Proposed Comprehensive Plan, FGEIS, Zoning Law and Freshwater Wetlands Law Notice of Public Hearing

TOWN OF RHINEBECK TOWN BOARD

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Town Board of Rhinebeck will hold a public hearing on the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement ("FGEIS") that has been completed, and accepted, for the following proposed actions: adoption of the Comprehensive Plan; Local Law No. 6 of 2009 entitled "A Local Law Amending the Town of Rhinebeck Zoning Law"; and Local Law No. 5 of 2009 entitled "Freshwater Wetlands Law of the Town of Rhinebeck" (collectively, "Proposed Actions"), on August 19, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rhinebeck High School, located at 45 North Park Road, Rhinebeck, New York.

On that same date, time and location, the Town Board shall also hold a continued public hearing on the proposed actions.

On July 13, 2009, the Town Board issued a Notice of Completion of Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) which states, in relevant part, that the FGEIS has been completed in accordance with Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law; that the Town Board of the Town of Rhinebeck is the Lead Agency; and that this action has been designated a Type I action under SEQRA. The Notice of Completion contains a description of the three Proposed Actions.

The amendments to the Town of Rhinebeck Comprehensive Plan propose substantial changes to the Comprehensive Plan adopted by the Town of Rhinebeck on June 5, 1989. The Plan addresses most aspects of life in the Town of Rhinebeck, including: economic growth; affordable housing; home based work; agriculture; open space; historic resources; fire districts; water/sewer; transportation; and recreation, scenic and cultural resources, among others. The Plan proposes more than 400 actions for possible adoption by the Town Board. The Plan also incorporates a Biodiversity Assessment commissioned by the Town Board contained in a report by Hudsonia, Ltd. entitled "Significant Habitats," and the Rhinebeck Open Space and Affordable Housing Implementation Plan.

The proposed amendments contained in the Amendment to the Zoning Law have been designed to be consistent with the actions recommended in the Comprehensive Plan. The Local Law substantially amends the existing Zoning Law adopted by the Town in 1989. New zoning districts have been created and a variety of land uses have been added or removed from the list of allowable uses. Residential densities have been increased in parts of the Town deemed appropriate for compact development, and decreased in other parts of the Town deemed more appropriate for rural, agricultural, forestry and open space uses. The Zoning Amendments provide for a Conservation Subdivision design to be used as a tool for most new residential development within the Town, and new standards governing lighting, signage, noise, landscaping, parking, storm water management, affordable housing, habitat management, solar energy/green building construction have been added.

The proposed Freshwater Wetlands Law has been designed to be consistent with the actions contained in the Comprehensive Plan and would require the issuance of a Wetlands Permit by the Planning Board before certain development activities could be initiated within wetlands and adjacent upland buffer areas.

The Town Board held public hearings on the Proposed Actions on October 4, 2008 and October 7, 2008. The Town Board conducted a public hearing on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) on November 17, 2008 and accepted written public comments on the DGEIS until December 1, 2008.

As a result of the comments received by the Town Board on the Proposed Actions and the DGEIS, the Town Board has made certain amendments, corrections and changes to the Proposed Actions in response to those comments and the Town Board's own further review of the Proposed Actions, including, but not limited to, the elimination of the Astor Flats TND; the creation of a Planned Conservation Neighborhood (PCN), a floating district for certain property west of Old Post Road; and the creation of a limited transfer development rights provision.

The Town Board has determined to evaluate the potential impacts of the changes and amendments to the Proposed Actions through the FGEIS and determined to conduct a combined public hearing in conjunction with the FGEIS and the Proposed Actions

Copies of the Comprehensive Plan, both Local Laws, DGEIS and the FGEIS are available for inspection at the Rhinebeck Town Clerk's Office during regular business hours. Copies of all three actions, the DGEIS and the FGEIS have been placed on the Town's official website at www.rhinebeck-ny.gov and may be downloaded. Copies of the three Proposed Actions, the DGEIS and the FGEIS are also available for inspection at the Starr Library located at 68 West Market Street, Rhinebeck, New York and the Morton Memorial Library located at 82 Kelly Street, Rhinecliff, New York. Information on obtaining hard copies of any of these documents may be obtained from the Town Clerk's Office.

All persons desiring to comment on these three actions shall be permitted to do so, either in writing or during the course of the public hearing. Those persons commenting are requested, to the extent possible, to separate their comments into comments on the three Proposed Actions and comments on the FGEIS. Written comments on all three actions and the FGEIS shall be accepted until the close of business day on September 9, 2009. All written comments shall be addressed to the Town Supervisor, Town of Rhinebeck, 80 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, New York 12572.

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF RHINEBECK.

DATED: July 13, 2009

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BARBARA CUNNINGHAM, TOWN CLERK

TOWN OF RHINEBECK