Williams Lake Property Updates

Equestrian?

You are right that early plans contemplated some type of equestrian or equine experience. However, at this point in time, we do not contemplate any such facility as part of the project.  Provision for trail riding seems challenging without an equestrian center on-site. 

SBL 62.4-2-39

Sorry for the delay in replying to this post, Chris.

This non-contiguous parcel is not currently contemplated as part of the project.  We will clarify this as we move forward with SEQR.

Summary of April 29, 2008 Public Meeting

Approximately 80 to 100 people attended HRVR's Public Meeting on April 29 at the Rosendale Recreation Center. 

HRVR's team included Tim Allred (Project Manager), Rick Steele (Manager of Hudson River Valley Resorts, aka HRVR), Joe Eriole (land use attorney of Veneziano and Associates), Brandee Nelson (project engineer of Crawford and Associates) and Anita Peck (partner of HRVR).

The HRVR team's presentation included the following:
1. Anita Peck's announcement that the purchase of Williams Lake had closed on April 10th, 2008 and that she was pleased to be a partner in the HRVR project
2. Rick Steele providing an overview of HRVR -- a small group of socially and environmentally focused, for-profit investors whose objective is to upgrade Williams Lake to a modern, green resort community focused on wellness, sustainability and nature. The project will be marketed primarily to resort guests and second home buyers from the metropolitan New York City area.
3. Tim Allred providing an overview of the current concept plan for the site. Tim presented a summary of the land and it's unique environmental and historic features and constraints, a summary of the resort program (130 room LEED certified hotel; spa; wellness center; and a total of 160 homes (2/3rds of which are clustered at the south and SE of Williams Lake). Tim described LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and how the LEED process ensures an energy efficient, low-impact project.  (A summary of the LEED process was handed out and is attached to this post). Tim also presented general discussion of how the concept plan is informed by the land's constraints to minimize impacts through careful siting of buildings in previously impacted areas, sensitivity to endangered species' habitats, clustered development to preserve open space, etc.
4. Brandee Nelson provided a summary of environmental engineering for the concept plan. In particular, Brandee discussed that Williams Lake is contemplated as the main source for water supply and that the projected consumption numbers in the SEQR application are very conservative and based on full, year-round occupancy without considering any water conservation strategies or water recycling. The project will employ numerous water saving and recycling strategies (rain water capture, native landscaping to reduce irrigation, etc.) and we expect the water use number to reduce significantly.  Brandee also discussed the plan to install a private, packaged wastewater treatment facility downstream of the discharge point of Williams Lake that will discharge to DEC's highest standards of Intermittent Stream Effluent Limits. This packaged treatment facility is a considerable improvement to Williams Lake's current septic field system that is hydrologically upstream of Williams Lake. Brandee also presented information on Stormwater management and the various strategies in the concept plan to minimize run-off, soil erosion and sediment delivery through retention ponds, constructed wetlands, pervious roads, green roofs, etc.
5. Joe Eriole provided a summary of the approval process including a summary of SEQR and HRVR's requested zoning text amendment.  Joe explained that residential housing is permitted under the current zoning code at one home per 1.5 acres and that a resort hotel is allowed under Special Permit.  However the code is ambiguous regarding bulk and area for the hotel and HRVR's request for an amendment to the zoning code is to provide controls (for the Town) and certainty (for HRVR) regarding what precisely will be allowed.  Joe also presented an 'as of rights' concept plan that would maximize residential housing on the site (at least 183 homes) in a sprawling residential subdivision.  This is not the plan HRVR prefers to pursue, but is a plan that can be pursued under current zoning.  This plan also would have higher municipal impacts as the Town would maintain roads and water/ sewer. The 'as of rights' subdivision plan would also have a much higher number of year-round residents with school-aged children and thus a higher cost impact on the school system
6. Tim concluded the presentation with a summary of the expected benefits of the project in terms of Rosendale's Comphrehensive plan:
a) Preserve Resources -- HRVR's commitment to sustainability and the LEED hotel ensure this
b) Improve Rosendale's Financial Capacity -- the HRVR project will significantly increase tax revenue to the town with limited municipal impacts
c) Enhance Value -- the HRVR project will generate  secondary spending from resort guests and  home owners in Rosendale and Ulster County;  hundreds of long-term jobs (professional as well as low-wage hospitality jobs) will be created; high-quality, beautiful real estate will be built; labor and materials wil be locally sourced from Rosendale and the surrounding area.

