Hoffmann: “Yeah, I want to say something. Over the last few meetings, some different things have been said about me by different members. Gene, you suggested I was trying to prolong the process or something like that … Veronica, the last time you said I was trying to take something away from how Colarusso, Kali, you said I shouldn't be doing my own research and, you know, trying to learn more and understand this project on the Internet, maybe microfiche next time. I feel like being clear about what my intention is here might just be useful for this discussion about ours, because there is a vision for the future of the city of Hudson. It has been in the works for decades, starting with the Vision Plan, the Comprehensive Plan, the re-visioning 2011--the LWRP. Most recently, Wendy—I can't remember her last name—was in front of this board proposing the Climate Adaptive Design for the park that abuts the dock operations and would be greatly impacted by these hours of operation. I'm here to protect this vision, to protect the future of the city of Hudson, Hudson present, its economic viability, and that is all to say its residents. If we give Colarusso everything they say they need, like you [Colarusso] need to work on Saturdays, we're taking away from the city of Hudson. We are taking away from the future of the city of Hudson and we're taking away from its residents. We are here to protect Hudson, its future, and its residents. We are not here to worry about how you [Colarusso] make back the money that you have invested. That's your problem. We are allowed to impose conditions, including ours, that could be as limiting, as Monday through Friday, if we so choose. And I think we need to be empowered to do that. You're annoyed that this has taken so long and you want to hold us in contempt of court if we don't vote on your timeline. You've taken us to court twice. This has been slowed down because of lawsuits that you've brought. This riverfront, the core riverfront, is the only area. Veronica, I don't want to take something away from them for a hip coffee shop. This is the only area left in this city for any real economic development at this scale, and this city needs that. We clearly have financial problems. They're going to be raising our taxes again soon. It is the only area of the city that we have a chance for real economic development so that this city can survive. Okay, and there are between Dunn Warehouse and Kaz, there are tens and tens, probably hundreds of millions of dollars of development that are at stake here. In addition to the businesses that are already down there, like the Antiques Warehouse, Kitty’s and Basilica, that probably are bringing in half a million to a million dollars in tax revenue now and employing dozens and dozens and dozens of residents of Hudson. They [Colarusso], I think, pay $50,000 a year in taxes and don't employ any residents of the city. Is that right? I'm not sure what they're offering the future of Hudson, but we're here to protect that future. And the future economic development plans that are going to be essential for this city to survive. So I think we need development. We need tax revenue. We need employment opportunities. And I don't see where else that's going to happen except for down there. And if Saturdays and Sundays, that operation is going unfettered, that's going to be an issue. Okay. Ten seconds. Okay, I'll take another three minutes another time. Okay, that's it.” |
Joyner: [1:28:37 mark] “I want to address you with Gaby. Gaby, this is how you feel. I know. I'm only representing myself. Gaby, there's seven members on this board. Seven. And we all have our individual faults. So because it annoys you, does not mean it annoys the rest of us. Please. I'm only speaking for myself. No, you're speaking when you say we. You're speaking for you. Everybody understands that. So please, you came on the board. You haven't caught up yet. A lot of time has been spent answering your questions, trying to keep you up to date. But it just doesn't matter what is said. So all I'm saying to you, this is you. We've got seven members and the majority of this board will, the majority vote, will be the deciding vote. So understand, don't attack us because we don't agree with you. If one of us doesn't agree with you. Just because you want it, don't mean we want it. If we don't agree, accept that, please. Okay? You wrote something saying you don't understand how we understand everything because you don't understand anything… You wrote an email saying it's hard to get the records. And you can't believe that everybody on this board is up to date because of the difficulties you're having getting the information you need. It's extremely difficult to find records on this. And I thought that was the meaning to say that. Because I don't have a problem with it. I don't know if anybody else does. But to say something like that. So please, keep it to your understanding or misunderstanding or lack of understanding. Okay. I had my three minutes. Now, do you have anything else you want to say about the dock operations? Because that's what we are and that's where we are.” |
I thought that the Planning Board spoke for all of the residents of Hudson. And why is it extremely difficult for members of the Board to find records on this application? How are they to weigh the application without the full record?
ReplyDeleteI see Joyner's lips moving . . . but I hear Rick Scalera's voice. So weird!
ReplyDeleteThere is one narrative that Gaby keeps spinning up that I believe is false: It is the narrative of a grand vision that Hudson has for its waterfront.
ReplyDeleteIf there was a vision, the city would have a functional LWRP.
If it truly existed, its most recently completed Comprehensive Plan would have more to say about it than it does. It prescribes ones action (6.3 - "Continue making the Hudson
waterfront a location for
recreation and connection", assigned "medium priority") that contains nothing but platitudes and mentions the Dunn Warehouse as the thing that will come online next. It's already out of date.
2002's Comprehensive Plan actually had a lot more to say about (it suggested housing) but it was rendered obsolete by Hudson's new zoning that came out of the failed LWRP initiative.
The reason why it's virtually impossible to come up with a sensible plan for the waterfront is that Hudson's main street points away from it, up the hill, and I see no obvious way to connect Warren St to the waterfront.
