Photo: Led Klosky
Brendan Coyne, Mayor James Kane, Deputy Mayor David Carnright James Gagliano Richard Gaillard
Ledlie Klosky, Chair Mary Aspin, Deputy Chair Dominic Cordisco William Grisoli Lorraine McGuinness
Lee Murphy, Chairman and Planning Board Member Jeff Small, Planning Board Chairman Peter Duggan Jerry Gage Barbara Gosda Kirk MacDonald Andy Maroney Chris Olander Harriet Sandmeier Kris Seitz
Jeff Small Mark Edsall, Former Deputy Mayor and liaison to the Comprehensive Plan Committee Cornwall Conservation Committee Jeanne Mahoney, Village Clerk and Robin Hastey, Web Coordinator
Lanc & Tully Engineering and Surveying, PC This plan was funded in part by a grant from the Hudson River Valley Greenway.
The Comprehensive Plan Committee thanks John Kidd and John Kidd Promotions for allowing the use of the following photographs from the Cornwall Summer Quarterly in 2017: Cub Scouts Pack 6, Jones Farm Tractor, Cornwall ‐on‐Hudson bandstand concert, Bannerman Castle and Kayaks, SK engine #2 Fair‐Ferris wheel.
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1.0 Introduction and Executive Summary ……….……………………………………………1 1.1 Vision and Goals……………………………………………..…………………………………….1 1.2 A Brief History…………………………………….……………………………………………….2 1.3 A Comprehensive Plan …………………………………………………………………………….6 1.4 The Comprehensive Planning Process……………………..……………………………………....7 2.0 Existing Conditions …..….………………………………………………………………….8
2.1 Geography …………………………………………………………………………………………8 2.2 Utilities and Infrastructure.….……………………………………………………………………..8 2.3 Parks, Recreation, Natural Features and Cultural Resources …………………………………….10 2.4 Governance and Municipal Services………………..…………………………………………….15 2.5 Demographics……………………………………………………………………………………..16 2.6 Existing Zoning …………………………………………………………………………………..19 2.7 Build-Out Analysis………………………………………………………………………………..22 3.0 Comprehensive Plan……………………………………………………………………….24 3.1 Goal 1: Preserve the Village’s Unique Character…...……………………………………………24 3.2 Goal 2: Support and Enhance Economic Vitality……………...…………………………………28 3.3 Goal 3: Promote a Range of Sustainably Located Affordable Housing Options….……………..30 3.4 Goal 4: Protect Natural Resources and Encourage Conservation ….………………...………….32 3.5 Goal 5: Enhance the Quality of Life for Village Residents …….………………………………..34 3.6 Goal 6: Address Long-Term Infrastructure Requirements ……………………………………….36 4.0 Implementation ……………………………………………………………………………38
Appendices Appendix A: Historic Homes and Sites Appendix B: Zoning Considerations Appendix C: Cornwall Natural Resource Inventory Appendix D: A Summary of Parcels in the Village
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1.0 INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Welcome to the comprehensive plan for the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, a thriving community of about 3,000 citizens nestled on the bank of the Hudson River between Albany and New York City. The Village is a unique place and a proud part of the history of the Hudson Valley, with one foot in the mighty Hudson at Donohue Memorial Park and the other foot firmly planted on the spectacular Storm King Mountain. Historic, peaceful, beautiful and welcoming – the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson has a lot to offer to its residents, businesses and our visitors.
A thoughtfully articulated, up-to-date Comprehensive Plan, based on public and stakeholder input as well as a review of relevant available data, can and should set the priorities for coordinated action by officials, staff and volunteers – that is the intent of the plan presented here. While the overall land use pattern of the Village is largely established, this document lays out a strategy for allowing appropriate growth while protecting and enhancing those attributes which define the Village. As presented this plan meets the statutory requirements of New York State Village Law, providing framework and guidance for all future land use decisions and public or private improvements in the Village. Photo: Lorraine McGuinness
Analysis of census data, building department data, At Donahue Memorial Park municipal utilities, parks, open space, cultural resources and existing zoning was completed as a first step in the planning process. Once this information was compiled, the Comprehensive Plan Committee undertook public outreach and open deliberations that resulted in the development of the following vision and goals to guide the plan. These are expanded upon in Section 3.
1.1 Vision and Goals The Vision for the Village of Cornwall‐on‐Hudson is to maintain and protect the character and quality of life of the Village, including its neighborhoods, the fragile, beautiful mountains and river as well as the scenic open spaces, parks, historic buildings, and community facilities. Equally important is the development of a strong, balanced economic base. This plan, beginning with the goals set forth below, provides the framework for the implementation of this vision.
GOAL 1. Preserve the Village’s unique character
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GOAL 2. Support and enhance economic vitality GOAL 3. Promote a range of sustainably located affordable housing alternatives GOAL 4. Protect natural resources and encourage conservation GOAL 5. Enhance the quality of life for Village residents GOAL 6. Address long term infrastructure requirements 1.2 A Brief History In 1609, as Henry Hudson sailed aboard the Half Moon up the river that would one day bear his name, he came across the beautiful view afforded by what became known as Cornwall Bay. The Half Moon’s log recorded “this is a pleasant place to build a town on.” This was the future site of the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson. Time passed, and it wasn’t until 1685 that Colonel Patrick MacGregorie, his brother-in-law and a party including William Sutherland settled on both sides of the mouth of Moodna Creek, which The Old Bandstand in the Center of Hudson Street feeds into the Hudson River. They started the earliest settlement in Orange County, creating a trading post in what is now the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson. Settlement initially occurred at Cornwall Landing, a hamlet on the Hudson River below Butter Hill. It was the only river landing in the town.
During the Revolutionary War, from 1776 to 1778, the Continental Army constructed two chain booms and two chevaus de fris across the Hudson River near West Point to prevent British ships from sailing upriver. When General George Washington would check the work, he would visit his friend Jeremiah Clark, a delegate to the Continental Congress, at his home, which was located on the site of what is now the Village’s municipal parking lot. Cornwall-on-Hudson and the surrounding region on the West Side of the Hudson was a beehive of military activity throughout the Revolutionary War due to the strategic importance of the river. The Hudson River has always been an important method of transportation and in 1807 Robert Fulton’s steamboat, The Clermont, passed the hamlet of Cornwall Landing, where the village’s Donahue Memorial Park is located. Cornwall Landing was a bustling commercial center in the 1800s, with docks, a brickyard, the house builder Mead & Taft Company (employing 500 people), a post office, a passenger train station, a firehouse and residences. Coal, produce and other goods were sent to New York City. Cornwall Landing was also home to the Ward brothers, world champion rowers, who had their own dock. The steamboat Mary Powell would dock at Cornwall Landing bringing passengers up from the city. A giant jetty, designed as a railroad-loading platform, arrowed some 800 feet out
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into the river. Counting the mainline and its spurs, which led onto the trestle, there were 27 tracks. Train passenger service ended in 1959.
In 1788, New Cornwall Town was born, and as the Town grew commercially, people followed. In 1840, Daniel Taft and Charles Mead opened their building construction business, an event that marked the beginning of prosperous times for manufacturing that would span several decades and lead well into the 20th century. In fact, by the last The Rowing Dock at the Riverfront quarter of the 1800’s, Cornwall Landing had become well-known as the largest river-based coal transit location in the east. In the early 1880s, residents voted to create a Village within the Town of Cornwall and the Village of Cornwall was incorporated in December of 1884. The first meeting took place in January of 1885 with Thomas Taft, owner of the Mead & Taft Company, as president. The Village’s highest elected officials were called presidents until 1914 when the title changed to mayor. Taft, a Captain in the 124th Orange Blossoms Regiment during the Civil War, promoted electric power and improved telephone service. Village leaders also had the good judgment to assure that the Village had an excellent water supply by building the Upper Reservoir in Black Rock Forest; water remains an essential and high-quality part of the Village today.
The writer Nathaniel Parker Willis came to Cornwall in the 1850s to improve his health. He wrote so glowingly about the area in the Home Journal and his book Outdoors at Idlewild that it became a destination for his friends and New York City residents. He gave Moodna Creek and Storm King Mountain their names. Historian and politician Lewis Beach, who served three terms as a New York congressman, also moved to Orange County and in 1873 wrote the first history of Cornwall. He stated that “the three things which conspire to give Cornwall the prominence it enjoys, are 1st The salubrity of the air; 2nd The beauty of the scenery; 3rd Its accessibility to the city.” These statements still ring true today.
The early Village Board held its meetings at various locations, including the former Library Hall, built by Erard A. Matthiessen on the corner of Idlewild Avenue and River Avenue. Library Hall provided space for many activities, including dancing, lectures and plays. The site later became the home of Storm King Theater. Matthiessen also built a bank next door and later donated it to the Village as its first Village Hall. The bank building is now a restaurant with remnants of its past: a huge safe from its banking days and lettering on a glass arch that reads Board Room recalls the building’s past.