The presentation was followed by over an hour of excellent questions and comments from the audience and a constructive dialogue of the issues raised.  Though many topics were covered, many of the questions covered fiscal/ tax issues.

Please feel free to comment if you would like more information.

Download leed_summary.pdf

Letter To the Editor, December 2007

Attached please read Canopy Development and Hudson River Valley Resort's (HRVR) Letter to the Editor from December 2007.  This letter explains the relationship between Canopy and HRVR and clarifies several misperceptions/ misinformation related to our plans for the property.

Download 2007dec10_hrvr_letter_to_editor_final.pdf

Canopy and HRVR updates to the Redevelopment of Williams Lake available here!

Canopy and Hudson River Valley Resorts (HRVR) will post information related to the redevelopment of Williams Lake as a modern resort spa/hotel on this site.

Soon, we will launch a web-site dedicated to the project.

See recent posting announcing April 29 Public Meeting at the Rosendale Recreation Center!

Invitation to Public Information Meeting

Canopy Development and Hudson River Valley Resorts (HRVR)  invite you to an Informational Meeting on the Redevelopment of Williams Lake. All are welcome.

Date: April 29th, 2008
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Rosendale Recreation Center

The purpose of this meeting is to provide an overview of HRVR's plans to redevelop the Williams Lake property as a modern resort spa/hotel focused on wellness, sustainability and the outdoors.  Members of Canopy and HRVR's design team will provide a short presentation with an overview of the project, the approval/ permitting process and the benefits and impacts of the project.   Significant time will be left for questions, comments and input from  attendees.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Download 2008apr_21_flyer.pdf

Community Outreach Process

For the next several weeks, Canopy will be initiating a Community Outreach Process. Our broad intention is to begin a dialogue with the community of Rosendale to discuss opportunities, surface issues and concerns and allow the public to be a part of the development of the property.

Full Process Overview

1. Stakeholder Identification

To ensure that we’ve identified all stakeholders, especially those who are likely to be most directly affected, we’ve segmented community members into several stakeholder categories. Our goal is to meet with all interested parties in a logical order.

– Neighbors
– Local Businesses
– Non profit organizations
– Concerned Citizens
– Civic organizations (schools, churches, library, etc)
– Media
– Elected officials
– Other

We welcome your input–please email us or leave a comment on this blog if you feel we have missed any key groups or individuals.

2. Small Group Meetings

Specific Objectives
– Provide opportunity for community members and Canopy to meet
– Present our initial ideas for the property
– Gather ideas from community members
– Listen to concerns
– Discuss opportunities
– Answer as many questions as we can

We feel that it is important to limit the size of these initial small group meetings to about 10 people so that we, as a group, are able to engage in a meaningful dialogue.

It is important to note that we will not have answers to all of the questions we will be asked because we have yet to plan the project. We have completed a significant amount of due diligence to date and plan to complete additional studies over the next several months (traffic, economic impacts/benefits analysis). The questions and concerns that are expressed to us in these meetings will help us to plan a better project.

3. “Meet Canopy” meeting

Once we’ve met with all of the key stakeholder groups, we will invite the community of Rosendale to a larger public meeting. During the meeting, we’ll summarize our findings from the Small Group Meetings and share them with the community at large, inviting an open, honest discussion.

A specific date for this meeting has not yet been identified.

