Welcome to Wiccopee

May 15th 2008, we had two very attractive "Welcome to Historic Wiccopee Hamlet" signs erected at the Hook and Fishkill Hook Roads entrances to Historic Wiccopee Hamlet coming in from Rte 52!

First photo is at the intersection of Route 52 and Fishkill Hook Rd. across from Wiccopee Community Church.

Second photo is at intersection of Route 52 and Hook Rd. With Colonial era former Isaac Hawks Wagon Shop in the background.

The signs look great and will highlight East Fishkill's Wiccopee Hamlet that has the Town's highest density and large number of important homes on the Town's Survey Historic Structures. We know this will foster pride, recognition and education of it's Historic significance, and additional preservation efforts to save and protect this old Colonial era Hamlet with some structures dating back in to the 1700's. We have reports some of the timbers in the houses came from the massive and critical Historic Colonial Revolutionary War Encampment in Fishkill that was so important to the success of the American Revolutionary War (see more at: http://www.fishkill-historical-focus.org/ ). Wiccopee Hamlet is an area in East Fishkill that is largely intact as it was as a thriving Colonial era Hamlet back in the 1800's. Even before that, the area took it's Wiccopee name from the Native Americans that lived on it's nurturing and providing lands. Reports say the Wiccopee Indian tribe at it's peak numbered around 1,000!

April 11th 2008 - U.S. Rep. John Hall Announces Congressional Hearing in East Fishkill.
Committee to Focus on Water Pollution and Cleanup Efforts in Hudson Valley

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. John Hall (D-NY19) announced today that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, which Hall serves on, will hold a special Field Hearing in East Fishkill to examine water pollution and cleanup in New York's Hudson Valley. The Field Hearing, entitled "Water Resources Contamination and Environmental Cleanup in the Hudson Valley," will be held April 11, 2008 at 9:30am in the East Fishkill Town Hall.

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Workshop Meeting - March 27, 2008 - click here

Jan. 24th 2008 - A motion to deny the Sagamore Sewer Corporation rate increase was approved by the East Fishkill Town Board.

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Workshop Meeting - January 10, 2008 - click here

We wanted to share with you, this mock up of a proposed sign to mark the entrances to Historic Wiccopee Hamlet which is being considered for a East Fishkill Historic District.

Town of East Fishkill Swearing-In Ceremony January 3, 2008

East Fishkill held a Swearing-In Ceremony and reorganization meeting Jan. 3rd. With an introduction by Town Supervisor John L. Hickman Jr., Donna Reyer a Producer at Cablevision was the Master of Ceremonies. The National Anthem and many other patriotic songs were beautifully sung by Theresa Arno during the evening's events. Twilight Florist provided carnations for the elected being sworn in as well as decorative arrangements. Wonderful tasty food was provided by East Fishkill Provisions. Hopewell Photo Graphics provided program guides.
Following the swearing-in ceremonies and a break for refreshments, the Town Board held it's reorganization meeting where many Town positions were appointed for the year.
Among the appointees were: Tom Wood - Town Attorney; Scott Bryance - Town Engineer; Christine Mitchell - Controller; Ethel Walker - Deputy Supervisor; Robert Karpel - Chairperson Zoning Board of Appeal; Norma Drummond - Chairperson Planning Board; David Hall - Planning Board; Keith Staudohar - Planning Board.

Sworn in to office by Honorable Michael J. Tomkovitch, Town Justice were:
Marge Horton, County Legislator District 21
David Kelly, County Legislator District 23
Alison McAvery, County Legislator District 16
Robert Weiss, County Legislator District 12
John L. Hickman Jr., Town Supervisor
Peter Cassidy, Town Board
John Koch, Town Board
Irene McAliney, Town Justice
Carol Hurray, Town Clerk
Dennis Miller, Highway Superintendent
Claudia Heckert, Receiver of Taxes, sworn in by her father, Honorable Thomas J. Dolan, County Court Judge

Elected Councilperson Town Board, John Koch takes the oath of office from Hon. Michael Tomkovitch, Town Justice, while John's wife Maureen assists. Looking on in the background is Councilperson Ethel Walker, Supervisor John L. Hickman Jr., and Councilperson William Dahncke.

More photos from Swearing-In Ceremony click here.
or
Click here for version 2. Let us know which style of photo presentation you like best.

Sally Harding's excellent letter on East Fishkill Building Moratorium:

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Meeting - December 20, 2007 - click here

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Meeting - December 6, 2007 - click here

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Meeting - November 29, 2007 - click here

East Fishkill Election Results November 2007:
Supervisor: John Hickman Jr.
Town Council/Board: Peter Cassidy and John Koch
Highway Superintendent: Dennis Miller
Town Clerk: Carol Hurray
Tax Collector: Claudia Heckert
Dutchess County Legislature District 21: Margaret J Horton
Dutchess County Legislature District 12: Robert A Weiss
Dutchess County Legislature District 16: Alison MacAvery

East Fishkill adopts Wetlands Law; Steep Slopes Law; Lot Count Formula Amendment; and Amends Moratorium Local Law.
Town Board Rejects Montage request to rezone Stormville property to high density housing. September 27th, 2007.

We wanted to take the opportunity to recognize the leadership and hard work that our Supervisor, Town Board, and Town Attorney, along with public input and other Town Boards’ review, put into these laws that thoughtfully move forward intelligent land usage policies, protecting the quality and character of our Town, existing property owners interests and rights, and the critical vital natural resources that we need to protect.

For hours and hours of listening, re-writes, discussions and thoughtful consideration we heartily applaud Supervisor John Hickman, Town Board members Peter Cassidy, Ethel Walker, Bill Dahncke and Heidi Resk. Town Attorney Tom Wood deserves special mention for his research, re-writes and crafting these laws. These laws clearly have the vision of helping to protect the future of East Fishkill.

Thank you! – Save Wiccopee Organization

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Next Tuesday Evening August 21, 2007 at 7:30pm

Property of and behind Wiccopee General Store in Historic Wiccopee Hamlet.

Applicant wants to put a 4500 square foot building and 55+ car parking lot.

Many area residents have voiced the following concerns with this site plan:

Negative impact on Historic Wiccopee Hamlet which has structures over 200 years old and has remained much the same as it was in 1850’s. It is currently proposed as East Fishkill’s First Historic District.
Traffic concerns. Current plans show a cut through road from Rte 52 on to Hook Road.
Loitering & Litter
Light, dust, smell and noise pollutions
Negative impacts being over a primary critical aquifer and along a tributary of the Fishkill creek watershed. Plans indicate they want to regrade the stream.
Some residents already have additional water problems in their yards and basements believed from the filling done at this site in the 1980’s. So concerns about water run off, and water usage are big.
Though residents prevailed and had applicant withdraw a gas station proposed here, many are concerned applicant will reattempt a gas station if this is approved and built.
They do not trust things will be done right – applicant changed use of the current parking area from filling in wetlands and never improved the site… it is still the same dusty unimproved dirt parking lot from the 1980’s without site improvements. There are concerns about all the debris that was buried at this site as reported by the E.F. building inspector at that time.
Residents are concerned with what use the current store building will have if it’s operations are moved into new building. There is not enough parking there now. People illegally park along the street.
Not enough buffers and screening of and from residential properties, and room for Rte 52 expansion should it become 4 lanes.

We urge you attend and voice your concerns. We need your support and attendance.

Please tell all your friends and neighbors too!

Thursday July 26th, 2007 E.F. Well Testing Law Passed - The East Fishkill Town Board, at their meeting tonight, with Board member Heidi Resk absent, passed a well water testing law. It becomes the third local Town right after Wappingers and Fishkill to pass a law that the County or State should have implemented. This is a public health and safety issue and many felt the current county executive has shown a lack leadership and responsibility to constituents by stopping Dutchess County from passing a well testing law earlier this year.

Two Important East Fishkill Public Hearings: Well Testing, and modification to Building Moratorium - Thursday July 26th, 2007 7:30pm

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Please take notice that the Town Board of the Town of East Fishkill will conduct a Public Hearing at their Regular Meeting on *Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, 330 Route 376, Hopewell Junction, NY* to consider public comment on a proposed Local Law entitled "Local Law No. ____ of 2007 entitled *Mandatory Private Well Testing in the Town of East Fishkill".* If adopted, this Local Law would require the testing of private wells by the property owner in order to be able to obtain certification of the property's compliance with all building codes of the Town of East Fishkill.

A copy of said Local Law will be available on the Town Website, www.eastfishkillny.org, and also at the office of the Town Clerk on or about July 16, 2007.

Anyone wishing to comment on said Local Law should be present at the above mentioned date and time or forward written correspondence to the attention of the Town Clerk prior to the commencement of the Public Hearing.

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD
OF THE TOWN OF EAST FISHKILL
DOROTHY MEKEEL, TOWN CLERK

------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Please take notice that the Town Board of the Town of East Fishkill will conduct a Public Hearing at their Regular Meeting on *Thursday, July 26, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, 330 Route 376, Hopewell Junction, NY* to consider a Local Law entitled Local Law No. _____ of 2007 *Modifying the Existing Moratorium by Raising the Threshold for Applications to 15 Lots or Less.* A copy of the full text of the Local Law will be available on the Town Website, www.eastfishkillny.org, and also at the office of the Town Clerk on or about July 16, 2007.

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD
OF THE TOWN OF EAST FISHKILL
DOROTHY MEKEEL, TOWN CLERK

Photo Courtesy of Fred Robbins

Wednesday June 20, 2007 PM

East Fishkill Supervisor John Hickman talks to reporters. Tonight John won the Republican Party Caucus for Town Supervisor to be on the ballot to return for another term as Supervisor. Many people passionately supported John Hickman and the work he has done to date to address the many issues facing the Town. A lot of constituents feel strongly that John has returned civility and residents’ interaction to Town meetings. Communications are better and John Hickman and the Town Board are willing to tackle thorny and often unpopular issues – one’s that simply need to be addressed sooner, rather than later.

Our congratulations to John Hickman, and all the Town officials and residents that are working to keep East Fishkill – “A Great Place to Live”

NEWS RELEASE: Thursday, April 26, 2007 – The EPA has honored more than 40 individuals and organizations from New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with its Environmental Quality Awards. Honorees were singled out for their outstanding achievements in protecting the environment. At today’s NYC awards ceremony, Alan J. Steinberg, EPA Regional Administrator was joined by keynote speaker Cory A. Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey in presenting the awards.

Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker, Hopewell Junction resident Debra Hall and EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg

Photo courtesy: Fred Robbins

Debra Hall, Hopewell Junction Citizens for Clean Water, Hopewell Junction, NY received the EPA’s highest public award for her efforts. Debra has become an outspoken advocate for a number of environmental concerns including indoor air standards and well testing. Living above the contaminated plume at the Hopewell Precision Superfund site, she played a key role in getting EPA to place the site on the National Priorities List of the most hazardous waste sites. Her various public testimonies have promoted the use of specialized equipment to characterize the presence of hazardous vapors that make their way into homes from contaminated sites. She is also conservation chair of the Mid-Hudson Sierra Club and a proponent of better protective standards for the chemical TCE.

Honored to attend Debra’s award ceremony in NYC was her husband David Hall, Dutchess County Legislators Marge Horton, Sandra Goldberg and William McCabe; Fred Robbins of Neighbors for a Safe Community, and Tim Leed of Save Wiccopee Organization.

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Workshop Meeting - March 22, 2007 - click here

John Hickman, East Fishkill Town Supervisor, talks about the property tax revaluation going on in East Fishkill in his most recent blogspot - click here.

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Workshop Meeting - February 08, 2007 - click here

Notice: Residents of the Town of East Fishkill can hear more about the property revaluation at a presentation by MJW Consulting this Thursday Feb. 8th, 2007 at 7:30PM at Town Hall.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the County Executive of Dutchess County in the County Office Building, Legislative Chambers, 6th Floor, 22 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, New York on the 8th day of February 2007, at 10:00 a.m. on the following local law: A local law mandating private well testing to be performed on properties in Dutchess County. At said time and place, all parties interested will be heard.

Meeting minutes and notes from the East Fishkill Town Board Workshop Meeting - January 11, 2007 - click here

Revised, as of Jan. 9th, 2007, Proposed Town Local Laws are available now at the East Fishkill Website - click here

Read East Fishkill's Supervisor John Hickman's 2006 Year in Review Blog - click here

Open Space and Protecting Historic Community Character in a Time of Change - A Save Wiccopee Organization member, Tim Leed, attended last Saturday’s (Oct. 29^th) full day conference on "Preservation Under Pressure - Open Space and Protecting Historic Community Character in a Time of Change”, at the Henry A. Wallace Library and Conference Center on the grounds of the FDR estate and National Historic site.

Here is his report.
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Dear Save Wiccopee members and East Fishkill Neighbors,

Last Saturday I took the time to attend a full day conference put on by The Preservation League of New York State. The subjects touched on most of the issues facing our Towns today. Topics covered: Open Space, Law, Historic Preservation, Building Community, Town Centers, Proper Development, Scenic Highways, affordable/workplace housing and more.

This conference was so good, and covered so much about planning, open space, historic preservation, roads, and more – that I would have gladly paid with my own money, the $20 per person to send each and every East Fishkill Town Board, Planning Board, ZBA, and Architectural Review Board member to this conference. It was such an eye opener as to what can be done to keep a community nice and thriving with planning, preservation, architectural guidelines and other efforts.

First off, the conference center, the Wallace Center, is located on the stunning FDR estate, and is a beautiful state-of-the-art conference center. Accommodations were just excellent. Breakfast, lunch, and breaks were all provided. Everything seemed effortlessly organized, though one could tell that much work was done for this day.

The attendance of the conference was full with regional advocates, organizations, and many from regional Town boards, planners and historical organizations. There were plenty of handout materials in support of the topics.

The keynote speaker, Edward T. McMahon, from the Urban Land Institute in Washington DC, was very engaging. He discussed how the buildings and the character of a Town must be worth caring about and that we should all strive to leave our Towns more beautiful and valuable then before our efforts. He talked about how Towns were vanishing with cookie cutter cinder block buildings that would not even be considered worth saving in the future. That much building has caused the destruction of community character with inappropriate location and inappropriate style. He mentioned that 1 acre of asphalt paving has 16 times the water runoff of a meadow and that pavement can add 8 degrees to an area’s temperature. Trees, landscaping and community image are all critical to an area’s vitality – every town should have notable and beautiful gateways/entries into their Townships.

Strips Malls make a Town look like Anyplace USA… not distinction and no character, certainly no charm. In a survey on retiree’s main interest in a place to retire #1 is - Scenic landscapes and quaint towns. The surrounding environment is the single most important factor in affecting value of a home. In another survey, the community amenity people want, #1 is Walking trails and bike paths. Number #2 is Parks. Strip malls are failing…. look at all the malls around here with so many empty stores. A study showed the people spend more shopping at modern mixed use Town Centers than strip malls.

Saving historic structures, is what links us to our past, it saves the soul of an area, the heritage. Looking at a recent example… in New Orleans, the old French Quarter – this historic area - was the single biggest draw to the area. San Antonio once wanted to bury it’s river through the city – underground. They started attractive development along it and now River Walk is the single biggest tourist draw in the state of Texas. The character of an area must be able to differentiate your community or your community doesn’t matter, it’s Anyplace. Towns need to drive architectural quality. All chains stores will build an architecturally interesting building, if the Town tells them they have to. Even Wal-Mart will build a more attractive building than it’s standard battleship-gray cinder block building, if it has to. It should fit into the character of the Town. There are plenty of examples where chains build something far better than the cinder block buildings they try to get away with… and guess what, these more interesting stores that fit the community – actually do better.

A Town’s loss of character and deterioration occurred one building at a time… to reverse it you only need to change it one building at a time. It is said the best time to plant a tree is fifty years ago… and the next best time, is today!

Strip Malls are so last century, the walkable mixed use project (retail, office, residential) is the future. This mixed use was the ‘old way’ and is becoming the ‘new’ way of success again. You need to create places people want to go to, spent time at, where things are happening, and they’ll return to.

A Town needs to build a vision for the future, a list of what you want to save and accomplish.

Build an inventory of your assets and resources.

Build your plans around the enhancement of your assets.

Use education, incentives, partnerships and voluntary initiatives – not just regulation, to achieve goals.

Towns should pick and choose development proposals, ask to see multiples proposals/variations, not evaluate just one.

The most important question for a community is “what should we do?”

The very best land should belong to and be used by the public… i.e. along a river… this guarantees the next best land will be right behind this. An example might be the walkway along the Newburgh riverfront.

Our sense of identity is tied to buildings, views, and the character of an area. One can grow without destroying what we love and cherish.

The next main speaker was William Hurst, legal council for Preservation League of New York. He talked about how impacts can be more insidious like removing properties from settings, impacting viewscapes, or major impacts like the destruction of a building. He talked how the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the State Historic Law, SEQRA, and local landmark ordinances – historic laws, can be used to protect historic structures and areas. Towns need to identify historic buildings and areas. Identify direct and indirect impacts on these. Look at impacts on community character, existing population usage. Look at whether there are materially impacts conflicting with community goals. Study impacts on important historic resources. If a project has segmentation – that is dividing up a project to isolate impacts to avoid SEQRA review, the town should make sure the total impacts and even impacts of other neighboring projects that might have a cumulative impact, are fully studied.

Towns can, and should, enact local legislation to protect the community character and spirit.

Next up, Sally Mazzarella, Chair of the Town of Rhinebeck Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Review Committee, spoke on her non-partisan efforts to protect open space and review Rhinebeck’s zoning and planning laws. They studied adaptive reuse of structures for affordable housing, looked at blending open space with affordable housing efforts. Sally said any open space should be a conservation easement held by a land trust so it remains permanently open space. She talked about staggered roof lines, smaller buildings - not big boxes, having architectural control over things like lighting, signage etc. They have a moratorium on new gas stations as they feel the density is already plenty. Recommending mixed usage in some areas… a mix of walkable park like areas, offices, retail, and housing.

Geoff Bornemann, City Planner for Saratoga Springs, NY since 1985, talked about his city’s efforts for historic preservation and retaining open space. He talked about the importance of having a beautiful gateway for the area and community character. He discussed community flow… how one area of development should flow into the next. You need to know your community vision. He suggested some rules be advisory… not mandatory, and that these guidelines be supplied to the public to educate them about why doing certain things a better way will increase property values and community identity.

Paul Daniel Marriott gave a talk on Historic and Scenic Road Protection in NYS.

At the end there was a panel discussion with the above speakers, adding Deborah Meyer DeWan – Hudson River Heritage, Roberta Lane – Regional Attorney for National Trust for Historic Preservation Northeast Regional office, and Daniel Mackay - Director of Public Policy Preservation League of NYS.

The handouts we were given have resources and suggested books to further explore these fascinating topics.

In addition I’d like to recognize that another Save Wiccopee Organization member and Fort Homestead Association leader, and someone whose relatives were early settlers of Wiccopee in the olden days, Virginia Buechele, was there attending. Mara Farrell, a Trustee with the Fishkill Historical Society was also in attendance.

I think we all felt, that every member of every Town Board should experience a conference like this, to see how preservation and community character can be maintained and even enhanced through proper planning, preservation and a vision of the community’s character.

The words and quote, below, were contributed by Virginia Buechele:

Ginny -- When it comes to Economic Development, Sameness is not a plus! What are we building today in the Hudson Valley that will be worthy of preservation 50 years from now! 80% percent of everything ever built in America has been built in the last 45 years.
"The man (or woman) who feels no sentiment of veneration for the memory of his forefathers, who has no natural regard for his ancestors or his kindred...is himself unworthy of kindred, or remembrance." - Daniel Webster

Best regards… Tim Leed
Save Wiccopee Organization
www.wiccopee.org
(Permission to republish as written is given)

East Fishkill Town Board Meeting Oct. 26th – see meeting notes in-line, after each agenda item.

TOWN BOARD - TOWN OF EAST FISHKILL - OCTOBER 26, 2006
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE TO THE FLAG
Supervisor’s Comments, Reports and Proclamations
- Announce intention to appoint an Open Space Committee
East Fishkill has received another 14 or so letters in support of the open space initiative. Supervisor Hickman said this board supports open space efforts, and said they want to appoint a committee of approximately 7 to 9 people to identify target parcels/areas and to explore funding options.
- Introduction of Preliminary Budget
Preliminary budget looks to be a 4.23% tax increase this coming year. As John Koch brought up, this does not include fire and library districts taxes. John Hickman said he would not accept a slated raise for his Supervisor position this year, in light of the budget increases. This brought applause from residents.

Town Board Reports
Supervisor Hickman said it looks like it would be next Spring before work started on Shenandoah water supply pipeline.
Town Board member Heidi Resk is working on Town-school board issues.
Town Board member Bill Dahncke introduced 3 student interns that will be assisting the Town Board. He also recognized the restraint the E.F. police department showed in an incident earlier this week. This too brought applause from residents.

Public Hearing(s):
1. Consider Wetlands Steep Slopes and Lot Count Formula Law
One resident, a larger property owner, spoke that he thought proposed laws might remove too many lots from being built on.
Another resident spoke in support of open space, concerns about watershed and aquifer impacts, yet suggested Town review his property to see how proposed laws would impact lot count.
     (a) Close Public Hearing
Adjourned to November 16^th.