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As business blossomed, so did the Village population. The 1890 U.S. Census counts 760 residents. Just 10 years later, that number had risen to 1,966, reflecting increased employment at Mead & Taft, as well as on the docks and rails. As the Landing became more active, residents and new homeowners sought living space away from all the riverfront bustle, and so they migrated up Dock Hill Road, creating a start to the Village we know today.
Two of the Village’s longest serving mayors were Dr. Michael Donahue, a veterinarian, who served 20 years, 1957-77, and Edward P. Moulton, Jr., who served the longest, 26 years, from 1981-2007. Dr. Donahue took care of animals on Windon Farm on Rt. 218; the farm was the site of many Fourth of July celebrations from 1950 to 1976.
Under Moulton’s leadership, the Village bought another bank building and converted it into today’s village hall in 1991. He also secured space for the riverfront park from Consolidated Edison and named it Donahue Memorial Park. The park remains a vital part of Village life, and hosts many activities including picnics, weddings, public movies, kayaking and RiverFest, an annual celebration of the Hudson River. The Cornwall Yacht Club is located south of the park.
Storm King Engine Company No. 2, a truly historic organization that was organized in 1868, moved from Duncan Avenue to its current location on Hudson Street in 1903. It was Storm King Engine’s hosting of the Orange County Volunteer Firemen’s Association Parade in 1922 that prompted the opening of the Storm King Highway, Route 218, which links the Village with the United States Military Academy at West Point. Storm King Highway is magnificent and one of the most scenic roads in the entire United States, serving as a location for filming Storm King Engine Company #2 movies and advertisements. The highway was a huge project, employing many workers from the Village.
Another major project in the Village was the construction of a section of the Catskill Aqueduct, a vital part of the New York City water supply system. The aqueduct runs through the Village and 1,100 feet under the Hudson River from Storm King Mountain to Putnam County. The combination of the work on the aqueduct and construction of Route 218 through the Village sparked additional population growth. By 1910 the Census counted 2,658 Village residents, not much different from today’s population.
The Village has had a number of schools over the years and is currently home to the administration building of Cornwall Central School district; the administration building used to be a library and its foundation holds the 1870 cornerstone of the former Library Hall. Storm King School on Storm King Mountain is a private school founded in 1867 and attracts students from all over the world. Cornwall-on-Hudson High School, with its proud façade, opened in 1922 and now serves as a
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public elementary school and a pivotal part of Village life. In addition to the schools, the Village has two churches, Cornwall Presbyterian Church, established in 1856, and St. Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church, established in 1870, both on Hudson Street.
Not all of our history is from before modern times; Cornwall-on-Hudson is known as the birthplace of the modern environmental movement. In 1962 Consolidated Edison, the leading gas and electric company in the country, started plans to construct a hydroelectric plant on Storm King Mountain that would have cut away the face of the mountain. Village residents objected, strenuously, and fought the project for years before Consolidated Edison abandoned it in 1979; this was a pivotal early battle in the environmental movement, sometimes referred to as the Scenic Hudson Decision. The utility ultimately gave the land in the Village that it had bought for the plant to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission; it returned a riverfront parcel to the Village, and that parcel is now Donahue Memorial Park at Cornwall Landing. The battle gave rise to Scenic Hudson, the environmental organization that has done much to preserve the beauty of the Hudson Valley.
For some time the Village had been known by several different names, including Cornwall-on- the-Hudson. To end the confusion, the Village held a permissive referendum on June 27, 1978, and residents approved the name Cornwall-on-Hudson.
Today, Cornwall-on-Hudson is a vibrant community with some 3,000 residents, more than a few of whom grew up in the Village and returned to raise their own families. They welcome visitors to hike their mountain and to sail, boat and kayak their river. Cornwall-on-Hudson residents are fiercely proud of their Village and are forever engaged in improving its quality of life.
The 1960 Comprehensive Plan Planning and zoning began in the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson after World War II with the development of subdivision and zoning regulations, within the framework of a limited basic plan. Under Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954, Federal funds became available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the preparation and enactment of community plans and implementing regulations. Like most of Orange County’s municipalities, Cornwall-on-Hudson took advantage of this Federal and State-funded program and the Village adopted a design plan in 1958 and a comprehensive development plan in February 1960.
Because the 1960 comprehensive plan was undertaken simultaneous with the Town, the planning effort considered common elements such as the shared school district, water service from the Village to the Town, shared commercial ratables, shared recreational resources, etc. Village and Town Planning Boards participated in the planning effort, as did residents from both communities, resulting in zoning ordinances that were generally consistent between the two municipalities, and coordinated land use at Town and Village borders.
The regional growth pressures outlined in the 1960 plan focused on the increase in manufacturing, primarily in the greater Newburgh area. Relocation of industrial plants, laboratories, and office buildings was viewed as the impetus for growth in the mid-Hudson area, more so than an extension of the commuting population. As manufacturing increased outward from Newburgh, the plan surmised, population in the Town and Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson combined would climb to 14,000 by 1980. Of that population, 5,100 people were expected to be located in the Village. This
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prediction was incorrect – the Village remains under 3,000 residents and manufacturing has not grown to the extent predicted in the 1960 plan. The Village remains residential, with a commuting population traveling to local employers in health care, service industries and at West Point as well as a large number who commute south as far as New York City; residents working in manufacturing are rare.
At the time, the bulk of Cornwall’s buildable area remained vacant, with “what there is of concentrated development” located in the northwest portion of the Village. The predominant land use in the Village was single family residential, with commercial development along Hudson Street. That remains the predominant pattern today. The prevailing lot size was ¼ acre. The plan concluded that there was “much land available for building.”
That earlier plan outlined goals for the “exceptionally beautiful” Village. It contemplated enabling a variety of housing types to encourage people of different incomes, ages, tastes and backgrounds to settle in the Village, and for children of residents to continue living in the Village. The plan also prioritized providing a wide range of educational and recreation facilities, protecting natural resources, preserving land for future development, insuring healthy economic growth, preventing slums and blight, and guarding the aesthetic qualities of the Village, including its historical buildings. Today’s plan contains echoes of these priorities.
1.3 A Comprehensive Plan A Comprehensive Plan is the culmination of a planning process that establishes the official land use policy of a community and presents goals and a vision for the future that guides official decision-making. The Comprehensive Plan invariably includes a thorough analysis of current data showing land development trends and issues, community resources, and public needs for transportation, recreation and housing. While zoning is an important tool for planned land use, it is only one of many methods for Photo: Led Klosky implementing the goals of the plan. Having a Comprehensive Plan Turkeys are abundant in the Village ensures that forethought and planning precede zoning and zoning amendments, but it is also an important tool in informing broader processes, providing information, vision and direction for a wide variety of public efforts.
Building on the plan drafted in 2007, this Plan provides guideposts to observe as the Village conducts the complex process of implementation over the next decade, but it does not provide the details of the implementation process. The Plan is like a sketch of what a house will look like when
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it is built, not the house itself or the blueprints that tell the builder exactly what to build. A Comprehensive Plan is an important step, but to have effect its recommendations must be translated into zoning laws, budget allocations, public investments, volunteer engagement and other concrete actions, many of which must have the force of law. The zoning code is the document that actually says what is and is not allowed and underpins the day-to-day decisions of local boards, officials, and citizens that determine what is actually built and what land is preserved. The zoning should reflect the guidance in the Comprehensive Plan, but should not be confused with the Plan.
1.4 The Comprehensive Planning Process In 2004, the Village Board formed a Comprehensive Plan Committee. This committee held public visioning workshops, public hearings and administered other forms of public outreach to solicit input from the public, local agencies, stakeholders and key local non-governmental organizations. Several sub-committees were established to consider zoning and land use: riverfront development, recreation, land preservation, economic growth and taxes, traffic congestion, and other topics. The efforts of this committee culminated in a draft plan in 2007. This draft plan was ultimately not adopted by the Village Board but the current effort builds upon this earlier draft.
The current Comprehensive Plan Committee first met on September 29, 2016. Meetings in 2017 focused on interviewing Village Department Heads, 2007 Comprehensive Plan Committee members and other local stakeholders, seeking input from local non-governmental organizations and the public regarding current Village opportunities and challenges as well as defining the scope and the goals of the new Plan. Public comments were invited at each meeting and in April of 2017 a full community input meeting was held. The Comprehensive Plan Committee developed the six broad goals contained in this plan in mid-2017 and the Village Board voted to formally adopt the goals for the plan in August 2017. Since that time, the Committee has met many times to hear from the public, review information, collaborate with the Village Board and hold writing work sessions together with our consultant, Kristen O’Donnell from Lanc and Tully, arriving at the document that was submitted to the Village Board for consideration in 2020. In all, the committee and other engaged parties met over 30 times, putting in innumerable hours and care towards the creation of this document.
