Concerns raised at an Aug. 30 public hearing led the developer to consider reducing the size of this proposed 568-unit development adjacent to Walkway Over the Hudson.
On Monday, Aug. 30, more than 50 concerned citizens attended a public hearing about One Dutchess Avenue, a proposal to put 586 residential housing units on the former Dutton Lumberyard along Poughkeepsie's riverfront just north of Walkway Over the Hudson. Scenic Hudson strongly supports the idea of cleaning up this former industrial site as part of Poughkeepsie's revitalization, but we've been working to raise of awareness about some problems with the current proposal. On Aug. 29, the Poughkeepsie Journal highlighted a number of these issues in a strongly worded editorial. At Monday's hearing, it was clear many citizens share our concerns that the project is too big, would increase traffic and block views and doesn't allow for enough public access to the waterfront. In response to these comments, a developer's representative agreed to attempt to scale back the proposal. (see this Poughkeepsie Journal article for details about the hearing). We look forward to seeing a scaled-back proposal from the developer and hope the property can be revitalized with balanced development that fits the scale of our waterfront, provides a positive boost to the local economy and offers full public access to residents and visitors alike.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaking with Ned Sullivan and Scenic Hudson Board Member Chris Buck on Aug. 6.
The Aug. 5 and 6 listening sessions in Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park brought senior federal officials to the Hudson Valley as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative. The sessions, attended by over 400 environmental leaders and concerned citizens, were an important step in establishing new federal partnerships that will support Hudson Valley efforts to protect scenic vistas, preserve farmland and safeguard habitat. Our region was one of 25 locations selected for a listening tour, so we still need to work to keep the Hudson Valley and its needs in the spotlight between now and Monday, Nov. 15, when the departments of the Interior and Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Council on Environmental Quality will issue a report with recommendations to the president.
The best way to do that is through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's IdeaJam website, designed to capture the smart, creative ways communities are conserving outdoor spaces. When you visit the site, you are invited to register for a free account after which you can either submit your own ideas or "promote" or "demote" ideas that have already been submitted.
We've linked to six ideas that reflect top Hudson Valley priorities that came out of the listening sessions -- "promoting" those would be a good place to start:
With enough participation, ideas like these will find their way into the America's Great Outdoors report this November, paving the way for new federal policies that will help all of us concerned with protecting and enjoying the Hudson Valley.
For a nice outing, head to Scenic Hudson's newly improved Harrier Hill Park off Rod and Gun Club road in the Town of Stockport (Columbia County). This peaceful 6-acre park -- located on the site of a former dairy farm -- offers magnificent views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains just minutes from the busy Route 9 corridor.
The new features start at the parking area, where Hemlock Hollow Farm of Philmont was hired to install timber "wheel stops" at each parking space and split-rail fencing around the perimeter. They also restored damaged grass in the surrounding area.
Park visitors will also enjoy six new benches -- fabricated from local storm-damaged white and red oak by May Hill Timber Frames of Ghent -- that were designed by Scenic Hudson staff to echo the open-sided corncrib-style picnic pavilion that was built last summer. May Hill Timber Frames also erected a new custom picket fence made from local cedar and featuring a unique spacing sequence. Plans are underway for additional park amenities, including a boardwalk and viewing area adjacent to the park's pond.
Harrier Hill Park is owned by Scenic Hudson and managed by Columbia Land Conservancy. Funding for these recent park improvements came from grants from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund and the Recreational Trails Program (a NYS Dept. of Transportation program administered by NYS Parks).
Valley praised for strong partnerships, great victories
In addition to this slideshow of photos from the Aug. 6 listening session, Marist College has archived complete video coverage of the opening session.
Scenic Hudson and allies worked hard last spring urging federal officials to visit the Hudson Valley as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors initiative (AGO). The efforts were rewarded on Aug. 6 when Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and top leaders of the Department of Interior (DOI) and Environmental Protection Agency convened an AGO listening tour at Poughkeepsie's Marist College. The valley is just one of 25 nationwide stops on the tour, the first step in creating a new federal policy for re-engaging Americans with the country's spectacular open spaces.
More than 400 stakeholders-- leaders of environmental and cultural organizations as well as concerned citizens -- spoke out about what's working in the region to connect people to the outdoors and what steps could be taken to make more of our irreplaceable natural and historic treasures available to the public. Federal officials said the turnout was one of the largest yet.
Scenic Hudson experts tapped to share views
Board Chair Fred Rich was a panelist at the opening session. Remarking that "If you're looking for the best ideas in partnerships, you've come to the right place," he went on to describe our Saving the Land That Matters Most campaign, which has brought 17 land trusts together to protect scenic, agricultural and ecological landscapes of the highest importance.
