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Town Board adopts amendment to Community Preservation Plan to add Rec Park West and frees CPF language for debt repayment
Summary
Red Hook’s Town Board voted Nov. 19 to adopt an amendment to the town’s Community Preservation Plan adding Rec Park West and clarifying language that allows CPF resources to repay indebtedness on projects already completed; the board adopted a SEQR negative declaration beforehand.
The Red Hook Town Board on Nov. 19 adopted an amendment to the town’s Community Preservation Plan that adds a roughly 28.4‑acre parcel (Rec Park West) to the list of properties eligible for Community Preservation Fund support and clarified that CPF monies may be used to repay indebtedness incurred under New York’s local finance law for previously completed projects.
Town planners and the town’s outside reviewer walked the board through a Full Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF) part 1–3. Planner Ted (remote) explained the amendment is a town‑wide action and most FEAF impact categories were answered "no" or "no/ small impact may occur," with historic and archeological resources flagged for town‑wide consideration; the board adopted a Negative Declaration (Resolution 90) finding no significant adverse environmental impact before adopting the local law (Resolution 91).
The public comment period was robust and contentious. Multiple residents asked the board to explicitly rule out using CPF funds to retire debt on parcels acquired through eminent domain. The chair repeatedly stated at the hearing that CPF monies cannot lawfully be used for acquisitions from unwilling sellers and that the amendment’s purpose is to free up monies to address public‑safety and municipal needs (planning, fire, police) by retiring debt on existing, qualifying projects.
Financial context in the notice: the public notice attached to the packet estimated total partner funding for the Winnecke Land Trust acquisition at approximately $1,600,000 with the town’s cost of acquisition estimated in the notice as about $390,000 (notice language in the transcript was ambiguous and was discussed at the hearing). The town also highlighted prior CPF successes and noted partnerships with county and state funds for preservation projects.
What happens next: The adopted local law will be filed with the New York Department of State per routine filing sequence; the board directed the clerk to post the negative declaration and adopted law and to improve the online packet (searchable redline PDFs) to make changes easier for the public to review.
