Developers of a controversial housing proposal in the Town of Ulster say they’re scaling back plans to build apartment complex, addressing traffic, and including some affordable housing after considering public feedback.
During a meeting of the Ulster Town Board last week, Tom George, CEO of Rochester-based Whitestone Development discussed the proposal for a residential community at 1530 State Route 9W, a property above Adams Fairacre Farms. The location, residents and nearby business owners have noted, raises traffic concerns along an already busy commercial corridor.
“We’ve worked with at least a dozen agencies and representatives from the town, the county, state, other interested parties, some third-party consultants from all these agencies as well to further develop the plan to be more accommodating to the interests of the community of the property itself and to our neighbors,” said George. He added that the new iteration does not include any disturbance of wetlands on the property.
Back in November, the proposal was for 294 units, but since then, the number of units was cut to 190. The new configuration includes a proposed 20 two-story, townhouses over 29 of the site’s 69.34 acres, a 7,850-square-foot clubhouse, recreational trails, pedestrian sidewalks, on-site parking, and 25-foot-wide gutter-curbed roadways.
The new plan also earmarks around 15 percent of the units as affordable housing.
Earlier in the meeting, area resident Vicki Lucarini asked about the planned difference between affordable and market-rate options at the proposed complex.
“What is meant by affordable? How does the employer define affordable?”
That question wasn’t specifically answered, but George said adding affordable housing had been a work in progress for Whitestone.
“We’re not typically affordable housing developers,” George said. “But we’re working with HUD-certified operators who can manage the requirements, reporting annually to the state with rigorous oversight. It’s not what we normally do, but we’re adapting.”
George also addressed persistent traffic concerns from the public. The property’s current access via an entrance shared by Adams and Aqua Jet Pools and Spas will remain, but will be expanded to include a widened three-lane driveway along the north side of the property.
“We’re adding a dedicated third lane northbound onto Route 9W,” George explained. “There will be a left-turn-only lane, plus a shared lane for left turns and through traffic.”
At a town board meeting last November, Lucarini detailed her traffic concerns.
“What I am concerned about is its size,” she said. “This development could potentially add 289 cars, 289 to 578 cars on the road. How does a developer plan to accommodate the amount of traffic safely in and out of the development? (The area is) a mess, and you’re going to add more traffic to that?”
A traffic study conducted by the developer last year maintained that there would be an average of 87 vehicles leaving and 28 entering the property during peak morning hours; and afternoon peak hours would see an average of 93 vehicles entering and 55 exiting. They also estimate 61 vehicles entering and exiting during peak hours on Saturdays.
Whitestone said a revised study was submitted to the state Department of Transportation in March of this year, and in May they heard from the agency that the proposed improvements were unnecessary. George said they still planned to go through with them.
Other critics of the proposal have raised issues with the developer’s plans to demolish the former Wolf Rock Hotel, which though over 100 years old has been in a state of disrepair. The developer also disputed the building’s historical significance after consulting with the State Historical Preservation Office.
“We identified that there were no historical designations on the house structure that is there,” George said. “Ultimately we relied on SHPO for that designation..I respect the local attachment to the building, but it’s been heavily modified, and much of its original character has been lost. It’s not in a condition that fits into our overall plans.”
Whitestone also believes, based on demographics in their other properties, the impact on the Kingston City School District will be minimal.
“A project of this scale and size, you might see somewhere between seven and ten school age children enter the school district, (across) all grades,” George said.
During the meeting, town supervisor James E. Quigley, III proposed that Whitestone make a $25,000 contribution toward municipal reforestation efforts.
“We’ll take that into consideration,” George said.
Join the family! 
