Pine Plains Moves Ahead with Town Hall Plan as Wastewater Effort Stalls

At its March 20 meeting, the Pine Plains Town Board unanimously approved a contract with the architectural firm LaBella Associates to begin designing a new Town Hall. Meanwhile, the town’s wastewater initiative remains in limbo.

Town Board member Kevin Walsh, who formed the Wastewater Committee to explore the feasibility of a central septic system for the town center, said the group’s quadrant-based plan has encountered a setback: the effort to secure land in two of the four sections “does not look promising,” he said. “Many of the businesses are dealing with septic themselves.”

However, the board’s formal approval of the LaBella contract represents progress on another front. The firm has been tasked with developing plans for a new Town Hall, relocated from Route 199 to North Main Street. In December 2024, the firm met with the board and estimated that a 6,000-square-foot building would cost approximately $4.5 million. Upon approval of a design, construction is expected to take up to 15 months.

The board also passed a measure granting a property tax exemption for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The measure comes after Pine Plains, Stanford, and six other Dutchess County towns were awarded $6 million through the state’s Plus One ADU Program, which provides low and middle income residents with resources to create ADUs. Hudson River Housing will oversee the funding. The nonprofit organization is expected to host a public meeting in the near future for residents interested in ADU funding. A date will be announced.

In personnel decisions, Ruth Cohn was appointed to the library board, Jen Blackburn was appointed Beach Director, Megan Brenner was named Camp Director, and Sarah Nanetti will serve as Assistant Camp Director. “People have already signed up for baseball throughout the summer,” said Recreation Director Brian Coons, who also announced that field cleanup day will take place on March 29.

Coons shared additional proposals, including a designated “swim at your own risk” area for adults and a public kayak rack near the town beach on Stissing Lake — ideas originally suggested by Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) Chair Gail Mellow and discussed with former Town Board member Sarah Jones.

Committee liaisons offered a series of updates. Mission statements from the Conservation Advisory Council and the Beautification Committee will soon be added to the town website. Board member Jeanine Sisco, the Beautification Committee liaison, thanked Jim Boyles for installing new planters at the clocktower and noted that one committee seat remains open. Interested residents were encouraged to contact Town Supervisor Brian Walsh and Sisco.

Sisco also reported on a grant-writing workshop led by Steve Densmore of Choice Words, attended by town and Pine Plains Free Library officials. The library board expressed interest in jointly retaining the firm. “The next step is to prioritize the things they’d like to get grants for,” Sisco said.

The Highway Department’s Spring cleanup will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. on May 17. The department also acknowledged George Keeler for compiling a list of more than 100 duplicate utility poles in Pine Plains. The data collection comes after the town passed a law requiring the removal of double utility poles in February. A letter will be sent to the utility company mandating their removal. 

The next Pine Plains Town Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 17.