Thursday, December 11, 2008

Partition St. Project meeting leaves many questions


Last night there was approximately 30-36 people in attendance to listen to the presentation given by representatives of the Partition Street Project in the Village of Saugerties. The meeting officially started a little bit after 7:00PM and ended at around 8:30PM. It was made clear by board chair and Village attorney that the public would not be allowed to ask questions or have discussion during this stage of the planning. They stated that there would be ample opportunity for the public to weigh in later meetings to be held.

The engineer, architect, geologist and attorney representing the project gave the planning board members a brief description their clients' intentions to build what will consist of, a "a three story, 30 unit Hotel, a 4000 sq. ft. ballroom (accommodating 100-150 people for weddings and events), "catering facility", outdoor "tent" area, and terraced 100 space "valet" parking lot which is now known as "Nanny Goat Hill", and approximately an additional 100 space parking lot within the primary building site.

Presently the zoning is R3 (Special Use permit needed for parking lot) for the "Nanny Goat Hill" and PW (Planned Waterfront) for the remaining acreage. According to the Village Zoning Law Article #8: a Hotel/Motel requires one space per guest room, one space for every 3 employees. Restaurants/Bars require one space for every three seats or one space per every 1oo sq.ft. of gross floor area.

Here are some of the concerns expressed:
  1. Excavation if "Nanny Goat" Hill: its historical significance and "blasting" that it will require.
  2. Burden on already taxed Dock Street Waste Water Treatment and Blue Mountain Reservoir which is the Village's primary water utilities.
  3. No public access and obscuring of public view of the historic Cantine Dam.
  4. Excessive traffic that this project will produce and the inadequate road (9W/32) infrastructure that offers access.
  5. The "hair pin" turn at the bottom of Partition Street that will undoubtedly be a problem.
  6. Possible razing of several historically significant properties including "Nanny Goat Hill".
  7. Run-off and pollution of the lower Esopus Creek from the 200+ parking lots and roofs of the building.
  8. Disturbance of alleged pollutants burried as a result of the site's previous use.
Please add your comments.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd like to know if the soil has been tested for contaminants including lead, arsenic and cadmium

saugertesian said...

I am concerned about a couple of things.

If this newer version of the Partition Street Project is inspired by Hillside Manor, (with a banquet hall, restaurant & hotel) it means it would become a destination spot, (as the potential Casino was meant to be.) Unfortunately, that would not be the kind of development that we need, one that encourages shops & cafes to grow around the area. The proposed Partition Street Project would turn Lower Partition street into a parking lot for the banquet hall guests.(HITS Patrons?)
Is that against the waterfront development guidelines?
Also, what kind of jobs would that bring in?

The other thing is , is there a rush to get it done?
Does that have anything to do with that there’s less regulation & oversight before the new federal democratic administration gets in?

Anonymous said...

a silent Killer for Saugerties, N.Y. -THE TANNERY BROOK-
A Registered stream in United States, North America. -
To be exact, we are talking about a few mile section which meanders through the Village of Saugerties, N.Y., before it flows into the Upper Esopus Creek, which flows over the Cantine Dam into the Lower Esopus, eventually dumping into the Mighty Hudson River. Of course, seeping into ALL GROUND WATERS as it flows silently along.

Saugerties N.Y. was once a Large Industrial Township, with Many Operating Factories. Some operated for almost an Entire Century.
Mainly a paper factory town, but also had Electronics and other like factories.

Unfortunately these factories were in operation during ignorant times. Every one of the factories had TOXIC WASTES. For those factories that were built along the Esopus or Hudson Waterways, these TOXINS were FREELY DUMPED into the waters. Contaminating and Killing fish and wild life, by the tens of thousands.
I can still close my eyes, and see the Shad laying dead on their sides. The smells of the toxins and dead fish were Horrid. I can still see and smell, almost 40 years later, in my mind. It was terrible.

For the factories that were inland, they used the Saugerties Dump Site on Ulster Ave.
TOXIC CHEMICALS were DUMPED by the 55 Gallon Drums. For MANY DECADES, this went on. The landfill eventually started to burn, both above and below ground.