Importantly, the Town of Cornwall undertook and adopted a Comprehensive Plan update in 2019. The goals and overall land use plan of the Town are consistent with the Village’s plan and coordination and cooperation is encouraged for municipal services, shared utilities and other mutual benefits. Also in 2019, Orange County adopted an update to its Comprehensive Plan, covering all towns within the county. The Village Comprehensive Plan is consistent with that plan and its “Priority Growth Area” concept and reinforces the County’s four core values: Environmental Quality and Sustainability, Economic Prosperity, Community Quality of Life, and Social Equity.
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2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS 2.1 Geography The incorporated Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, comprised of 1.96 square miles, is located in eastern Orange County and surrounded by the unincorporated Town of Cornwall. Approximately 50 miles north of New York City, major road access is provided via US 9W that runs just to its west and NYS Route 218 that traverses the Village. The Hudson River and Storm King Mountain State Park, the Village’s defining geographical features, both lie to its east.
Orange County Town of Cornwall
Cornwall‐on‐Hudson
2.2 Utilities and Infrastructure 2.2.1 Water The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson provides water service to residents of the Village and much of the Town of Cornwall. Municipal water is provided by two wells adjoining Moodna Creek in the Town and a tap from the New York City Catskill Aqueduct. The Village owns and/or leases a series of reservoirs in Black Rock Forest, providing the Village additional sources of water, if required. The Moodna Creek wells each have a capacity of one million gallons per day. The Village’s Catskill Filtration Plant, located in the Town of Cornwall, filters the NYC Aqueduct water. The Village has reviewed the potential need for additional wells as the Town population increases and has identified strategies to secure additional well sites.
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Sections of the existing infrastructure are old and large portions are located outside of the Village boundaries. The Village pays town and school property taxes on its water facilities and has substantial insurance costs attributable to its reservoir dams. In addition, New York City’s rates for water from the Aqueduct are high. All of these factors contribute to high water rates and underscore the necessity for a comprehensive approach to resource protection, repair and maintenance. 2.2.2 Sewer Approximately 75% of Village properties are connected to the public sewer collection system. The system conveys sewage effluent to two Wastewater Treatment Plants. The treatment plant on Shore Road is owned by the Town of Cornwall, has a maximum capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day and is currently operating well below capacity. The plant at the terminus of Howard Street in the Town has a maximum rated capacity of 120,000 gallons per day and is operating at approximately 50% capacity. Lines within the Village are maintained by the Village’s Department of Public Works. Properties not connected to the public sewer collection system use individual septic systems. 2.2.3 Storm Drainage Stormwater is water that accumulates on land as a result of storms or melting snow. The porous and varied terrain of natural landscapes like forests, wetlands, and grasslands trap rainwater and snowmelt and allow it to slowly filter into the ground. Runoff tends to reach receiving waters gradually. In contrast, nonporous landscapes like roads, bridges, parking lots, and buildings do not let runoff slowly percolate into the ground. Water remains on the surface, accumulates and runs off in large amounts. The Village is a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Community which means the Village must annually prepare and implement a program that will reduce the amount of pollutants carried by stormwater during storm events to local waterbodies to the "maximum extent practicable” in order to improve water quality and recreational use of waterways. Stormwater is collected and ultimately discharged to the Hudson River. The program is overseen by the NYSDEC under their State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges. As part of this program the Village’s Department of Public Works undertakes regular coastal cleanup events, catch basin cleaning and street sweeping and the Village has mapped its stormwater outfalls and provides this information on its website. The Village regulates stormwater during land development activities through Chapter 132 of the Village Code and regularly inspects construction sites to ensure compliance. The Village’s stormwater management system includes its storm sewers and ditches that are designed to quickly channel runoff from roads and other impervious surfaces. These mechanisms are important to control high flows that may be a threat to public safety. 2.2.4 Gas and Electricity Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation provides the Village with electricity and natural gas. In total, the service area includes about 307,000 customers in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley Region on both sides of the river. The gas main along Hudson Street was recently replaced and
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future gas main replacement should be coordinated with other simultaneous utilities replacements, especially water, where possible.
2.2.5 Roads, Sidewalks and Public Transportation The Village has approximaltey 18 miles of local roadways that work in concert with both County and State roads. Sidewalks run generally along major thoroughfares within the Villge including Bayview Avenue, Hudson Street, Idlewild Avenue, and Academy Avenue (NYS Route 218). Most secondary roads do not have sidewalks or may only have sidewalks for a short distance off the main roads. While public transportation opportunities are available in neighboring Towns of New Windsor and Newburgh, the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson does not have any local public transportation or intermodal transportation connections to regional systems.
2.3 Parks, Recreation, Natural Features and Cultural Resources 2.3.1 Parkland The Village is situated on the Hudson River at the base of Storm King Mountain and contains extensive important parks and open spaces (See Figure 1). The Village shoreline extends for approximately one mile along the west bank of the Hudson River at river mile 56. The southern portion consists of Donahue Memorial Park, used for passive recreation, hiking and picnicking, and enjoyed by both residents and nonresidents. To the north of Donahue Memorial Park along the river lies a 9.4 Donahue Memorial Park acre, Village-owned, undeveloped, natural area which is currently landlocked. Roe Memorial Park, located off the Boulevard, contains 42 acres including the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum and its trails. Roe Memorial Park extends up the steep hill behind the Museum and ends on Round Top. In 2019, the Nate Stillman Trail opened, connecting the top of Round Top to the Boulevard. The Village has also recently acquired Donahue Farm and is working closely with Scenic Hudson on the use of that property.
As Dock Hill Road is the main connection between the riverfront and the Esty and Hellie Stowell Trailhead located on the Donahue Farm grounds, the Village’s Pagenstecher Park includes land along the stream side of Dock Hill Road. The Village, with the help of a small grant and volunteers, has worked to conserve the stream and adjacent slopes in the vicinity of the park.
The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) owns 175 acres located in the Village on several parcels. This land runs from the riverfront to Route 218 and includes the popular Storm King
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Mountain State Park with its many trails which lies directly south of Donahue Park.1 The Stillman Trail, among others, as well as the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum’s Kenridge Farm campus, can be connected to the River via the Boulevard, which is an undeveloped and partially preserved woodland roadway used for hiking and bicycling. The Boulevard also links the Village’s Roe Memorial Park and other Palisades parklands to the riverfront; the Boulevard is thus an important byway and cultural resource, both in terms of natural beauty and connection, and is thus included as one of the recommended Greenways in Section 3.1.
The Village benefits from its close proximity to the Black Rock Forest (nearly 4,000 acres) and Storm King Art Center (over 500 acres). Riverlight Park located in the Town off Hudson Street just outside the Village, contains approximately 40 acres including two public swimming pools, Rings Pond, Town Hall, Cornwall Public Library, American Legion Post #353, Munger Cottage (Senior Center) and the facilities for Cornwall Little League.
Photo: Led Klosky
Looking North from Storm King Park
1 Both the Village and PIPC obtained their riverfront parklands in the Village from Consolidated Edison, in a 1981 settlement pact. 11
Figure 1: Parks and Open Space
Village Park
State Park
Private Forest
Prepared by: Lanc & Tully Engineering and Surveying, PC, 2019
12 2.3.2 Natural Features In addition to active recreation areas, the Village is also rich in natural features, many of which are captured in the important Cornwall Natural Resources Inventory, contained in Appendix C of this plan. Perhaps its most prominent natural feature is its juxtaposition to the Hudson River and its location within the Hudson Highlands. The Village also has an abundance of scenic and recreation areas that are important visitor attractions. The most notable of these areas include the Black Rock Forest (nearly 4,000 acres) and Storm King Art Center which are linked by the Stillman Trail and other hiking trails. Hiking Opportunities Abound in the Village
The Schunemunk Mountain Agricultural/Scenic Area is considered one of the most beautiful viewsheds in Orange County and was singled out as an area of significance in both the Orange County Greenway Compact and the 2004 Orange County Open Space Plan. It is also a major regional recreation area as it contains a portion of the New York-New Jersey regional trail system, which links Schunemunk Mountain with the Hudson Highlands. The Orange County Open Space Plan and Orange County Greenway Compact are valuable sources of information and should be considered in Village actions relating to modification of zoning.
The underlying defining feature of these scenic areas are steep slopes and ridgelines. The Village contains extensive areas of steep slopes, ranging from 15 to 35 percent grades and higher. These areas are comprised of rocky, shallow soils over bedrock with areas of exposed ledge rock that present challenges to development including access, drainage, and utility and foundation installation and therefore limit residential, agricultural, commercial and other use of the land.
Much of the most steeply sloped area is incorporated in State parkland or is otherwise in conservation ownership. These areas provide numerous benefits to the Village and surrounding towns including providing critical habitat, recreation, tourism as well as a unique scenic backdrop for the Village; maps contained in Appendix C catalog most of this space.
