The 800-acre Winston Farm sits atop the Beaverkill Aquifer. The proposed massive development could pollute and drain the groundwater, fragment wild forests, overwhelm traffic, and drastically change Saugerties forever.
In addition to clearcutting 275 acres of hardwood forests, the developers are planning to build over 200 acres of impervious surfaces (roads, roofs, and parking lots), 175 acres acres of lawns that use pesticides and herbicides, and fill in an acre of the Beaverkill stream corridor. Click the image below to download the developer’s master plan.
Key Issues
The environmental impact of such massive development, along with the construction, traffic, and constant noise associated with this proposed 7-year project will leave Saugerties with overdevelopment, habitat loss, clear-cutting, depletion of the aquifer, and the loss of pristine wild land for generations to come. Their plan is not in line with the 2009 Public Vision, which calls for 73% to be left wild nor the town’s Comprehensive Plan and recent declaration of climate emergency.
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Saugerties needs safe, clean drinking water. The proposed project could pollute and drain Saugerties groundwater.
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Development at Winston Farm would change this natural carbon sink into a source of carbon emissions. Both deforestation and disturbing soil structure release stored carbon back into the atmosphere. If Saugerties is truly committed to mitigating the effects of climate change, Winston Farm should remain a carbon sink.
Learn More
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There are 18 types of ecologically significant habitats that will be destroyed.
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The Saugerties Public Vision Plan calls for 73% to be left as open space. The developers have no provision for wild, unfragmented open space.
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Many rare mammal, amphibian, reptile, bird, and plant species will lose their home.
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The proposed 10,000 person amphitheater would overwhelm 212 and Route 32 with traffic, pollute the air, and destroy the quality of life for local residents.
