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Dover planning board reaffirms WJK Ranch hunting-club approvals with conditions
Summary
The Dover Planning Board readopted a 2021 site-plan and special-use approval for WJK Ranch’s bird-hunting operation and granted erosion-control approval, imposing conditions including a 12-hunter limit, annual 'no shooting' sign inspections, and Dutchess County health approval for septic.
The Dover Planning Board on April 21 reapproved an expired 2021 site plan, special use permit and erosion- and sediment-control permit for WJK (Double JK) Ranch, allowing the property’s bird-hunting operation to be legalized subject to several conditions.
Rich Williams of Insight Engineering, representing the applicant, told the board the team had resubmitted plans responding to planner and engineer comments and “we believe we've addressed the comments received” and asked the board to reaffirm its prior approvals. The board opened a noticed public hearing; no members of the public signed up to speak.
The board’s resolution re-adopts the earlier SEQR negative declaration and lists conditions before issuance of final approvals: payment of all fees and escrows; Dutchess County Department of Health approval for the wastewater/septic system; annual inspection of required “no shooting” signage by the building inspector before September 1 of each year; a maximum of 12 active hunters at a time (other members may be present but not hunting); a prohibition on practice shooting, clay shooting and target ranges without further planning-board review; a $1,000 inspection escrow and a $9,300 performance guarantee; and a requirement that the authorized official receive written confirmation from the planning-board engineer that erosion-control work was completed per the permit before a certificate of compliance is issued. The motion to adopt the resolution was offered by Member Palmer and seconded by Member Roman; the vote was recorded 6–0 with one absence.
The board also noted the applicant had previously demolished a portion of the existing clubhouse and that the building work prompted a stop-work order; reapproval will allow the applicant to obtain the necessary building permits and move toward certificates of occupancy after satisfying the resolution conditions.
Next steps: the applicant must secure Dutchess County Department of Health approval for the septic system, post the required escrows and performance guarantee, and coordinate final inspections with the town building department and planning-board engineer.