13 2.3.3 Cultural Resources
The Village has a rich and well-valued history dating back to the colonial era. Multiple buildings and properties are on the National Register of Historic Places which include the Wyant-Talbot House (ca. 1870), Norman-style Deer Hill Gate House (ca. 1880s2, pictured below, upper left), the Amelia Barr House (bottom left), Cherry Croft (ca.1881), the LeDeux-Healey House (ca. 1890), the River View House (ca. 1850s, pictured bottom right), Camp Olmstead on Bay View Avenue, the Adams-Chadeayne-Taft Estate (ca.1844) and the upper and lower Dock Hill Road stone bridges. Many more locally important properties and properties eligible for listing on the National Register, such as the Smith House (ca. 1855), also known as “Hillside” (pictured top right), contribute to the unique character of the Village. A full listing of historic structures is provided in Appendix A.
2 Photo by Daniel Case
14 2.4 Governance and Municipal Services The Village is governed by a five-member elected Board of Trustees, including the Village Mayor. The Village’s land use planning activities are administered by the Village’s Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, appointed for terms by the Village Board. The Village does not have a planning department per se, relying instead on planning, legal and engineering consultant firms for technical support when reviewing plans and conducting environmental reviews under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
Building permits and code enforcement are administered by the Village’s Building and Zoning Department. The Code Enforcement Officer, a part-time official, plays an important role in preserving the character of the Village. He reviews all site plans, building permits, applications for certificates of occupancy, and provides fire and safety inspections of buildings. He also manages all complaints of code violations. Village Hall Serious code enforcement issues in the past five years include lighting glare and noise complaints. In 2020 the Village Board adopted a new lighting law to address concerns raised by the public which limits glare on both commercial and residential properties. The conversion of streetlights to LEDs by Central Hudson remains a goal of the Village. The current code does not, as of yet, address noise concerns.
The fact that many older homes have non-conforming lots means that zoning variances are required for minor changes such as adding a shed or deck. The process for approval of these minor changes is expensive for homeowners and streamlining this process to lower costs would be helpful. While there are no major code enforcement issues in the Village, there are approximately 150 violations a year.
The Village has its own Police Department, consisting of three full-time and 10 part-time police officers. It operates 24-7 using single officer patrol units. The Department offers the following community services: vacant house checks, the Safe Senior Program, and the Bike ID Program. Domestic violence and drug problems are not serious issues in the Village, however, they do exist in all communities. Officers carry naloxone to deal with heroin overdoses and the officers are aware of what is going on in the wider community. Most arrests/citations are for driving-related offenses.
Firefighting is provided by the Storm King Fire Engine Company #2, a volunteer organization established in 1868. There were 25 active members in 2020; this number is significantly smaller than 10 years ago. For example, 10 years ago 12 firefighters responded per incident; today nine firefighters respond per incident. However, the Village’s average response time is well below the
15 standard set by the National Fire Protection Association. The fire company is well equipped and trained and does receive state grants that are used for building maintenance. The company’s key challenges are recruitment and retention of volunteers, including finding affordable local housing for volunteers. The fire company actively supports the community by providing scholarships, fire safety training to schools and to Camp Olmstead, as well as hosting events at Christmas, Halloween and their annual summer fair. Actual fire calls vary significantly year to year. A snapshot of actual fire calls over the last three years includes: 17 building fires, 4 brush fires, 3 dumpster fires and 2 vehicle fires. Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps provides 24-hour emergency care to the residents of the Town of Cornwall, Village of Cornwall-On-Hudson, Mountainville and Salisbury Mills with a combination of both volunteer and career staff.
The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson Table 1: Cornwall Central School District Enrollment and the entire Town of Cornwall are YEAR ENROLLMENT BUDGET located within the Cornwall Central 2014-2015 3,187 $65,043,619 School District. The District also 2015-2016 3,184 $66,719,149 extends into portions of the 2016-2017 3,189 $67,770,787 neighboring Towns of New Windsor 2017-2018 3,150 $69,299,259 2018-2019 3,152 $71,475,146 and Woodbury. The district includes Source: NYS Education Department three elementary schools, a middle school and high school. Enrollment in the district has been stable over the last five years (see Table 1). While the district budget has increased over the last five years, the NYS Education Department reports that Cornwall Central School District cost per pupil was the lowest in the County for eight of the last nine years. School district taxes account for a significant portion of the local property tax bill and therefore school district taxes are a critical issue to residents.
2.5 Demographics An analysis of demographic and housing characteristics provides valuable data on which the Village has based its Comprehensive Plan. Below (Table 2) is a snapshot of various conditions in the Village, provided by the US Census and local sources.
Table 2: Population Trends 1990-2017 Cornwall-on-Hudson Town of Cornwall Orange County YEAR POPULATION CHANGE POPULATION CHANGE POPULATION CHANGE 1990 3,093 ‐ 11,270 ‐ 307,647 ‐ 2000 3,058 ‐1.13% 12,307 9.2% 341,367 11.0% 2010 3,018 ‐1.3% 12,646 2.8% 372,813 9.2% 2017 2,936 ‐2.7% 12,491 ‐1.2% 378,174 1.4% Source: US Census with 2017 estimates from American Communities Survey
Looking at population trends over the last 30 years, the Village’s population has been relatively stable but has slightly decreased over this time period. The Village did not experience the same population increases that were realized by the Town and County as a whole. The increases across Orange County in the 2000’s were a result of construction of large lot, single family homes that
16 cooled off considerably after the down-turn of the housing market in 2008 and broader U.S. recession. The distribution of the Village’s population among age groups has remained stable. The 25 to 64 year old age group represented 54.1% in 2000, 54.3% in 2010 and 53.4% in 2015. The elderly population 65-85+ represented 13.3 % in 2000, 15.3% in 2010 and 15.6 % in 2015 - increasing slightly over the years. The school age population 5-19 years was 710 or 23.2% in 2000, 598 or 19.8% in 2010 and 767 or 25.7 % in 2015. The under 5 age category dropped off in 2015 to 68, in 2000 it was 175 and in 2010 it was 169. The smaller under 5 age category may indicate a smaller school population in the future while the drop in the 20-24 category underlines the need for affordable housing for this group. While there is a concern over affordability, the overall numbers indicate that families are still buying houses because of good schools and safe, friendly neighborhoods.
In general, housing within the Village has developed in a traditional Village pattern with multi- family rental units on upper floors and single family conversions within the downtown commercial district along Hudson Street (US 218) and single family housing emanating from Hudson Street with lot sizes and density Table 3: Village Housing Characteristics, 2017 decreasing as distance from Hudson Street Total Housing Units 1,095 increases. Occupied Housing 96.8% Owner-occupied Housing 69.9% From 1960 on, residential Single Family Detached Housing 81.6% use has been the primary Median Housing Value $310,000 land use in the Village of (of owner occupied units) Cornwall-on-Hudson. Source: 2017 American Communities Survey The most recent census data provided for the Village (see Table 3) shows the majority of the housing stock in the Village is owner-occupied, single-family detached housing (recognizing the margins of error for the data increase for smaller populations).
While various environmental constraints limit the ability for additional large-scale residential development, infill development on lower Village lots is definitely possible. Additional housing data from the COH Building Department shows that 49 single family houses were constructed between 2000 and 2019; 20 of the houses were constructed between 2010 and 2019. While the census shows that the Village’s housing stock is fairly old with approximately 50% being constructed before 1940, the Village Building Department’s permit data for the past 10 years show that residents are investing in their housing. Residential alterations, additions and new construction account for 32% of the building permits and 51% of the value of these permits.
The Code Enforcement Officer/Building Inspector commented on COH housing stock in early 2018 that he has no impression of a loss of housing over his seven years working for the Village. He noted that apartments were also in good shape and rent quickly. Ellen Kelly Smitchger of Smitchger Realty and George Koudounas of RE/MAX Benchmark Realty Group, two experienced local relators, were contacted for their opinions of the housing market in early 2018. Both reported
17 that the housing market for single family homes was improving, Photo: Led Klosky prices were rising and COH neighborhoods and schools were still drawing young families. According to the 2017 American Communities Survey, the median value of owner-occupied housing units in 2017 in the Village was $310,000 which is higher than the Orange County median at $260,300. These numbers have increased in recent years but have not reached sales prices that were reached in the mid-2000s. Given this information and the fact that A Tugboat Working the Hudson there is limited Village land available for development, the Comprehensive Plan Committee believes the Village housing stock appears to be stable perhaps even growing slightly.
In 2000, the median household income in the Village was $62,279. Since this time, median household income within the Village has increased to $103,017 (2017); an increase of nearly 40%. This far exceeds both the 2017 Orange County median income ($75,146) and the rate of increase county-wide. Income levels within the Village also exceed those in the Town, which are estimated at $89,500. Income level alone does not necessarily directly translate to financial well-being.
