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The
Grape Debate!
Chronicling
the Rivendell Winery move
In January,
2007 we purchased a four acre property at the corner of Albany Post Road
and Route 299 with the express intention of moving Rivendell Winery. After
consultations with the Building Department, the Town Supervisor and the
(then) Chair of the Plannning Board, were were assured that we had an
agricultural use by right, and that the winery could be moved and operate
there without any type of variance.
In January
2007 we presented our conceptual plan to the New Paltz Planning Board.
That began a firestorm of opposition from a few neighbors and community
activists that culminated in the Building Inspector of the Town of New
Paltz declaring that a Farm Winery is not an agricultural use, and therefore
cannot be permitted in an agricultural zone.
Even
in light of expert testimony from the likes of the Commissioner of Agriculture,
The Farm Bureau and even a recommendation rebuking the concept by the
Ulster County Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals did not have
the courage to stand up for what is right and has put the Town in a position
of selective enforcement of an interpretation of a law that is not only
totally contrary to the Town's Master Plan, but is also un-constitutional.
Our case is now in New York State Supreme Court.
We invite
you to read all about it here. If you care to comment or would like any
additional information, please email us at rivendellwinery@vintageny.com
Original
Presentation to the Planning Board
Second
Presentation to the Planning Board
State Environmental
Review Form (SEQR)
Rivendell Traffic Study
Rivendell
Integrated Pest Management Overview
First
Letter from Building Inspector - May 1, 2007 Stating we're agricultural
Building Inspector Counsel
Opinion - June 27, 2007
Rivendell Response to Building
Inspector Letter - July 3, 2007
Rivendell
Response to Counsel Opinion - July 3, 2007
Second Letter from Building Inspector - July 26, 2007 Claiming we're
not agricultural
Rivendell
response to Building Inspector - August 12, 2007
Letter to Code Enforcer requesting Equal Application of the Law, Feb 7,
2008
Response
from Code Enforcer Feb 27, 2008 - You
really need to read this!
Opposition
Papers
Whiteman Ostermann & Hanna, LLP
 on behalf of Kevin
Harp et al
Opposition
letter to Ulster County
Farmland
Protection Board
Opposition
to County Legislature
Rivendell
Response to UC Legislature
Opposition
Letter to Planning Board #1
Opposition
Letter to Planning Board #2
Opposition Letter to ZBA
Letter
from Harry Ellis
Letter
from David Porter
Letter from
Michael
Gold
Letter
from Stacie Flint-Berman
and
Barry Berman
Letter
from Kathleen Caproni
and
Peter del Rosario
Rivendell Appeal to ZBA
Formal
presentation to ZBA
Letter
to ZBA October 17, 2007
ZBA
Counsel Memo
ZBA
Decision
Article 78 Lawsuit filed
in NYS Supreme Court
Rivendell
Article 78 Filing
ZBA Verified
Response
Rivendell Notice
of Claim for Damages
New Rivendell
Memorandum of Law
New Robert
Ransom Affidavit
New Affidavit
of Susan Wine
New Affidavit
of Attorney Joel Sachs
New ZBA
Memorandum of Law
New ZBA
Motion to Dismiss
New Building
Dept. Memorandum of Law
New Boglioli
(Harp) Reply Affidavit
New Ransom
Reply Affidavit
Petition to New Paltz Town Board to Legislate a Definition of Agriculture
Petition
to Town Board to adopt a definition
of Agriculture
Opposition Opinion
to Town Board from
George Lithco
Recommendation
to Town Board from
Planning Board
Whoo Hoo!!
New Paltz wins
Grant to
Develop Farmland Protection Plan!
New
Paltz Grant Application to develop
a
local Farmland Protection Plan
2008 Opposition to Agricultural District
Letter
to Town Board asking for Official
Resolution by David Porter et al
Response
to Town Board regarding
such a resolution
Letter from
Town Board to Ulster County
Farmland Protection Board
Speech
to the UC Legislature after our
unanimous nomination to the Ag
District by the FPB
Letter
to UC Legislature from Congressman
Maurice
Hinchey
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Articles
and Press
New
Paltz Times - June 6, 2007
Kingston
Freeman - June 14, 2007
New
Paltz Times - June 15, 2007
New
Paltz Times - August 2, 2007
New Paltz Times - October 11, 2007
New
Paltz Times - December 27, 2007
Hudson Valley Business -
February, 2008
New Paltz Times - March 18,
2008
New
Paltz Times - May 1, 2008
New
Paltz Times - May 8, 2008
Letters to the Editor
Kevin
Harp - negative includes
Rivendell's Response
Alan Kraus
- negative
Pamela O'Dell
- positive
Ralph
Erenzo - positive
A
particularly nasty Letter to the Editor from Dave Winfield
includes
Rivendell's Response
An
interesting opinion from Town Board Member Terrence Ward
John
Eisgruber - positive
Letters of Support and Testimony
Commisioner of Agriculture
Ulster County
Planning Board
Dean
Charles Crampton
New
York Farm Bureau
New
York Wine & Grape Foundation
New
Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce
Congressman Maurice
Hinchey
Letters of Support from Various Wineries
Whitecliff
Vineyards
Milllbrook Vineyards
Lamoreaux Landing
Winery
Paumanok Vineyards
Castello
Di Borghese
Wolffer
Vineyards
Red Newt Winery
& Bistro
Ulster
County Planning Board letter to
Commissioner of Agriculture re Ag Definitions
Various Legal Backup
Minutes
of Farmland Protection Board 2007
New
York State Liquor Authority Law
Relevent
State Tax Law and Farm Building Exemptions
Department
of Ag & Markets White Paper on Farm Zoning
Department of Ag
& Markets Local Laws and Ag Districts
Department of Ag &
Markets Guidelines for Review of Local
Laws
Affecting Direct Farm Marketing Activities
Department of Ag
& Markets Guidelines for Review of Local
Laws
Affecting Farm Worker Housing
State
Board of Real Property Services
Farm
Agricultural Assessments
Interesting
Email from Counsel to Building Inspector
re other Municipality's affirmation of Farm Wineries
Town
of Southold Agricultural Policy
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