Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan and the Future Adoption of Zoning and Subdivision Amendments to Implement the Plan
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TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY, NEW YORK COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (GEIS) 2 0 0 7 Adopted by the Town of Putnam Valley Town Board on December 12, 2007 Funding for this project was provided in part by: The Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, Greenway Communities Grant Program and The New York State Department of State, Water Quality Planning and Implementation Grants for Communities in the New York City Watershed Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for the Town of Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan and the Future Adoption of Zoning and Subdivision Amendments to Implement the Plan Title of Action: Adoption of the Town of Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan and the Future Adoption of Zoning and Subdivision Amendments to Implement the Plan Project Location: Town of Putnam Valley, Putnam County, New York Lead Agency: Town of Putnam Valley Town Board 265 Oscawana Lake Road Putnam Valley, New York 10579 Contact Person: Supervisor Sam Davis 265 Oscawana Lake Road Putnam Valley, New York 10579 845-526-2121 Prepared by: Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Review Committee with assistance from The Chazen Companies Acceptance Date: The DGEIS was accepted by the Town Board on October 17, 2007 The FGEIS was accepted by the Town Board on November 28, 2007. Public Hearing Date: The Public Hearing on the DGEIS was open and closed on November 7, 2007. Close of Comment Period: Comments were accepted by the Town Board until the close of business on November 19, 2007. Town of Putnam Valley 2007 Comprehensive Plan Acknowledgements Town Board Samuel Davis Bob Tendy Wendy Whetsel Dan Ricci Priscilla Keresey Comprehensive Plan Review Committee Karin Greenfield-Sanders, Chair Ross Keating Irvine Flinn David Spittal Thomas Carano Eugene T. Yetter, Jr. Priscilla Keresey Samuel Davis Consultant Team With assistance from the Hudson Highlands Land Trust and with partial funding provided by the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council and the New York State Department of State TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1: Introduction Section 2: Comprehensive Planning Process Section 3: Vision and Goals Section 4: Plan Recommendations Section 5: Implementation Section 6: Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) Appendices (under separate cover) Appendix A: Inventory and Analysis Environmental Setting Existing Land Use and Land Use Regulations Demographic & Housing Market Characteristics (See Appendix B) Infrastructure Transportation Community Services and Schools Recreational and Cultural Resources General Fiscal Setting Economic and Development Programs and Opportunities Regional Context Appendix B: Putnam Valley Housing Plan and Community Survey Town of Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Section 1: Introduction Putnam Valley has a land area of approximately 27,300 acres. The Town is situated in the southwest portion of Putnam County and is bordered by the Town of Philipstown to the west and northwest; the Town of Kent to the northeast; and the Town of Carmel to the southeast. To the south of Putnam Valley are the Towns of Yorktown, Cortlandt, and the City of Peekskill, all in Westchester County. Located entirely within the mountainous terrain of the Hudson Highlands, Putnam Valley’s natural setting is one of the key defining characteristics of the Town. Wetlands, heavily forested areas, numerous creeks, streams, and lakes, and varying topography with prominent ridgelines and rural roads all contribute to the Town’s scenic beauty and are considered valuable amenities by Town residents and visitors alike. From a development perspective, however, these same environmental features pose significant constraints. The Town of Putnam Valley had a population of 10,686 in 2000, which represented about 11.2% of Putnam County‘s total population of 95,745 people. Putnam County’s population grew by 14.1% between 1990 and 2000, which was the highest growth rate of any county in New York State for that time period. During the same time, Putnam Valley’s population grew by 17.5%. Unchecked, Putnam County is projected to continue to grow faster than Westchester and Dutchess Counties in the coming decade. Putnam Valley, known as the “Town of Lakes,” is home to several large lakes and other water features, such as creeks, brooks and wetlands. Lake Peekskill, Lake Oscawana, Barger Pond, Roaring Brook Lake, Bryant Pond, and Indian Lake are important resources in the Town. Neighborhoods have been created around some of these lakes, particularly Lake Peekskill, Lake Oscawana, and Roaring Brook Lake, and these communities continue to be desirable places to live. Yet development pressure in these areas and throughout the Town has given rise to concerns about water quality. Many of the dwellings in the lake communities and other high density residential areas were constructed as summer cottages and have since been converted