As it stands right now, the best you can hope for is a sort of secondary commercial center down by the waterfront. That presents a dilemma for visitors: Are they gonna hang out on Warren St (most of the interesting stuff is on upper Warren further away from the water) or is it gonna be down by the river?
I personally find it almost insulting when people, across all spectra, talk about the waterfront as that unique economic opportunity. Joe Ferris did it recently once again during the mayoral debate. I don't want to single him out and Peter Spear and many others are just as guilty of this.
The reality is that there could be an opportunity but only if the city is ready to put in the work. It's at least a couple of years of grueling public meetings. It will involve actively and meticulously reaching out to the residents to get their opinion while half of them are perpetually asleep and politically disinterested. Yet, when it's time to present the results, someone like Kaya Weidman or Quintin Cross will step up and complain that only residents from the First Ward voiced their opinions and the plan is therefore not diverse and inclusive enough.
I've been here just long enough to have realized that Hudson, aside from some formulaic and ritualistic soundbites, does not discuss nor think about its waterfront.
Weeping indeed.
ReplyDeleteI'm saddened by Chairwoman Joyner and this planning board’s disregard for the wishes of Hudson’s citizens and for our city's economic and environmental future. It’s one thing to lack vision and be blind to the possibilities of a different and better future, but to act out of spite and vengefulness is simply pathetic. I hope the voters and the people who have a positive and hopeful vision for Hudson don’t give up.
ReplyDeleteKamal, Tom, Theresa, and the rest are going to crawl away leaving us with huge debt, increased taxes, an underperforming school system, and the loss of a potentially wonderful waterfront with many recreational and economic opportunities. The $50K Colarusso pays Hudson annually doesn’t even cover the mayor’s salary. There’s no way this deal—which merely avoids “annoying” Theresa and her board—is a win for anyone living and paying taxes in Hudson, except those mentioned above and Rick.
Joe and Margaret are going to have a huge mess to clean up, and the outgoing administration seems set on destroying as much as possible on its way out. It’s so disheartening.
Let's face it, the city does a poor job of giving the attention and care our parks and public spaces need. They are not a priority, regardless of what Kamal Johnson might say. If the people in power, including members of the Planning Board, don't much care about nature, parks and public spaces, then they don't care how many enormous and heavy, loud, diesel-spewing vehicles pass slowly by our riverfront park or what the view is like from the river's edge.
ReplyDeleteOr the lake's edge. Go have a close look at the sign out front of Oakdale Park. It's insulting. Go have a look at the neglected, splintered and warped picnic table missing most of its paint -- the one sitting closest to the lake, across from the beach -- and wonder why it hasn't been repainted in at least three years. No one cares. No one is paid to care.
While you're at it, go look at how badly Colarusso's concrete sidewalk work on both sides of the new Ferry Street bridge is cracked. Those are the sidewalks leading pedestrians to our riverfront park, and they are already failing. Do you think Rob Perry cares? He's the city official who gave us monthly updates on Colarusso's progress with the bridge, but what has he said since the cracks in the sidewalk first appeared 5 months ago? I haven't heard him mention a thing about it, have you? Why would he? Do you really think Rob Perry or Kamal Johnson might try to make Colarusso come back and replace the shit work they left us with? It's easier just to keep quiet and hope no one in this small town notices.
You read my “public spaces” mind…this is all so very - truly - disheartening to see play out. #selfsabotage
Deletewhy is the city not fixing the parks parks which hundreds of people pass by daily? I heard that $ has already been allocated for them.
ReplyDeleteLet's consider important land use outcomes in Hudson over the past 15 years: A gravel dump and industrial truck route on the waterfront next to our park; a bunch of plastic condos smothering the magnificent site known as Academy Hill; and the continued presence of a crappy 1970's strip mall in the 1st block of our main street. It's almost as though City officials are determined to screw things up as badly as possible. ~ PJ
ReplyDeleteHistoric monuments, dozens of businesses in the antique warehouse, two named waterfront parks, massive Green investments by Basilica Hudson and Kitties, two public streets, Marine transport, water activities, boating, kayaking, city waterfront events, a lighthouse, residential houses: these are all in the near vicinity of Hudson's waterfront and Colarusso's desired exponentially increasing industrial machine. As is the South Bay Marsh. Have the letters from the public been addressed? Joyner and Co. act as if their personal opinions are important. They aren't. They represent the tax paying citizens of Hudson. I want acknowledgment of the petition with over 600 signatures from Our Hudson Waterfront, and of the several hundred letters written over the last decade to the city government officials. That acknowledgment has not been made by Joyner. If they are following their job which is to represent the residents of Hudson, and to analyze our city code and to call in experts to analyze things they do not have knowledge about. Has Joyner done that? I have not seen a record of it. New York Open Meetings Law clearly defines how Planning Boards go wrong. This planning board might fit that definition perfectly. Gaby has questions. They need to be answered. One does not just say, well, we don't know how to get information to answer those questions so we're giving up. If they can't answer key questions they need to hire someone who can. Past city lawyers have done deep dives into the issues and given their research to the PB. They have the answers at their fingertips. The public has not been allowed to engage with the applicant as required. I'm not convinced Joyner is willing to do the work needed to represent what's best for Hudson.
ReplyDelete