4. Design Charrette

A charrette is a collaborative design process. We will invite a multidisciplinary design team, including key stakeholders and community members, to participate in the 3-5 day intensive design workshop (charrette). The objective of the charrette is to produce a master plan that balances economic objectives, environmental concerns and the desires of the community at large.

5. SEQR Initiation

New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) requires all state and local government agencies to consider environmental impacts equally with social and economic factors during discretionary decision-making. http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/357.html

To the residents of Ulster County,

Since the reports about Canopy Development’s interest in acquiring the Williams Lake property a few weeks ago, there has been considerable speculation – and to be fair, some concern – within the community about the future of the site. That is understandable. Williams Lake is a spectacular property and its special relationship with local residents goes back generations. There is a history there, and the prospect for change can be unsettling, particularly in the absence of concrete information.

As president and chief executive officer at Canopy, I’d like to begin filling in the blanks, to the extent possible.

First, who is Canopy? We like to think of ourselves as a new kind of development company – a company that creates resorts and destination villages in exceptional natural environments that are worth protecting. We employ forward-thinking conservation strategies, drive community development and economic activity, and leave lasting legacies of both natural and architectural beauty. Canopy works collaboratively with innovators in green architecture, alternative energy, sustainable agriculture, land preservation and many others, to achieve our mission of creating places designed to balance impacts with conservation.

We invite you to get to know us, and once you do, I think you will find that we share the community’s reverence for this property and will develop it in a way that respects its heritage and adds value to its environs. We work closely with the local community to create positive solutions to land development issues, increase the tax base and improve the quality of life for the surrounding communities. While we have not yet determined the precise scope and character of our development at Williams Lake, our expectation is that the outcome will be in keeping with this approach. 

Importantly, while we have reached a tentative agreement to purchase Williams Lake, we do not own it. As with all real estate transactions of this sort, we are undertaking a process of due diligence and permitting, a process during which the local community will have the opportunity to engage. As this project evolves, we look forward to that input and expect that the involvement of local residents over the months to come will contribute to how the property ultimately takes shape. That point is worth emphasizing: we welcome the opportunity for the community at large to contribute to the vision for the development and we will be holding a series of meetings over the months to come to seek out that input.

Over the past few weeks, there have been two issues in particular about which local residents have expressed concerns. The first has to do with the exclusive nature of the development. While there can be no denying that this project is likely to serve a predominantly affluent clientele, we will work to strike a balance between meeting the needs of privacy for our guests and the needs of the local community. Just how will an upscale development contribute to the quality of life within Rosendale and Ulster County? It’s a legitimate question to be sure, but what we expect is that the project will help to enhance the stature of the area, broaden the tax base, add jobs and generally stimulate more local economic activity. The impact, we believe, will be overwhelmingly positive. 

The second concern relates to public access to the site. Although Williams Lake has been a private resort for many years, many in the community have accessed the property for their recreational use. This will change, but please know that we have begun talking with state, county and local officials on a solution for public open space, a place where local residents might enjoy the beautiful natural environment in or near Rosendale.

We have been heartened by the largely positive reception we have received thus far in the community, including both public officials and local residents who recognize the tremendously positive impact that the development will have on the community at large. In addition to the sizeable tax revenues that would be generated for the Town of Rosendale by such a project, we expect to provide a considerable number of jobs, both during the construction phase and long term, at the facility itself. We are committed to maintaining the special quality of the property and to undertaking a wildlife and natural resource management plan to help sustain and protect the property’s important ecosystems.

In her letter to the community, Anita Williams Peck, the property’s current owner, called the pending sale of Williams Lake “the end of an era.” That is certainly true, but we are hopeful that the era now before us holds the promise of many new memories, that new generations of local families and visitors alike will have the opportunity to experience this truly magnificent property. We look forward to being your new neighbors and to working together to make this new development a place of which we all can be proud.

Sincerely,

Tom Horton
President & Chief Executive Officer
Canopy Development Company
Northampton, Massachusetts