Residents call for better regional planning in response to the proposed plan to build a CVS and Five Guys in New Paltz

When the hearing continues — and is likely closed for good — on June 22, an official stenographer will be on hand to record all the testimony so that it may be included in the official record. That has led to some friction during earlier sessions of the hearing, as those speaking tried to rush through lengthy comments to get through them in the five minutes provided, but were repeatedly asked to slow down as the stenographer struggled to keep up with their rapid words. Once the hearing is closed, the board will proceed with a review of the project under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, which may or may not be completed during that meeting.

Opponents call for regional planning

A sit-down meeting with a handful of New Paltz residents seeking to curtail or block a plan to build a CVS at one of the town’s busiest intersections aren’t opposed to development or business, they say. Rather, they’re opposed to what they say is the wrong use for this site and that prior studies bear out that claim. A CVS in a different location, or a proposal for this gateway location that’s more professional offices or another low-traffic use, might not see the stiff opposition that has faced this idea from the get-go.

“These national chains have local communities in the crossfire,” said Borden, who lives across the Wallkill and fears the traffic impacts of this proposal. “It’s like a horror movie of economic and environmental damage is on autoplay. We need to update our overall approach to dealing with all these plans, like Park Point, Wildberry Lodge and CVS.”

That change in approach, hopes Zierler, will come in the form of a joint town-village comprehensive plan. “We want to look at Main Street from Ohioville all the way to the river,” he said. “Not using traditional land use like zoning, but by asking what it would look like. The transportation and land use plan called for more mixed-use development, but to do that we have to get out of our cars and mix residential and retail.”

Part of the difficulty that results in projects with strong opposition is a disconnect between zoning code and other documents. An application, such as this one for a CVS and Five Guys Burger and Fries, may seem to comply with all zoning code provisions, but still fly in the face of the transportation and land use plan Zierler referenced, which was adopted by both local governments in 2006. A study of the Putt Corners corridor made some 20 years ago recommended professional offices or light industrial uses for this particular area, Zierler said. Studies like these often reflect best practices or the will of the community, but they are not law in themselves. Their findings may be incorporated into the comprehensive plan, which is used to update the zoning code, but the town’s comprehensive plan hasn’t been updated since 1995 and doesn’t reflect any of that information. Applicants are much less likely to research studies that are not incorporated into the law, which can lead to friction with residents whose expectations are quite different.

“We’re not saying that we want to pick which business comes here,” said Stana Weisburd, “we’re saying we want thoughtful development. We’re not opposed to development.” Part of what makes development thoughtful in her view is studying impacts carefully. “We need to understand the impacts on the community, like air pollution and noise. The tree removal is huge.” When looking at homes in New Paltz, she chose the one she couldn’t hear the Thruway traffic from, she said, because she didn’t want the long-term noise.

Julie Lillis, who has gathered over a thousand signatures from people opposed to this plan, said the noise pollution could be even worse than people imagine, and they imagine a pretty bad situation. Testimony at the public hearing has spoken to the noise impact of the removal of the thousands of trees growing in what is now the Lent Farms development nearby, and expressed concern about removing the last remaining buffer trees along the interstate. Lillis pointed to the part of the site which actually rises up 20 feet or more, and said, “There’s no indication [on the plan] that that hill will remain. What impact would that have on noise and air pollution?”

Noting that the northern portion of this property is in the industrial zone, Zierler said, “It may make sense for the owner to subdivide,” allowing for a profitable use to be built that wouldn’t raise quite so many concerns. An industrial use likely wouldn’t create the same traffic problems as a high-volume retail outlet and burger shack. The Putt Corners/299 intersection is already a difficult one for pedestrians, as there are no walk signals, and the only crosswalk traverses Putt Corners Road on the south side of Main Street.

“My biggest concern is the traffic”

Many of the people opposed to the proposed CVS have invoked the name of Dedrick’s, the last independent pharmacy in town. A strong desire to protect this 45-year-old business in the village is prevalent in discussions about the project. The New Paltz Times reached out to owner Bill Sheeley, to get his take on the subject.

“We’ve been through this multiple times,” Sheeley recalled. He’s seen competitor’s like Cullen’s Pharmacy close, and watched Baxter’s from the time it opened until Stop & Shop bought the business prior to its storefront being demolished to make way for the supermarket uptown. Then there’s the bigger competitor’s, like Eckerd’s and Rite-Aid. And this isn’t the first time CVS tried to come to town, either. “It was closer to us that time,” Sheeley remembered, “but the community wouldn’t let them do it.”

If community desire was the only factor, CVS would certainly have a hard time opening a store here. But Sheeley understands that Dedrick’s may have a really large competitor no matter what the neighbors think, and he’s ready to compete as only a small, independent business can. “CVS is a very aggressive chain,” he said, “but they don’t have the things we offer.” Those things include deep local ties that come from years of supporting just about everything. “We gave money to almost a hundred community events last year, for almost $13,000,” Sheeley said. Then, picking up an inch-thick file folder of receipts, he added, “That doesn’t count the products we’ve donated for prizes.” The main cash register in the store is surrounded by canisters to donate spare change to a number of local causes, including the dog park and Family of New Paltz. The fact that those canisters, as well as the charity drives promoted in the store periodically, do so well is proof to Sheeley that the community recognizes that Dedrick’s supports it and gives back in return.

“We have 25 employees here, and if you asked them, I think that they’d agree that they are paid fairly,” Sheeley said. “I don’t think CVS pays as much, and I don’t think CVS gives as much,” he said. Those employees are all local people, he added, and are part of the reason why money spent at the independent pharmacy stays local. Dedrick’s rents its space, and Sheeley is a Tillson resident, so, “I pay taxes indirectly, through rent,” he said, and those expenses also tend to stay local.

“If they come, we can handle the competition,” he said. “That’s part of America. The only concern I have is about the traffic.” The impact on Main Street backups and side street car volume is concerning to many residents, but Sheeley has different reasons. “We draw people from a wide area,” he said, including Highland, Poughkeepsie, Marlboro, as well as locales in other directions. “If they can’t get here, that’s going to hurt. We will just have to deal with them. They will offer to buy me out, and I will refuse. We will remain independent. The community has been so good to us, how can I slap them in the face? We’ll keep independent as long as we can.”

To those community members who have patronized Dedrick’s for decades, Sheeley had this to say: “Thank you for your support. Whatever will be, will be.”