Attention Town Boards:

If you thought that development had ceased, think again.
Developers are back at their drawing boards, not yet funded, in many cases, but doing all the background work for their next assault on our town. Red Hook is a small rural town, our main businesses are farming, the college, and the school district. Large development is not practical, We prefer to see people build their own houses as opposed to buying a spec house . In addition, we cannot afford to continue paying developers' school taxes.

Before they get there, here are a few requests from local residents:
Please protect us from the byproducts of that development. Pull out the town code.
Make sure that not only village, but also town residents are protected from weekend construction work, except in the cases of personal, do-it -yourself work.

1) WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS:
No contractors, no compressors allowed before 10am on weekends, if at all. Perhaps by sign-off (or not) from each of the surrounding neighbors within close earshot. One 'no' is a veto. Personally, I think that contractors should be off-limits on weekends altogether. Especially if said project is going full-time, all week. THAT should be a deciding factor. Builders may be in a rush, but the neighbors have to live there, and are allowed a little peace two days a week.

2) WEEKDAYS: 8am to 4pm.

3) All blasting by personal notification to all adjacent homeowners, 48 hours prior to blasting--in case farm animals ---or just family plans, need to be changed. Weekday only, 10am to 2pm on this one. The zoning control officer should review the area personally the day of the blast to assure there is no immediate danger to neighbors or farm animals.

4) ZONING CONTROL OFFICER:

NY is a home rule state--that means the town gets to set the rules. In cases where residents come with complaints of DEC violations or Dutchess County Wastewater 'overlooking' problems for 'friends'--it should be the job of our Zoning Control Officer to coordinate a response to those concerns, and if necessary, prepare a complaint to the appropriate agency about inappropriate oversight. AND he needs to respond back to the planning board, or the town board, on his findings. This is our town, and it is not 'somebody else's business'. It is ours, and our people need to look into outside agencies where letting things 'slip by' can ultimately affect all of us, by tainting our air or water, or producing any other adverse effect.

5) COORDINATION ON PUBLIC ROADS PROJECTS
Coordination on public road projects--if paving, make sure electric and some day, gas, lines are not about to tear up your new paving. Do arrange for the underground work first. Do not tear up two main access roads at the same time: If 199 is being repaired, request that DOT put off doing the same to Route 9 at the same time. While roads are opened up, request that Central Hudson move the overhead electric in that area underground, since the roads are dug up already. Save us some downed power lines during the next ice storm.

Coordination and consideration of "Joe Citizen" will be greatly appreciated. After all, we do pay the taxes, and continue paying, long after the construction trucks are gone.