POUGHKEEPSIE – A 350-page document detailing all that makes the City of Poughkeepsie green and habitable, is under review.
The Environmental Cooperative at the Vassar Barns completed the Poughkeepsie Natural Resources Inventory over three years, between 2016 and 2019.
Jennifer Rubbo, director of the Environmental Cooperative at the Vassar Barns, said the NRI provides a framework for future planning.
“Most importantly, the NRI can be used to review any development proposal in general terms, enables planners to see how an individual parcel relates to its surroundings,” Rubbo said. “The NRI can help determine the connection a specific project has to nearby streams, open spaces, parks, historic sites, etcetera.”
Councilman Matthew McNamara said he supports the NRI concept but did have a concern over possible cost to both the city and future developers.
Councilmember Sarah Salem had an answer for that.
“It’s a positive benefit that we could see, I would say, we would get a return on, adopting and implementing this Natural Resource Inventory, considering the cost that not taking action on the negative impacts that climate change we’ll endure in our community will have,” Salem said.
A public hearing on the NRI is scheduled prior to the next council meeting, next Monday night.
