KINGSTON, N.Y. City planners have reaffirmed a nine year-old determination that the Kingston Meadows senior housing project located behind the Best Western Plus Hotel on Washington Avenue will not have any significant negative environmental effects.
The Tuesday virtual meeting saw the city Planning Board unanimously adopt a resolution declaring that the January 14, 2013 negative declaration for the project under the state Environmental Quality Review Act was still valid. This determination allows Hudson Valley Housing Development Fund Co. to request an easement from Ulster County for the county-owned U&D Railroad corridor.
Developers need the easement to be able access the property via an entrance to be made off Hurley Avenue.
Javid Afzali, project attorney, stated that the county is currently considering the easement and would hold a public hearing.
“Obviously, they can’t make a decision until SEQRA is updated,” Afzali added. “So this is the threshold step that we have to take.” He said once the city Planning Board has affirmed the prior state Environmental Quality Review Act decision it will give the county the tools it needs to make a decision on the easement. Afzali stated that if the crossing is granted, the developers will be allowed to return to the city board to continue with the site plan approval process.
Kingston Meadows will consist of 58 one-bedroom apartments as well as two two-bedroom units. It has been in the city Planning Board’s hands since at most 2011.
The housing is for people 55 years and older.
City Planner Suzanne Cahill said Afzali also submitted a legal analysis of the project and how it might have been impacted by the city’s comprehensive plan and Open Space Plan, which were adopted in recent years. She said the city’s assistant corporation counsel reviewed that submission and “concurred with the conclusions that the applicant’s attorney brought forth that this is consistent with the comprehensive plan, as well as the Open Space Plan.” Cahill said city officials also reviewed an area variance that had previously been granted for the project and determined it also to still be valid.