2. Consider amending the Zoning Ordinance with respect to Shared Driveways, Fences and Public Notices.
Shared Driveways – all lots must support their own driveways if considered individually.
Fences – to alleviate ZBA hearings on fences – approved increased rear lot height for 4 – 6 feet for decorative, not chain link, fences. Other fence requirements remain.
Public Notices of Hearings – approved that bright standardized signage must be posted on subject properties 20 days before a public hearing, so that the public would know of hearings, and that all property owners within 500 feet of proposed sites would have to be notified.
     (a) Close Public Hearing
     (b) Adopt a Negative Declaration
      (c) Adopt Local Law – Town passed this Zoning Ordinance law. This is the first of the set of laws to be passed arising out of the Town’s Building moratorium.

Roll Call
All board members present at this time.

Public Comments on Agenda Items

Approve Minutes – Meetings of July, August, September and October, 2006

Review and Receipt of Correspondence:

Resolutions:

1. Supporting enactment of Well Testing Law by Dutchess County and NYS.
At tonight’s (Oct. 26^th) East Fishkill Town Board meeting, the East Fishkill Town Board unanimously approved a resolution supporting the full mandatory well testing laws before the Dutchess County Legislature and New York State Legislative bodies. East Fishkill, a town with two Superfund Sites and numerous other sites of water contamination, knows all too well that only random testing will uncover previously unknown areas of water contamination. In putting the health the residents first, the Town Board courageously ignored special interest groups that want a “watered down” limited ‘targeted’ well testing. After a detailed presentation by Debra Hall, Hopewell Junction Citizens for Clean Water, who discussed the critical health concerns of drinking contaminated water, the reasonable costs of protecting one’s family’s health and that no target would be the right target - as no one already knows where contamination exists…. the East Fishkill Town Board passed a resolution that backs the far better well testing laws as co-sponsored by State Assemblyman Patrick Manning in the NYS Assembly, and the well testing law sponsored by East Fishkill Dutchess County Legislator Marge Horton and Sandra Goldberg (D-Wappinger), who submitted the original resolution on well testing in the Dutchess County Legislature.

The Town Board was acknowledged with some standing applause upon passing the well testing resolution.

2. Supporting reform of the NYS Real Property Disclosure Law by increasing non-disclosure payment.
The Town Board passed a resolution recommending to New York State strengthening the real estate disclosure laws so there would be a more meaningful payment for not filling out a property disclosure form.

3. Setting Town Board meeting dates for November and December 2006 and January 2007.
Nov 9^th Public hearing on Budget. Nov 16^th regular Town Board meeting, December 14^th Public hearing on Sagamore water district, January 11^th as a workshop meeting, and January 25^th as regular Town Board meeting.

4. Receive and file Map, Plan and Report for Presidential Way Water District and set a Public Hearing thereon for January 25, 2007.
Set.

5. Authorize funds to relocate a historic icehouse to property of the East Fishkill Historical Society.
The Town Board authorized spending up to $6000 for relocation costs to move an historic ice house to Fishkill Historical site off Kensington Rd. Applause for this resolution.

6. Establish the position of Captain within the Police Department and appoint a Captain from the Civil Service list (no additional employee).
The Town Board created position of Captain within the Police Department, eliminating one of the lieutenant positions. Applause for this resolution.

7. Set a Public Hearing for December 14, 2006 on a Local Law to amend the income ceiling for affordable housing.
Set.

8. Refer to E911 road names in the Eagle Ridge Subdivision (Caties Way and Glenn’s Way).
Approved.

9. Authorize an agreement with ASCAP granting a license for music.
Approved payment of $300 annually to license live and recorded music at Town properties.

10. Set a Public Hearing for December 14, 2006 with respect to adding one lot to the Sagamore Sewer District.
Set.

11. Set a Public Hearing for November 9, 2006 on the 2007 Town Budget.
Set.

12. Set fees for recreation programs and Community Center use.
Approved.

13. Grant fireworks permit to Barton Orchards.
This was to be this weekend… but with a forecast of rain, this request was withdrawn.

14. Authorize former Assessor to assist with the revaluation on an as needed basis.
Approved rehire at last pay rate, no more than 17 hours per week, and budgeted at a total of 80 hours for next year.

15. Authorize Supervisor to sign contract and hourly payment agreement with Town Planning Consultants.
Approved. Buckhurst, Fish and Jacquemart, Inc.

16. Declaring three police vehicles as surplus and authorizing bids to sell them.
3 Ford Crown Victorias with mileage 90,000’s to 140,000’s. Bids due before Dec. 14^th meeting.

17. Authorize Supervisor to sign Memorandum of Understanding with respect to gift of land for Waste Water Treatment Plant and refer to Planning Board.
The 3.62 acres to be considered in gross land count for Hopewell Crossing, LLC.

Additions to Agenda (if any)

Authorize Payment of Bills
Various payment of Bills authorized.

Budget Transfers (if any)
Various budget transfer items.

Public Comment on General Town Issues
Sharon, a resident spoke of how the Town really needs to create Town-wide water districts and water supplies, as we all need safe reliable water. Suggested connecting to Dutchess County pipeline where possible. Wanted this topic put on the agenda.

John Koch mentioned Cablevision removed a TBS channel and now requires a cable box to receive it – this is an increase of $85 a year. Suggested the Town tell Cablevision it does not like this method of raising rates.

Board member Ether Walker discussed a meeting on improvements to Beekman Rd. and said many residents were concerned improvements would result in more speeding on Beekman Rd.

Verne Jackson mentioned traffic issues arising from Taconic median closings.

Adjournment

All information believed accurate. Send any corrections to us.
Save Wiccopee Organization

East Fishkill Town Board Meeting - Oct. 12th - Notes

Debra Hall who lives in the East Fishkill Hopewell Precision SuperFund area, which has TCE water and air contamination, gave an educational, detailed presentation to the Town Board – why East Fishkill, a Town with SuperFund sites and other know contamination issues, should support well testing and to let the County know this.
Meeting notes posted below.
Debra Hall's Well Testing Presentation
Inorganic Not Testing Items
SWO- We also wanted to mention, a health department person claiming fewer MTBE’s sites would be found now that MTBE’s are outlawed in gas… Though MTBE's might be finally outlawed, gasoline contains more than 100 other chemicals including toluene, benzene, xylene ... many things a person does not want to drink, nor breathe. Also to those that push testing only in known areas… the purpose of overall testing upon sale of house, is to find and remediate other places. No one knows where contamination is, or isn’t. Contamination plumes move in sometimes unpredictable ways. A company or trucker hauling chemicals to a disposal site – might have stopped along a roadway and dumped a load rather than pay expensive processing fees. Or say a person worked somewhere where they had access to “cleaners” such as TCE or dry cleaning chemicals – maybe years ago they took some home and wound up pouring it down their drains. We encourage and support well testing to protect your families’ health. Please read the documents as we post them. - SWO
NYS Assemblyman Patrick Manning and State Senate candidate Brian Keeler were there. Pat spoke in support of Debra and well testing. Dutchess County Legislator Marge Horton gave a wonderful recognition and “Thank You” to Debra for being a champion of letting people know about the importance of well testing. Ed Hickman asked about the water in Wiccopee Hamlet area… Supervisor John Hickman said they were looking into getting water from the supply line going to serve the Shenandoah SuperFund area, another major area of contamination.

Next up was a presentation by Tom Scanlon’s engineer to the Town Board to rezone the O’Dell house in the center of Wiccopee Hamlet from R1 Residential to B1 Business. He wants to build a sub surface sewage system on O”Dell property back lot as the fill they’ve tested behind the store contains a lot of clay and makes for poor drainage. They want to use this space as they want to build a massive 9000 SqFt building behind the store and Ed Hickman’s properties. He talked about subdividing off the O’Dell house and having Habitat for Humanity rework it for ‘workforce’ housing. Town Board asked how old the O’Dell house is, Dianne Hickman said it was existing on a map dating back 1858. Scanlon wants to use this parcel, behind other residential properties, for sewer. East Fishkill Historical Society Director Malcolm Mills said this house was an integral part of Historic Wiccopee Hamlet and was on the East Fishkill Inventory of Historic Structures. The Town indicated they’d like to see it preserved. Wiccopee Hamlet has been proposed as East Fishkill first historical district. The property in the rezoning request is now a non-conforming residential use as it’s less than 1 acre lot. The engineer said they want a two story 9000 sqft building like those massive buildings at SUMMERLIN PLAZA, Lake Walton Rd and Rte 376. (a 9000 sqft two story building would loom over, dwarf and not fit in with the old historic houses many in the 860-1400 sqft sizes.) The engineer said he thought the project would enhance properties adjacent (call me crazy, but living near a sewer area, and a looming commercial building with traffic, lights, noise, garbage, with loitering, blocking my views, potentially causing water drainage issues on my property, destroying the quaint residential nature of this Historic Hamlet… isn’t my idea of improvement). The Town has received correspondence against this rezoning, several people spoke against this proposal. The engineer said they’d have to build a smaller building if they didn’t get this rezoning. The Town will continue to take input on this, so please get your concerns in to the Town.

Next, was a discussion of saving and moving an historical ice house to the East Fishkill Historical Society’s site off Kensington Dr. Malcolm Mills, East Fishkill Historical Director, said the ice house was in pretty good shape and one of the few remaining… it would be a nice addition to the buildings at the Historical Society’s site. He’s working to minimize the costs of moving the structure and Frontier Communications would work with them to move low wires during the move. Marge Horton would work to get some historical ice cutting tools from the County to put on display.

John Hickman talked about Hopewell Glen being built soon… 290 units! There would be a new road coming in off 1st Street and the County requires the Rail Trail crossing to be a tunnel – of course the Town would have to pay all maintenance costs for the tunnel. The County is firm on having a tunnel as they see this new road as being a major bypass to the center of Hopewell Junction. By the way – Oct 17th East Fishkill Planning Board has item #4. PUBLIC HEARING FOR FINAL APPROVAL - Hopewell Glen, 390 lot Subdivision and Related Site Plans, Fishkill Road.

John said he’s received about 60 letters to date in support of Open Space initiatives. He wants to form a committee of about 10 people to look into viable properties, have a map of potential properties available, explore ways of funding and then pose a referendum to the voters on this. Wants to look at what other Towns are doing and have to done for Open Space, discussed a flat tax on parcels, matching funds and other ways for raising funding. Malcolm Mills suggested this be done before all the open space is gone! John asked if Malcolm would help identify some potential sites, Malcolm agreed to work on this.

