting Saturday, July 11, and running all week are the North East Historical Society’s exhibit on Millerton’s history at the Millerton Methodist Church on Main Street. Visitors can peruse the exhibition materials between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Saturday, July 11, to Sunday, July 19.
The night of Monday, July 13, will see a special dinner at the Millerton Inn, set for 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and a free screening of “Burying the Hatchet: The Tom Quick Story,” followed by discussion at the North East Community Center starting at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 14, will mark the unveiling of a brand new outdoor classroom on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. The immersive learning space will include vibrant, educational displays exploring water ecology, natural and social history, birds, insects and other elements of the local landscape.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Millerton Inn will host a party on its front lawn with outdoor cooking, cornhole and fire pits.
Then events start ramping back up with the Millerton Business Alliance’s annual Summer Stroll event, featuring sidewalk sales and pop-ups from local businesses throughout Millerton’s downtown from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The North East Historical Society’s exhibit on Millerton’s history will run from 1 p.m. to 7 to coincide with the Summer Stroll.
Festivities on Thursday wrap up with a comedy show in Eddie Collins Memorial Park hosted by local comedian and lifelong Millerton resident Ronnie Reed at 7 p.m.
The nine-day celebration then hits its apex starting Friday, July 17, with the kick-off of the Millerton 175 Fair at Eddie Collins Memorial Park. Carnival rides and games, live music, food and drink will fill the park for three days from July 17 to July 19.
The fair will run from 2 p.m. to 10 on Friday, July 17; from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 18; and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 19.
Bands and musicians from across the Hudson Valley will take the stage to perform free concerts in the park, including Northwest Passage Band, Guilty Pleasure, Jordan Stoner, Hammerhead Horns, The Steve Dunn Trio, Last Good Bender and The Wanda Houston Project.
A children’s stage will also host performances aimed at younger members of the audience, including a musical set from Danny Tieger, onstage clowning from Bee Bee the Clown, the musical talents of Mark Rust, and Jackie the Magician to close out the fair on Sunday.
Hermann said she and the planning committee are eagerly awaiting the start of festivities this Saturday. Looking forward, Hermann said there’s hope around the village that Millerton is starting to rebuild its summer recreation programs.
She said next year’s planned completion of the pool will allow village leadership to fully staff a recreation department again, facilitating more regular community events.
“We just really haven’t had a rec department in so long because we didn’t have the infrastructure,” Hermann said. “I’m very much looking forward to when the park’s done and we have that full rec department back again.”
Lucia Iandola
The public entrance to the Dover Stone Church hiking trail sits on Thomas Whalen’s property along Route 22 in Dover Plains.
DOVER PLAINS — Dover Plains resident Thomas Whalen has reached a final settlement with the town to permanently restore public access to the Dover Stone Church hiking trail.
Whalen, who owns the property containing the only entrance to the trail, barred hikers from his land in March 2026 amid a dispute with the town over maintenance costs and safety. The closure came after the town’s license to use the trailhead — granted under a September 2024 settlement agreement, which also included a financial settlement — lapsed in October 2025 without being renewed.
The Town of Dover has now paid Whalen $200,000 total since 2024 to resolve the matter.
The new agreement is more permanent, guaranteeing the right of way indefinitely unless the town establishes another public access to the Stone Church. If that happens, Whalen said, his access point would revert to private property.
Hikers may now return to the geological landmark after the town agreed to perpetually maintain the trailhead.
The trail’s only public entrance crosses over Whalen’s property on Route 22 across from the Dover Elementary School and Freshco 22 Plaza.
Dover Town Supervisor Rich Yeno confirmed the news in a statement posted online.
“The sign is down and the entryway to the public is open once again,” Yeno said on Facebook. “I have to thank all who were involved over this very long negotiation period.”
Whalen posted signs and blocked access to the trail in April 2026 after he said the town wasn’t abiding by an agreement to maintain the trailhead and improve safety and aesthetics. He initiated a legal battle in 2018 seeking to require the town to insure and maintain the portion of the trail that crosses his land. That includes snow and ice removal, and the replacement of gravel as necessary.
Whalen’s petition was originally rejected by Dutchess County Supreme Court judges in May 2021. He then appealed the suit, resulting in an April 2024 reversal followed by a settlement approved by the Dover Town Board at their Sept. 25, 2024, meeting.
The 2024 settlement marked a year-long agreement granting public access to the trail over Whalen’s property.
With town officials agreeing to fulfill the settlement, Whalen now plans to spend time creating a peaceful and aesthetic environment at the site’s entryway. “I’m very pleased that this matter can finally be called settled,” Whalen said. “I definitely want to make the entrance a pleasing pastoral setting.”
The Stone Church is one of Dover’s most well-known historical landmarks, with hiking trails, open fields and a 30-foot waterfall inside a cave that resembles a cathedral made of rocks. The site has been a public preserve since 2004, and has been named one of the Hudson Valley’s top-10 natural attractions by Scenic Hudson.
The popular site is located near the Dover Plains Station of Metro-North’s Harlem Line.
Additional reporting provided by Graham Corrigan.
John Coston
COPAKE — New York State has ruled that a proposed commercial solar farm in Copake cannot move forward until its developer obtains a permit from the town to build in a flood zone.
The ruling affects Hecate Energy LLC’s proposed Shepherd’s Run Solar Farm, a 42-megawatt project that would occupy about 215 acres of a 723-acre site near the intersection of Routes 7 and 23 in Craryville. The Chicago-based company has spent years seeking state approval to build the facility, which has faced sustained opposition from the Town of Copake and local residents.
Approximately 154 acres of the land is classified as regulated wetlands.
“We cannot find... a demonstration of compliance with the applicable State wetlands laws and regulations. We find that the application is deficient insofar as it is based on outdated delineation data from 2019 and 2020,” wrote Maureen F. Leary and Dawn MacKillop-Soller, administrative law judges at the New York State Department of Public Service’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission in a ruling on June 25.
The ruling, which is laid out in a 226-page summary, also concluded: “We also find that the application fails to address wetlands of unusual importance and is otherwise not in compliance with the State’s applicable wetlands laws and regulations.”
The company must now go back to town officials in Copake to obtain a permit allowing construction in a flood plain, according to the ruling. The permit process would require extensive study of the proposed construction and site to determine potential and expected impacts to wildlife, wetland habitat and other environmental factors.
“We were granted limited party status,” he added. “It is the first time, as far as I know, that any host community has been granted party status.”
Hecate’s pursuit of a permit from ORES has its origins dating back to 2017. The project, which initially called for a 60-megawatt facility, has been downsized over the years after the company lost control of a parcel of land. Longstanding opposition from state and local officials has buffeted the project, further contributing to delays.
The Town of Copake has opposed the project, and citizen groups have identified a host of issues ranging from impacts to schools, traffic, noise, fire threat and agricultural resources as well as land-use that have been added to the conversation about siting Shepherd’s Run in this farming hamlet.
The Town of Copake received an extension to appeal any portions of the latest ruling until July 10. The administrative law judges set July 27 as a date for ORES staff to respond with a summary of responses to the ruling. A final permit for the project could be issued by Oct. 8, the end of a deadline set to issue a permit.
Three citizen groups commented on the ruling: “After years of bringing up major concerns about wetlands, it is gratifying that the Ruling found the wetland issues raised by the Town of Copake, Craryville Farms, Sensible Solar, and Birch Hill Neighbors Association to be ‘substantive and significant,’” wrote Sara Traberman of Sensible Solar for Rural New York.
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
