A portion of the proposed site along Route 9W (photo by Lauren Thomas)
Lloyd residents had their say on the Dollar General project June 28 before the Town of Lloyd Planning Board. That isn’t to say that opinions haven’t been shared at meetings and on social media before then, but these comments were made during a public hearing, and carefully recorded by a paid stenographer.
The so-called Dollar General project is much larger and more complex than the nickname might suggest. Three parcels, totaling 21.7 acres, along Route 9W and including the existing Burger King, Trustco Bank, and a strip mall are included. A Dollar General would be constructed on one of those lots, and a 72-unit apartment complex would be built behind those businesses, with the strip mall refurbished to match. One more lot created along Route 9W would not be developed as a part of this plan.
Apartment dwellers would live in one of the 12 three-story buildings, and each unit will include a patio or deck. They would enter and exit via Mile Hill Road, where new stop signs would be installed to mitigate the increased traffic. The new residents would have a community building for “playing ball or doing something,” according to the project architect; a fire pit is also proposed.
There is a large pond adjacent, which would be in its own lot that would be protected from development with a deed restriction. Numerous rain gardens and recharge basins designed to reduce the amount of runoff now seen from the site would discharge treated storm water into that pond.
Neighbor Gerri Bash spoke about evidence of contamination she had discovered by requested documents from state environmental officials. The problem dates back decades, she said, and she speculated about the impacts of building there without doing a better job of cleaning it up.
A representative of developer MCBS DG Highland LLC, John Joseph, stated later that the levels of contamination had never risen high enough to require a cleanup. “There is no cleanup to be done,” he said.
Nevertheless, Bash harped on the fact that even a town sewer line wasn’t allowed on the property when it was considered before the turn of the century.
Bash also asked of the pond, “Will it still be a swamp, or a lake?” She and other neighbors refer to the area as a “swamp,” she said, because its water level is quite low; raising it with storm water discharge might change its environmental character.
Leonard Casabura, remembering the $35,000 in damage his home suffered when Irene blew over, wondered what recourse he might have if this project actually resulted in more flooding of his property.
While some were likewise concerned about runoff and contamination, Dennis Totten lives upstream and instead questioned the traffic study. He said Mile Hill Road is “not even a legitimate two-lane road,” and that he doubted a stop sign would do much to change that fact.
Totten also spoke about the wildlife living in the area, expressing concern not for the creatures themselves but the impact on nearby humans if copperheads and coyotes are disrupted. “Who keeps them out of our homes?” he asked.
New planning Board chairman Peter Brooks attempted to take control of the process by having it explained that board members are expected to listen, but not reply during a public hearing. He did not choose to set time limits on verbal testimony, but did remind members of the public that written comments are welcome.
The hearing was continued to July 26.
If it were a “99cent” store, that would be great. Dollar General is generally not a dollar, but the “99 cent” stores are priced specifically at under a dollar for everything. Then there is Family Dollar, another place that is not always a dollar;
How are the sewers fixed for 72 units?
Lloyd/ Highland on the Hudson/West Poughkeepsie will become known as Dollar General.
I am a resident of Mile Hill Road and I am completely against this project. The amount of traffic that it will generate on our very narrow road is going to make it more dangerous then it already is. People fly down our road and there have already been 2 separate accidents where a car plowed into my neighbors front wall and lawn. I moved out of Poughkeepsie to live in a quiet small town and now you’re just adding more people. Most of our motels are already filled with homeless families from Ulster county. It’s bad enough I ended up with a rail trail through my back yard that wasn’t there when I bought my house.
If the rail trail wasn’t there when you bought your house, you can grieve it as a nuisance. Ten-percent for noise, another 10 per-cent for sight, add a third ten-percent for trespassers. You’ll pay less taxes because your assessment will go down by 30 per-cent or more. All you have to do is grieve at the assessor’s office. No stipulation or board of assessment review no small claims court. It’s New York State lawr. Bring photos of before and after, as pictures are invaluable. Have your contiguous neighbors join in, as the more the merrier.
This is going to DESTROY the scenic 9W corridor! 🙁
1.”There is a large pond adjacent, which would be in its own lot that would be protected from development with a deed restriction. Numerous rain gardens and recharge basins designed to reduce the amount of runoff now seen from the site would discharge treated storm water into that pond.”–Love, The Developer
Uh, I thought a specialized wet pond had to be constructed for the runoff? In addition, if the pond is “protected from development” why is it being used as a catch basin for those discharges?
2. “The new residents would have a community building for ‘playing ball or doing something,’ according to the project architect; a fire pit is also proposed.”–XOXO, The Architect
So, if I decided to buy or lease one of these lovely units, could I access the community building to “play ball” or “do something”? Theoretically, could “something” be anything? For instance, could I “play ball” while reciting the Pledge? Bouncing on a pogostick? Could I play with any type of ball (i.e. tennis, foot/fut, bowling, etc.)? Would juggling be considered playing, or something–or would it count as both? Is clothing optional?
Just curious…
Dollar General just another blight junk store. Since Jamesway closed Highland has been in need of a Wal Mart or a store of that calliber.its a shame the planners are turning Lloyd into another urban blight. When you come off the Mid Hudson bridge you get To see storage units now. I do however have no objections to new housing which is sorely needed everywhere. I just hope the current planners aren’t sacrificing the country rural feel for short term gain.
Build, Build, Build, Jobs, Job,s Jobs, Boycott Liberal Enviormental fools.
Liberal Enviromentalist Want You To Live in 1800’s
*proven fact that it cost more crude oil to build a solar panel than it ever will return in power.
STOP THE GREEN PARTY