Shandaken, Tannersville, and RUPCO won $343,250 of so-called smart growth grants from the Department of Environmental Conservation, including funding for a town zoning plan, design work around Gooseberry Creek and Rip Van Winkle Lake, and infrastructure tied to an affordable housing project in Pine Hill.
The three awards account for more than half of the $677,294 distributed throughout Ulster, Delaware, Orange, and Sullivan counties through the Catskill Park Community Smart Growth Grant, which aims to help communities expand recreational activities, address affordable housing, improve accessibility and safety, and support planning and zoning work.
“The Catskill Park is home to vibrant communities that play a crucial role in protecting globally significant landscapes,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in a March 5 news release. “DEC’s Smart Growth grants represent a vital investment in our communities.”
In Shandaken, $100,000 will support work on a comprehensive zoning plan. Town officials expect to adopt a new zoning code within two years, based on smart growth goals and changes anticipated in the comprehensive plan, which is due this spring, according to Shandaken Supervisor Barbara Mansfield. The EPA defines smart growth as an approach that protects the environment, makes communities more attractive, strengthens economies and resists climate change.
Tannersville received $125,000 for the Gooseberry Creek Revitalization Strategy Implementation Project, which will support designs for upgrades in the Gooseberry Creek watershed, including parkland around Rip Van Winkle Lake. It would include floating walking paths in two locations to tie Upper Lake Park to the Huckleberry Rail Trail, part of the Hunter Regional Trail Network. It would also install two fountains in Rip Van Winkle Lake to improve water circulation and water quality.
RUPCO got $118,250 to replace a pedestrian bridge over Alton Creek in Pine Hill, infrastructure tied to landscaping and green space plans for the Wellington Restoration Project at 310 Main St. That project aims to add affordable housing in the hamlet along with a community food market. The bridge would let people cross the creek via a pedestrian trail and access a park and patio seating space.
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.