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AMENIA — The Zoning Board of Appeals discussed comments and recommendations for a proposed hiking and biking trail system that is currently going through the site plan approval process at the Planning Board.
Northern Red Oak LLC is proposing to create a hiking and biking trail system on Old Route 22 in Wassaic. The Zoning Board of Appeals met on Monday, Dec. 15, to prepare official comments on the project to be delivered to the Planning Board.
The Northern Red Oak Trails Project was first described to the Planning Board in June. The application was accepted for consideration by the Planning Board in late October.
If approved, the project in Wassaic would create 10 to 12 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails on a 450-acre property formed by combining three separate parcels.
As one of the steps necessary for a decision on the application, the ZBA was asked to submit comments on the application.
General ZBA concerns focused on issues of land ownership, hiker-biker safety and liability, and wildlife encounters. Although there was general agreement that the project is a worthwhile idea, some ZBA members said they would have preferred that the project developers were represented at the meeting to respond to questions.
“I think it’s a great idea, but I am concerned about liability,” ZBA member Craig Meili said, and Alternate member George Bistransin, seated to meet quorum, sought details on ownership and whether the parcels will become tax-exempt when operated by a nonprofit organization.
“Bikers just want to race,” said ZBA chairman Terry Metcalfe, citing his experience with similar trails, echoing concern about safety and trail behavior. He felt that bikers might be dangerous for hikers and joggers. He suggested a solution of creating lanes or imposing a bike speed limit, while acknowledging that enforcement would be difficult.
The significant presence of wildlife on the aptly named Rattlesnake Mountain, including bears, lynx and rattlesnakes, was of ZBA concern, fearing encounters between inexperienced hikers and resident wildlife, as well as the effect of humans on wildlife habitat.
“That’s part of being out in the wild,” reasoned Metcalfe.
“It’s a great idea,” said ZBA member David Menegat, speaking of the project, “but there is no way to make it safe for people. The dangers are inherent, but the benefits outweigh the dangers.”
“People should be aware of the wildlife dangers,” said ZBA member Paula Pelosi, and Meili added that signage at the trail heads could provide safety instruction.
“The developers have taken a lot into consideration in their planning,” Metcalfe said, adding the importance of informing trail users that they are in the wild.
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The building housing Babette’s Kitchen and Compass Real Estate at 3293-3295 Franklin Ave. in Millbrook sold in October for $1,357,500.
Photo by Christine Bates
MILLBROOK — October was an unusual month for the Town of Washington with only two commercial properties transferred in the Village of Millbrook, including ownership of the home of Babette’s Kitchen, and two ranch homes located outside the Village. The 12-month median sales point fell to $625,000, well below the 12-month high of $900,000 recorded in February 2024, which was a historic peak for the town.
Transfers
Reservoir Drive (#474075) — 0.27-acre residential vacant lot in the Village of Millbrook sold to 3302 Franklin Ave. LLC for $275,000.
3293-3295 Franklin Ave. — Detached row commercial building of 9,489 gross square feet sold to Side Two Realty LLC for $1,357,500.
4408 Route 82 — 3 bedroom/3 bath brick ranch on 2.11 acres sold to Gabriel A. Mancuso for $599,000.
179 Horseshoe Road — 4 bedroom/2 bath raised ranch on 1.52 acres sold to Richard Pitz for $384,800.
*Town of Washington recorded real estate transfers from October 1 to October 31, 2025 sourced from Dutchess County Real Property Office monthly reports. Details on each property from Dutchess Parcel Access. Current listings from One Key MLS. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
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Shaina Morse stands at the checkout counter in Butter, her home decor store that she opened in Stanfordville a little over a year ago. Morse, an interior designer, sells vintage and antique home goods and decor at the store located at 5963 Route 82.
Photo by Sophie Gardiner
STANFORD — When interior designer Shaina Morse was driving her young son to daycare, she passed a space for rent on the corner of Bulls Head Road and Route 82 in Stanford that immediately caught her attention. A firm believer in self-manifestation, Morse said she saw it as the perfect opportunity to open a shop, something she had long dreamed of doing.
Morse would go on to open the doors to Butter, a curated home-goods store, in 2024. The shop began as a home-decor-focused space rooted in Morse’s love of sourcing vintage and antique pieces and collaborating with other creatives to develop exclusive products. She and her husband, an industrial designer, also envision it as a platform for designing and producing their own work.
“It’s ultimately a portfolio for me,” Morse said. “I’m trying to stay flexible with what the space can evolve into.”
Now in its second year, the shop has been both a learning experience and a test of patience. “Everyone tells me it takes at least three years to really establish yourself,” Morse said. “But the shop has been really well received. People are rooting for us, and that means a lot.”
What makes Butter particularly notable is that Morse founded it shortly after relocating from Los Angeles to the Hudson Valley. A graduate of San Diego State who was born and raised in Southern California, Morse said she wanted to live somewhere new for her own personal growth.
“Even though Los Angeles had been home forever and I love my family and friends dearly, I didn’t see it as my forever,” she said.
Morse also said she was seeking a better quality of life for her now two-year-old son. With her husband’s family based on Long Island, the move east felt like a natural fit.
“I think the year that I moved, it just felt like everything was strangely falling into place,” Morse said. “These opportunities kept presenting themselves, and because I didn’t have a job, I had time to focus on potentially opening a store.”
At first, Morse said she didn’t think opening a shop would be possible — she had just moved and didn’t yet have a job. However, when she met the building’s owner and learned that he was a high-end residential contractor, she reasoned that even if the shop didn’t work out, the connection could still be valuable.
“If nothing comes from this,” she said, “at least I’ve made a connection in the industry.”
Ultimately, Morse and her husband decided the leap was worth the risk. As two creatives, the couple saw the space not only as a retail venture but also as an opportunity to build something that reflected their shared design sensibilities and long-term goals.
“I don’t have any expectations because this is my first time running a store,” Morse said. “I’m learning a lot, and it’s been helpful getting to know other small business owners, especially being new to the area.”
Alongside the shop, Morse continues to run her interior design practice, offering services ranging from paint and color consulting to full-scale renovations, new builds and custom furniture design. While she’s open to many project types, residential work remains her focus.
“It’s more intimate,” she said. “You really get to know people, and it becomes a collaborative process.”
Morse draws on her undergraduate degree in interior design as well as her professional experience working with prominent designers such as Waldo Fernandez and Peter Dunham. Balancing her design practice with curating products for Butter, she said, can be challenging, but it also informs the shop’s identity. She aims to prioritize carrying goods made by small-business owners.
“The space is essentially a reflection of me,” Morse said. “I find things I like — products, smells and scents I gravitate toward — and I wouldn’t bring anything into Butter that I don’t love or wouldn’t use in my own home.”
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The 17th annual Friends of the Millbrook Library Holiday Silent Auction closed bidding on the more than 120 tempting items with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception on Saturday, Dec. 20. Enjoying the festivities were, at left, Denise Bauer, chair of the Library Friends organization, with Tom and Susie Stroup of Millbrook. Proceeds raised by the event totaled $12,000.
Photo by Leila Hawken
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