There was a discussion of the budget time table.

Discussed creation of a Captains position in the police force. Non-union civil service position. Currently 3 lieutenants, one would be eliminated to make Captain Position. This is part of the NYS recommendation for staffing changes. Cost would be about $6000 additional per year.

Oct. 12th Thursday - Two Items of Interest for this East Fishkill Town Board Meeting 7:30pm - agenda items:
1). Debra Hall will discuss importance of well testing and why Town of East Fishkill should support it.
2). There is an appeal to by Tom Scanlon, who had proposed the gas station, to rezone a residential property in the Historic Hamlet of Wiccopee to business zoning. We are opposed to this request.

Sept 28th - East Fishkill Building Moratorium Extended Another 6 months!

Hi all, here’s an update for those unable to attend this important meeting.

The East Fishkill Town opened the Public hearing on the proposed laws - wetlands, steep slopes, and other laws as listed on our website.

Catherine Wieck spoke on how we cannot keep using the Fishkill Creek and tributaries as waste water dumping grounds, that flooding and other issues were growing.

Another resident spoke on the steep slopes laws saying maybe they should allow slightly more steep grades.

Then a resident who is an Earth Science teacher said this area was based on a subsurface composite of limestone and that developing on beyond the 10-15% slopes proposed would expose this limestone subsurface which erodes easily and can change the ph of water negatively affecting wildlife and plant life.

Tim Leed of SWO said the wetlands laws need strengthening so that known harmful operations like gas stations, dry cleaners, could not even be proposed along watershed tributaries and over critical vital aquifers. He also agreed with resident Larry Tomasso, that the laws should not make it unduly difficult nor expensive for existing property owners to do routine repairs, replacements and updates if they had a waterway in their properties.

Another resident asked that the Town act quickly to enact these laws ASAP, and start giving the Town some of these protections.

This public hearing was adjourned until an October meeting – date to be set. So…. Please Continue to get your feedback in on the proposed laws. Mail them to the Town and attend the next hearing on them.

The planning board had mailed in some recommendations about the adjacent properties owners notification in proposed planning and zoning projects brought before the Town.

Public hearing on Sagamore water district rates – the hearing was voted to be opened at a later date.

The Town then moved to Public hearing on continuing the building moratorium to finish the laws proposed and review CRD laws.

Resident Judy LaCombe spoke on how important getting the water pollution and water quality issues were – suggesting that the Town needs to make this a priority and appoint someone responsible to oversee all water issues.

Closed the public hearing and took a vote YES to EXTEND THE BUILDING MORATORIUM!

Tim Leed of SWO asked if we could expect revisions to the proposed laws before the next public hearing that incorporated some of the input taken from the public to date. John Hickman indicated the board would meet and discuss these issues and try to post revised laws on the Town website when available.

A vote was taken, and approved, to authorize the Town Supervisor to sign water supply applications needed to bring water to the residents of the Shenandoah Superfund site.

One person questioned whether there was nepotism in some of the Town recent appointments.

Tim Leed of SWO also asked why when other local Towns like Town of Fishkill voted to send a note of support for well testing before the Dutchess County Legislator, that with three Superfund sites… the Town of East Fishkill was silent? He said he would expect that East Fishkill would take a leadership position on this with all the pollution issues in the Town. John Hickman said they were going to have a presentation by Debra Hall on water issues and the need for testing, and indicated this would be revisited.

Another resident wanted to let people know how supportive and driven our County Legislator Marge Horton has been in trying to get water testing protections in place to protect our families’ health. (Note: We see Marge Horton at almost every meeting and she is a strong supporter of water quality. We ARE very lucky to have her representing East Fishkill).

John Koch, candidate for East Fishkill Town Board, brought to the board’s attention that when there’s conflict of interest, any board member should recluse themselves from any discussions and voting…. The temporary board member filing the vacant seat before the election did not excuse herself from the Sagamore water district discussions, even thought she lives there. John Hickman said he was glad this point was raised. (update to this: Supervisor John Hickman has told us that after the meeting, the Town Attorney, Tom Wood, said he did not think the new board member, Heidi Resk, had needed to recluse herself as there wasn't substantive discussions on this issue. We of course were not privy to this conversation and as a SWO member said, "legalities aside, appearances are important" - John Hickman agreed saying all Town Boards members need to be mindful of conflicts of interest.)

Malcolm Mills, East Fishkill Historical Society Director, gave an eloquent appeal on how East Fishkill should have a major protected open space/park for outdoor activities and such, before it’s too late. He pointed out how in other Town’s there’s Bowdin Park, Tymor Park, and recently Town of Wappingers protected a large site along the Hudson. We need open space and conservation easements and protections before it’s too late.

Malcolm Mills also spoke on efforts to save and move one of the few remaining ice houses to the site of the East Fishkill Historical Society house off Kensington Drive.

Remember if you don’t vote… you don’t have a voice. Please attend Town meetings and let the Town know your input on issues.

Save Wiccopee Organization

As a public service, and as we think it's an excellent appeal to preserve an important historic structure in the Historic Wiccopee Hamlet area, we post the following letter.

The Wiccopee Community United Methodist Church
7 Old Grange Road
East Fishkill, New York 12533
www.wiccopeecommunitychurch.com

August, 2006

Dear Members, Friends and Neighbors:

Our little Community Church at Wiccopee is in need of repairs and we are asking for your help. An area of the roof is leaking and needs to be fixed. The balcony has sustained water damage and the ceiling with the “Fresco Art” needs to be repaired. From the balcony sunlight can be detected through cracks in the exterior wall. Our congregation has repaired the steeple and has made structural repairs to the balcony but we cannot afford to continue due to limited funds. We are applying for grants but we must raise matching funds and if we don’t receive the grants we need to raise all the money, about $50,000.00. We plan to have Penny Socials, Tag Sales and Candy Sales and other fund raising events but we are also seeking monetary gifts in any amount to help with this project.

You may ask yourself why, why should I help? Well, for several reasons. First and foremost we hope you will help us because we want to be here to serve you. This little, Community Church has survived since 1826. It has been a part of countless lives over the past 180 years. We want it to remain a vital, integral part of our community. We want to be of service to our members, friends and neighbors for the next 180 years. Additionally, the Church is part of what is being considered as the Wiccopee Historic District, one of the few untouched hamlets in the county, and as such should be maintained as an example of early 19k” century architecture and an historic building.

Please consider helping us. A donation of any amount will be graciously received and acknowledged. Whether you can help or not please visit us on Sunday mornings at 9am for service. We are a United Methodist Congregation, people with “Open Minds, Open Hearts, and Open Doors.” All are Welcome.

Donations are tax deductible, check with you tax adviser for details. Donations should be made to the:

Wiccopee Community United Methodist Church
C/o Mrs. Eleanor Sammartino, Treasurer
63 Fishkill Hook Road
Hopewell Junction, New York 12533

Thank You.
The Board of Trustees at Wiccopee Community United Methodist Church

The initial public hearing on the proposed changes in Town laws as an outcome of the current building moratorium was on Aug 24th, 2006. There will be a continuance of this public hearing, so that more people can comment on these proposed laws, at the Sept. 28^th board meeting.

Most people spoke in strong support of these proposed laws, but many thought they should be stronger. One person objected to the steep slopes law saying a strong decline in real estate sales would moderate building in area. There are somewhere around 2,200 homes to be built already approved in East Fishkill. Catherine Wieck and a few speakers spoke on how the increased discharge of wastes into the Fishkill Creek watershed has got to stop.

John Koch, candidate for the Town Board seat in November, and a long time Planning Board member, gave a thoughtful and detailed multiple point review of the proposed laws, pointing out deficiencies and inconsistencies and thoughts on how to make the proposed laws clearer and better.

The Town Board would welcome and review comments from the planning and zoning boards members on the proposed laws.

Larry Tomasso was concerned that the water areas buffer zone might increase costs of some routine property maintenance items like adding an addition, paving a drive, and/or replacing septic fields on an existing property within these proposed buffer areas – he thought this would be unfair to existing property owners and costly.

E.F. Supervisor John Hickman mentioned that IBM and the EPA were moving very slowly on resolving property issues to get clean water to Shenandoah area residents and that the Town was willing to step in and help speed this up.

He also mentioned that Metro North Railroad has asked to remove warnings at grade crossings at several East Fishkill sites. The Town is opposed to this.

The Town Board appointed someone to fill the empty Town Board seat over Board member William Dahncke’s objection that since we’re so close to the elections, that the Town should wait and appoint the election winner to fill the rest of the seat’s term.

John Hickman mentioned that the Town needs to address CRD, work-force housing, senior housing and should look at an extension of the building moratorium. Ethel Walker – Town Board member, said more issues need addressing – look at the issues with my favorite development (a reference to Philips Rd development). There will be a Public Hearing Sept 28^th, 2006 to consider extending the building moratorium.
Mark your calendars and prepare your input for these Public Hearings Sept 28^th!

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Please take notice that the Town Board of the Town of East Fishkill will conduct a Public Hearing on the 24th day of August 2006 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, 330 Route 376, Hopewell Junction, NY to receive public comment with respect to the following proposed Local Laws and Ordinances.

1. A Local Law Establishing a Freshwater Wetlands, Water Bodies and
Watercourses Ordinance - This Local Law would regulate wetlands that
are currently not regulated by any other agency.

2. Steep Slopes - This Local Law would prohibit construction on slopes
over 20% and would require a permit for construction on slopes
greater than 10%.

3. An Ordinance Amending the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of East
Fishkill in the following manner:
(a) Reducing the maximum lot count available by subtracting wetlands,
certain buffer areas and steep slopes.
(b) Requiring additional notice to adjoining property owners and the
posting of property which is subject to any application before the
Zoning or Planning Boards.
(c) Shared Driveways - modifying the special permit provisions with
respect to shared driveways.
(d) Allow decorative fences in the rear yards to be 6 ft. in height.

Please take further notice that comments on the environmental
assessment form prepared with respect to this legislation will also be
considered by the Town Board at the above date and time.

Copies of some of the above referenced documents are available on the Town's website, but copies will be available in the office of the Town Clerk as of Wednesday, August 16, 2006.

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF EAST FISHKILL
DOROTHY MEKEEL
TOWN CLERK

In Memory of
Kelly Giancotti

Fundraiser to aid local cancer patients - Saturday July 8th - Appeal Letter

I am a member of a local not-for-profit organization, The Friends of Kel (www.friendsofkel.org).

I am hoping you can help us get the word out about our organization and an event we're putting together. It's a bowl-a-thon in honor of an amazing woman and Wiccopee resident, Kelly Giancotti, who lost her battle against brain cancer May 28, 2005.