"We have the architecture for collaboration. We have the ideas. What we need is the money before it is too late"Scenic Hudson Board Chair Fred Rich
In response, USDA Secretary Vilsack noted that "There are so many parts of the country where we don't see this success." His praise was echoed by Judith Enck, Region 2 director of the Environmental Protection Agency, who noted that valley victories such as Walkway Over the Hudson "happen because of the extraordinary civic leadership of groups like Scenic Hudson, Clearwater and the Dyson Foundation."
"It's not a coincidence that we're here," added David Hayes, deputy secretary of the DOI.
Later in the day, President Ned Sullivan joined Secretary Vilsack on a panel about valley agriculture at the Clermont Farmers Market in Columbia County. He stated that Saving the Land That Matters Most success in protecting 25,000 acres of the valley's prime agricultural lands—essential for maintaining the New York metropolitan region's sustainable food supply—requires a major federal commitment.
After listening to the panelists, Secretary Vilsack praised collaborative efforts to preserve the region's farms. "What you have is a model for the future farmers of America,"he said. "The USDA wants to be a partner."
Federal officials view farms, vistas protected by Scenic Hudson and partners
Following the panel discussion, Scenic Hudson took federal officials on a tour of nearby farms protected by Saving the Land That Matters Most partners. At a separate event at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, Fred Rich and Land Conservation Director Seth McKee met with DOI Deputy Secretary Hayes to show him lands across the river that Scenic Hudson has protected to preserve magnificent views from the FDR and Vanderbilt National Historic Sites.
Tourism and mass transit cited
Speaking at breakout sessions conducted at Marist College, Scenic Hudson experts focused on topics ranging from protecting agricultural and ecological resources to promoting tourism. In addition to urging an increased federal partnership in the valley—both in funding and lending expertise—speakers frequently cited the need for creating greater mass-transit links with the region's outstanding parks and historic sites.
Scenic Hudson and partners also presented federal officials with detailed written analyses of how the Hudson Valley would provide an excellent testing ground for utilizing federal support to help local stakeholders achieve even greater success in preserving farmland, enhancing biological diversity and bolstering the region's $4.7-billion tourism economy.
Youth listening session also draws great response
A day earlier, federal leaders convened a youth listening session at FDR Historic Site's Wallace Center. More than 300 high school and college-age young people spoke passionately about the need for providing youth-related environmental activities and jobs, and supporting organizations offering programs that connect youth with the outdoors.
Secretary Vilsack noted three recurring themes from the listening sessions: 1) "The solutions are here, at the local level"; 2) "Investments in natural resources are not necessarily... where you want to take the scalpel, because you're being penny wise and pound foolish if you do"; and 3) "We really want to re-engage young people."
Comments from this and other listening tour stops will be collated in a report due on President Obama's desk in November.
Share your ideas online
It's not too late to share your views about successes and challenges in reconnecting people to the great outdoors. Submit them at www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors.
Josh Aronson—the award-winning filmmaker whose Quadricentennial short film series on the Hudson features Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan at Foundry Dock Park as well as our farmland preservation program and several of our other riverfront parks—will be interviewed for a program on WNET/TV-13.
A selection of Mr. Aronson’s Quad films—leading with the one showing Ned Sullivan at our Foundry Dock Park—will accompany an interview with the filmmaker about the adventures of creating the short films. The show is called A Year On the Hudson, and it will air on Channel 13 on Thursday, Aug. 5, at 10:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 8, at 2:30 p.m.
Back in April, President Obama announced his "America’s Great Outdoors Initiative" -- a project that seeks to develop a conservation agenda worthy of the 21st century and to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors. As part of the initiative, senior government officials are hosting a series of public listening sessions in cities, towns and rural areas across the country so that citizens can share their ideas about conservation and outdoor recreation.
Late last week, we learned that two of these listening sessions will be here in the Hudson Valley. On Thursday, Aug. 5, from 3 to 5 p.m. a "Youth Listening Session" will be held at the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Home in Hyde Park to give young people from the Hudson Valley a chance to help shape our country's environmental future. The following morning, Friday, Aug. 6, a Public Listening Session and Discussion will be held at the Marist College Student Center in Poughkeepsie.
These sessions are an exciting opportunity for Hudson Valley residents to share their ideas for improving conservation and outdoor recreation in our region with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. See these news releases for additional details:
Both sessions are free and open to the public, but people are asked to RSVP via the America's Great Outdoors website so that the organizers can ensure that there is enough space for everybody.
For Scenic Hudson position papers (and one by Riverkeeper) we’ll be providing the visiting federal officials to encourage innovative partnerships in the valley, click here.
Concerns raised at an Aug. 30 public hearing led the developer to consider reducing the size of this proposed 568-unit development adjacent to Walkway Over the Hudson.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaking with Ned Sullivan and Scenic Hudson Board Member Chris Buck on Aug. 6.
