What is planned at Rock Ledge?
Rock Ledge will create a 36-unit condominium complex at 6-71 Springwood Drive in Rhinebeck. The project will be an adaptive, sensitively developed reuse of a property that currently is not in use but contains vacant historic structures sorely in need of rehabilitation and protection as a National Register listed site. The project will be consistent with the Town of Rhinebeck’s historic-preservation standards. Rock Ledge will renovate and preserve historic buildings that would otherwise remain vacant and vulnerable to decay. It will also construct new buildings that are visually complementary in character. They will be designed to look like large single-family homes, as required by zoning. The buildings will be grouped away from the edges of the property, ensuring they are obscured from roads.
What was the property’s previous use?
Daytop Village operated a substance-abuse treatment center on the property. It closed in 2009. Daytop Village was a very active, intense use of the property. Employees arrived and departed daily, residents frequently transitioned to and from onsite programs and a steady stream of trucks provided deliveries and services. Uses prior to Daytop included a seminary and a former health-oriented hotel and spa.
What environmental impact will Rock Ledge have on surrounding roads, neighborhoods and community?
Minimal impact is expected. The new buildings will be grouped near the already developed portion of the site, away from roads on the borders of the property, as well as neighbors. Sustainability is a foremost priority for Rock Ledge; natural areas and features will be maintained and preserved. Construction will occur away from wetlands, their streams and buffers and steep slopes. The removal of vegetation will be minimized. Trees and shrubs outside immediate active construction zones will be protected. After construction, native plantings and other vegetation will be added to supplement buffers, screening and the intrinsic character of the area. Much of the added flora will require low demand for water during the stabilization period.
What will the traffic impact be?
Traffic impact of Rock Ledge will be minimal, negligible and far less than what was generated by Daytop Village. The most significant traffic impact would be the Friday peak PM hour, when 40 vehicles would enter or exit the site. This is an average of two vehicles every three minutes, as determined by Creighton Manning Engineering LLC, a respected expert in this field. There would be no impact on traffic wait times at nearby intersections during the peak period, and no impact at other times of the day.
Can construction traffic use the Primrose Hill right-of-way access to the project rather than Ackert Hook Road?
Overall, Rock Ledge construction crews and vehicles will carefully observe neighborhood standards to ensure no disruptions to quality of life. Use of Primrose Hill Road and the right of way into the site would be unacceptable to Rock Ledge and the Town of Rhinebeck for several reasons:
- The geometry of the road and intersection and the right of way are inadequate for construction vehicles.
- The road would have to be widened adjacent to protected surface waters. That effort is not being considered.
- The road would enter the site at an impractical location in relation to primary areas of construction activity.
Is the use permissible under Town zoning law and the Comprehensive Plan’s objectives against urban sprawl?
Yes, Rock Ledge is fully complaint with these requirements. The project complies with the permissible density in the Zoning Law. Section 125-62G of the Town of Rhinebeck’s zoning regulations outlines standards for preservation of historic structures and districts within the town. The Zoning Law permits up to four residential units within a historic structure through adaptive reuse, and Rock Ledge is in compliance.
In addition, the density planned at Rock Ledge is exactly consistent with the Town of Rhinebeck zoning law section 125-68 B, which specifically authorizes multifamily residences in the RC5 District pursuant to a Special Permit. This permits density of four dwelling units for the first five acres of a project site, plus one additional dwelling unit for every additional 2.5 acres of net developable property.
Why is a zoning variance needed?
A variance, has been applied for to essentially swap two units between the Manor House and Stone Barn structures. No additional units are being sought. The Zoning Law allows four units in the Manor House and four in the Stone Barn. Rock Ledge developers are seeking permission to create six units in the more-spacious Manor House and only two units in the Stone Barn. This is an improvement to the neighborhood and the Project because the existing Manor House is large enough to accommodate the six units, which will be completely invisible from Ackert Hook Road. This also is a far more environmentally sustainable solution, using the existing structure and water and sewer connections. Additionally, because the Stone Barn is clearly visible from Ackert Hook having only the two remaining units there greatly reduces the size of that building and its disturbance along the road frontage.
Will Rock Ledge be a gated community?
Rock Ledge will not be a gated community. It has been designed with aesthetic entryways that are in character with, and blend with, the current landscape.
Will Airbnb uses be allowed? How would a prohibition on such uses be enforced?