The limited availability of land has led to a limited availability of affordable housing alternatives for residents, families of moderate income, first-time homebuyers, and senior citizens. While Cornwall-on Hudson has one of the highest median incomes in Orange County, expenses, particularly living expenses, within the Village commensurately exceed those in the surrounding Town and County, it also has residents who pay over 35% of their income on housing costs (Town of Cornwall Comprehensive Plan). Housing data compiled by the United Way for 2016 shows that there are 1,054 households in COH and 32 or 3% live in poverty, while 298 or 28% are households with income above the Federal Poverty Level but below the basic cost of living, which is the average level of income that a household needs in order to afford the basic necessities defined by the Household Budget for each county in New York3. The recent trend of increasing housing costs outpacing increases in monthly income is the main contributing factor to local Housing Cost Burden.
From 2007 to 2020, the scarcity of affordable housing and the cost burden for both renters and homeowners in Orange County and in the Village has only gotten worse. This trend has led to what Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress has identified as a housing affordability crisis. The COH Fire Department identifies the lack of affordable housing in the Village as the major obstacle to
3 2016 United Way ALICE Report-New York. ALICE is an acronym that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed comprising households with income above the Federal poverty level but below the basic costs of living.
18 recruiting new members. The Town of Cornwall’s 2018 Community Survey prepared for its Comprehensive Plan identified affordable housing as the biggest problem that the Town would face in the next 10 years if no changes are made. The only age-restricted and subsidized elderly complex in Cornwall (the 214-unit Idlewild Creek) reverted to market-rate rentals in 2019 cutting off the community’s only supply of affordable housing for the elderly.
2.6 Existing Zoning The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson has six zoning districts and two sub- districts that govern land use in the Village (See Figure 2). Consistent with a traditional Village-pattern of development, commercial zoning runs along Hudson Street, which serves as “main street” and the economic heart of the Village, surrounded by residential zones of varying densities depending on availability of utilities and other factors. A waterfront recreation district coincides with Pack 6 Attends the 4th of July Parade Village parkland and open space on the Village’s Hudson River frontage with a limited amount of land zoned for industrial development. Appendix D provides an excellent summary of existing parcels in the Village. The purpose of this section is to summarize these districts and to show how they have shaped development in the Village, and what level of future development they allow.
Industrial Zone (I) The Village’s Industrial Zone lies on the northern-most area of the Village’s waterfront. It is constrained by CSX railroad tracks that run parallel with the river and includes the Village’s DPW Garage as well as an additional 8.3 acres of under-utilized land. This site has been on and off the market in the past several years. This zone permits laboratories, research and development offices, manufacturing and assembling, warehouses, printing and newspaper plants, public utilities, bus stops, municipal uses and mobile homes.
Waterfront Recreation (WR) The Waterfront Recreation Zone encompasses Donahue Memorial Park that totals approximately six acres with access from Shore Road and to the north is 9.4 acres of Village-owned undeveloped river front with no official access due to limitations caused by the CSX railroad tracks.
Suburban Residential (SR) The Suburban Residential zone, the Village’s most dense residential district, generally follows Hudson Street/Route 218 from the Village’s western border nearly its entire length through the Village to Storm King State Park. Uses permitted in this zone include single family residences and cluster developments; outdoor or public recreation facilities, including incidental facilities of a cultural, historical, educational or aesthetic nature; two-family residences; senior citizen housing;
19 municipal uses; libraries; museums and art galleries; schools; places of worship; public utilities; bus stops; social and recreation centers; nursery schools; animal hospitals; veterinary clinics; and offices. The zoning also permits home professional offices, bed-and-breakfasts and accessory apartments as accessory uses.
Residential density in the SR zone depends on the availability of public water and sewer. Lots with both public water and sewer require at least 15,000 square feet (or approximately 2.5 units per acre). Lots with only public water or sewer require at least 20,000 square feet (approximately 2 units per acre) and lots with neither public water nor sewer require at least 25,000 square feet (approximately 1.5 units per acre).
Central Business and Shopping (CBS) The Village’s Central Business and Shopping Zone is a sub-district superimposed on a portion of the Suburban Residential Zone concentrated along Hudson Street, established to provide opportunity for and to encourage development of commercial business, offices and multifamily residences. All uses must be served with public utilities and must provide direct access to Hudson Street. Uses permitted subject to review by the Planning Board include retail stores, personal services, banks, theaters, Painter’s Tavern – An Important Local Landmark general and medical offices, restaurants and cafes (excluding fast food), specialty shops, parking lots and garages, auction establishments (excluding livestock and motor vehicles); newsstands, hotels and motels; multi-family residences; animal hospitals and veterinary clinics; and self-service laundry.
The CBS District requires consideration of architectural character of the proposed structure, landscaping and interference with important viewsheds.
Commercial uses found in the Village’s commercial district include a mix of restaurants, personal service shops, and retail establishments. Restaurants are popular and draw considerable clientele from areas outside the Village. Buildings that once housed banks and theaters have been converted by enterprising entrepreneurs into a “restaurant row” at the intersection of Hudson Street, River Avenue, Duncan Avenue, and Idlewild Avenue confirming Hudson Street as the focal point of the Village. In the past 10 years new pubs and restaurants have been added, other new uses include a music instruction center, a photographer, kayak rental and touring companies, and retreat house for weekend visitors.
Conservation Residential (CR-1) The CR-1 zone runs just south of the CSX railroad tracks for the entire length of the Village. Uses permitted in this zone include single family residences and cluster developments; outdoor or public recreation facilities, including incidental facilities of a cultural, historical, educational or aesthetic nature; public utilities; boat docks; marinas and club houses; and nursing and convalescent homes.
20 Figure 2: Existing Zoning Map
Cornwall‐on‐Hudson Comprehensive Plan January 24, 2020
21 This zone also permits home professional offices, bed-and-breakfasts and accessory apartments as accessory uses.
Residential density in the CR-1 zone is one dwelling per 40,000 square feet, or just under one acre.
Conservation Residential Rural (CR-2) The CR-2 zone is centrally located in the Village, running east from Duncan Avenue to the Village’s eastern border in Storm King State Park and south as far as Maple Road. Uses permitted in this zone include agricultural uses and nurseries; outdoor and public recreation facilities including incidental facilities of a cultural, historical, educational or aesthetic nature; single family residences and cluster developments; schools; places of worship; public utilities; day camps; nursery schools; cemeteries; and social and recreation centers. Minimum lot area in the CR-2 zone is 80,000 square feet. Home professional offices, bed-and- breakfasts and accessory apartments are Local Businesses like 2Alices thrive in the Village permitted as accessory uses.
Conservation Residential Scenic (CR-3) The CR-3 is located in the southern end of the Village. Uses permitted in this zone include agricultural uses and nurseries; single family residences and cluster developments; schools; and public utilities. Home professional offices, bed-and-breakfasts and accessory apartments are permitted as accessory uses. Minimum lot area for this zone is 160,000 square feet.
View Preservation District (VPD) The View Preservation District is a subdistrict superimposed on portions of the Suburban Residential, Conservation Residential, Waterfront Recreation and Industrial Districts. This subdistrict is established to provide for the preservation and protection of public, scenic Hudson River views and to safeguard the Village's scenic resources, aesthetic and cultural heritage. Development within the VPD is reviewed by the Planning Board for location, scale, design of structures and landscaping considerations. Specific permitted land uses are governed by the underlying zoning district.
2.7 Build-Out Analysis It is essential to have a clear understanding of the amount of space available for development and potential for growth. The build-out analysis, which is included in Appendix B, provides tabular data that demonstrates growth potential under the current zoning and other development regulations by looking at the number of lots that are more than twice the allowable lot size in a particular zone. This analysis can help measure the long-range effectiveness of zoning laws and
22 visualize the patterns of growth. This build-out analysis is a desktop exercise intended to estimate the amount of potential development for each zoning district in the Village, based upon the regulations in the existing zoning code.
In general, while there may be a minimal amount of open, unbuilt property available for new construction, on paper there still remains a significant potential for further subdivision of land. While the build-out analysis measures the total quantity of development, it does not attempt to deal with land constraints such as wetlands, steep slopes, or other issues of form, pattern or the effect of such development on Village character, i.e. the analysis is purely quantitative, not qualitative.
In general, the analysis provides an indication of the degree to which an area may be developed in accordance with the land uses and densities described in its zoning code. More specifically, the build-out indicates that of 1,165 existing lots in the Village, approximately 10% could be further subdivided based on lot area requirements. Of the lots that are available, 7, or 0.05% are within commercial or industrial districts; the remainder are residential. Supporting data from the Village’s Building Department and tax database can be found in Appendix B.
While the build-out analysis indicates that development potential still exists, it should be understood that such development is theoretical and unlikely to ever materialize due to constraints that would require an in-depth engineering analysis of the suitability of land for actual designed development. Nevertheless, the Comprehensive Plan aims to guide any such potential growth, such as concentrating residential development within or adjacent to existing population centers to avoid sprawl, identifying ideal locations for future growth with an emphasis on infill and redevelopment and identifying key areas for parkland and open space preservation.
