Residents envision Millbrook's future

WASHINGTON — This town ’s well-publicized public workshop to discuss its vision for the future and the goals and action plans that would help achieve that vision got off to a raucous start.  Don Hanson, co-chairman of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, turned the crowded morning meeting at the Farm and Home Center over to Margaret Irwin, the River Street consultant leading the planning effort.

Irwin began methodically by explaining that even though there had been requests for a large group discussion, that people are more comfortable with small groups and each large circular table would be discussing amongst themselves example actions listed for each goal, and add or subtract issues. She emphasized that the vision statement taped to the wall was a draft starting point.

Tony Sloan started the ruckus by loudly commenting, “This is a little like saying we are going to war in Afghanistan. What kind of submarines should we use?� He said the format was unproductive.

“The committee is not going to yield,� Irwin responded testily, “This is the way we are doing it today. No more questions. If you’re not happy you can go.�

Boos and cheers went up from the crowd.

“You have to trust us,� Irwin said.

From the back of the room someone asked, “Who is on this committee? They should stand up and give us their names.â€�  Jesse Bontecou, Maureen King, Tim Marshall, Karen Mosca, Jerry Baker, David Strayer, Frank Genova, and Co-chairman Don Hanson all identified themselves.

“Why are we looking at examples of how to reach the goals? Why not discuss the vision draft?� someone from one of the tables asked.

Irwin said it is difficult to write a vision statement with a large group of people. She promised it would be revised after comments were received.  

“Are you prepared to follow the process?â€� Irwin challenged and requested a show of hands. “Looks like a majority,â€� Irwin said quickly. “Let’s respect each other and have faith that we’ll come up with something you are proud of.â€�  

The room quieted down to a low grumble. No one left but there were side discussions at each table that the show of hands was not a clear majority.

David Strayer, ecologist from the Cary Institute, facilitated the discussion sessions on the healthy natural environment. Around each table participants crowded in, looking at the maps and asking questions. The discussions at each table were free ranging. There was agreement on the importance of wetlands but questions about the definition.  Enforcement and codification of recommendations, coordination between town, village and county and especially Central Hudson, were discussed. Green roads, green buildings, pervious parking lots and driveways, air quality, gravel pits and protection of trees and timber were all jotted down by Strayer as he moved from table to table.

Leila Jabour of River Street led the discussions for Goal 2, a scenic rural landscape including protecting the beagling and hunt club. Lots of ideas surfaced at every table that were not always relevant to the stated goal — outlaw berms, protect shady streets and ridgelines, mark wild animal corridors.

There were questions about some of the action steps. What sort of action is “Pondsâ€�? Are they good or bad?  Should they be encouraged? Does “restrict development to existing settled areasâ€� mean no rural development? Is development commercial and residential?

“Could there be high-rises in Mabbettsville?� Tony Sloan asked.

Historic preservation of what? At one table Julia Widdowson observed that the previous 1987 plan “encouraged cluster housing,� but it never happened because it did not become law. Creation of conservation funds was discussed.

Margaret Irwin herself moderated the quality of life discussions and after two tables discovered that taxes were viewed as a quality of life issue. Taxation was added to the list. Consolidation of town and village was mentioned as a way to lower taxes and cut down on confusion. “Healthy diversity of housing� was tacked on as the last item on the quality of life discussion sometime after the Sunday, April 4, committee release of the action-planning workshop.

At every table there were questions about what diversity of housing meant. Is it the same as affordable housing? It seemed to be something that the village should have.  Some participants, like Tony Sloan, recommended including “smart growthâ€� recommendations in the vision.

Farmers Tim Marshall and Jesse Bontecou led the working farms goal discussions with Maureen King. There are only three dairy and two beef farms remaining in the town of Washington. When the previous comprehensive plan was done there were 15 dairy farms. Marshall explained to each table that the problem was not taxes, but the price of milk.

“We have 1982 commodity prices and 2010 costs. Milk is a global commodity,â€� said Marshall. “The town of Washington doesn’t produce products that are used here.  Somehow we have to make connections between farm and market.â€�

Around tables people discussed whether the goal was to protect farms or open land. Currently about two-thirds of the open land is used by horse farms. A persuasive argument was made that this goal is specifically about preserving farms, not just open spaces. These are businesses that are an important, beneficial part of the community.  

The idea of green stewardship payments was proposed to reward landowners who implement green practices like not weed whacking under horse rails.

By the last goal — a vibrant village of Millbrook and hamlet of Mabbettsvile — the meeting was already running late and people were getting tired. Should new commercial districts be permitted in the town, which is now zoned residential? Everyone seemed to agree that competing businesses should not be permitted, but wondered about the actions of surrounding towns. Ideas were thrown out about marketing Millbrook as a destination and moving real estate offices to the second floor on Franklin Avenue.

At the end of the workshop some of the facilitators reported on the comments they heard. Dave Strayer said that he had 15 pages of notes for a healthy environment including important items like air quality, which had not been on the list. Irwin’s quality of life wrap-up focused on the issues of taxes, affordable housing definitions and growth in general. The upshot of the vibrant village goal was reported as getting the town involved in the Thorne Building and Bennett College problems, and creating a more vibrant Millbrook.

Irwin promised to have all the comments and suggestions on all the goals posted on the town of Washington Web site for all to review.

After the meeting, author Barbara Milo Ohrbach, who has owned a house in Millbrook for 35 years, said she “still thought that the time could have been better spent. There was so much duplication. Everyone here loves our town and we came here to discuss its future with each other.