Planner faults Carvel proposal

PINE PLAINS – A planner from the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development has sent the Pine Plains Planning Board a letter heavily criticizing the proposed Carvel property development.

Planner Robert Wills wrote that he reviewed the project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), and faulted the Durst Corp. (which owns and plans to develop the Carvel property) for a multitude of reasons, including proceeding with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) despite the town's building moratorium. He also referred to the lack of concern regarding the town's current review of the soon-to-be adopted zoning laws (currently Pine Plains is the only town in Dutchess County without any zoning regulations).

"Gambling that there will be no zoning, none of the alternatives included in the SEQRA process follow the proposed standards for the draft zoning law," Wills wrote. "Ignored are a proposed density formula that will likely reduce the number of units, a requirement for clustering using traditional neighborhood design principals and a proposed requirement to make 10 percent of the housing affordable."

In reference to community character, Wills wrote he fails to see how a sense of community could develop on the outer reaches of the site "where suburban-style sprawl is the pattern and reliance on the automobile will be mandatory."

Wills also criticized the potential building designs for the project.

"To protect what they term 'character,' architectural design standards of 'Dutch Colonial' and 'Rural Farm Complex' will be employed," Wills wrote. "We see two problems with this approach: given the preferred site plan and such generic standards, character will be difficult to create. The proposed 'standards' show a simplistic understanding of the rich architectural heritage of the Hudson River Valley."

Wills also took issue with Durst's much-touted "green" initiatives.

"We are of the opinion that all of the potential energy savings to be realized by 'green' building methods and 'LEED Certification' contemplated for the sponsor-built facilities cannot offset the inherent inefficiencies of such auto-centric residential site development plan, where driving is a necessity for even the most basic of necessities," Wills writes in his letter. "The vision as we understand it is not that of a planned community that strives for true sustainability and 'greenness,' but one where there are not guarantees, with 'greening' efforts commendably proposed for the golf facilities, but not mandated for any of the future home builders and buyers. In this project's current form, using the adjective 'green' is nothing more than putting the proverbial 'spats on a pig.'"

Chazen Companies principal Daniel Stone, the engineering and environmental consulting firm hired for the project, took exception to Wills' letter.

Stone said Wills based his findings on if the development was built as a year-round community.

"This is not a year-round community, this is a second-home recreational community," Stone said. "Our folks will come up on the weekends and leave their tax dollars and come on home."

As for Wills' criticism that the project will have suburban sprawl, Stone said the development will be clustered.

"[The development plans] are respectful of the community and will have a very low imprint," Stone said. "We have gone out of our way to preserve open space and to lessen visual impacts."

Stone said that he considers much of Wills' letter as a series of insults.

"In this letter, he uses slang to make a point, and I don't think a public official should do that," Stone said. "He could have been much more civil. He accused my client to be not green and my client is the greenest in the United States. To call this 'greenwash' is out of line and inappropriate."

Planning Board Chairman Don Bartles said he was disappointed with Wills' letter.

"First of all, I did not like the folksy metaphors he used in his letter," Bartles said. "And I did not like the attack on the Durst Corp. He's accusing them of trying to circumvent the zoning ordinance. The letter was also made available to the public before I even saw a copy of it."

Stone said the company would conform to any zoning or comprehensive plan passed by the town.

"No one knows what the town will do with final zoning," Stone said. "It is outrageous to presuppose what the Town Board would do. Any application before the town will have to conform with whatever zoning the town adopts. There is no affordable housing in the development right now because it remains to be seen what the town adopts."

Despite his criticism, Bartles said there were several points in Wills' letter that were valid.

"But I really can't say which ones at this point," Bartles said. "It's not appropriate to comment. I have to emphasize that these are all personal opinions of mine and they do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Planning Board."

If the project is approved, it will add 951 homes to the town, which will be built over 2,200 acres of land purchased by real estate developer Douglas Durst in 2003.

Of that land, 1,772 acres are located in Pine Plains, the 428 remaining acres in neighboring Milan.

The initial preliminary version of the DEIS was submitted to the Planning Board on June 28, 2005, and was determined incomplete by the board.

The DEIS is available for public viewing at: Pine Plains Town Hall, Milan Town Hall, The Pine Plains Free Library and the Carvel Country Club Clubhouse. It is also be available online at www.carvelpropertydevelopment.com.

Written comments about the DEIS may be submitted to the Planning Board until Saturday, April 12, to 3284 Route 199, PO Box 955, Pine Plains, NY 12567.