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

MILLERTON — The North East Town Board voted unanimously to draft a letter in support of the Dutchess Land Conservancy’s bid to secure development rights for Indian Pond Farm.

The conservancy is in the early stages of applying to the state Department of Agriculture and Markets for funding to purchase development rights on the 144-acre property on Indian Lake Road. The goal is to permanently protect the farmland by limiting development.

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.

Kennan opened the meeting by thanking volunteers who have led recent town initiatives, including the completion of a hazard mitigation plan submitted to Dutchess County and ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the former landfill.

Boardmembers unanimously appointed Mary Herms and Karen Pitcher to fill two vacancies on the Town Board of Ethics. Kennan said he believes the appointments will help “revitalize the Board of Ethics.” An upcoming meeting with Herms and Pitcher will review the town’s Code of Ethics and website materials.

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

The town board meeting followed a special meeting 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 filming permit for a professional film crew 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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