The Town of Wallkill master plan review committee and town board members are inviting public feedback on the proposed revisions to the town’s land use policy.
A public hearing on May 29 marked the start of a multi-week public comment period on the master plan proposal.
According to Eric Johnson, chair of the review committee and town council member, the proposed updates aim to preserve the town’s way of life amidst changing development trends.
“Our goal is to move the town forward while maintaining the character that we all cherish,” stated Mr. Johnson during a presentation on May 22.
Emphasizing the importance of prioritizing residents over business interests, Mr. Johnson highlighted the committee’s commitment to safeguarding the well-being of the Town of Wallkill’s inhabitants.
With the rise of warehousing projects in the town, the committee recommends restricting such developments to specific areas near three major interchanges along Route 17.
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Various code adjustments are necessary to implement these changes, such as confining warehousing and distribution facilities to the enterprise zone, reclassifying properties outside the designated area into the enterprise light zone, and excluding distribution centers as a permitted use in the office and research zone.
The town has maintained a warehouse moratorium since November 2022 and intends to lift it upon enacting new warehousing regulations, as discussed in a town work session on May 22.
Eliminating construction-related overlay and floating zones is recommended to prevent alterations to the appearance of neighboring communities, as explained by Mr. Johnson.
Currently, the town permits planned residential development overlay districts, established in 2009 to promote innovative and adaptable neighborhood-like development, as well as an affordable housing floating zone, in accordance with town codes.
“Allowing overlays could potentially lead to spot zoning,” Mr. Johnson previously informed The Epoch Times. “When you deviate from the permitted zoning parameters within a zone, you can fundamentally change the neighborhood’s character.”
Additionally, the committee proposes removing conservation subdivisions, introduced in 2005 and subsequently modified in 2009 to facilitate flexible building layouts for land preservation purposes per town codes.
Furthermore, the committee recommends excluding mobile home parks from the suburban residential zone, relocating cemeteries from two residential areas due to groundwater contamination concerns, and subjecting tourist homes to special use permits.
With regard to economic development, the review committee suggests establishing a new town role to coordinate the zoning, planning, and building departments in order to drive desired growth.
“We should focus on attracting businesses that can potentially create job opportunities for our youth,” expressed Mr. Johnson during the presentation. “We need businesses that contribute positively to our community, not just warehouses.”
The committee also proposes creating a new town engineer position, allowing mixed commercial and residential uses to support small businesses, and rezoning a section along Route 17M as a highway commercial district to stimulate development.
Additionally, a sunset clause permitting a maximum of three planning board approval extensions is recommended.
“I want to extend a big thank you to the members of the review committee for their dedicated work on this project,” acknowledged Mr. Johnson during the presentation. “It is a volunteer effort that involves numerous meetings and site visits.”
The nine members of the master plan review committee include Mr. Johnson, council member Steven Vinella, Carol Gillen from Jerry’s Collision Center, James Loiodice from Loiodice Excavating, Chris Michaels, Saleem Newsome, Teek Persaud from Quickway Diner, Richard Reeves, and Denise Romero.
Public Comments
Interested parties and residents can submit written comments to the town board or participate in person at work sessions on Wednesdays and town board meetings on Thursdays.
During the public hearing on May 29, an attorney representing the New Jersey-based developer RDM Group requested that specific parcels where the client has invested significantly be exempt from the proposed warehousing-related zoning changes.
Another attorney representing a warehousing developer and cemetery developer suggested at the hearing that the review committee engage stakeholders early in the review process to ensure they are informed of potential changes and can make informed investment decisions.
Town resident Jean Schultz recommended exploring mixed-use development to minimize negative impacts on surrounding residential areas.
“We will keep the public comment period open to listen to feedback from the community,” stated Town Supervisor George Serrano during the public hearing. “This process will take time, but we are committed to making decisions that benefit the town.”
As of press time, the town has not specified a deadline for the public comment period.
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