Posted August 28, 2024, with subsequent updates as indicated in the blue box comments.

 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, 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 was incorporated into the 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 timeline below illustrates where we are in the SEQR process using a bold circle outline.  Related documents can be found in the "Documents" section at the bottom of this page.

A detailed description of the SEQR process can be found here. 

Public Comment

Please stay tuned to this Town Website and the Town Facebook page (and other social media) for the posting of the complete Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) and subsequent public comment dates.  A public hearing notice will be circulated, and written comments will be accepted.  Comments submitted prior to the public comment period may not be captured for the record.

To submit comments, you can email to mail them to winstonfarmcomments@saugertiesny.gov.
 
U.S. mail: Saugerties Town Hall
                  c/o [Supervisor or Town Clerk]
                  4 High Street
                  Saugerties, NY  12477

Glossary of Terms

• Lead Agency - The agency responsible for undertaking, funding, or approving an action, and is therefore responsible for coordinating the SEQR process.
• Positive Declaration - The written determination by the lead agency indicating that implementation of the action as proposed may have a significant adverse impact on the environment and that an environmental impact statement will be required.
• Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) - A generic EIS is broader and more general than a site-specific EIS and explores various alternatives to the proposed action. A GEIS should explore the environmental setting of the project site, constraints on development, and analyze hypothetical scenarios or alternatives for development under the proposed zoning.
• Scope -The scoping process identifies the potentially significant adverse impacts related to the proposed action that are to be addressed in the draft EIS including the content and level of detail of the analysis, the range of alternatives, the mitigation measures needed and the identification of irrelevant issues. A scope provides the project sponsor with a written outline of topics that must be considered in the EIS.
• Substantive Comment - Substantive comments relate to the impacts, alternatives or mitigations contained in the DGEIS, or raise important issues not previously addressed. General statements of objection or support are noted in the FGEIS summary but do not warrant a response.
• Findings Statement - A written statement prepared by the Lead Agency after the final GEIS has been filed, that considers the relevant environmental impacts presented in an EIS, weighs and balances them with social, economic and other essential considerations, provides a rationale for the agency's decision and certifies that the SEQR requirements have been met.
• State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act.  The NY State SEQR Act requires all local, regional, and state government agencies to equally examine the environmental impacts along with the social and economic considerations for a certain project, or action, during their discretionary review.  Agencies must follow the multi-step SEQR Decision Process, which requires them to assess the environmental significance of all actions they have the power to approve, fund, or directly assume.  For more information, please visit the NY State SEQR webpage.

Links

• Consultant Comments to Date (11/7) and Town Board October 16, 2024 Resolution
• Link to an archive copy of a previous version of this page
• Link to the preliminary Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) document, and related Appendix* documents (August 15, 2024)
  This preliminary Draft GEIS has not been accepted as complete by the Town Board (Lead Agency) pursuant to 6 NYCRR 617.9(a)(2).  It is not within the typical regulatory process for a draft at this stage to be available for public review.  The Town makes no representation as to the accuracy or reliability of the information or analyses contained in this document.  The public review period will commence at such time that the Lead Agency accepts a complete Draft GEIS, pursuant to SEQR law.
  
  
  *If the above link does not give you access to the Appendixes, please try this link.

Documents

• Sept. 12, 2024 "Winston Farm Forum" Presentation by Town Planner Adriana Beltrani (Orpheum Theater)
• "Winston Farm Planned Development District - Zoning and NYS Environmental Quality Review Act" - presented by Adriana Beltrani at the 9/4/2024 Town Board meeting
• Winston Farm SEQR Process and Timeline Memo
• FINAL SCOPE for the preparation of a DRAFT GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (DGEIS) (issued January 4, 2023)
• "SEQR Timeline - Winston Farm" PDF (9/3/2024)