Comprehensive plan only half done

WASHINGTON — The town of Washington comprehensive plan reorganization workshop meeting drew a big crowd on Monday night, Sept. 27, with residents standing in the back and overflowing into the hall.

The meeting was hastily called to determine what to do after three members of comprehensive plan steering committee, co-chairman Tom Beaumont, Frank Genova and Jim Shequine, resigned on Sept. 9, leaving only Don Hansen, the other co-chairman, on the committee.

Supervisor Florence Prisco clearly laid out the ground rules of the workshop meeting.

“The purpose is to understand where we are, where we are going and how to get there,� she said, and then announced proposed appointees to the steering committee, who will be formally installed at a board meeting on Oct. 4 held in conjunction with the already planned budget workshop.

Prisco selected Maureen King, head of the demographics committee and Kate Farrell, who served on the demographics subcommittee, Karen Mosca, head of the housing subcommittee, and Joshua Mackey, chairman of the town planning board. Nikki Caul, secretary to the town planning board, will take minutes, and Bob Audia will attend meetings as liaison to the town board.

Margaret Irwin of River Street, the town’s planning consultant, was asked to assess where the town was in the planning process.  While the survey of residents, assessments of the subcommittees working on everything from housing to transportation, are largely complete, these committees are still workings on appropriate goals and actions. Public workshops have been held and a draft vision statement and goals created.

Irwin said she had “heard rumors that the plan was 90 percent complete, but it’s probably about half done. We think that a draft will be ready by June of 2011.�

Irwin estimated that various approvals by the state would add more time, followed by more public hearings before the board approves the final plan. Irwin also stated that the schedule of meetings for the comprehensive plan posted on the town website in June would be substantially altered and that there would be many opportunities to discuss the vision.

Maureen King interjected that it is important to have public workshops to discuss the issues of affordable housing and the draft vision and goals. New fellow steering committee member, Karen Mosca, agreed that the issue of affordable housing, or “healthy diversity of housing,� should be addressed. Prisco concurred that a town meeting on this topic should be held even before other meetings.

Throughout the meeting, the issue of the role of the village of Millbrook in the comprehensive plan of the town of Washington came up. Village Mayor Laura Hurley stressed that the work the village is doing now on securing its water resources should be incorporated into the town plan.

“Don’t worry about stepping on toes,â€� she said. “Bring us into the process.â€� 

The village must revise its own comprehensive plan, but progress has been delayed by major infrastructure projects. Hurley also laid out what she called Village 101, explaining the differences in taxing approaches between the town and the village.

Eve Prop asked why the committee thought that the plan was 90 percent done.

“Is that why they resigned?� she asked.

Margaret Irwin responded that her impression was that they thought that 90 percent of their job was done, not the plan.

“It’s hard for me to explain the 90 percent,� Prisco said.

In the public comment session that followed, familiar voices and topics from previous plan sessions were heard.

Fernando Nottebohm discussed procedure and getting answers to questions. He stressed that a conversation must be created. Prisco said his questions would be answered, but not tonight.

Tony Sloane read from a prepared statement on the importance of fiscal analysis and metrics, recommending a “stand down� on the plan and holding up plans from other municipalities including a recent one from Rhinebeck. He again volunteered his services as a professional planner.

Howard Shuman asked the Town Board to adhere to the principle of listening to what the public wants as long as it violates no laws.

Fletcher Coddington commented that the village of Millbrook was dead, and that new commercial development must occur elsewhere.

The issues surrounding the plan and the future of the town of Washington remain the same. Is the 2009 survey reflective of the community’s wishes? What is the vision for the town? Does affordable housing need to be addressed in the plan? Why isn’t the planning committee expanded to include more points of view? How can the town plan without the village, which is a separate entity? Should hamlets within the town be commercially developed?

Perhaps John Reid summed it up when he commented on the importance of the plan’s goal. “If you don’t know where you’re going, anyone can take you there.�

Everyone interested in receiving e-mails from Mary Alex, town clerk, about plan meetings should contact her at malex@washingtonnyorg to get on the list.