All funds raised are going to help cancer patients locally and nationally, as well as toward two scholarships in Giancotti's name for John Jay Senior High School students. Last year, we raised $33,000 to help Giancotti and her family with their enormous medical bills. This year, we are hoping to have another great turnout.

The bowl-a-thon will be at Fishkill Bowl at 5 p.m. Saturday July 8th.. We'll be giving out lots of prizes, including a raffle drawing for a $2,000 travel certificate. There will be great music and cosmic bowling. All we ask is for a minimum $15 donation for the whole evening.

Thank you so much for any help you can provide us with. We are an all-volunteer group trying to get the word out about our great cause and we really want to make a difference in our area.

Allison Leed, Wappingers Falls

Donations can be sent to:

Friends of Kel
516 Bridge Street
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533

Deadline Extended to May 31st, 2006 for Public Comments - West Hook Sand & Gravel seeks to expand operations. Mining on an additional 2.5 acres AND renewal mining on 11.5 additional acres. This hearing will be in Fishkill as most of the mining operations are in Town of Fishkill. The heavy truck traffic from the mining is in East Fishkill on Wiccopee area roads. Their filing states “there will be no significant effect on environment.”

Public Comments are solicited and may be sent by May 31^th, 2006. If you have concerns about the mining, impact on environment, traffic, and any other concerns, write to: Alexander F. Ciesluk Jr., DEC Deputy Regional Permit Administrator, 21 South Putt Corner Rd., New Paltz, NY 12561-1696, 845-256-3014. FAX to 845-255-3042.

Thursday May 18th - East Fishkill Historical Society Director and History author Malcolm Mills will discuss and sign copies of his new book, "East Fishkill: Images of America" at 7 p.m. Thursday at the East Fishkill Community Library, 348 Route 376, Hopewell Junction.

East Fishkill 2006 Brush Drop Off Program Details
Location: 216 Lime Kiln Road
Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday starting May 17 thru June 24 between the hours of 10 AM and 6 PM.
Proof of East Fishkill Residency required at site.
No manufactured wood or non-brush debris will be accepted.

April 27th, 2006 East Fishkill Town Board meeting report posted
on 'News and Notices' page.

Proposed East Fishkill Monitored Alarm Law

East Fishkill Passes Building Moratorium
Tonight, the East Fishkill Town board concluded the public hearing on the proposed building moratorium, and then held a vote – the building moratorium was approved. March 23rd, 2006.

East Fishkill Town Supervisor, John Hickman, said this was a starting point, and that the Town will welcome and review additional comments, suggestions and input as to what more the Town can do to manage things and retain the quality of life in our Town.

So continue to contact the Town board members, get your suggestions in: Submit in writing: Town of East Fishkill, 330 Route 376, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533.

"Save the Ridge" - A well deserved victory for this group: NY State has purchased the 2,518-acre Awosting Reserve - the Shawangunk Ridge - from The Trust for Public Land and the Open Space Institute's. New York has wanted to see the Awosting Reserve protected for 15 years, since being identified as a priority in the state's first open space protection plan. It has now been added to the Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Kudos, way to go, great effort! March 15th, 2006.

Toxics Reporting - the EPA has proposed allowing businesses to report on how they are storing toxics to every other year instead of annually. The proposal would change the reporting of release of certain chemicals from 500 pounds to 5000 pounds. This bad decision, defeys common sense and will impact our health. Contact your US Congress person and US Senator and let them know this is wrong.

Settlement of the harassment lawsuit. Thursday March 2nd. The East Fishkill Town Board held a special meeting at 2:30 p.m. today to authorize a settlement of the harassment lawsuit filed by two highway department employees.

CANCELLED Thurs. Mar. 2, '06 Meeting

Hi all, we just called the East Fishkill Town Supervisors office, and tonight’s Town Board Meeting and Public Hearing on the Proposed Building Moratorium, are cancelled due to the inclement weather. The next voting level meeting would be March 23^rd.

So stay home, stay safe, and we’ll notify you of the next meetings.

Meanwhile… get your letters, thoughts, suggestions, etc. in to the East Fishkill Town on the building moratorium, and any other issues.

Submit comments in writing, prior to meeting, through the town clerk's office, 330 Route 376, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533. Call 845-221-9191 for information.

Moratoruim Law PASSSED!

East Fishkill's Proposed Moratorium Law

Posted Below

Well, here it is, the law as proposed… please be sure to attend the Public Hearing on Jan 26^th, 2006 at 7:30pm at the Town Hall. If you cannot attend, you may submit written comments to the care of the Town Clerk on or before 4:00 p.m. on the 26th of January 2006. This is East Fishkill’s future direction, so make sure your thoughts are heard.

LOCAL LAW OF 2006
“A Local Law Establishing a Moratorium with Respect to
Certain Development Within the Town of East Fishkill”

SECTION ONE - LEGISLATIVE INTENT
Over the past decade, the Town of East Fishkill has experienced the fastest growth of any community in Dutchess County.
The Town has seen the construction of hundreds of homes and the Planning Board has approved many new subdivisions which are either in the process of being constructed or are still undergoing approvals by other agencies.
The Planning Board currently is very busy and the Planning Board’s agenda is currently filled with applications and there have been many preapplication discussions held about other proposed developments.
The Town Board deems it necessary to impose a moratorium with respect to new applications coming before the Planning Board so as to afford the Town the opportunity to allow some of the projects presently under construction to build out and to build the public improvements that were required of them so as to mitigate any impacts.
It is the intention of the Town Board to review the entire zoning ordinance of the Town of East Fishkill to modify the same, particularly to modify the wetlands ordinances, steep slopes provisions and lot count formulas so as to ascertain that the appropriate controls are in effect under the zoning ordinance.
Therefore, in the opinion of the Town Board it is necessary to adopt a moratorium for a period of six months with respect to building applications and approvals within the Town of East Fishkill.

SECTION TWO - MORATORIUM
Upon the effective date of this Law and continuing for six months thereafter, the Planning Board shall no longer consider any applications with respect to subdivision approval and/or site plan approval of any parcels of property located within the Town of East Fishkill.

SECTION THREE - EXCEPTIONS
Any project presently pending before the Planning Board, which on the effective date of this Local Law has had a determination of significance adopted by the Planning Board pursuant to the State Quality Review Act or for which a Public Hearing has been set, or for a project that the Town Board determines may provide a public benefit by improving or eliminating off site adverse environmental or other impacts shall be allowed to continue in its processing before the Board and may receive final determination from said Board.
Nothing herein shall prohibit the processing of minor subdivision applications that result in five lots or less and nothing herein shall prohibit the processing of amendments to existing site plans, or site plans for construction on existing lots.
Nothing herein shall prohibit the processing of applications for accessory structures on already improved sites.
Nothing herein shall prohibit the issuance of a building permit on any existing building lot which has previously obtained all’ of its approvals and does not require any further subdivision. Additionally, nothing herein shall prevent the issuance of building permits for any project which is allowed to be reviewed and approved by the Planning Board during the term of this moratorium.

SECTION FOUR - NO EFFECT
Any building permit which has been issued may be continued and extended by the Building Inspector and building permits shall continue to be issued for any properties for which the lots upon which construction will be commenced do not require any further Planning Board approval.

SECTION FIVE - APPEALS
The Town Board does hereby direct that the Zoning Board of Appeals shall determine any application for an interpretation and/or variance because of unreasonable hardship that may be encountered by a property owner because of the effect of this Local Law.

SECTION SIX - EFFECTIVE DATE
This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State of the State of New York in accordance with the Municipal Home Rule Act of the State of New York.

Adopted on _______,2006 -
At a Regular Meeting held at
the Town Hall, 330 Route 376,
Hopewell Junction, NY

Jan. 6th, 2006 East Fishkill After last night’s swearing-in ceremony for the Town of East Fishkill officials… there was a brief Town Board meeting… then the Town Board went into executive session.

There was an announcement that there will be a public hearing on the proposed Town law for a building moratorium on January 26^th. Be sure to attend, with input on this proposed building moratorium.

We went to see if this proposed law has been posted to the East Fishkill Town’s website… and not only didn’t find access to this… but noticed that none of the Town Board Agenda’s have been posted, nor updated since December.

Let’s hope this get’s corrected soon… as it’s a valuable service to the busy residents who want to know what’s going on in their Town of East Fishkill.

Jan. 2nd, 2006 interview on Cablevision News 6, with East Fishkill's new Town Supervisor, John Hickman.

John Hickman was asked, after 10 years of Peter Idema running the Town of East Fishkill, what is your 1^st order of business?

John Hickman mentioned the building moratorium would be first order of business, a review of wetlands laws, density, CRD laws … to take a break and review the laws.

When asked about concerns, Supervisor Hickman cited traffic, growth, and taxes.

There followed a discussion about traffic backing up from the new traffic light at the new A&P on Route 82. Hickman said the timing of lights needs to be addressed. He also said that the Town will need to build (new) roads – though he cautioned, it’s not going to happen overnight

When asked about the financial shape of the Town of East Fishkill, he said State mandates were going to cost the Town more, and that he’s reviewing vendors and budgets looking for savings.

When asked about the need for a new, bigger Town Hall, he said though it would be nice, “won’t be in the first few years”… that there are other priorities.

Hickman stated industrial and commercial development are important for tax base, and he sees’ residential development not giving a net gain to tax base, as residential properties require more Town services.

The Agenda Item #13 Wiccopee Town Square was removed from on the agenda last night. We'll keep an eye on this and report any news that we get.

Update on Wiccopee Proposal
East Fishkill Planning Board Meeting Tues Nov 15th 7:30 PM
Discussion - agenda item #13 Wiccopee Town Square

Tom Scanlon’s proposal for a 9,000 square foot – two story building with a 50 car parking lot in Wiccopee hamlet is back before the Town Planning Board, again. As this will have a major impact on neighboring properties and the hamlet, we recommend that you attend the meetings. The proposal as currently submitted is almost identical to the proposed gas station - minus the pumps.

This may, or may not come up in the schedule. It is at discussion stage and this is not a public hearing. However, those interested in preserving the historic Wiccopee Hamlet, our quality of life and our investments in property should keep informed on this proposal.

Election results

East Fishkill
Supervisor: John Hickman
Town Council, choice of two: Ethel Walker and William Dahncke
Clerk: Dorothy Mekeel
Highway Supervisor: Dennis Miller

Below, is the text of the letter Denis Callinan read at the East Fishkill Town Board meeting, 10-6-05.

Two notes from this meeting:

1). The Town of East Fishkill voted to institute a ban on excess/unnecessary water usage Town wide.
2). The Town will not at this time pursue action on rezoning the Cannon property. It was described as unneeded use of taxpayer monies – that if the developer wanted to pursue this, they would have to, and pay the bills for any/all studies needed. So this is off the table as far as a Town Board discussion now – but might well come back up again if the developer pursues this. There has been a lot of Town residents’ objection to this possible rezoning and allowing of higher density housing.

