In case you missed it, more than 70 people signed up to comment at the
Rhinebeck Comprehensive Plan Public Hearing on Monday. Because of the
overwhelming community response, the Board will continue the hearing next
Monday, June 26, at 6:45 pm at the Rhinebeck Town Hall.

Several Rhinecliff residents who spoke at Monday’s hearing voiced concern
about the 90 unit TND (Traditional Neighborhood Development) proposed by
the Comprehensive Plan adjacent to Rhinecliff on Orchard Road and the
potential affect this kind of density will have on our community and our
already fragile and overstressed streets. If this proposal is implemented,
it would increase the density of the hamlet by 50%, change the historic
fabric of our community, and add an overwhelming amount of traffic, making
our streets more dangerous and less walk-able.

Other speakers commented on the proposal by Whiteacre Equities to develop
the former Holy Cross property with 450 units of housing and 60,000 square
feet of commercial space. Most speakers agreed that this type of
development would be completely out of character with the area, and the
Rhinecliff community would not be able to sustain the additional traffic
and density.

Once PANDA runs the meeting on their public access station next Monday, we
will post some of the video clips to the rhinecliff.org site.

In the meantime, we urge everyone to attend the next Public Hearing on the
26th. It is important to reinforce the community’s concern about potential
development that would permanently change the Hamlet as we know it. We
already bear the burden of all new development in the area from Rhinebeck
to Kingston and beyond. Is every area of the town to benefit from open
space except Rhinecliff?

Your energy is needed, either through public comments, your applause if you
agree with speakers, and most importantly letters to the Town Board
regarding the plan. We encourage you to also send your letters to
info@rhinecliff.org so that we can post them to the site.

Click here to view additional information about next Monday’s meeting from
Town Board Supervisor Steve Block.