23 3.0 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The Village’s land use pattern is long-established and functioning well. This Comprehensive Plan aims to reinforce and support the Village’s existing character while working to improve the business district, protect sensitive and important environmental resources, and improve overall quality of life. Six broad goals have been established as the building blocks of this plan. Each of these goals is supported by more specific objectives and policy recommendations that are intended to work towards achieving the Village’s overall long-term vision. Short-term recommendations are intended to guide the Village Board as it considers potential legislation after the adoption of the plan, while the long-term initiatives are those recommendations which are intended to be part of long-range, ongoing planning efforts.
3.1 Goal 1: Preserve the Village’s Unique Character The Village, with its uniquely concentrated historic center, creates a strong sense of place for residents. The appearance of buildings in the Hudson Street/Downtown area, maintaining the historic integrity and cohesion of the Village’s neighborhoods, exceptional public safety, harmony between the natural and built environment, the easy access to the framing elements of the river and the mountain, as well as the need for proper maintenance of the structures are important local concerns with respect to preserving the Village’s character. The following short-term recommendations and long-term initiatives are identified.
3.1.1 SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS
Maintain neighborhood character through updated zoning regulation of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and total development coverage. The Village has a range of neighborhoods with distinct characteristics, varying lot sizes and availability of utilities. In order to ensure new housing and/or significant housing renovations are constructed consistent with the character of these existing neighborhoods, it is recommended that FAR regulations be considered by the Village Board for enactment to ensure that potential new development is of similar scale to existing structures in the vicinity. It is further recommended that the zoning amendments include the expansion of the code definition of ‘Development Coverage’ to include all impervious surfaces to minimize impacts to surface waters and preserve greenscapes consistent with The Storm King Engine Company Fair surrounding development.
Create Gateway/Scenic Overlay Zones at major entrances to the Village including the Bay View Avenue entrance to the Village on Rte. 218, along Academy Avenue, the Boulevard from
24 roughly 35 Boulevard NW to the Village boundary and on Hudson Street at the Village boundaries. These locations should be made as attractive as possible with welcoming signage and appropriate controls on clearing of natural vegetation for the first 25 feet of the property, perhaps similar to the conservation greenbelt specified along Deer Hill Road in 172-5.5 Part C3 of the existing zoning code. Mapping of mature trees and other unique features such as stone walls within these Gateway /Scenic Overlay Zones should be made part of the Planning Board’s review of any subdivision applications.
Review Business Identification signage regulations within the Central Business and Shopping Sub-district to ensure clarity and size, lighting and scale are appropriate for both the building on which it is proposed and the character of the area.
Clarify and limit the use of private roads in the Village’s Subdivision Regulations. The Comprehensive Plan Committee strongly recommends that the Village Board carefully examine and clarify laws and regulations related to Private Roads, considering especially frontage, slope and width of the private road, number of homes allowed on each private road and stormwater discharge from such roads during construction and occupancy. Like many municipalities, Cornwall-on- Hudson contains lots with sufficient acreage to meet the land area requirements for subdivision but with minimal frontage on a public road. These lots, also known as flag lots, At the Bandstand are often unable to meet the requirements to construct a Village road due to a range of site limitations and other factors. Access from private streets is permitted under the subdivision regulations but there is no specification for the construction of such roads or a limit on the number of dwellings that may use a single private road. In comparison, the Town of Cornwall limits the number of homes on a private road to no more than six residences. Narrow or steeply sloped roads present challenges with respect to emergency access, snow removal and drainage. The Village Board should review existing regulation of such lots to ensure adequate frontage on Village or State roads, set a minimum width of 18 feet for private roads and limit the slope of such roads to a maximum of 10%. Expand the Viewshed Overlay District. The Village is blessed with an abundance of natural landscapes, views and open spaces. They are an essential element of the Village’s character and add considerable value to the daily lives of our citizens and real value to real estate within the Village – such views are a key resource. The Village currently protects views along the Hudson
25 River through Section 172-75 of its zoning code. The committee recommends that the Village consider expanding the area covered by the existing regulations to include parts of the CR-2 and CR-3 districts, particularly considering the upper portions of Duncan Avenue, Maple Road, Mountain Road and Deer Hill Road. Regulations such as limiting clearing of mature trees and roof projections of new construction should be considered. Such regulations would be consistent with measures previously taken by the Town of Cornwall to preserve important viewsheds.
3.1.2. LONG-TERM INITIATIVES
Identify, protect and capitalize on strategic assets such as culturally, historically or architecturally important sites and the extensive trail system in the area.
The Village Board should continue to work to cultivate and improve strategic partnerships with local cultural not-for- profit organizations such as Scenic Hudson, Five Point Mission, Black Rock Forest Consortium, Hudson Highlands and local land trust organizations.
The Village Board should consider creating a committee, possibly in a joint effort with the Town, to advise on additional controls covering renovations of structures deemed to have locally historical and/or architectural significance and to ensure any façade changes to buildings which are on or eligible for listing on the National Historic Register are reviewed by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to Photo: Led Klosky minimize impacts to historic character. The Corn Estate at
Storm King Engine Co #2 The Village should take advantage of the Natural Resource Inventory and Cornwall Natural Heritage Project maps and make them available to the public to help with their preservation and appreciation by local residents (See Appendix C). These documents should also be considered when making changes to the zoning code.
Review the existing design regulations for the Central Business and Shopping Subdistrict in Section 172-9 of the Village’s Zoning Code to provide a clear and specific set of regulations to assist local land use boards, landowners and prospective developers in determining local objectives and standards for development. The guidelines should provide the simplest, least intrusive means
26 to maintain the scale of structures across the Village, promote the preservation of the community character, and improve the business climate in the Village Center.
Figure 3: Recommended Sign Locations (Image: Google Maps)
27 3.2 Goal 2: Support and Enhance Economic Vitality
3.2.1 SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS Update and digitize the Village Zoning Map and make available online for use by property owners and prospective developers. Review the list of permitted uses within the Central Business and Shopping (CBS) District and broaden and expand what is permitted to include additional appropriate and compatible uses such as yoga, dance, art and music studios and other businesses that are vibrant in today’s economic climate, such as businesses that cater to tourism-based uses such as bike or kayak rental. Streamline the procedure for changes of permitted uses to reduce barriers to local business start-ups. For uses that are permitted and do not propose exterior site changes, the Village Board should consider making such uses permitted by the Village’s Building Inspector without the need for extensive and expensive land use review. Improve Wayfinding. The Village should provide more signage to identify the downtown business district, local waterfront and local trailhead locations for visitors to the areas regional destinations. Signs are suggested at the Riverfront, the entrance to Mountain Road from 9W Southbound, the Rt 218 entrance to the Etsy and Hellie Stowell Trailhead and at the 9W Storm King Trailhead pointing visitors to the business district. Additionally, a sign at the Mountain Road trailhead to Storm At the Storm King Theater (Photo: Jeremy Small-Hawks) King State Park indicating that additional, safer vehicle parking is available at the Stowell Trailhead is recommended. A map of general sign locations is shown in Figure 3.
Permit short-term rentals within residential structures throughout the Village to encourage tourism, while maintaining existing community character. Any new law should include permitting standards to ensure public safety, especially with respect to fire, and minimize disruptions to the surrounding neighbors.
The Village Board should amend the Zoning Code to permit limited commercial use of historic buildings not in the CBS, expanding possible uses beyond simple residential to encourage investment and long-term sustainability of these resources. Uses such as museums, bed and breakfast facilities, restaurants or other uses which will encourage investment while preserving the character and architectural integrity of the structure should be considered. Such conversion should require a special permit from the Village Board of Trustees by referral from the Planning Board as part of any Site Plan approval for such expanded use. Building modifications should be coordinated with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
28
3.2.2 LONG TERM INITIATIVES
Work to attract tax-positive commercial development to offset existing tax-exempt lands and help pay for residential services.
Encourage growth of tourism and capitalize on existing regional tourism resources such as Storm King State Park, Storm King Arts Center, Bannerman Island, Hudson Highlands Nature Museum and the Hudson River. Create a Town and Village joint committee with representatives from these various organizations. Work with local transit agencies such as Transit Orange to establish stops or park and ride locations. Coordinate events with the Orange County Tourism office and other agencies that provide free marketing. Coordinate with and support the Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and its efforts to encourage ‘shop local events’. Create a trail map.
Explore complementary uses of unoccupied and underutilized properties within the Central Business District. Consider especially partnering with Food Bank to improve or develop storefronts along this prominent stretch of Hudson Street.
Support informal or formal shared parking agreements within the downtown business district. Many uses that have peak hours at different times can share parking to reduce the overall amount of pavement and support a more dense, walkable Village character.