-----------------------------------------------------------

From Denis Callinan:

I wish to speak to the two items on tonight’s agenda items.

In 1982 the Town Board of East Fishkill created a Master Plan in which they stated that the “maximum build-out” for the town should not exceed 25,000 residents. As stated in the Master Plan this number was determined by the identification of land usage, available water resources, infrastructure, educational & recreational facilities. The population of the Town of East Fishkill was 18,000 residents.

In 1995, when this current board was elected, the population of the Town of East Fishkill had grown to 22,000 residents over a thirteen year period. This represented a four thousand resident or a twenty percent increase in the population but significantly less than the recommended “maximum build-out” for the town should of 25,000 residents. No changes had occurred to any of the criteria that determined these numbers; hence the Town of East Fishkill was indeed “A Great Place to Live”

In April 2000, with the discovery of chemical contamination in the Shenandoah Hamlet, a new chapter was opened. “A Great Place to Live BUT Don’t Drink the Water!

Investigation of the source of the contamination uncovered that no less than five sites in the Town of East Fishkill had been listed on the 1981 Environmental Protection Agency Federal Superfund. An additional site was discovered in 2000. Four of the six have the same source of contamination and the same responsible party. Unknown or at least not mentioned in the 1982 Master Plan these sites have significantly reduced potable water resources in East Fishkill.

These sites are:

1)      The IBM Corporate Park on Route 52 – polluted with Tertrachlorethyne - PCE - IBM
2)      The East Fishkill Landfill on Cary Road – polluted with Tertrachlorethyne - PCE - IBM
3)      The Bailey Landfill on Hosner Mt Road - polluted with Tertrachlorethyne - PCE - IBM
4)      Royal Carting on Route 82 – various pollution including Tertrachlorethyne
5)      Hopewell Precision on Ryan Road – polluted with Trichloroethyne TCE
6)      Shenandoah Hamlet including Burbank, Seymour, Jackson & Shenandoah Road polluted with Tertrachlorethyne - PCE - IBM

In addition to these sites the following have been “discovered”

1)      Pentisis Lane – polluted with salt from the DOT storage.
2)      Lake Drive – polluted with MTBE from leaking tanks at a gas station. Note: As in the case of the Shenandoah discovery the residents of Lake Drive had to bring the problem to the NYS DEC attention.
3)      IBM Wiccoppe well field polluted with MTBE from leaking tanks at a gas station
4)      Pollution in the wells supplying John Jay HS – first reported in the Poughkeepsie Journal in 1981 the school is equipped with POET filtration systems the chemical PCE.
5)      Blue Hill Road polluted with MTBE & other chemicals.

Also the amount of available water in several developments is of concern. Many adjacent to Old Hopewell Road have less than sufficient water resources to supply the needs of the existing communities yet more houses continue to be added to the problem.

In March 2003 this Town Board, under protest from many of the citizens of this town, created a new Master Plan. The population of the community had increased in eight years of their stewardship to 27,000 residents. Two thousand more than the recommended Maximum build-out. Your plan changed the build out to forty five thousand or double the previous plan. To make your plan work you passed several new laws to facilitate the growth. Two in particular were needed to enable your plan to work. These two laws can and will destroy whatever potable water exists under East Fishkill and while they have allowed certain property owners to benefit from your generosity they are leading to the destruction of this community.

These laws increased the build able units in East Fishkill by 4000 or potentially 16000 more residents:
1) Property with slopes less than twenty five percent can now be built on. – The 1982 plan restricted any property greater than fifteen percent slope. Ever hear of mud slides?
2) One development unit can be built on the property owner’s dry land for each two acres or unit of wetlands.

I would request that our lawyers for the Town inform the residents on how the new Town Board might, as stated by the Republican candidate for Town Supervisor, rescind these obnoxious insults.

The Cannon Property is according to the DEC wetlands maps eighty percent wetland and twenty five percent of the dry land has slopes greater than 15 percent. In other words if the current one acre zoning was enforced without modification the developer could only construct 20 houses, Considering the developer paid 5.5 million for the property he would have to charge $275,000 for each acre of land before he built anything. So perhaps we can see why the deal is being made to allow another out of town developer to add 280 units to our overburden water supply, 560 automobiles to our 1982 infrastructure, 560 children to our already overcrowded schools and less we forget 500,000 gallons of not so clean waste to the Fishkill Creek.

Few of you, and none on the Board have suffered from the water contamination my family has faced for the past five years. Every three months representatives from an IBM Contractor come into my house to take water samples. Why? To make sure that the five thousand dollar filter system has not failed. Every new medical discovery on exposure to the chemicals hits home. When the NYS Department of Health tells you that you & your family have an increased risk of cancer you wonder when the next shoe will fall. When you find out about other areas of your town with contamination your heart goes out to those folks but when your Town Board arrogantly, dictatorially, without remorse and under the guise that they know best destroy your town, risk the investment in your home, and force their will upon the residents, the taxpayers – enough.

We must protect what we have. We have no science to replace our water supply and you have no right to put us at further risk.

Denis Callinan
1 Seymour Lane
Hopewell Junction NY

East Fishkill Considers Even More Houses

East Fishkill’s public hearing Aug. 25th, reviewed a request to allow the Cannon property cluster and higher density housing, current zoning is 1 acre. Spot rezoning requests like this, the and proposed Stormville Montage project of 273 houses, changes the character and quality of the Town. Often these larger projects are from out of state developers whose interest is maximizing profits. When they are done - they leave the Town residents and taxpayers with more traffic, more pollution, concerns about the quantity and quality of schools, more taxpayer paid Town services, impacting wetlands, the aquifer and Fishkill Creek watershed. Don’t see East Fishkill's motto changed from "A Great Place to Live", to "It Used to be a Great Place to Live". If higher density is allowed - the East Fishkill logo would have to change too... the country dirt road would become a paved four lane highway - the farmland in the logo would be replaced with crowded cluster housing - the venerable old oak tree, cut down to allow for more houses - and the clouds in the sky, replaced with the haze of smog and pollution. Don’t let East Fishkill become this! Town Board is allowing written public comment on rezoning this property until Sept. 9th. We urge you to write to the Town, let them know you feel the extra density would impact the traffic, the schools, the environment and the quality of life in East Fishkill.

East Fishkill Public Hearing Draws over 50

Thursday Aug. 25th's East Fishkill Town Board hearing on possibly rezoning the Cannon property in Hopewell Junction, to allow cluster housing and higher density than currently zoned, drew a crowd of over 50 residents. Many residents spoke passionately against this proposed change (not one person spoke for it) - they brought up the negative impacts on traffic, air quality, water resources, on the aquifer, the Fishkill Creek Watershed, and that this type of development would impact the need for more schools and additional taxpayer paid services like police.

This type of spot rezoning like in this project and the Montage project over in Stormville, threatens to change the nature and quality of life in East Fishkill. Many spoke that they were concerned the East Fishkill motto would change from "A great place to live!" to "It used to be a great place to live."

The Town Board has left it open for you to submit written comments on this proposed rezoning, until Sept. 9th, 2005, so be sure to get your comments in. The mailing address is listed on our contacts page.

We'll try and update and have more on this tomorrow.

Things are hot in East Fishkill, and we're not talking weather:

Wednesday August 24th - 2PM is a Press Announcement in Wiccopee at entrance to Phillips Semiconductor, calling for stricter reporting of releases of dangerous chemicals. After two accidental discharges in the last few weeks of a chemical strong enough to pit cars finish and windshields, some of the employees didn't buy the exfoliating benefit of being exposed to these releases (just kidding!)

Thursday August 25th - 7:30PM is a major public hearing regarding a rezoning request that would increase housing density in East Fishkill - much like the rezoning request for the Montage project, these requests look to change the existing zoning and master plan.

Please pass on to your friends and neighbors, especially those that don’t use email.
Letter reprinted with permission, and permission given to redistribute.

East Fishkill Needs More Homes!!!

That’s right, on Thursday, August 25, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. The East Fishkill Town Board will be conducting a public hearing on rezoning the property across from Town Hall, known as The Cannon Property. The present zoning of the property allows for 58 single homes. The proposed rezoning of the Cannon Property to CRD (Conservation Residential Development) would allow two different development densities. One possible scenario is two townhouses per acre for a total of 140 townhouse units. A bonus is permitted under CRD to allow four townhouses per acre which would allow for the development of 280 townhouse units on the site.

There are numerous developments in this particular area that are presently in different stages of the approval process. For example, Hopewell Glen on Fishkill Road is in the final stages of the approval process and will bring more than 250 new homes to this already congested area. As we all know, traffic in the Hopewell Hamlet is a disaster especially at school dismissal, rush hour and Saturdays. Another consideration is the burden that all the new developments put on the already overcrowded schools.

I meet so many people in the course of my day who ask me why my husband and the Planning Board are allowing all this development that they do not like. So instead of talking among ourselves about how we do not like the direction the town is headed, let’s talk about it at Town Hall on Thursday night, August 25, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. So please come out and let your town officials know how you feel about this.

Thank you.
Sincerely,
Maureen Koch

Want to know what chemicals are in use, where they are going, at the Hudson Valley Research Park in East Fishkill , click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/cnf9f

Posted with permission of Hudson Valley Sojourner.
Original can be viewed by clicking here: www.hudsonvalleysojourner.com/blog

Town Board Tardy in East Fishkill

August 18th, 2005

It looks like I’m back in Southern Dutchess County.

It appears that once again the Town Board in East Fishkill was a bit tardy in posting the agenda for their upcoming meeting. Interested and invested locals and organizations seem to be loosing patience with the slow postings, often the day of, or even a few hours prior to a meeting.

While the local citizens and area watchdogs are not yet talking tar and feathers, their pitch has elevated and there is a ring of suspicion in their tone. I’m sure that there are issues up for discussion that the board would rather keep low-keyed. I can almost appreciate the board’s dilemma, since attending some town meetings is akin to walking into the gorilla cage with a bunch of bananas sticking out of your zipper.

Nonetheless, these meetings are for the purpose of affording the public an opportunity to input on how their community is managed. Regardless of issues, hot or cold, it is the obligation of the town, all towns, to afford residents an opportunity to participate in these forums and discussions. To deny access to this information and thus create a situation wherein constituents cannot prepare themselves for the meeting is nothing more than a shameless display of backdoor politics. While some may consider this type of thing to be small-town political shenanigans, it probably isn’t. It’s just small-minded political shenanigans.

