Two-month moratorium placed on Second Mountain project

WASHINGTON — The Town of Washington (TOW) Town Board held its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, April 8, at 6 p.m. via zoom due to the health crisis with a large group of participants anticipating more discussion on Janet’s Farm LLC, also known as the Second Mountain project. 

Second Mountain seeks to redo the Migdale property at 3872  Route 44, Mabbettsville, as an upscale spa resort on roughly 350 acres with loads of amenities in the home built in 1927 by Roswell Miller Jr. for his wife, Margaret Carnegie Miller, daughter of magnate Andrew Carnegie, as submitted by applicant, developer and famed NYC restaurateur Will Guidaro. 

It was therefore a surprise to most when Washington town Supervisor Gary Ciferri announced he had received a letter from Guidaro’s attorneys, Mackey, Butts & Wise, rescinding a previous petition for the creation of an overlay district in the zoning district where the project is located that would have allowed for proposed mixed-use zone of the property, including four tax parcels. The original petition was submitted on Feb. 18, 2021 and created a furor among the community. 

Town Attorney Jeff Battistoni proposed a moratorium on the project, for a two-month period, the time he said it would take to collect public input and  hold two public hearings. 

Labelling the resolution, “No Further Review of the Janet’s Farm LLC Petition,” the attorneys for the project stated that the original petition named a narrowly defined area only for hospitality, and the petitioner should have an opportunity to amend his plans in regard to the TOW Comprehensive Plan.

The board approved the moratorium.

The Town Board will now form a committee to review the Comprehensive  Plan as it now stands; it stated that the project cannot go forward without the Comprehensive Plan being amended. 

A motion will be drawn up and introduced at the next meeting to form the committee, which will include at least one person who is against the proposal as it was submitted. 

Two community groups were formed and hired legal representation. One, the Friends of the Town of Washington, has more than 200 members. The other includes a small group of immediate neighbors of the Migdale property.

Members of the community felt there should be public participation on the Comprehensive Plan committee and wanted to know if its review would be done with an eye only toward the Second Mountain project or if it would be an overall review. 

The Town Board said the Comprehensive Plan will be carefully reviewed especially as it pertains to “hospitality” but also in general. 

Town Clerk Mary Alex said the Comprehensive Plan is on the TOW website, www.washingtonny.org, but that she would also post it for easier viewing. 

Ciferri then reminded those present that the meeting was a regular TOW meeting,with other business to address and ended the portion dealing with the Second Mountain project. 

The next meeting will be on Thursday, May 13, at 6 p.m. Go to www.washingtonny.org for details and the Zoom link.

Latest News

Theresa Marie Murtagh

MILLERTON — Theresa Marie Murtagh, 74, a thirty year resident of Poughkeepsie, and most recently a twenty year resident of Millerton, died unexpectedly on Feb. 13, 2024, at Sharon Hospital. Mrs. Murtagh was a retired secretary, having worked for Marine Midland Bank in Wappingers Falls, She also worked as a secretary for a medical laboratory in Poughkeepsie for many years.

Born Nov. 12, 1949, in Sharon, she was the daughter of the late James O. and Mary F. (Canevari) Hoysradt. She graduated with the class of 1967 from Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Pougkeepsie. She then studied business at Dutchess Community College. On Nov. 8, 1969, at St. Patrick’s Church in Millerton, she married Joseph P. Murtagh. Mr. Murtagh survives at home in Millerton.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joan Baez coming to The Triplex
Joan Baez
Frederic Legrand/Shutterstock

The Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, is gearing up for an event Saturday, March 2, with a screening of “I Am a Noise” and a talkback featuring two of the film’s directors, Miri Navasky and Karen O’Connor, alongside a special appearance by the subject of the documentary herself — the legendary Joan Baez.

“I Am a Noise” began filming in 2013 and took many years to complete. Navasky and O’Connor, longtime collaborators, paused production for a time to work on another film, “Growing Up Trans,” for the PBS documentary series “Frontline.” They resumed work on the Baez film when she announced her farewell tour in 2017.

Keep ReadingShow less
Student art show shines with contemporary talent

Gabe Heebner, a senior at HVRHS, was awarded “Best in Show” at the student art show at the KAA on Saturday, Feb. 10.

Leila Hawken

Now well into its 101st year of serving the community, the nonprofit Kent Art Association (KAA) opened its 32nd annual student art show Saturday, Feb. 10, attracting student artists, their teachers and the arts community to celebrate the wealth of young talent being nurtured in area public and private schools.

Participating in this year’s show were students from seven area schools, including Millbrook (New York) High School, Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS), Forman School, Marvelwood School, The Frederick Gunn School, The Hotchkiss School and The Kent School.

Keep ReadingShow less