A Call to Action: Letter to the Village by Tom Olsen, Village HPC Chair, John Litton, Village Planning Board, and Village Mayor Tim Rogers
The time has come for the Village of New Paltz to join the many communities across the country and right here in the Hudson Valley that have preservation districts and/or a community design review process in place to protect the local character, history, and architectural distinctiveness of the places in which they live. Experience has shown that these measures protect and strengthen community character and support the tax base.
We are fortunate that our downtown area has been on the State and National Registers of Historic Places since 2009—an honor that relatively few communities can boast of, but one that comes with no local oversight. It is time to put this honor to work for New Paltz residents and businesses. Our hard-working Planning Board is primarily occupied with assuring compliance with local building code, but building code offers no guidance on matters of historic preservation and little direction on design details that contribute to a community’s architectural and historic fabric.
The community benefits of having a basic design and architectural review process are clear: appealing streetscapes, improved safety for pedestrians and vehicles, attractive neighborhoods, protection against architecturally inappropriate renovations and unsuitable new construction. And they come with real economic payoffs for individual property owners and neighborhoods at large. Properties with local protections generally maintain their value better than those that do not; protected neighborhoods are generally considered more desirable places to live and do business.
The Village is facing many new pressures: a shortage of affordable housing, ambitious plans to infill the few remaining open spaces, the prospect of future tear-downs and renovations, changes on commercial Main Street, and a rapidly developing commercial corridor on North Chestnut Street. We need to guide new construction and the exterior renovations of the future. Some unfortunate but highly visible examples in recent years remind us of the need to pay attention to future development so that New Paltz remains New Paltz, while creating new opportunities for all.
To address these issues, the Village Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) proposes establishing a downtown preservation district, the second in the Village after Huguenot Street. The district would include all of the 2009 State and National Register of Historic Places district, the full length of Main Street to Joalyn Road at the Village border, Wurts and Elting Avenues, Peace Park and Hasbrouck Park, and the section of Plattekill Avenue from Main Street to Hasbrouck Avenue. All new construction and exterior renovations to properties in this new district would be subject to Village HPC review, along with Planning Board approval and building permits.
What would this new district mean for property owners and the community?
For property owners, the review process offers opportunities for free consultation and guidance, at any stage of planning, by a panel of citizen volunteers knowledgeable in matters of historic appropriateness. The Village HPC’s certification process begins with a basic 2-page form. Supporting information usually includes some combination of photos, sketches, samples of materials, and reports on conversations with neighbors. Larger projects such as new construction or major additions typically require the same drawings and plans required by the Planning Board and Building Department, and they usually include a public hearing at which neighbors and other interested parties can register support for or concerns about a project. HPC review focuses on street-facing work that is visible to the public. The design of a front porch is more consequential than the design of a rear deck, for example.
Routine repairs and replacement of like-for-like materials are typically exempt from review. Village HPC design review is typically a short and easy process that also protects property owners from making inappropriate or short-sighted decisions as they renovate or develop their properties. Finally, in order to qualify for most state preservation grants and loans, properties must be landmarked or be part of a preservation district.
If we as a community can make this modest commitment, we will position the Village for a prosperous and dynamic future, while retaining the community character we all love. As described in a recent video produced by the Village HPC, protected neighborhoods hold their value better and are more pleasant to live, dine, and shop in. But they also create a strong sense of shared community and enhance the beauty of where we live by connecting the past to the present. New Paltz has a rich history. Preserving our local architectural heritage is part of preserving our past as we safeguard our future.
John Litton, Planning Board Chair
Thomas G. Olsen, Historic Preservation Commission Chair
Tim Rogers, Mayor