“Our landscapes … are the source of our character as a people, as well as our health, our safety, and our prosperity,” read the “monthly thought” from Gallatin Town Supervisor John Reilly, which opened the agenda for the Town Board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
The meeting featured a 90-minute presentation by Christine Vanderlan, a land use specialist with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Vanderlan outlined best practices for protecting undeveloped areas, preserving forests and farmland, establishing buffer zones, and planning development to conserve natural resources. She also shared examples of how other New York towns are implementing similar strategies.
Vanderlan provided an overview of conservation efforts across the counties within the Hudson River estuary. She noted that more than 50% have implemented steep slope protections, over 40%, including Gallatin and Ancram, have established Conservation Advisory Councils, more than 30% have created conservation overlays in their zoning regulations, and over 20% have enacted stream and wetland buffer protections.
She highlighted Ancram’s buffer zoning as an example, noting that the town’s Zoning Review Committee plans to review its ridgeline overlay in 2025. Following the adoption of a new comprehensive plan in 2023, Gallatin began a Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) process earlier this year. The NRI will guide how, where, and why the town updates its zoning regulations in the year ahead.
Members of the Gallatin Conservation Advisory Council and other interested members of the public led a conversation about the benefits of preserving the town’s significant forestation (approximately 75% of total acreage): wildlife and water quality protection, protection against erosion and potential flooding damage, air quality, cooler temperatures, and economic value of viable local sawmills.
Gallatin’s forests, which connect with similar resources in Milan, are part of an extensive intact corridor in New York, enabling wildlife migration and diversity. Jim Nordgren, of JN Land Trust Services and the consultant leading Gallatin’s NRI, will present draft recommendations at the December town meeting, after which Reilly said he hoped to have completed input to enable the town to start work on redrafting its zoning regulations.
In other business, Reilly said that repairs to the Town Hall roof would begin on Nov. 20, and he reiterated the three options facing the town for repairs for or replacement of the whole building: issuing a new Request for Proposal to solicit construction bids within Gallatin’s budget; exploring whether modular structure facilities have options that could meet town needs and budget; and electing to do nothing at this time.
The board approved the Highway Department’s request to purchase a new pickup truck with a plow, for a cost of approximately $60,000. There was a report that among 70-plus building permits issued to date in 2024, three new homes are under planning or construction, similar to the annual rate of development pre-Covid. And in 2024, the town recorded one death and one birth, for a net population change of zero.
