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Historic Church For Sale By Town
Ecotourism, Solar Farm Also Proposed

MAMAKATING – Mamakating's comprehensive plan steering committee presented their long-awaited recommendations to the town board this week, with consultant and planner Matt Ryan on hand to lead the presentation. They include a movement towards ecotourism with encouragement of small tourist-friendly businesses such as shops and restaurants in four focal areas alongside the development of "complete streets" featuring sidewalks, benches, landscaping, and safe, convenient access for all users, including pedestrians and cyclists.

Other changes include the removal of large-scale economic development areas and the promotion of interchange commercial development areas within a quarter mile radius of Route 17 highway exits for travel-friendly convenience businesses.

In the Ridge and Valley Protection zone, net density is to be capped at one unit per ten acres, lake neighborhood lots are to be at least two acres, and development in the Mountain Greenbelt zone is to be clustered around existing roadways, in order to leave open areas undisturbed.

The comprehensive plan also calls for sewer mains to be built in "incentive economic development" areas and pushes light industry such as auto repair in the Wurtsboro Airport area. Mining and extraction areas are to be limited to their current locations.

Planning board and comprehensive plan committee member Mort Starobin reported on the findings of a hydro-geological study that had been commissioned to help in the planning process, noting that the state's 19th major aquifer is situated beneath the Basha Kill protection area, as well as the fact that the hills between Wurtsboro and Monticello were arid, and unable to support much development.

A public hearing on the proposed comp plan, available on the town's website at mamakating.org, will be held at the July 11 town board meeting, and the plan could be officially adopted as early as August.

In other news, the town has received a serious proposal for a solar farm on its15-acre landfill, located next to a quarry and transfer station, which currently costs the town $16,000 per year. It was noted that a solar farm would cover this amount, and even provide a good income for the town.

A number of Wurtsboro Hills residents were also on hand to discuss their efforts to improve the area, including a clean-up day, with the town providing a dumpster and stepped-up state police presence.

County legislator Catherine Owens reported on county actions "to determine whether there was undue influence in a federal litigation brought against the Sullivan County Board of Elections" which alleged discrimination regarding voter registrations in the Village of Bloomingburg.

The most emotional issue came up in regards to an offer from an Apostolic Pentecostal group to purchase the town-owned Dutch Reformed Church structure in Bloomingburg, which the Bloomingburg Restoration Foundation has been trying to raise funds for as a museum and cultural center. The building is the oldest church in Sullivan County and is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Members of the Restoration group spoke passionately against the sale, vowing that hundreds of their members will do whatever is necessary to buy the church themselves and/or restore it. Town supervisor Bill Herrmann reminded the group that repairs have been needed for a long time, and the building has become a liability for the town. The offer on the building is $85,000.



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