Mid Hudson Times July 24 2019 | Page 2

2 Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, July 24, 2019 IN THIS ISSUE Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 City of Newburgh.. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Crossword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . 8 Meadow Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Town of Newburgh. . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Newburgh Heritage. . . . . . . . . . . 10 New Windsor.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Service Directory. . . . . . . . . . . 27 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 PUBLIC AGENDA THURSDAY, JULY 25 Town of Newburgh Zoning Board of Appeals. 7 p.m. Town Hall, 1496 Route 300, Town of Newburgh. THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 Town of Newburgh Planning Board. 7 p.m. Town Hall, 1496 Route 300, Town of Newburgh. MONDAY, AUGUST 5 New Windsor Town Board Work Session, 7 p.m., Town Hall, 555 Union Ave., New Windsor. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7 New Windsor Town Board, 7 p.m., Town Hall, 555 Union Ave., New Windsor. Future of historic bag factory at stake Continued from page 1 Dates also said that there would be a two story addition to the north side of the building, in order “to facilitate full use of the building.” Across the street, he proposed that a 113 space parking area across the street from the Regal Bag building be constructed, along with a crosswalk, so pedestrians have “a safe connection,” he said. The project also called for 15 spaces to be created on Water Street. Dates added that a LED-lighted flashing sign which would be activated by pedestrians is a possibility, in order to alert motorists that someone wants to cross the street. He noted that this is very similar to the crossings by Hudson Taco Restaurant on Water St. Almost every resident who spoke at the Public Hearing was in opposition of this project. Many residents who spoke cited safety concerns for pedestrians, economic issues, and multiple environmental concerns, as the parking lot would inevitably bulldoze over the greenery on Broad Street, removing habitats for eagles that nest in the area. The only person to vocally support this project was Orange County Economic Development Director Bill Fioravanti who liked the idea of the Regal Bag’s event space. “I support this project-- if it’s done the right way,” he said. Fioravanti also noted that the project should try and “mitigate” the project’s environmental impacts. The City of Newburgh’s Planning Board is supposed to make sure that this proposal falls in line with the City’s Master Plan, which is an advisory document that provides guidance for future planning and zoning actions in the City of Newburgh. But, many at the hearing expressed concern that the proposal did not meet the standards created in the Master Plan. Residents also spoke about how this proposal violated guidelines in the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) and the City of Newburgh’s Zoning Code. “Our concern is the development on the waterfront has been driven by private interests,” said Chuck Thomas, the Chair of the Conservation Advisory Council. He said that the project was in violation of guidelines found in the LWRP and feared that the overall project had not evaluated the impact on “the historic district, including increased traffic [and] visual lights impact” in the City of Newburgh. Michele Basch of the Architectural Review Commission was adamant that the parking lot would negatively affect HOW TO REACH US OFFICE: 300 Stony Brook Court Newburgh, NY 12550 PHONE: [phone], FAX: [phone] Emails may be directed to the following : ADVERTISING [email protected] CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS [email protected] TO REACH THE EDITOR [email protected] FOR THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT [email protected] PUBLIC NOTICES [email protected] WEBSITE www.mhtimesonline.com The Mid Hudson Times (USPS 000-5947) is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh, NY 12550, with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY. Single copy: $1 at newsstand. By mail in Orange, Ulster or Sullivan Counties: $40 annually, $44 out of county. Periodicals permit at Newburgh, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mid Hudson Times, 300 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550. Nearly every seat in the Newburgh Activity Center was occupied for last week’s public hearing. the City of Newburgh’s community. She referred to economic development in the Master Plan which states: “The concept of economic development has been subject to a variety of definitions and treatments by various sources. Traditionally it was based on a process that led to an increased capacity of people and organizations to create wealth. More recently, economic development has grown to include development that achieves a more widely shared and sustainable quality of life.” Basch commented, “I do not believe that a black top parking lot of this size adds to a sustainable quality of life.” Basch additionally spoke about how this project “decreases the value of the homes in that part of the Historic District.” She lastly argued that this project was in clear violation of the City’s zoning code which states that the city’s “land use regulations are designed to allow a variety of uses of land, provided that those uses...do not adversely affect neighboring properties, the natural environment, or the character of the City.” For those who did not get an opportunity to voice their opinions regarding this project at last week’s meeting, there will be a second Public Hearing held by the Planning Board on August 20.