As big as Bethel Woods

Kerilands may have huge impact

By Zoey McGee | Manor Ink

Livingston Manor, NY – Over 100 people gathered at the invitation of the Neversink Town Board in the Claryville Fire Hall on Tuesday, July 12, to ask questions and share their comments and concerns about the proposed Kerilands development.

Kerilands is a plan to build a hotel, adventure center, recreational trails, outdoor activity hubs and residential development in Willowemoc bounded by Blue Hill, Pole, and Hunter roads. The developers refer to their guiding vision as a “conservation resort.”

In addition to members of the public, attending were several Sullivan County Legislators, board members from the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, Wes Gillingham from Catskill Mountainkeeper, Roberta Byron-Lockwood of the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association, the property owner and developer Jonathan Leitersdorf, CEO Jim Tinson from the design firm Hart Howerton, Leitersdorf’s attorneys Barbara and Walter Garigliano, as well as legal representatives from the law firm Blustein, Shapiro, Frank & Barone.

A project with a major presence

Mark Bias, CEO of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, compared the impact of the project to Alan Gerry’s Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. “We think that this project can provide an ultimate balance between economic development, investment jobs and preserving our environment,” he explained. Not everyone at the meeting agreed.

Jonathan Leitersdorf, who inherited the property from his grandfather, and believes that the relocation of families to rural areas that are within a few hours of metropolitan areas is a permanent trend, said that his proposed development will contribute toward revitalizing tourism and bringing back related amenities for the community in Sullivan County.

Leitersdorf, an architect and developer, spoke about his family’s historic connection to the land and his enthusiasm for the development process undertaken. “It’s very personal, very personal to us all. We take a vision that started with my grandfather and take it forward,” he said. “The passion for architecture and the passion for sustainable living has been taking me forward. In the past 30 years, my career wasn’t about the extra dollar but about making a difference, and making something that will improve people’s lives.

“We would like to build something really unique. We’re willing to take the harder road, to spend more money, and we’re willing to have opposition. We would like to go to the town and propose this new concept,” Leitersdorf said.

Members of the public weigh in

Thirty-three people signed up to speak at Tuesday’s meeting. They were each given three minutes to talk.

“Sullivan County is poised for the type of development these folks propose. Vacationers now want to drive to their vacation,” said Jerry Skoda, also on the board of the Sullivan County Partnership. “They don’t want to get on an airplane. They want healthy living. They want outdoor recreation. They want sustainable treatments, conservation set-asides, and outdoor lifestyles.”

Ken Walter from Grahamsville was also very positive about the Kerilands development. “Sullivan County is a beautiful, wonderful place. Seeing the air and sunshine is wonderful. And we don’t really market it the way we should. And I’m glad somebody is trying to do that,” he said.

Other people expressed concern about environmental impacts.

Sam Huber, owner of a property on the south side of the development, was “deeply concerned” about the environmental impact Kerilands will have, including light pollution, water quality and reduced aquifer levels. “I don’t know how many of you have actually been on Blue Hill, but I have been there for 30 years, and it is the quietest place I know. It will not be quiet, it will not be dark, it will be full of impervious surfaces that will affect water quality in terms of nonpoint source pollution,” he said. “There will be more traffic on a road where my children have played. So [Kerilands] is absolutely going to fundamentally change the character of both sides of that ridge.”

Though the developers say they will limit development of the 3,000-acre property to just 750 acres, Elizabeth Harlow Morley, a summer resident, expressed concern about the project expanding beyond its approved scale. “If we do allow this to happen, I don’t want the camel to get its nose under the tent, and this 25-percent development turn into 35 or 40 or 75 percent. So working with you to keep the conservation part of it is very important to me.”

Bruce Pollock, President of the Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, was worried about the fish in Fir Brook, a stream adjacent to the Kerilands property. “The thing that bothers me the most is not the development, it’s where the development is,” Pollock said. “Directly across the road is a little creek called Fir Brook. And it is a terribly environmentally sensitive stream. It happens to be the best brook trout hatchery in all of the Catskills. If we ruin that, they’re gone forever. So all of the runoff issues, all the chemicals that go out into the wastewater are going to affect the fish eggs.”

Others were concerned about changing the Town of Neversink’s zoning laws and the implications for the town’s master plan.

Objections to zoning changes

“We strongly oppose this development proposal. It’s vastly out of step with the character of our town, and with the town’s master plan,” said David Bitterham of Neversink. “As you heard, this property is zoned ‘rural conservation.’ And the master plan specifically says that conservation areas should not have a high-density residential or commercial development. That’s what this proposal is.”

Al D’Auria from Willowemoc noted, “The master plan that was put into place in 1991 has made the Town of Neversink one of the cleanest and nicest communities in the entire county. We’d like to keep it that way. We should consider all the objectives set in the zoning law, prior to making a commitment to rezoning.”

Speakers also expressed concerns about traffic, school districts, cell towers, energy use and the need for the town board to keep the community informed about Kerilands’ plans.

“Change is coming, and change needs to be as good as we can make it,” said Andy Kremer of Claryville. His view seemed to represent the general sentiments of those at the meeting. “What happens next will either be a relatively unregulated subdivision, or something that is a conservation-oriented development that benefits us all. I think it’s important that if there is a zoning change, there’ll be a commitment that the approved Kerilands plan is the plan that’s carried out, and that doesn’t evolve into something we don’t want.”

Town board member Rick Coombe concluded the meeting by assuring those present that the town intends to maintain transparency and keep the public informed each step of the way.

Since the hearing, Catskill Mountainkeeper announced that they oppose the project, calling the Kerilands presentations “disingenuous” and “green-washing.” Kerilands’ representatives did not reply to Manor Ink’s inquiry about their inclination to enter into a conservation easement to assure the community about the boundaries of its built elements and stewardship of its proposed green spaces.

The Town of Neversink has posted a history of the Kerilands proposal to date, along with letters from the community regarding the project. Those documents can be found at the town’s website, townofneversink.org/document-center/kerilands.html.