Kayaking to Bannerman Island from the Riverfront is a Popular Activity
29 3.3 Goal 3: Promote a Range of Sustainably Located Affordable Housing Options Increasingly, workers have added time to their daily commute in order to purchase a more affordable home than is typically available around the major regional employment centers (New York City, Westchester County and the suburban counties of Northern New Jersey). Accordingly, many have sought out new housing in Orange County with its traditionally lower cost of living compared to those areas closer to the city.
The Village should encourage the The 1780 House availability of affordable housing by providing an array of incentives to promote such development including, density bonuses for new housing targeted at families whose incomes are at or below the Orange County median income level. The Village of Cornwall-on- Hudson should offer affordable housing for individuals or families providing essential services to the community (emergency medical personnel, volunteer firefighters, police, nurses, teachers, etc.). These individuals should be able to find housing they can afford. The alternative is that some of these people are sure to move elsewhere, taking their skills and their dedication to serve with them. Sustainability is therefore essential when siting affordable housing, with careful consideration of the social, environmental, and economic impacts of this use on each site chosen.
The answer, ‘Workforce Housing’, is simple in concept but difficult in execution. The 2019 accepted estimate for median family income in the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh- Middletown New York Metro Area (which encompasses all of Orange County), as defined by US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is $96,600. However, assuming a 20% down payment on a standard 30 year mortgage, the percentage of a family’s annual income required to purchase a home would be more than 60% on a house valued at the Orange County 2019 median ($294,600). The percentage of total annual income required to purchase a house at the Village’s 2019 median ($338,700) would be even higher.
3.3.1. SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS Encourage the development of multi-family units in the Central Business and Shopping District. Remove bulk requirements for units above commercial uses in section 172-9.F such as a one-acre minimum lot area, which may discourage these uses. As apartments would only be on upper floors, the bulk requirements for the commercial uses should govern. The ability to build apartment units above commercial businesses is a more efficient use of land and allows an affordable housing option in close proximity to shopping, schools and local services.
30 Evaluate the ability to meet the needs of residents in need of unique housing such as “assisted-living” and “independent living” homes. Current zoning regulations cover “nursing homes” that are allowed in the CR-2, CR-1 and SR. Given the possible increased demand for facilities such as these, the language in the zoning code should be amended to broaden the type of living facilities that senior citizens will require, including independent living and assisted living facilities.
3.3.2 LONG TERM INITIATIVES The Village should continue to permit and support ‘Accessory Apartments’ in existing single family residences. While it appears from the Building Department records that few accessory apartments have been built, accessory apartments are a viable affordable housing option for Village residents.
The Village should consider permitting auxiliary dwelling structures on lots exceeding 3 acres. The Village Board should consider allowing small auxiliary dwellings on larger lots to provide potential lower-cost rental housing and increased ratables, but must consider the impacts on neighbors, community fabric, and other factors by requiring appropriate Planning Board site plan review, adequate setbacks and screening, and considering other important elements of any proposed auxiliary dwelling.
Additional housing initiatives that the Village Board might consider include adaptations of several of the “Best Practices” for Housing Policy recommended by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress - Urban Action Agenda (UAA) Housing Profiles, 2018.
1. Provide zoning incentives such as a density bonus for development of affordable, permanent senior housing units. 2. Establish a local Housing Trust Fund for the creation or preservation of affordable housing. 3. Work to achieve consensus amongst local elected officials, schools, planning and other local boards, community organizations and agencies. 4. Consider adaptive reuse of vacant and blighted buildings for housing. 5. Conduct vigorous code enforcement to improve poorly maintained housing. 6. Support energy efficiency and green building techniques to reduce housing costs for owners and renters
31 3.4 Goal 4: Protect Natural Resources and Encourage Conservation
3.4.1 SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS Strengthen requirements of the Village’s Viewshed Preservation District and create a Scenic Road Overlay District. As discussed earlier in this document, natural landscapes and scenic views are a great asset to the Village. The Comprehensive Plan recommends creation of a strong mechanism to enforce the regulations of the View Preservation District (VPD) and to expand the district to preserve mature vegetation At Donahue Park and scenic views along other roads in the Village. Evaluate requirements for street trees within new developments and maintenance and preservation of other scenic site features such as stone walls or tree clusters. Landscaping species should be evaluated for appropriateness and all species should be native to the area.
Evaluate and clarify the Village’s Tree Policies. Currently mature trees and clusters of trees are preserved through the Village’s subdivision regulations that require mapping of these features on subdivision plats for review by the Planning Board and regulations within the View Preservation District. However, other than these scenarios, there is no means of safeguarding such trees from being cleared on individual properties. It is recommended that the Village require a permit for clearing trees on parcels with Class I, II, or III slopes: in cases when more than 50% of the mature vegetation on a property is to be cleared: or for the removal of any live trees over 36” in diameter. Such policies should not restrict the ability of homeowners to maintain existing woodlands and views. It is further recommended that the Village plant additional street trees where necessary.
Encourage the use of low impact development techniques and stormwater management practices. The most recent NYSDEC stormwater design manual requires the use of green treatment practices such as bio-retention basins, rain gardens, green roofs, bio-swales and the use of porous pavement. The EPA defines Green Infrastructure as “us(ing) vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage water and create healthier urban environments. . . . At the scale of a neighborhood or site, green infrastructure refers to stormwater management systems that mimic nature by soaking up and storing water.” Preservation and supplemental planting of mature vegetation can also play an important role in stormwater management on a site as well as reducing pavement temperatures through shading to keep stormwater cooler as it enters the storm sewer
32 system. These techniques should be encouraged by the Planning Board and also incorporated into Village public works projects on public lands.
3.4.2 LONG TERM INITIATIVES
Continue to Coordinate with Non-governmental organizations such as Scenic Hudson, River Keeper, the Orange County Land Trust and the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum. The Village should take advantage of mapping and policy recommendations recommended by these agencies. The committee recommends a master contact list be created and maintained to encourage coordination.
Take Action on Climate Change to become a New York Climate Smart Community. The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program began in 2009 as an interagency initiative of New York State. The original focus of the program was on encouraging local governments to commit to act on climate change by passing a resolution containing the 10-point CSC Pledge, which is the first step to joining the program. The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson has adopted the CSC pledge, as the first step. However, in order to be designated a Certified Climate Smart Community, a municipality must go beyond the CSC Pledge by completing and documenting a suite of actions that mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local level.
The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Certification program comprises more than 100 actions for which a local government can earn points toward being designated as a Certified Climate Smart Community. Each municipality can select the specific action items that are most appropirate for them but steps will include creation of a CSC Task Force, preparation of a Climate Action Plan which outlines a set of initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and overseeeing energy audits for municpal buildings and facilties to understand where improvements can be made. The Village should also seek any grants which could offset costs of various programs.
Additionally, the Village should ensure that all future changes to local law and zoning and consideration of projects by the Planning Board comply with the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of July 18, 2019.
Encourage adequate fire protection at Storm King State Park. The Village, in coordination with Storm King Fire Engine Company #2, should work with Storm King State Park to ensure adequate fire access is provided to areas of the park which may be susceptible to brush fires.
Seek to Bury Utilities and Address Abandoned Overhead Wires. Overhead wires are frequently mentioned as both an eyesore and as a vulnerability, with communications and electrical outages being a too-frequent occurence in the Village. There may be opportunities in the future to seek grants or work with utility suppliers to bury active wires; the Village should also work diligently with these suppliers to remove inactive or abandoned lines, particularly communications wires.
33 3.5 Goal 5: Enhance the Quality of Life for Village Residents
3.5.1 SHORT-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS The Greenway Compact is a voluntary Maintain and improve Cornwall-on-Hudson’s beloved regional planning vision developed in a Donahue Memorial Park. Maximize the benefit of the limited partnership among a county, its local waterfront access the Village has and the amenities provided and communities and the Hudson River Valley ensure access for people of all ages and abilities. Activities and Greenway Communities Council. The Hudson improvements, including more specific improvements and River Valley Greenway Act describes the planning efforts developed in a Local Waterfront Revitalization “Greenway Criteria” as “the basis for attaining the goal of a Hudson River Valley Plan (LWRP) should be coordinated with regional planning Greenway”. The Criteria ‐ natural and cultural efforts such as Hudson River Valley Greenway and Orange resource protection, regional planning, County Planning Department and the adjacent Cornwall yacht economic development, public access and club. heritage and environmental education ‐ In order to make the park more user-friendly, appropriately provide the overall vision for voluntary local designed restrooms should be installed. Greenway programs and projects. The The creation of a promenade footpath along Dock Hill Road, general nature of the Greenway criteria coupled with the recently installed signage, will provide an allows communities to develop locally‐based attractive gateway from the Village Center to the waterfront. projects which address community concerns Recreational Boating—The interest in kayaking and other while contributing to the overall framework forms of recreational boating will continue to grow, and of the Hudson River Valley Greenway. Cornwall Bay is a perfect place to enjoy the river. Thus, the Comprehensive Plan supports the continued use of the waterfront for such activity and expansion of public docking including coordination with tours of Bannerman Island (more properly Pollopel Island); parking should be considered carefully. Access to our waterfront for recreational and cultural use may be expanded by using the strip of Village-owned land once used by the O&W Railroad. A plan to reclaim this substantial property in its entirety should be undertaken. Continue to pursue outside funding sources and grants to implement these improvements. Partnering with other entities to develop boat storage at the park should be explored. New benches and bicycle racks should be provided at the park to encourage alternate means of transportation.
