Silo Ridge - Millerton News

11/27/2008 - A look at Silo Ridge's sewer proposition

Millerton News
A look at Silo Ridge's sewer proposition
By CORY ALLYN
11/27/2008

AMENIA — With the comprehensive plan setting the tone for the future of downtown Amenia, it would appear that the town has some big things up its sleeve for the years ahead. But the lack of a sewer system is, according to the comprehensive plan, "the single most important thing that has not happened in the last 15 years. . . This has been a keystone of planning for the town and remains so. Without a sewer system, most of the planning goals in this plan and in all prior plans will be frustrated. "

One answer to that problem has been offered to the town by the Silo Ridge Resort Community, which has proposed building a wastewater treatment plant on its property and set aside capacity for the hamlet of Amenia.

Darlene Riemer, who has been chairman of Amenia's Wastewater Committee for five years and a member of that committee for 10, said in an interview the committee was started by former town Supervisor Arlene Iuliano. After five septic system failures in the center of town, the Department of Health became involved and "the town had an ultimatum. "

Subsequently, restaurants and laundromats were banned from the hamlet because there wasn't a system in place that could handle the amount of output they created.

"The Wastewater Committee, five years back, was looking for a piece of property to build a treatment plant on," Riemer explained. "Allen [Sand & Gravel] was found on Old Route 22. "

The proposal was to do studies on the 65 acres of Allen Sand & Gravel property selected by the committee. It was put to referendum and voted down.

Fast-forward to the start of Silo Ridge's proposed major renovations for a resort community.

"In initial discussions with former town Supervisor Janet Reagon, it was discussed for us to provide the ability for the town to expand the plant at the town's own cost at a later date," stated Mike Dignacco, vice president of construction for Millbrook Ventures, the ownership group behind Silo Ridge. Dignacco explained via e-mail that as the comprehensive plan was being drafted it became increasingly evident that the town would not be able to afford the treatment plant expansion to hamlet sewer district users. Dignacco estimated that it would have cost the town roughly $5.5 million to build its own plant.

Silo Ridge eventually offered to provide the needed expansion to supply the sewer district at no cost, in lieu of providing affordable housing. Under town regulations, a project of Silo Ridge's magnitude is required to either plan for 10 percent of all housing units to fall under "affordable housing" regulations or contribute the cost of building said amount of units to an affordable housing fund. Silo Ridge's proposal is "a special case," according to Planning Board Chairman George Fenn.

A welcome town improvement

The proposal has been well received by many town's residents. The treatment plant is listed under the first phase of proposed Silo Ridge construction, which means that it would be one of the first projects to break ground.

"It's been difficult to estimate the timing of approvals to date, but a current estimate would be to start the plant in 2010 for completion in 2011," Dignacco said.

"It's going to be operating before we can hook into it," Riemer clarified, citing various criteria that the town would have to go through before being able to use the facility. She also said the district that will be covered by the plant has yet to be voted on, and the Wastewater Committee is working on both a map plan and report that would outline the proposed district. A public hearing will probably be scheduled for early next year.

Management of the plant has not been decided. According to Silo Ridge's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), the town would consent to the formation of a private sewage works transportation corporation, which would own and operate the infrastructure.

The most likely scenario, according to Riemer, is that Silo Ridge would oversee the plant initially, before the Dutchess County Wastewater Authority or a privately owned waste management company would take over.

As far as the cost to the taxpayer, only residents utilizing the facility would be charged.

"Our task as a Wastewater Committee is to make sure it's affordable," Riemer said. "There was a survey 10 years ago as to what we thought it would cost; $600 to $800 annually per house was determined, but in current economic times, we're targeting $800. "

She also spoke of a private fund that could be set up for outsiders to invest in, if they felt the center of town was important enough to warrant the funds.

"A treatment plant has been needed for 40 years," Riemer said. "The new comprehensive plan allows for more growth and higher density. We're working toward a viable, busy and prosperous hamlet center, but that isn't possible without a wastewater treatment plant. "



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