Board discusses airfield/museum master plan; raises traffic, septic and inter-town review questions
Loading...
Summary
Planning board reviewed a conceptual master plan for an airfield/museum property that would formalize parking, add larger buildings and place septic infrastructure in Rhinebeck; members urged interjurisdictional coordination, fire-department review, archaeological checks and clearer traffic/capacity data.
Planning board members spent a substantial portion of the meeting discussing a conceptual master plan for a nearby airfield and museum property whose proposals could affect neighboring towns, wetlands and town services.
Staff described a master plan that would replace small existing buildings with larger structures, formalize parking and potentially add a museum and an on-site restaurant. Planning staff warned that the applicant’s submission indicates proposed septic work would be located on a parcel in the town of Rhinebeck and that portions of that parcel contain significant wetlands.
Why it matters: Board members raised concerns about emergency-response access, traffic impacts and whether the town should act as lead agency under the environmental-review process. One planning member summarized the jurisdictional issue: “The vast majority, I mean, 99% of it is in the town of Red Oak,” and urged that the planning board not take lead agency if the project’s impacts fall primarily in another jurisdiction. (Transcript contains several references to inter-town boundaries; the board directed staff to confirm which parcels and permits are required.)
Key concerns and requests: Members asked for capacity and frequency estimates for events, clarity on whether overnight stays or formalized lodging are part of the plan, details on proposed access and entrance changes, and better traffic counts tailored to the site rather than county-park analogues. The board also pressed the applicant to address a comment about a full-cutoff exterior light fixture and to respond to archaeological-review questions tied to trenching for utilities.
Agency coordination: Several members recommended the town maintain "involved agency" status even if it does not assume lead agency; staff said participating agencies can still provide substantive comments during environmental review. The board asked planning staff to monitor intertown permit needs, coordinate with fire departments and request periodic updates from the applicant as the master plan moves forward.
Quotes and attributions: A planning board member said, “I do think that it's probably not appropriate for those who are going back then were to take lead agency on this,” and urged that the town remain an involved agency. Another member noted the potential for increased usage: “Is it gonna hold more people during the expansion to the parking?”
Next steps: The applicant will respond to technical and archaeological comments and provide clearer documentation on driveway alignment, utilities and any proposed lodging or restaurant operations. The board did not make a final lead-agency determination during this meeting and reserved the right to raise further questions as documents are updated.