There are Countless Amounts of TOXIC CHEMICALS, STILL UNDER GROUND at the once Ulster Ave., Saugerties Dump. I remember as a kid, watching the trucks come and go. Many Times in the Middle of the Night, when the town lay asleep. These Big Trucks would come and dump chemicals by the barrels.

Of course, through the years, these barrels rotted and spilled their contents into the ground waters, INCLUDING the TANNERY BROOK.

I personally had this Brook Tested for toxicity. It PINNED THE NEEDLE TO THE RED DANGER ZONE, with one small droplet of water.

(There is a LOT MORE to this Story, that will be published on another site)

As time went on, the Village Finally Closed this landfill. Which sat vacant for many years. Even during this time, on MANY OCCASIONS, there were 4, 5, 6, and More ALARM FIRES, Underground. Which means 6 or more Different Fire Departments, from surrounding Townships, called to fight the loosing battle of fire, UNDERGROUND.

Then one day, someone decided the property be prime for BUILDING A INDUSTRIAL PARK. Black Topped over, Buildings Built, and 100s of Employees. SMACK DAB ON TOP OF THIS TOXIC WASTE SITE.

The Tannery Brook, is a Registered Body of Water. RUNS RIGHT UNDERGROUND, THROUGH THIS WASTE LAND. And is SO TOXIC, that it CAN KILL wildlife and humans that come in contact or consume.
Now, just about 2 decades later, I see some local Awareness to this problem. I'm still Afraid for my life, but, now it's PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
and STILL, this SILENT KILLER LURKS.

Anyone who owns property along this section of the Tannery Brook, is IN DANGER!
You can grow NO eatable Gardens for 100s of Yards, and more, around this Brook, in either direction.

I once owned property in the Village of Saugerties, RIGHT ON THIS BROOK. When I realized, and discovered what was going on, I brought this to the attention of the LOCAL SAUGERTIES AUTHORITIES. It was not long after that, I was Threatened, NOT TO DISCLOSE THIS KNOWLEDGE, OR ELSE. Needless to say, I was FORCED TO UP ROOT MY FAMILY, and LEAVE THE STATE. Leaving behind our home, and EVERYTHING we worked for, including friends and family. I not only lost my real-estate, but my life long business, friends and family.
I had to leave under FALSE PRETENCES, otherwise..........................
But now, 2 decades later, I see some awareness from the locals.

It's My HOPE, that SOMEONE WAKES UP HERE!

I grew up in Saugerties, and Loved that town. As far as I'm concerned, there is No Better Place for Beauty and Peace!

I may or may not write more.
Let us see what happens now.
I still remain Anonymous

whatsthebigidea said...

Anonymous,

Can you give more info, e.g. when were the fires, or alarms? Were there markings on the trucks? Where did they dump the waste? Where were the fires?

Your continued anonymity will be honored, if you wish.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I still watch your blog sites about Saugerties. And I still see that NOTHING is Happening to FIX the TOXIC PROBLEMS.
So Very SAD.
I will NEVER FORGET what the Town of Saugerties COST me and my family. It Tallies into the 100s of THOUSAND OF DOLLARS!
Not to mention ALL THE OTHER COSTS that we can NEVER PUT A PRICE ON.

It is a VERY BAD SITUATION!

It was my hope, that when I published part of my story on the TOXINS of the Dump Site on Ulster Ave, that there would be some kind of ATTENTION GIVEN.

I bet the Fires Are STILL BURNING!

I remain, as always, Anonymous,
with TOTAL RESPECT to the LANDS OF SAUGERTIES!

Anonymous said...

I still watch your blog sites about Saugerties. And I still see that NOTHING is Happening to FIX the TOXIC PROBLEMS.
So Very SAD.
I will NEVER FORGET what the Town of Saugerties COST me and my family. It Tallies into the 100s of THOUSAND OF DOLLARS!
Not to mention ALL THE OTHER COSTS that we can NEVER PUT A PRICE ON.

It is a VERY BAD SITUATION!

It was my hope, that when I published part of my story on the TOXINS of the Dump Site on Ulster Ave, that there would be some kind of ATTENTION GIVEN.

I bet the Fires Are STILL BURNING!

I remain, as always, Anonymous,
with TOTAL RESPECT to the LANDS OF SAUGERTIES!