Minnewaska State Park Master Plan Gets Hearing - 5 October, 2009

By Ariel Zangla
Daily Freeman
October 5, 2009

NEW PALTZ — An updated draft Master Plan to guide the future protection and management of Minnewaska State Park Preserve has been created and will be the subject of a public hearing later this month.

Minnewaska State Park Preserve consists of more than 2,100 acres of forested lands and lakes located along the Shawangunk Mountains in Ulster County. This includes more than 8,000 acres acquired since the preserve was created in 1971.

The 2009 draft Master Plan updates one created in 1993 that recognized the significant natural, cultural, scenic and recreational resources of the preserve, according to its executive summary. The current plan "has been developed with the same preservation-minded approach," the summary said.

The draft plan presents a series of "preferred alternatives" for future development and operation of the preserve. The status quo alternative describes the preserve as it is used and operated today with no expansion or improvements.

The preferred alternative proposes "a low-level development, environmentally conscious plan that includes several improvements identified in the 1993 Master Plan/EIS (environmental impact statement). Additions and improvements to the previous plan include the adaptive reuses of the former Phillips house as the preserve office and visitor center, with the intent to renovate it as a sustainable, environmentally sensitive structure; the rehabilitation of the existing maintenance facility; revised parking lot designs; and the expansion of hiking, biking, equestrian and climbing opportunities."

The master plan presents a long-term vision for the rehabilitation and construction of improvements to the preserve and identifies short-term capital improvements totaling approximately $5 million. The pacing of those improvements will depend on the availability of capital funds, "which need to be sequenced with other pressing capital investments in the Palisades Region and across the entire New York State Park system," according to the executive summary. It said implementation of the plan will "require at least 10 years and possibly longer."

The draft plan, according to its summary, does not significantly change traffic patterns or vehicular access locations to the preserve. It also states that implementation of the plan will have "substantial beneficial recreation and open space impacts," which include new and improved recreation facilities and amenities. The summary also states that the protection of water resources in the preserve is a major goal.

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m., Oct. 22, in the Lecture Center, room 100, at SUNY New Paltz. Anyone unable to attend the hearing can submit comments on the plan to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation via e-mail to minnewaska.plan@oprhp.state.ny.us. Comments may be submitted until Nov. 13.

A copy of the draft plan and environmental impact statement is available online at www.nysparks.state.ny.us. Copies of the draft master plan and environmental impact statement are also available at Elting Memorial Library, 93 Main St., New Paltz, and at Ellenville Public Library, 40 Center St., Ellenville.

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