RHINEBECK – The Town and Village of Rhinebeck Joint Environmental Committee is looking to make updates to its 2009 Comprehensive Plan that reflects a more vigilant approach to the environment and climate change.
Thursday evening, Joint Environmental Committee Intern David Chernack, a Bard graduate student who studied the plan, presented possible courses of action for implementing a contemporary approach. Some of those projects included creating a stand-alone Natural Resource Inventory, getting students to participate in the data collection of the local biome and invasive, as well as designating Sepasco Lake, Vanderburg Cove and a portion of White Schoolhouse Road Credible Environmental Areas.
Chernack said the existing comprehensive plan is good and was unfortunately launched during a recession, so many of the more costly projects weren’t feasible at the time. The prime goal, according to Chernack, will be to implement changes within the plan’s existing tenets, ones which include both the town and village.
“What we’re thinking, as an intermediate and immediate measure, is look at updating the town’s comprehensive plan explicitly including the village within that and making that update all about the sustainability measures that the town and village want to see done, what it wants to have integrated into its comprehensive planning, rather than throwing out both comprehensive plans and starting fresh,” said Chernack.
Town of Rhinebeck Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia agreed and added they had spent a large amount of time and money into creating the comprehensive plan. The goal is to address the more progressive environmental policies and projects within the confines of that existing plan, which is something she said the town and village are in congruence with.
“Within that, from 2009 to today, we’re more concerned about the environment,” said Spinzia. “The town board as a legislative body is committed to moving forward those pieces of legislation,” she said.
Rhinebeck has already begun to initiate its eco-forward thinking as recently as Wednesday evening’s snowstorm, using brine rather than salt to prevent ice on roadways. This practice will be employed throughout this winter season to monitor its effects, but it is believed to help prevent water and soil contamination.
In 2021, Chernack will become the town’s Sustainability Coordinator, to help guide the town through implementing some of the changes within the report.