for year-round use. There are a number of prominent ridgelines in Town that have and will continue to shape the growth of the Town. Putnam Valley’s varied topography results in moderate to steep slopes over a significant portion of Town. In fact, 36% of the Town is constrained by slopes equal to or greater than 20%. - 1 - Town of Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Section 1: Introduction With some exceptions, most of the land in the Town that remains undeveloped is either constrained with steep slopes and wetlands or is land that is considered to be open space. This land includes both permanent open space and land that is agriculturally used, but could be developed. The abundance of park and open space area is considered a major benefit of living in Putnam Valley. The most prominent open space feature in Town is the Clarence Fahnestock State Park, which is approximately 14,086 acres in size and dominates the northern portion of Town. The Town has historically relied on the use of wells for water supply and septic systems to manage wastewater collection. Only about 3% of the residences/businesses in Putnam Valley have a public water supply and only 5% are connected to a public sewer system for wastewater collection and disposal. The remaining homes are served by private water wells and septic systems. The lack of public water and a community-wide public wastewater collection and treatment system presents a constraint to development, since new development is restricted to areas where soil conditions are suitable for effective treatment of wastewater and where lot sizes are large enough to meet Health Department requirements. Septic failure and ground and surface water contamination has been a critical issue for decision makers and residents of the Town for years. Of particular concern are the areas of Town, particularly the lake communities, where lot sizes are often less than .5 acres and septic systems are failing or do not exist at all. Given the high density of these areas, it is difficult to maintain proper distances between water wells and septic systems and the conversion of once small summer cottages to year round residences is straining the underground facilities. Oregon Corners, located at the southwesterly portion of Town and extending into the Town of Cortlandt in Westchester County, is currently considered the Town’s principal business area and provides a variety of small retail and service businesses. The parcels located within Oregon Corners are predominately developed and future expansion of this commercial district is somewhat constrained due to lack of municipal water, steeply sloped areas, and the convergence of the Oscawana Brook and the Peekskill Hollow Creek. Historically, commercial development within Oregon Corners and throughout the Town has been haphazard, with little consideration to site organization, architectural design and compatibility, signage, landscaping, and pedestrian mobility and access. The Town of Putnam Valley, like most municipalities in New York State, has had to work hard in recent years to maintain adequate revenues in the face of rising demand and rising costs for public services. Since the bulk of Town revenues are derived from property taxes, increased costs are quickly translated to increased taxes for local property owners. What many people do not realize, however, is that town taxes account for only about 10% to 20% of their overall - 2 - Town of Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Section 1: Introduction property tax burden. Putnam County also levies a small amount of property tax, but most (about 70% to 80%) of a property owner’s tax burden in Putnam Valley comes from school district taxes. Not surprisingly, residents in Putnam Valley have expressed frustration with the cost of property taxes, and school taxes for property owners in the Putnam Valley School District are indeed high. The Town of Putnam Valley has been attentive to its growth and change over the years. The Town adopted its first Master Plan in 1965 and second Master Plan in 1990. The recommendations of the 1990 Master Plan were not implemented until the Town adopted a new zoning code in March of 1995. In 2002 the Town prepared a Comprehensive Plan update and in 2003 the Town circulated a Town-wide survey which culminated in the 2005 Housing Plan; the 2002 and 2005 Comprehensive Plan updates were never adopted by the Town Board and the 1990 Master Plan still governs today. The Town has wisely chosen to take a fresh, comprehensive look at issues related to its continued growth and development through this planning process. This comprehensive plan builds upon the studies completed over the last two decades and will help ensure that Putnam Valley remains a great place to live, work, and visit in the future. - 3 - Town of Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Section 2: Comprehensive Planning Process The Comprehensive Planning Process began with a commitment of the Town of Putnam Valley Town Board to plan the community’s future and update its seventeen year old plan. The Town Board appointed members to the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee (CPRC) to advise in this planning effort.