Bottom line- If this is an intentional action then town authorities deserve to wear bananas to the meeting. If they are merely incapable of posting an agenda in a timely fashion, well, then many people should start wondering how their town is being run.

Follow-up NOTE: This, below, appeared in the Southern Dutchess News today. Perhaps all the calls and emails to the East Fishkill Town Hall were heard. Let's hope they stay on schedule and post agendas in a timely manner. Once a while back, the town even had an opt in email notification for getting agendas... they should reinstate that community benefit/service again too.

Southern Dutchess News
August 18, 2005

Agendas to be on website

EAST FISHKILL — Beginning in September, the East Fishkill Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals agendas will be posted on the town's website at www.eastfishkillny.org and can be viewed by all interested residents.

Accidents DO happen!

Unfortunately! The closed Getty Gas Station on Route 9 in Wappingers Falls, shows a massive hole where almost all of the site's soil was removed, except a tiny parcel were the building stands. This leak of over 5,000 gallons of gasoline, from a gasoline supply line, contaminated the soil, which is why the site was dug out and trucked away. Recently the huge gasoline tanker spill on Jackson Road, the Hudson River gasoline barge accident, the gas truck spill in Carmel and others, shows that we need to everything possible to protect our aquifers and water resources from such massive, and occurring all too often, contaminations.

The massive hole is partially filled back in in this photo. Prior to refilling, you could have fit a large house in the hole where contaminated soil was removed.

Wiccopee Items at EF Planning Board June 8th

Lime Kiln Farm 30 lot Subdivision off Rainbow Crest and Warren Farms Rd - Very heavily attended was the ADJOURNED PUBLIC HEARING – Lime Kiln Farm 30 lot Subdivision, East Hook Cross & East Hook Rds. As the plans as of now, call for a connector road from Rainbow Crest Rd off Warren Farm Road, through the new 30 lots onto Lime Kiln Road. It looked like over 30 people showed up to protest this… the main concerns being additional through traffic; danger to children and residents that enjoy the streets now; additional truck traffic damaging the bridge, roads, creating noise, and making it more dangerous for kids; concerns that a quick cut over to Lime Kiln and Rte 84 might increase robberies with a quick get away route; and more. About 18 people got up to speak against the connector road proposal. Many said they moved here to get away from the traffic issues the connector road would bring. There was a suggestion to put a locked gate, or otherwise barrier there – that would allow emergency vehicle access – but not regular through traffic. A few of the planning board members thought this idea good, as well as it seemed the developer and property owner Robert Morgenthau. Some on the town planning board thought a connector road should stay in the plans. Road traffic studies with the connector road, and with a barrier in place, were asked for, and the next adjourned public hearing on this is set for Sept 6^th, 2005. We’ll have more on this issue. Check the website soon for some updates.

In front of the Wiccopee Church: The item “No Diving Allowed 2 lot subdivision, Rte 52 and Old Grange Rd” – was not a plan for a new two lot subdivision in front of the Wiccopee Church – rather an updated filing of a previously approved plan that expired. It allows 2 lots – one incorporating the former old farmhouse near the Church, the second lot incorporating the barns. The lot containing the barn – shows a house plan, but according to the applicant’s engineer, all subdivision plans must show a house sited on plans, but he said there are no plans to construct a house there. There was talk about the property owner also deeding a small section of the property that is now across the road, Rte 52, to the town. There was some discussion about whether the town might make a cul-de-sac at this end of Fishkill Hook Rd. Nobody seemed to know for sure.

About 6 people from the Save Wiccopee Organization showed up to review the plans.

Tim Leed spoke of the concerns of protecting the historic Wiccopee hamlet, as making Wiccopee Hamlet East Fishkill’s first Historic District is an active proposal before the Town Board. He spoke of concerns such as making sure any proposed structures would be in keeping with the historic hamlet. Since no new buildings are proposed, and this is just a lot division, it seems not to impact the historic concerns.

Malcolm Mills, East Fishkill’s Historical Society Director, also spoke of the importance of protecting Wiccopee Hamlet, East Fishkill’s last hamlet area of original homes, some dating back to the 1700’s, and many in the early 1800’s. He spoke of how important the property in front of the church was, and how the crowding of homes behind the church took so much away from it’s charm and setting. How maintaining this quality of “viewscape” is so critical in considering planning and zoning issues. He also confirmed that the house formerly owned by A. Way, on the 1850’s DeBeers map, more recently owned by O’Dell, was on the town’s historic survey of homes. This house is part of the contiguous line of old homes that comprise the historic Wiccopee Hamlet. It was discussed to be torn down by Tom Scanlon in his plans before the planning board to put a 9000 sqft, 2 story office building and a 50 car parking lot, in historic Wiccopee Hamlet, plus a subsurface sewage system located on the property that this house sits on.

Update on Wiccopee Proposal

Tom Scanlon’s proposal for a 9,000 square foot – two story building with a 50 car parking lot in Wiccopee hamlet is before the Town Planning Board. As this will have a major impact on neighboring properties and the hamlet, we recommend that you attend the meetings. The proposal as currently submitted is almost identical to the proposed gas station - minus the pumps. Continue to check the Zoning Board schedule - see link in the right column.

Montage proposal in Stormville, Rte 52

A proposed 273 units, plus retail businesses, at Rte 52 and Rte 216. This plan seeks to make a significant zoning change to allow 2 units per acres, it also impacts a large wetland that’s part of the Fishkill Creek Watershed, it will clearly have major impacts on neighbors, neighboring businesses, traffic, it changes what makes East Fishkill desirable (no crowded housing -yet) and it should be a major concern to everyone in East Fishkill as it would allow this zoning in other qualified areas… if this off-use change of zoning is allowed, who’s to say any/every developer that wants to maximize their profit, won’t be before the town with a similar request.

Recent Wins for Environmental and Historic Issues

Fishkill Creek Watershed Committee major event June 6, 2005 unveiled the Natural Resources Management Plan for the Fishkill Creek Watershed
New York State has ruled against the proposed cement plant in Hudson, NY.
Fishkill Ridge Caretakers gets official involvement in protecting Fishkill's water supply.
Town of Poughkeepsie votes to protect historic Kimlin Cider Mill
East Fishkill area near Hopewell Precision, Ryan Dr., named EPA Superfund site.

Senator Schumer vows to fight controversial provision shielding makers of the gasoline additive MTBE from liability lawsuits.

A Wiccopee Passing... It is with great sadness that we report a wonderful Wiccopee friend and resident has passed on. Bill Garvey passed away Feb. 18th, 2005 at the age of 63. Bill always had a kind and positive word. He was a deeply caring and concerned friend. Bill vigorously supported keeping Wiccopee a wonderful and safe place to live. Bill will truly be missed by all those that had the pleasure of knowing him. May God bless Bill and his family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mid-Hudson Animal Aid, 54 Simmons Lane, Beacon, NY 12508 or The Dutchess County SPCA, Route 9G., Hyde Park, NY 12538.

Historic Kimlin Cider Mill: There’s an effort underway to save this structure in the Town of Poughkeepsie. This is a very worthwhile effort to preserve some of the history and uniqueness of the Hudson Valley area.

You can help by signing the on-line petition in support of saving this landmark at: http://www.petitiononline.com/cidermil/petition.html

Hopewell Junction Citizens for Clean Water
Has an informative website to inform all residents in the Hopewell Precision site of the dangers from being exposed to their water and air from trichloroethylene, TCE, contamination. It's a wonderful site with great background information and an eye opening map of the pollution plume.

Be sure to review and sign the petition there. Petition link.
Website link: www.hopewell-junction-citizens-for-clean-water.org

March 2005, Watch the East Fishkill Planning Board meeting schedule/agenda for upcoming meetings.

News Update 12-1-04: Wiccopee Town Square

Item #18, named Wiccopee Town Square… did not come up for discussion at last night’s EF Planning Board meeting. They got to item #14 and said they would not get beyond that because of time.

As plans submitted to the Town Hall, this is an almost identical plan as the withdrawn Wiccopee Gas Station. It calls for a looming 9,000 square foot, 2 story building, subsurface sewage on R-1(residential) land (formerly O’Dell) that borders several residential properties. It has most of the same negative impacts on Wiccopee Hamlet as the proposed gas station… impact on water supply, impact on water drainage, impact on Bloomer Brook a tributary of the Fishkill Creek Watershed, impact from fumes, impact from lighting, impact from noise, impact on traffic with a proposed 81 car trips per hour, construction over a primary aquifer, it calls for removing .85 acres of trees, shrubs and ground cover, negative impact on neighboring residential property values. There are many negative impacts for Wiccopee area residents.

This project is not in keeping with the rural residential nature of the Hamlet, an area being considered for East Fishkill first Historic District, as many of the houses date back to 200+ years. We would like to see a more appropriate use of this site, that doesn’t so negatively impact the area and neighboring properties.

We urge you to keep aware of this project, to voice your concerns to the East Fishkill Town Board, Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals. When the public hearing phase is announced, please attend and make comments. You can review the project filing anytime that the Town Hall Planning and Zoning office is open.

News Update 11-20-04: Wiccopee Town Square

[legal ad] Notice is hereby given that there will be a Special Meeting for Discussions only held by the Town of East Fishkill Planning Board, Dutchess County, on Tuesday the 30th day of November, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may come on to be heard at the East Fishkill Town Hall, Hopewell Junction, NY. Norma Drummond, Chairman East Fishkill Planning Board 6938

The Wiccopee Town Square project will be discussed at this meeting. Discussion only - It is not a public hearing. This project as filed, looks to be the same project as the Wiccopee Gas Station, minus the gas pumps, for now.

\We are concerned that the applicant, Tom Scanlon, might be using segmentation to get this approved, and then perhaps go for gas pumps later. The project still has all the other severe negative impacts as the gas station, minus the gas specific issues – a use that does not fit in with the residential historical hamlet. The proposed 9,000 sqft – two story building is certainly not in keeping with the area. 81 car trips per hour are still listed. 900 gallons per day water usage is estimated. The project still calls for using the residential R-1 property listed as Bob O’Dell on tax maps, for a commercial sub-surface sewage system. The concerns of light and noise pollution exist. Concerns about loitering are still there. Application calls for increased runoff from site to Bloomer Brook - a tributary of the Fishkill Creek Watershed. Area residents already experiencing water issues have major concerns about this project.

We strongly urge you to attend the public hearings once they are announced. We also urge you to voice your concerns about this project to the Town Planning Board and Town Board members, contact info available at http://www.wiccopee.org/contacts.htm

East Fishkill Planning Board Meeting Nov. 16th, 7:30PM Lists Item #23, Wiccopee Town Square - this was the project name of the Wiccopee gas station proposal. Update: This did not come up before time allowed for meeting ended.

