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Preserve Red Hook Now!

The need for preservation

Traffic congestion is worsening in the villages and on key roads. Air quality is deteriorating. Farms are disappearing. All of us in Red Hook are affected. To curb the problems and preserve our way of life, our farmlands, and our natural heritage, we must begin to act now, before the problems become insurmountable. This does not mean we need to end growth. It means we must make a commitment to smart growth.

Progress, but not enough

Red Hook’s residents and leaders haven’t been sitting on their hands in the face of rising problems associated with development. We have already taken two important steps forward.

Zoning code revision

The 2002 revision encourages clustered housing, so that a substantial portion of the property in a new subdivision remains undeveloped. The new zoning code also created agricultural and water conservation districts. While it may have discouraged a few from developing farms, it has done little to protect them.

Purchase of Development Rights (PDR)

This $3.5 million bond issue was embraced by the voters of Red Hook in 2003 to save farmland through the voluntary purchase of the development rights of farm properties and open space: the land remains farmland in perpetuity, farmers receive monies which enable them to modernize their operations, and the farmers don’t feel it’s necessary to sell to developers to make ends meet. To date, 376 acres have been added to the 1255 acres that were already protected by other entities, saving over $2.5 million in new school taxes per year. PDR has improved our communities. The total cost of protecting our remaining farms may cost us more than $30 million to add 6,300 acres. We have been able to leverage our contributions with government and private funds, including:

• State of New York Farmland Protection Program,
• U.S. Department of Agriculture,
• Scenic Hudson Land Trust,
• Dutchess County Manageable Growth Fund, and
• Dutchess Land Conservancy.

So far, Red Hook’s PDR has protected 1631 acres. However, if the remaining 6300+ acres are developed as housing, it could mean more than 2000 additional homes, over 2500 new students in our schools, over 8800 more car trips on our roads per day, and approximately $12 million in additional school taxes per year, taxes that will be only partially supported by the new residents. New large-scale development will lead to higher taxes for existing residents.

While new zoning regulations are a step in the right direction, they cannot protect our resources by themselves. PDR has been a great success, preserving acres of farm and undeveloped land in all sections of the town. The rest of these funds are now already committed if existing applications are approved. We can’t simply save a farm here, a farm there, and expect to keep farming a part of our community.

We need an on-going mechanism to continue the success of PDR in preserving our open space and controlling the increase in taxes which development brings in its wake. The Community Preservation Fund will be key to this effort!

WHAT CAN WE DO NOW: Get out the vote for CPF!

The NY State Legislature has offered Red Hook an opportunity: In 2006, they passed a bill allowing Red Hook voters to vote by referendum for an ongoing source of funding for the preservation of open space, called the Community Preservation Fund.

Your help is needed to pass this referendum! Please volunteer or contribute today! Help Preserve Red Hook!