government

Town Board hears proposal to conserve Indian Pond Farm

Town Board hears proposal to conserve Indian Pond Farm

Emily Kelderhouse, land projects manager, left, and Erin Hoagland, director of conservation, right, ask the Town of North East for a letter of support for a conservation easement on Indian Pond Farm, a 144-acre property on Indian Lake Road. The easement would limit future development.

Photo by Aly Morrissey

This story has been updated.

MILLERTON — The North East Town Board voted unanimously to support the Dutchess Land Conservancy’s bid for a conservation easement on Indian Pond Farm, agreeing to provide a letter of endorsement to the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. The vote took place during a Town Board meeting on Thursday, June 12.

Representatives from the conservancy said they are in the early stages of applying to the state for funding to purchase development rights on the 144-acre property, which sits on Indian Lake Road. The goal is to permanently protect the farmland by limiting future development.

“We really feel the protection of this property is worthwhile and would benefit the Town of North East,” said Emily Kelderhouse, land projects manager for the conservancy. “The proposed agricultural protection plan recognizes the strong role that agriculture has played in the history of the town, as well as the town's ongoing goal to protect farmland.”

The property is nestled in an area of already-protected lands by the Dutchess Land Conservancy. It is primarily used to grow a rotation of corn and soy beans, which are sold to other dairy farmers for feed. Half a mile of the Webutuck Creek runs through the property and it also contains Federal and State designated wetlands.

While supporting the effort, Councilwoman Meg Winkler raised the importance of balancing farmland preservation with local housing needs. She advocated for partnerships between land conservancies and affordable housing initiatives.

“There is a desire to not think of things as separate,” Winkler said. “Even just having a couple acres can make a big difference,” she added, citing the recent success of a Habitat for Humanity home built on a half-acre lot.

Town Supervisor Chris Kennan used the meeting as an opportunity to thank volunteers who have led recent town initiatives, including the completion of a comprehensive hazard mitigation plan submitted to Dutchess County and ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the former landfill.

Also on the agenda was the vote to appoint Mary Herms and Karen Pitcher as the newest members of the Town Board of Ethics following two recent resignations. The board voted unanimously in favor of the appointments. Kennan said he believes Herms and Pitcher will help “revitalize the Board of Ethics.” The town’s Code of Ethics and website materials will be reviewed at an upcoming meeting.

The board also approved a routine permit renewal for Housatonic Acquisitions, formerly known as Scenic View, a trailer park in town.

A special meeting was also held on June 12 to discuss the potential renewal of the town’s cable franchise agreement with Altice. Though Town Supervisor Chris Kennan acknowledged the town has limited flexibility in the terms of the license, he said the meeting laid the groundwork for a future session where a representative from Altice is expected to answer questions directly from residents.

Other items approved by the board included hiring a new cleaning company for Town Hall; renewing a contract with the Village of Millerton to provide a police officer in court at a 3% rate increase; and approving a contract with a professional film crew to film on Winchell Mountain Road on Wednesday, June 18. The shoot is expected to last up to two hours and may cause minor traffic modifications. The road will remain open, with two Dutchess County sheriff’s deputies on site.

The meeting concluded with a discussion about safety concerns along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. Board members emphasized the need for collaboration with Dutchess County officials to explore solutions for improving trail safety with a particular focus on the speed of electric bikes.

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