At Tuesday, September 21, E. F. Planning Board meeting. Before the regular agenda items, there was a meeting with the Town Board and the Planning Board regarding the proposed Town building moratorium. Planning Board member John Koch had a detailed list of suggestions, mainly dealing with shortcomings and changes needed in the current codes. He had prepared maps and had some specific input on this. He thought that a moratorium of 6 months would be needed to review much of this. The other planning board members did not have such detailed input, though this meeting ran short of time and the boards agreed to meet again to further discuss this. When the Planning Board was asked if there was a consensus of thoughts for a moratorium, the Planning Board chairperson said there was not.

At Tuesday, September 7, E. F. Planning Board meeting. Before the regular agenda items, there was a long discussion on the Town Board's comments at its August 26 meeting regarding the Planning Board's memo on the proposed building moratorium.

Planning Board Chairwoman Norma Drummond said, "I didn't get any kind of courtesy of a phone call... All I've seen is what I read in the paper. I saw a letter in the Southern Dutchess News...and the article in the Poughkeepsie Journal. I haven't gotten anything beyond that." The town's response "kind of takes me by surprise... We were asked for input. We were not asked to come to a consensus about whether we agreed [on a] moratorium or we didn't... I am extremely upset..."

Since the Town Board requested a public meeting with the Planning Board, Mrs. Drummond said they would meet at 7:00 pm, September 21, 30 minutes prior to the start of their regular meeting, which has a full agenda.

Also, in response to another part of the newspaper article, Drummond told the board of the educational requirements for board members.
Apparently given a copy of the requirements, she said she had never seen them, but believes all the members are in compliance.

August 12th: Town Board Meeting - Moratorium notes

E.F. Deputy Supervisor Ethel Walker had proposed a bill to perhaps have some sort of building moratorium in East Fishkill. The Town Board had passed this on to the Town Planning Board for comments and feedback. They have not reviewed the planning board's comments on this yet. The Town Board has scheduled a workshop meeting to discuss this further on Thursday August 26th, 7:30pm at the E.F. Town Hall. The public is invited to attend, but it is not a public hearing. As this proposed bill moves forward, there would be a public hearing on it. It is our understanding the details and scope of any moratorium are still being discussed.

With hundreds, and hundreds, of new housing proposals planned for East Fishkill and many commercial projects – there is a concern that things need to be revisited to make sure what makes East Fishkill “A Great Place to Live”, isn’t lost in all the development.

There are mounting concerns about increased traffic; protecting our natural resources – water, the aquifers and watershed, and air; preserving historic areas and structures; retaining open space and viewspace; and more. The rural nature that has been such a draw to East Fishkill is being rapidly replaced with development. Do commercial building codes need to be reviewed? There are many, many questions about the long term impact that all the development will have on our Town.

As we know that this is a big concern among many area residents, we strongly encourage you to attend this meeting to find out what is being discussed about this proposed building moratorium. Also contact each individual town council members and let them know your thoughts.

August 1, 2004. Almost two months later... Jackson Road reopens. 6,000 gallons of gasoline unaccounted for...

After the June 10 spill of as many as 12,000 gallons of gasoline, workers continue to clean up the site. Estimates are the cleanup in Wappinger will cost ExxonMobil hundreds of thousands of dollars and remediation could stretch on for decades as a permanent system is installed to treat and monitor polluted water.

Through chain link barrier - area where 800 tons of soil was removed and multiple pieces of equipment are running constantly on Jackson Rd.

6,000 gallons of gasoline unaccounted for!
12,500 estimated originally spilled!
800 tons contaminated soil removed
Cost estimated: hundreds of thousands $
Remediation and monitoring perhaps for decades!

Imagine the local residents that have to worry about where these 6,000 gallons are… and when or if, it will affect the water supplies in the future? To date, this local road was closed for almost 2 months! Imagine Fishkill Hook Rd., or Rte 52, being closed that long? The nearby lawn equipment repair shop said they could smell gas fumes many days after the accident – it’s recommended to avoid breathing gasoline fumes. It’s reported some 800 tons of contaminated soil have been excavated from this site. Think of the costs in time and money. Just having to detour around this road closure costs many residents time and money for extra gas. The cleanup and ongoing monitoring is very expensive. Ground water and nearby well fields will need to be monitored for perhaps years, or decades?

Are these huge tanker trucks too big and unstable? Do these drivers require special training? What was such a huge gasoline truck doing on a mainly residential and winding road? Let’s ask these questions and hopefully avoid repeats of this incident. Do we need laws to route dangerous traffic away from aquifers and watersheds?

These are exactly the types of things we all wanted to avoid in opposing the proposed gas station in Wiccopee.

Continue to write letters to the editors, and contact your Town, County, and State legislators – let them know we need laws to prevent building potentially harmful activities over precious aquifers and along vital watersheds. We need smart/common sense zoning and planning. We can, and should, avoid projects that can adversely impact so many people.

July 15th, 2004
Historic Preservation
Kudos to the Town of Poughkeepsie for quickly giving historical designation to Abraham Fort house on South Road, saving the house from demolition for new development. This 250'ish year old stone Dutch home will now be around for future generations to admire.

Let's preserve the Wiccopee Hamlet, with many homes dating back 200 years, before it's too latelease write to the East Fishkill Town Board members encouraging them to act on the proposal to make Wiccopee Hamlet the first East Fishkill Historic District. See article below.

Abraham Fort house on South Road.
More information - click here.

July 14th, 2004 FREE Electronics Recycling at
Office Depot
Responsible disposal now free. Now through Labor Day.
See News and Notices for more info.

June 12, 2004. Accidents DO happen.
10,000 to 12,000 gallons of gasoline was spilled in Wappingers Falls - effects on aquifer/wells may be felt months from now. Well fields closed as a precaution.

"This is the type of impact we all wanted to avoid with the now withdrawn, proposed gas station in Wiccopee - directly over the Wiccopee aquifer and next to a tributary of the Fishkill Creek Watershed."

June 12, 2004. Close to 9,000 gallons fuel oil spill closes Rte 52 - cleanup could continue intermittently for months.

Read more, June 12th, 2004 The Journal News article click here.

Wiccopee Historic District... on May 13, 2004

The East Fishkill Town Board discussed the creation of an Historic District for Wiccopee Hamlet at Thursday's (May 13th, 2004 7:30pm), Town Board meeting.

Council person Ethel Walker thought this was a terrific idea, that we should do what we can to preserve East Fishkill's history and historic structures.

Council person Richard Ferland said it should be taken seriously and again, that it was a terrific idea.

Council person Donald Way asked what area would be covered and wanted it to include all pertinent structures.

Director East Fishkill Historical Society, Malcolm Mills said the initial plan was to have it from former Wiccopee wagon maker Isaac Hawks house (to the right of the Steven Amendola Day Spa), through Hook Rd, around the loop of Fishkill Hook Road, across Route 52 to Old Grange Road and include the Wiccopee Methodist Church.

Malcolm suggested this Historic designation would improve the recognition of the area, encourage homeowners to improve their properties and hopefully help preserve what is clearly the most notable area in East Fishkill that has remained largely unchanged from the mid-1800's.

Supervisor Peter Idema commented that other areas should also be looked at for historic areas, that a survey of the towns cemeteries been updated and reviewed, and that the survey of historic buildings in the town be updated. Supervisor Idema also said he would contact the Town of Fishkill as parts of Old Grange Road are in Fishkill township.
Supervisor Idema mentioned that a thick book that contains the current survey of historic building is available at the East Fishkill Town Library.

You can read Malcolm Mill's letter about creating the historic district on the Save Wiccopee website here: History

You are also encouraged to write to the Town Board Council Members supporting the creation of this historic district. It would be great if everyone in the Hamlet, and all of Wiccopee, wrote in to support this worthy effort. You can find the Board contact information here: Contacts

One of our Save Wiccopee members also wrote a great letter...
Virginia A. Buechele's letter is now on the bottom of the History page.

You are also encouraged to join the East Fishkill Historical Society. Ann Bell (896-5966) and Tim Leed (896-7480), have applications to join, if you'd like one. The fees are minimal and the efforts to preserve East Fishkill's history is a wonderful cause.

Breaking News... on April 12, 2004

Save Wiccopee has learned that Thomas Scanlon, through his engineer, has withdrawn his application for the special permit for a gas station in Wiccopee.

A proposal to put a gas station and large commercial development in Wiccopee Hamlet threatens to forever change this historic, mainly residential, rural hamlet.

Residents have a number of issues and concerns that this proposal will have a serious negative impact on the area and other property owners. The potential for environmental damage is great as the site is over a large aquifer and adjacent to a tributary of the Fishkill Creek Watershed. Please read on to see what you can do to help.

Derived from what native American Indians called this land, Wiccopee is an area of rolling hills, fields, wetlands, mountains, great views, and streams. Later settled in the late 1700's, a hamlet grew up along the road from Fishkill Landing to Danbury. This hamlet was the center of surrounding farms. In the same houses that still exist much as they were, some over 200 years old, were cobblers, blacksmiths, a general store, post office, parsonage, school house, and other local small businesses where shop owners also lived.

In more recent history, Wiccopee has been a draw to people who want a quality lifestyle, to live in a beautiful rural countryside that is a safe and nice place to raise a family; close to convenient transportation, yet not in the hustle of traffic and over-development that's sweeping some areas.

Save Wiccopee - our organization exists to address issues and concerns that affect our quality of life; our investments in our properties, families and homes. Save Wiccopee is to save and preserve our natural resources and the environment. Save Wiccopee is to preserve our historic heritage, and to exam and celebrate our early American history.

Public input on scoping document will be taken through April 13th, 2004. Please review the scoping document and get comments in.

It is very helpful to write your concerns to the Town Board and the Town ZBA Board. Letters to the editors of area news outlets are terrific. See the Contacts page for addresses and information about this.

IBM submitted a large volume of detailed objection to this proposal as well. This can be viewed in the proposal's file at the East Fishkill Town Hall, Planning and Zoning Office (221-2428) during business hours.

From a Wiccopee resident on March 4th ZBA hearing:
"Great meeting...
crowning moment for me when you had the "Save Wiccopee" support group stand up ...significant number present."

Thanks to all the people that turn out for the meetings - your presence, and comments, does make a difference. We need to let the Town know our concerns. Wiccopee is our community!

Want to know what chemicals are in use, where they are going, at the Hudson Valley Research Park in East Fishkill , click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/cnf9f

Posted with permission of Hudson Valley Sojourner. Original can be viewed by clicking here: www.hudsonvalleysojourner.com/blog

Town Board Tardy in East Fishkill

Posted with permission of Hudson Valley Sojourner.
Original can be viewed by clicking here: www.hudsonvalleysojourner.com/blog