The following is excerpted from "Assessing the Impact of Development on Scenic Resources of the Hudson River", a handbook for local officials published by Scenic Hudson in 1986.
Photocopies are available for $2.00. To order please call Scenic Hudson at 845-473-4440, ext. 215, or e-mail riverfront@scenichudson.org.
Booklet includes sections on:
- When Scenic Values Become Public Issues
- Basic Terms and Concepts
- Identification and Assessment Techniques
- Insuring New Development is Sensitive to Scenic Features
- Getting Citizen Input
- Regulatory Techniques
- Getting Professional Help
- Appendix 1 - A Simplified Approach to Visibility Analysis
- Appendix 2 - Quick and Easy Visual Simulation Technique
- Appendix 3 - Technical Assistance Source List
When Scenic Values Become Public Issues
Every local official, whether elected or appointed, and every resident of a riverfront community in the Hudson Valley knows only too well that nothing provokes controversy like a proposal for a high rise that will block views of the river in every direction. Let someone suggest plunking an ultra modern building into the midst of a distinctive historic district and the outcry will be immediate. Or let a developer propose a dense cluster of tract housing on a beautiful rolling landscape, and the public clamor will be loud and clear.
Aesthetic issues are real, just as real as issues relating to garbage collection, police protection or water contamination. Aesthetic issues are important. They deeply affect the way we feel about a place . . . whether or not business will want to locate or people will want to live there. They have economic implications. Many Hudson River communities are dependent on tourism for a large measure of their income. And the tax base of all communities is affected by aesthetic values as homes in attractive communities sell for higher prices.
Too often, we try to avoid dealing with aesthetic issues by claiming they are too subjective or entirely a matter of individual taste. This is not true. There are proven and objective ways of dealing with aesthetic issues. This handbook explains many approaches and techniques that have been used successfully, and often with minimal expense, by communities large and small, both here in the Hudson Valley and elsewhere throughout the country.
Certain aesthetic values are deeply embedded in our culture and our value systems. Panoramic views of water are high among them. Condominiums with a view of the Hudson River sell for 20% more than identical units facing away from the river. And while the Hudson River has been and continues to be an important asset for commerce, industry, community water supply and recreation, it is the scenic beauty of the river and its distinctive valley setting that is its most highly regarded resource.
With its winding channel, its mountain backdrop, its broad expanses of manicured lawns and stately mansions, and its picturesque riverfront communities, the Hudson River has been a source of inspiration for romantic literature and the Hudson River School of Painting - a school of art intimately tied to its landscape.
Its attractions are echoed by regional growth trends, the highest in New York State, caused in large measure by people and employers seeking an attractive environment in which to locate. Demand also is reflected in the significantly higher price properties with a river view can command. High visitation rates to parks, recreation areas and historic sites in the valley are yet another indication of the value people place on the Hudson River's natural scenery and cultural amenities.
While the river corridor has changed with time, so much of what inspired paeans of praise and portraits in oil still can be seen today throughout the corridor that stretches between New York City and Albany. Both in its built and natural features, the Valley's rich scenic qualities create a sense of identity and well-being for residents of the area.
Insuring Development is Sensitive to Scenic Features
Most often, local officials are confronted with the question of impacts on visual quality in the context of new development they are asked to approve - be it townhouse complexes, high-rise apartment buildings, shopping malls, office and research parks, waterfront restaurants, marinas or the like.
The degree to which such projects may affect the area's aesthetics will depend upon their visual compatibility with their surroundings. Visual compatibility refers to the degree of congruity of "fit" between the visual elements of a project and the setting in which it is located. Thus, if a residential structure is to be located on a largely undeveloped, wooded bluff along the Hudson, its visibility will be minimized if it is sited and designed so as to blend in with the natural features of the setting. In this example, that could mean siting the building back from the bluff in the midst of existing trees, keeping its height below three stories so as not to break the tree line, and using natural materials such as wood and stone so the building blends in with its surroundings.
While some development projects such as single family homes, small park facilities such as restrooms and concession stands, and individual commercial establishments like a restaurant probably will not have a substantial impact on the visual quality of the river corridor or the immediate community, even these should be looked at for their compatibility with their surroundings. Thus, for example, a convenience store of standardized architecture may not fit at all with the materials and style of buildings in a historic district.
The design and siting considerations contained in this chapter can be used to insure that small-scale projects fit in with the dominant architecture and visual characteristics of their surroundings.
Large development project, especially those located along the river, are likely to have a significant visual impact. Developments such as townhouses, high-rise buildings, shopping malls and office parks will, by their very size, affect the scenic quality of the river corridor and the surrounding community. A visibility analysis will help show where the greatest impacts will occur, and simulations will help in visualizing possible negative impacts from various viewpoints. In these situations, the design and siting considerations provided in this chapter can help to offset some of these impacts.
Among the considerations local boards can incorporate into development decisions are several relating to siting, scale, landscaping, and building materials and colors which can help minimize the visibility of new development along the riverfront and thereby their impact on scenic features.
These considerations are discussed in this booklet, which also includes an extensive bibliography on approaches that minimize the impact of development on scenic features. |
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| The viewshed of this important historical site, Olana, is being threatened by the proposed St. Lawrence Cement Co. |
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