Project Background
Saugerties Farm, LLC is proposing to rezone the Winston Farm site, consisting of eleven parcels totaling 840 +/- acres to facilitate the development of “a premier regional mixed-use destination venue for the Hudson Valley” permitting a range of potential uses including, but not limited to consumer service; office space; high-tech and research; makerspace and artisanal creative spaces; agri-manufacturing and research; hospitality; and indoor and outdoor entertainment and recreational opportunities as well as a mix of related uses.
On July 13, 2022, the Town Board, as Lead Agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, adopted a positive declaration (see "Documents" below), requiring that a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) be prepared.
On August 17, 2022, the Town Board, as Lead Agency, accepted a Draft Scope for the GEIS and set a public hearing for September 21, 2022. Public and Agency comment will be incorporated into a Final Scope. The Draft GEIS will address the topics outlined in the Final Scope. Once the Draft GEIS is submitted to the Town, public comment will again be solicited.
The adoption of any new zoning on the site is a separate action and cannot commence until SEQR is completed.
Documents prepared as part of the SEQR process will be added to this page, as they become available.
Dates and Descriptions of Project Activity
Wednesday, September 21, 2022 - Town Board Public Hearing
Town Supervisor Fred Costello would like to thank everyone who participated in the public hearing, and asks that anyone who didn't participate and would like to offer their comments (relevant documents below) should do so by Saturday, October 1st, 2022. To submit comments, you can email to mail them to either or both of the Supervisor or Town Clerk.
Email addresses: fcostello@saugertiesny.gov (Supervisor Fred Costello), lstanley@saugertiesny.gov (Town Clerk Lisa Stanley)
U.S. mail: Saugerties Town Hall
c/o Town Clerk
4 High Street
Saugerties, NY 12477
A series of updates on hearings and meetings pertaining to Winston Farm, from Town Board member Zach Horton:
A public hearing will be held by the Town Board of the Town of Saugerties on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at the Frank. D. Greco Memorial Senior Center, 207 Market Street, Saugerties NY. This is regarding the Draft Scope for the Winston Farm Planned Development District Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (“DGEIS”). The Town of Saugerties Town Board, as Lead Agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), has determined that the proposed zoning amendment for the Winston Farm Planned Development District may have significant adverse impact on the environment.
(Update 2-8-2023): During the regularly scheduled Town Board meeting held on 2-8-23, the Saugerties Town Board voted on and passed the motion regarding H2M Architects and Engineers. H2M will be working in conjunction with the Town of Saugerties in regard to the Winston Farm Project, and the hydrogeological evaluation process, as well as assisting with the review of the Scoping Document. Currently, the developers of Winston Farm are completing their own water testing studies. Once completed, that data will be shared with the Town of Saugerties. Saugerties will then work with H2M to determine whether or not those findings are accurate and current. In the event the determination is made that these findings are inadequate in anyway, the Town will then reassess what further studies need to be completed on behalf of the developers in order to gain an accurate and appropriate comprehensive understanding of the site’s hydrogeological status.
(Update 1-5-23): During the Town Board meeting held on January 5th, 2023, the first meeting of the year, the Town Board voted to adopt the final scoping document related to the Winston Farm Project. This document is available upon request and can be found on the Town of Saugerties website. The Town Board and all involved parties, including the Conservation Advisory Commission as an interested party/agency regarding this project, will continue to openly communicate throughout the SEQR process, as well as all other phases of this project. The Town Board will also continue to work diligently to keep the public informed throughout the process, and assure that all information, documentation, and any other related materials, are readily available. Please continue to check the Town of Saugerties website and local accounts of the town’s elected officials for any future updates, meeting information, and project details.
(Update 10-6-2022): During the Board Meeting held on 9-21-2022, the residents of Saugerties, as well as interested/involved parties of the Winston Farm Project, gathered at the Senior Citizen Center for the public hearing regarding the scoping document related to the proposed project. Many individuals spoke out against the project, as well as in favor of the project. Overall, most of the speakers who relayed statements of opposition were displeased with what they believe to be “vagueness and exclusion of materials” related to the scoping document. Others also made statements related to water usage and availability as it pertains to the property and the proposed project. Since this meeting, town officials have continued to engage with the town planner and other parties to further examine the scoping document, gather input from each party, and offer individual input and remarks before advancing. This meeting, as outlined in the above update, was merely a public hearing and the Town Board, nor any other invested party, made any decisions on the project proposal itself. More updates will be provided as they become available, and the public will continue to be made aware of all public events related to this project.