Sports Fields. Existing opportunities for organized sports, particularly youth sports, are limited. The Village should vigorously pursue the creation of one or more multi-use sports fields, especially accommodating soccer and lacrosse, growing sports for which there are no municipal facilities in either the Village or the Town. A full-sized municipal field would be especially welcome given that all current sports fields of regulation size are owned by the school district or private entities and thus not available to the local leagues.
34 Trail Mapping. The Village should create mapping which identifies trailheads, parking locations and illustrates connections between the Village’s various resources. Mapping should be available on the Village’s website.
3.5.2 LONG TERM INITIATIVES Explore uses for Storm King State Park Property. The Village should continue to seek to improve access to unused river front park property now controlled by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) for recreational purposes, understanding that any transfer for the purpose of economic development is highly unlikely. The Plan supports recreational use only of the property and the initiation of a dialogue with all involved and interested parties to explore initiatives, which would maximize the benefits to the Village. The 4th of July Parade - a Big Event in the Village Continue to support local organizations, public festivals and parades as well as the local farmer’s market that contribute to a sense of community pride and bring foot traffic into the downtown to support local businesses.
Work with local downtown businesses and property owners to encourage property maintenance and cleanliness. This can be made measurably easier with the assistance of all retail establishments that sell food, candy, sodas, or any pre-wrapped products. The Plan recommends that these local businesses be required to place a standardized trash can (as defined by the Village) in the immediate vicinity of the point of sale, and further, that they be required to clear the sidewalk and curb areas in front of and around the specific location of all such debris.
Limit Light Pollution. In keeping with the recently adopted local law, the Village should continue to protect viewsheds, habitat and night skies by restricting glare and regulating light fixtures.
35 3.6 Goal 6: Address Long-Term Infrastructure Requirements
3.6.1. SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS
Identify and prioritize capital improvement projects through the preparation of a Capital Improvement Plan. This plan should prioritize projects, include a scheduled maintenance plan and should discuss measures to ensure cost effectiveness. Village efforts should be coordinated with the Town. The implementation of such a plan will ensure the Village can sustain the current high quality of public water and sewer services that is currently provided. System-wide mapping of utility systems can benefit the Village The Village Square by identifying system shortfalls, improving efficiency in maintenance and forming the basis for long-term capital improvement planning. Grants may be available for this work. The Village should protect the major water supply sources in the Village and Town and maintain strong relationships with our suppliers of water. Additional wells may someday be needed, and planning for this eventuality should be undertaken. Potential water resources should be identified and a plan developed for their use. Support the Town’s effort to undertake an Infiltration and Inflow (I&I) reduction plan.
Improve our current storm water management and drainage system to better meet the NYSDEC Small Municipal Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) requirements. Complete a storm water management study to shape our long-term storm water strategy. This study would include a review of our current storm water management policies to ensure they meet our needs and desires. Further integrate storm water management into municipal programs and policies. Consider both structural and non-structural solutions that are designed to reduce the volume of stormwater requiring management (e.g. decreasing the area of impervious surfaces, regulatory controls to improve erosion and sediment control on construction sites, the use of regulatory instruments such as environmental licenses to help manage premises likely to contaminate stormwater and public education and training).
Continue the implementation of a traffic calming and pedestrian safety plan. The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) defines traffic calming as the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use and improve the conditions for non- motorized street users. The design and installation of appropriately designed traffic calming measures will greatly
36 enhance pedestrian safety. Measures include crosswalks with raised or textured surfaces, planted islands and curbing bump-outs. Suggested locations for these include: where Hudson Street becomes Bay View Avenue, at Hudson Street and Payson Road; at the elementary school on Hudson Street; at the corners of Hudson Street, Duncan Avenue, River Avenue and Idlewild Avenue, at Hudson Street and Avenue A; at Academy Avenue and Homeland Avenue; and at Hudson Street and Willis Avenue. Pedestrian Crossing signs, though vulnerable to damage, should be maintained and in place, as the protection of our citizens outweighs any additional costs. Sidewalks should be properly maintained, and where appropriate, extended, to provide safe foot passage for pedestrians who comprise a significant element of local activity through the Village Center, and for wheelchair users. It is important that pedestrians are able to move safely throughout the Village and one of the best ways to ensure safe movement of pedestrians is through a well-maintained and comprehensive system of sidewalks. It is also important that the Village’s sidewalk system be accessible to persons with disabilities. An inventory should be conducted of those intersections where ADA compliant ramps are needed so they can be upgraded over time. Streets and sidewalks that are accommodating to pedestrians enhance the liveliness of the street, encourage people to walk and enhance the sense of community. Sidewalks also provide a space for public gathering and social interaction. In order to encourage non-motorized transportation, locations for trail connections and bicycle parking should be identified, and bicycle racks should be installed along major bicycle routes.
3.6.2 LONG TERM INITIATIVES
Sustain our current road and sidewalk programs while continuing to search for ways to improve both our vehicle and pedestrian thoroughfares. Review pedestrian safety on Hudson Street, especially in the vicinity of Duncan Avenue and in front of the elementary school.
Integrate the possible impacts of climate change and sea-level rise into our Village infrastructure planning. The Planning Board should also be mindful of how long-term climate changes can impact development projects. Encourage the use of renewable resources and sustainability best practices (e.g. solar power and green infrastructure to manage stormwater through infiltration). Where appropriate consider the use of LEED, or aspects of the LEED program in municipal construction projects. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary standard for developing high performance, sustainable buildings including new commercial construction, major renovation projects, existing building operations and commercial interior projects.
Apply current best practices in reviewing locations of new septic disposal systems.
If resources become available, the village should establish a working capital fund to address capital improvement priorities.
37 4.0 IMPLEMENTATION A comprehensive plan is only as useful as its implementation. Certain recommendations contained herein will require subsequent action of the Village Board of Trustees in order to develop specific amendments to the Village Code and other land use regulations. Other actions, such as the preservation of natural resources, infrastructure improvements, or the development of various programs will require collaboration between the Village, County, State and not-for-profit entities. The Comprehensive Plan is adopted by the Village Board under the provisions of § 7-722 of the Village Law. The community’s implementation of its plan rests largely in the hands of the local government, especially the Village Board, Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals. In order for this Comprehensive Plan to be effective over the long term, the Village must actively apply the policies contained herein. The Village Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals must use the Plan as a framework to guide their decisions with respect to the review of development proposals, within the context of the zoning regulations that are in effect at the time. Each member of the Village Board, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals should have a copy of this Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan should also be easily accessible on the Village’s website.
Frequent review of the Plan, to ensure it meets the changing needs and opportunities arising subsequent to its adoption, is one of the most important elements of the planning process. The Plan must reflect current Village planning goals and policies if it is to be respected and regularly used. A reexamination of the Plan should continue to be undertaken at least once every five (5) years with updates as deemed necessary.
4.1 Public Review The Comprehensive Plan committee held numerous meetings open to the public and one final public information session to review the final draft of the plan before referring its final draft to the Village Board. During this public review period, the document was made publicly available for review. The plan is also subject to review by the Orange County Department of Planning.
4.2 State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) A first step that the Village must take toward implementing the Comprehensive Plan is to comply with the requirements of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR). This State law requires that government agencies identify the environmental effects of their actions, including the adoption of a community’s Comprehensive Plan. This action, which is under the sole jurisdiction of the Village Board, is classified as a Type I Action. The SEQR regulations require that the Village Board, as lead agency, identify any potential areas of environmental concern to determine whether an Environmental Impact Statement should be prepared, and then set forth in writing its determination of significance of the environmental impacts. The SEQR process can
38 combine an analysis of the Comprehensive Plan with the proposed land use regulations that implement it.
4.3 Village - Town Cooperation The recognition of the close interrelationship between the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson and the Town of Cornwall must continue during the implementation of this Comprehensive Plan. Every available effort should be used to maximize the coordination between local governments with regard to land use planning, transportation infrastructure, economic development, provision of recreational facilities, expansion of water and sewer systems, purchase of goods and services, sharing of governmental equipment and facilities, regulation of utility, communication and power franchises, solid waste disposal, and any other aspects of community life with which local governments have the potential to materially impact.
Photo: Led Klosky
New Year’s Eve Ball Drop at the Village Square – A Lively Tradition
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