Red Hook trustees refer Northeast Quadrant land‑use study to county, extend public hearing

The Village of Red Hook Board of Trustees voted Feb. 9 to refer the North Broadway Corridor Land Use and Zoning Study to the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development for review and to extend the public hearing to March 9.

The document is a visioning study intended to inform later zoning amendments; board members stressed it is not a final project approval. Several residents used the hearing to ask for more specifics about a potential development on a parcel owned by RUPCO (variously referenced in the record as Rubco/RBCO/RUPCO), expressing concerns about traffic, water pressure, school impacts, potential soil contamination and how many homes or units could be built on the property.

Guy Tupper, a Margaret Street resident, asked whether an impact study had been performed and raised soil‑contamination and well pressure concerns. He said sketches in the study suggested dense development on a 12‑acre site and asked about the number of developers who bid on the parcel. Other speakers, including Wendy Smith and Rick East, voiced worries about backyard views, noise, lighting, setbacks and the clarity of how the study would affect local neighborhoods. A letter from a resident urged the study to consider New York State Climate Smart Communities guidance and to use current ACS data for demographics and housing needs.

Trustees and staff described the study as the early step in a multi‑stage process: the board is preparing a vision and potential zoning amendments, which would then provide the planning board the legal framework to evaluate any specific project that a developer submits. Staff said project‑level impact studies (traffic, geotechnical testing, engineering drawings) would come later when a developer submits a formal application to the planning board, which would itself hold public hearings.

Some trustees urged improved public outreach before county review, proposing a short FAQ, mailers or newsflashes to clarify the difference between the vision document, an earlier sketch plan and any future development application. Trustee Fran offered to draft clarifying outreach items and to provide contacts made during a recent Albany trip that may help access state funding for infrastructure. The board discussed version control and transparency: several members said a summary at the end of meetings and clearer tracking of which edits reflect board consensus would help avoid confusion.

The board approved a resolution authorizing the clerk to forward the draft study to Dutchess County for the required 30‑day review and to the village planning and zoning boards for comment, and to keep the public hearing open through March 9. Trustees said they expect county comments and will consider substantive changes that warrant additional public comment.

The village will publish the updated document, highlight changes, circulate an FAQ and schedule a special meeting if the board requests additional review ahead of the county’s comment period.