Letter to the Editor : Rhinebeck Soccer League and Rhinebeck?s Rec Park , Public Hearing and some info before you?go!
The Public Hearing is scheduled for? 6/18 (Tuesday)
at 7:30 p.m. at the Rhinebeck Village Hall.
UPDATE : THE 6/18 /2013?MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELED PLEASE CK BACK FOR UPDATES! THX
The following public hearing has been cancelled.
The Village of Rhinebeck Planning Board and the Town of Rhinebeck Planning Board will hold a joint public hearing in the Village Municipal Hall, 76 East Market Street, Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 7:30 P.M. on the following matter(s): Application made by Rhinebeck Community Center, Inc. and Town of Rhinebeck for special permit and site plan approval for design of the community recreation facility as outlined in the Master Plan located at 68 West Market St. and West Market St.
Said hearings are held in accordance with section 120-44A(5) of the Village Ordinance.
David Miller, Chairman
Letter to the Editor:? June 17th, 2013
Linda Murray wrote:
I am a Rhinebeck Soccer League (?RSL?) Coach (GU10), Secretary on the RSL Board, wife, mother of 2 children, volunteer, and a practicing lawyer.
Background on Rec Park:
In short, about ten years ago, the Town/Village of Rhinebeck purchased land adjacent to Rhinebeck?s Rec Park for approximately $800,000. As a result, the Rhinebeck Rec Park now consists of approximately 82 acres. Despite its new size, the Thompson Mazzarella Park Committee (?TMPC?) has held steadfast with its site plan that proposes only 1 soccer field and 2 baseball fields. Currently, local athletic groups struggle to find fields, maintain them, and share them. RSL?s enrollment alone is over 200 players and this does not take into consideration the Mens? League Soccer, Womens? League, the Hispanic American Soccer League, the High School teams, Modified teams, Lacrosse, field hockey, or any other sport. Now, put this into perspective with our neighbor: Red Hook?s new proposed Rec Park is only 22 acres and they are proposing 4 new soccer fields and 2 new baseball fields. This does not include the 12 acres that Greig Farm has preserved for its Soccer Club!
Money and Legal Documents:
Dutchess County gave the Town/Village of Rhinebeck ~$285,000 in taxpayer money towards the acquisition costs of the property on the condition that the Town/Village amend the language in an existing Conservation Easment (held my Winnakee Land Trust). In exchange for that County taxpayer money, the Town/Village/Winnakee complied and the language was amended and the new ?USE? of the Rhinebeck Rec Park property was re-defined as follows:
?The Property shall be used solely as a public park devoted to outside (outdoor) recreational uses, both active and passive, and to the extent consistent therewith, agricultural, forestry, horticultural and related purposes . . . Active outside (outdoor) recreational uses . . . include but are not limited to organized sports and related facilities, such as ball fields, soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, but exclude motorized activities.?
Then, in 2009 the Town Board adopted a Master Plan for the Park which states that ?new recreation fields will take approximately 17 acres of active agricultural lands out of production.? Master Plan, p.1, para. 2. Yet, active recreation in the proposed site plan constitutes only 5.4 acres of space. This is less than 32% of the adopted plan and quoted 17 acre development approved by the Town Board?s Master Plan.
Notwithstanding all of the above, the TMPC has strongly resisted adding more active recreational fields. Instead, they have devoted most of the Rec Park to walking trails and open space.
Public Outcry:
In support of more active recreation at Rhinebeck?s Rec Park, several months ago we have introduced a petition to the Town with approximately 250 signatures supporting more soccer fields. We introduced an analysis of needs for more soccer fields and/or athletic fields in our community. Seventeen (17) people spoke at a Rhinebeck Planning Board hearing on 12/17/12 [one week before Christmas] imploring the TMPC to add more soccer fields. Lacrosse was at that same hearing asking that they be considered in equation too because they have no fields to play on either. Several lawyers appeared on behalf of a Group of ?Concerned Citizens? stressing the need for the TMPC to go back to the table and listen to its constituents and add more active recreation fields ? as they were required to do.
The TMPC has added no new active recreation fields since the last hearing date nor have they announced any plans to do so. Instead, they have introduced plans to the Town Board just 2 months ago showing? NO added active recreation for our youth.
Rhinebeck Rangers
Conclusion:
Taxpayer money was specifically earmarked to use this property for recreation. Taxpayers are stretched to the limit today and told to do more with less. Here, the County gave Rhinebeck a golden opportunity to enhance its only Rec Park to meet the needs of all generations, including its youth. Yet, taxpayers? money to improve the Rec Park for everyone is being directed towards open space in lieu of more soccer/sports fields.
Youth sports are vital to our children?s? mental, physical, and emotional growth. Obesity is a national epidemic. Evidently, the County saw those needs when it told Rhinebeck to change its conservation easement before they gave it money to buy the property. This agreement with the County and these needs have fallen on deaf ears in Rhinebeck. I and my brother-in-law (Robert Murray) have spear-headed this effort and devoted 100s of hours on just trying to get Rhinebeck to comply with legal agreements that were signed by public officials years ago. We have 100s of supporters. Notwithstanding, Rhinebeck?s new Rec Park site plan proposes 1 field devoted to soccer/lacrosse on 82 acres.
Thank you,
Linda? Murray
Attached? maps:
1) TMPC Map ? shows only 1 new soccer field and 2 baseball fields on an 82 acre parcel.
2) Proposed map adding additional soccer/athletic fields.
Like this:
Loading...
michigan primary results olympia snowe davey jones dead boston weather dr seuss birthday derrick williams romney michigan
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.