Letter to the editor
Rebutting Ward Todd's Winston Farm Op-Ed: Letter By Margarita Asiain
To the Editor: The recent opinion piece written by Ulster County Chamber of Commerce's President and CEO, Ward Todd, regarding the Winston Farm Development project begs for a few responses and questions.
The Saugerties Chamber of Commerce is reportedly remaining neutral on the project. Who then is the UC Chamber representing with its apparent endorsement?
Mr. Todd has a fast and loose use of the word "facts." The fact is, the "facts" in the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Review currently under review by the Town Board means they are subject to being scrutinized for accuracy and adequacy and to being disputed. The "facts" remain to be determined. Even a cursory review of the DGEIS, which is publicly available, shows many areas that are inadequate or missing critical information.
Yes, the owners are local, respected benefactors in Saugerties. Yes, their businesses are part of Saugerties’ character and contribute to the local culture. Yes, they are proven responsible business owners. But they have been clear that they will not develop the property themselves. The goal is to sell the property in parcels; whoever the developers are, they will almost certainly not be local, and there is no way of foreseeing whether their designs will be in keeping with Saugerties character and culture.
Supporting arguments for development always include that the benefits will be that taxes will go down and that tax bases will increase to benefit the town. This is more a theory that often doesn't work out in practice. It is incumbent on the owners to provide evidence of where this has worked rather than merely saying that it will.
As we talk about the need for creating jobs, Kings Highway and Malden Turnpike, both zoned for business, have space for development. We have a conference center already at Diamond Mills. We have hotels already, and campgrounds. There are other spaces for housing development.
One can argue the town does not need Winston Farm for any of the development proposed by the owners. So what does Saugerties actually need, if not the projects the owners are proposing? The revenue, estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, has been repeated many times, yet without sources cited. Where are these estimates from?
Land is always seen by business developers as a "prime development opportunity." Developmental goals are almost always at odds with protecting the environment. Careful planning, starting with careful review and constructive critique of the DGEIS, the approval of which will allow rezoning required for this conceptual project of building out Winston Farm to move forward, is the next step.
Lastly, Mr. Todd derisively dismisses anyone not jumping on the bandwagon as having "false claims by the opponents of the project." Residents are asking informed questions and raising valid, reality-based concerns about the impact this project would have on Saugerties and the surrounding area, for impacts, both good and bad, will not be limited to the borders of the town and village.
— Margarita Asiain, Saugerties
