fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

Landowners believe Shandaken planners are jumping the gun

by Paul Smart
February 9, 2015
in Community
1

belleayre-proposal-HZTAn attorney for one of the Belleayre Resort’s neighbors, as well as the local environmental organization Friends of Catskill Park, said last week that as far as he could tell, the Shandaken Planning Board may be jumping the gun in its site plan review for the massive project. That’s because there’s no final environmental impact statement, or plans that have been accepted by the state yet. Which also means there’s still a strong chance that’s what’s being looked at now could change.

Attorney Bob Feller, of the Albany-based firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, was speaking about a still-pending legal motion made by several parties to reopen a legal process halted nine years ago when Gov. Eliot Spitzer declared an Agreement in Principal with a number of project opponents. The state Department of Environmental Conservation, which is also part of the plans being reviewed now — to expand its Belleayre ski center exponentially and link it to the two-part ski, golf and spa resort — has determined that its own commissioner will decide whether that legal process be followed, or considered moot.

“You’d think there’d be time to wait, to take more time with public comments,” Feller said in reaction to Shandaken Planning Board Chairman Don Brewer’s statements that public comment would be limited henceforth. “The town can’t make any final decisions on site plans until there’s a legitimate final EIS.”

Complicating matters, Feller said that his client, Ben Korman — who owns the historic Galli Curci mansion across from a conference center to be built as part of the resort — has raised serious issues not addressed in the state’s current paperwork because he had never been part of any “issues conferences” that occurred before changes in the resort plans occurred following Spitzer’s AIP announcement.

A second large nearby landowner, the Gould family (descendants of 19th century financier and railroad builder Jay Gould), is also part of the current effort to see that the legal process is completed before anyone moves forward with reviews, including Shandaken’s site plan okays. The family own thousands of acres to the west of the current ski area, with their historic Furlough Lodge able to see lights from the new development.

Korman’s C&K Properties is a major real estate developer with commercial properties in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia and other large cities. Kingdon Gould Jr. is a former ambassador to The Netherlands; both he and his son Kingdon III are significant developers in the Washington, D.C. area.

“Just to deny the rest of the hearing and not give any of us the chance to respond to what’s happening is not right,” said family spokesperson Melissa Gould this past week. “They’re not giving people a chance to rebut their rebuttals and have sidestepped their own administrative law judge. We have a lot of concerns.”

Both neighbors have raised the possibility of filing lawsuits over any decisions made, down the line, although Feller said this week that “to be honest there’s still some process going on and I’d rather not jump the gun on such things, although it’s always in the background.”

Gould has expressed similar statements, saying she’s “waiting and watching” to see what the state does, along with local planning boards. The Catskill Heritage Alliance has similarly noted that it will keep its own legal options open.

 

Adjudication issue stalled

As for statements that resort developers at Crossroads Ventures, and project supporters, have put out touting state DEC decisions on behalf of closing past adjudication processes, Feller said the final decision is not with DEC staff, but the commissioner and DEC Office of Hearings. As for the propriety of a reviewing agency’s staff making public recommendations…he chose not to comment.

The attorney did, however, point out that while settlements are a major part of all adjudication processes, they must be unanimous to be “complete.”

“The remaining parties who never signed off on the AIP have rights to have their day in court,” he said, mentioning the his client, the CHA and the Sierra Club in particular.

As do involved neighbors with their own connections, attorneys, and deep pockets.

Speaking on behalf of the state, DEC spokesperson Peter Constantakes said merely that “The issue of further adjudication for the Modified Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park is before the Office of Hearings and Mediation Services” and that nothing is moving forward at this time.

To complicate matters, he added that, “the proposed amendment to the Ski Center Unit Management Plan was developed by DEC with the assistance of ORDA, and if adopted, implementation will be under the direction of ORDA.”

That’s one more issue no one has had a chance to comment on yet.

Tags: Belleayre ResortHighmountShandaken Planning Board
Thank you for reading Hudson Valley One. We rely on your support to continue providing local, substantive news. Please check out our subscription options to keep local journalism alive in the Hudson Valley.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher
Previous Post

The winter soundscape

Next Post

New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce appoints Kathy Combs as its executive director

Paul Smart

Related Posts

The ice cream of the crop
Community

The ice cream of the crop

July 2, 2022
Baccalaureate service sponsored by SACC
Community

Baccalaureate service sponsored by SACC

July 2, 2022
New Paltz PIGLETS take to the streets, playgrounds and nursing homes
Community

New Paltz PIGLETS take to the streets, playgrounds and nursing homes

July 2, 2022
The Trashman Cometh
Community

The Trashman Cometh

July 1, 2022
Kingston launches Master Arts and Cultural Plan
Community

Free shuttle service for Fourth of July festivities in Kingston

June 30, 2022
New Paltz considers loosening lawn cutting requirement
Community

Shaggy lawns may mean fines in Saugerties

June 30, 2022
Next Post

New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce appoints Kathy Combs as its executive director

Please login to join discussion

Trending News

  • Shrestha upsets Cahill while Hochul, Delgado prevail in Dem primaries 1.9k views
  • Planned auto repair shop in Saugerties concerns neighbors 1.5k views
  • Kingston holiday fireworks 1.2k views
  • No contractors available for Saugerties schools work 798 views
  • Shaggy lawns may mean fines in Saugerties 690 views







Latest HV1 Podcast

Weather

Kingston
◉
68°
Sunny
5:25am8:34pm EDT
Feels like: 68°F
Wind: 1mph E
Humidity: 65%
Pressure: 30.03"Hg
UV index: 4
MonTueWed
84/63°F
84/68°F
84/59°F
Weather forecast Kingston, New York ▸

Ulster County COVID-19 Active Cases

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing