9- Conclusion: What's Next?

What do we do now?

The Woodstock Planning Board is in the process of meeting about the RUPCO Final Environmental Impact Statement. These workshops are open to the public, but only for listening. We can't participate. Next week is another workshop at which the Planning Board is expected to review the traffic-related part of the FEIS, however the schedule should be consulted prior to making a trip. See the Woodstock website, under Boards, click planning board, then schedule. I have a longstanding commitment during next week's meeting, and cannot be there... After you verify the schedule, why don't you go to the meeting and then let me and everybody else know what you think. Write your opinions in the comment section of this blog post. The more attention we give this problem, the better. The more ideas for problem solving, the greater the chance we will find a workable solution. Let me remind you: I am not opposed to the RUPCO project. I am opposed to unsafe development (and also opposed to unsafe existing road conditions.)

After the series of workshops, the Planning Board will have a ten day period during which the public may comment, in writing, but not at a public hearing. Let us take advantage of this ten day period. Let us write letters, have meetings, notify the Woodstock Playhouse and the NYS Department of Transportation, and Ulster County, of what is going on.

In general, let us not allow the very small group of people that comprise RUPCO's operating team, and the Woodstock Planning Board, make this project inevitable, unless and until they have committed to, and proven that the project will not pose any increase in driving danger in the town of Woodstock. Let us also not forget to alert the Town Board. Ultimately, if there is an accident at the intersection of Route 212 and Playhouse Lane, particularly after RUPCO builds housing and traffic there increases, The town of Woodstock will have had clear and plenty of warning to mitigate the dangerous conditions. Help me make this issue front and center; it deserves to be. The whole town uses Route 212. Anybody could be in danger at this intersection. This is not a neighborhood access problem, it is a town safety problem.

I believe that the two safety issues, the substandard sight distance and the heavily used parking lot directly across from the intersection, are the fatal flaw of the RUPCO development. What I mean by that is I believe that these problems will either kill the development in its current proposed location, or the many cars brought into this intersection as a result of the development will end up killing somebody. Maybe a dog, maybe a child. How about we put our heads together and see if we can either solve the traffic safety problems here that RUPCO will exacerbate, or tell RUPCO to move its traffic along to a safer location in Ulster County.