Short-term rentals, including Airbnb stays, will not be allowed at Rock Ledge. The prohibition on such rentals will be set forth in the governing community association documents and rules and will be enforced by the community association through its usual enforcement procedures. In addition to these private restrictions, any law adopted by the Town of Rhinebeck regarding short-term rentals, as with any other matter, will apply to Rock Ledge.
How will the clearing of vegetation be minimized and mitigated?
Clearing for the seven new clustered buildings will be limited to areas for building footprints, paved driveways and associated grading. Vegetation will not be removed to create additional open space, yards and lawns or views. Because the proposed landscape design calls for preserving mature woodlands and native vegetation as close as possible to the new dwellings, all trees and shrubs immediately outside the active construction zones and beyond will be retained and protected.
Following construction, a diverse mix of native trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses will be planted at each building location, providing additional visual screening and habitat while enhancing the landscape.
Implementing the town’s recommendation, the historic Manor House's western views will be restored without clear-cutting any woodlands. Views will be opened by selective thinning of the upper stories of vegetation. The under stories of vegetation will not be altered to preserve their value as screening to visual receptors.
How will the development preserve/augment natural buffers along the roads bordering the property?
Rock Ledge’s methodical planning will protect buffers and vegetation as part of its commitment to environmental preservation. For approximately 2,000 feet along Ackert Hook Road, the views toward the proposed buildings will be screened by existing mature and dense vegetation. This growth is in a 14-acre wetland between the buildings and the road, and it varies in width from 750 to 1,050 feet. Main species in the area include large red maple and green ash trees, as well as a nearly continuous dense shrub layer.
To supplement environmental character, a mix of native trees and shrubs will be planted by Rock Ledge along the south side of the buildings. This will augment the existing woodland and increase the visual buffer between the new development and the adjacent Haggerty Hill Road residence.
Will there be clearcutting of trees to open views for residents of the Manor House?
No. There will be no clearcutting for view enhancement at the Manor House. The proposed area for the view enhancement is approximately 10,000 square feet, which represents an area that is less than 10% of the area of the existing meadow. To restore the view, only the uppermost sections of tree canopy will be considered for any pruning. All understory vegetation will remain untouched because it does not impact views from the Manor House.
The size, shape and location of that canopy view enhancement will not fragment existing habitat. This approach is in keeping with best practices outlined in the manual Creating and Maintaining Hudson River Views, published October 2020, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program in partnership with New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. The manual recommends locating view modifications close to or within existing edge habitat to prevent further fragmentation of core natural areas.
The changes will be achieved by means of strategic, selective pruning of branches limited to the highest parts of the trees that obstruct views from the Manor House. The mature tree will remain and protected to ensure that it can continue to thrive. Any pruned material will remain on the property so it can decompose, providing habitat for small animals and microbes, and adding organic material to the soil, consistent with the Manual’s best practices.
How much irrigation will be needed?
A permanent irrigation system is not part of the proposed landscape design. However, a temporary irrigation system will be needed to establish new plantings. This would operate only during the warm months. The system would likely remain in place one to two years. Once the plantings are established, they will not require additional irrigation under normal conditions.
Plantings will likely be installed in staggered phases over 1-2 seasons, greatly reducing the need for irrigation in any given week. However, if the plantings were scheduled for the same installation period, the water requirement is estimated to be 344,300 gallons per week for the first two weeks of the establishment period for new plantings. This will drop to approximately 150,000 gallons per week for weeks three through 12, and then 50,000 gallons per week for a few months, until roots are fully established. This depends on the start of dormancy (the end of the warm month period).
Estimates are calculated as follows:
First two weeks
During the initial two-week establishment period, the following requirements are estimated: (“cal.” indicates “caliper,” or diameter at breast height.)
- 4” cal. trees – 35 gallons/week
- 2” cal. trees – 21 gallons/week
- shrubs in #5 containers – 9 gallons/week
- 12 acres of non-turf ground cover and perennials – 1” water per week. To be suspended if there is an equivalent or greater amount of rain in the same time period.
Weeks 3-12
Irrigation will be reduced following the initial two weeks of establishment:
- 4” cal. trees – 10 gallons/week
- 2” cal. trees – 14 gallons/week
- shrubs in #5 containers – 4-5 gallons/week
- 12 acres of non-turf ground cover and perennials – 1” water per week. To be suspended if there is an equivalent or greater amount of rain in the same time period.
For drought periods, estimate
- 4” cal. trees – 5 gallons/week
- 2” cal. trees – 3 gallons/week
- shrubs in #5 containers – 1.25 gallons/week
- 12 acres of non-turf ground cover and perennials – 1/2” water per week