deis iv.b. community character visual
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MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-1
IV. B Community Character/Visual Resources
1. Existing Conditions
Visual Character of Ulster County
Ulster County’s visual character is defined by its natural features, notably the Catskill
Mountains in the northwest portion of the county, the Shawangunk Ridge in the south and
the Hudson River along the county’s eastern border. The county contains the highest point
in the Catskills – Slide Mountain in Shandaken – as well as a portion of Catskill Park, a
700,000-acre state park required by the state constitution to be kept “forever wild.” The
Shawangunk Ridge, an extension of the Appalachians that extends roughly 250 miles
from northern New Jersey to the Catskills, contains an unusual diversity of vegetation such
as rare dwarf pine trees. The Shawangunks contain Mohonk Preserve, Minnewaska State
Park Preserve and Sam’s Point Preserve, together containing at least 100 miles of hiking
trails and a number of rock climbing areas. The county also maintains two public parks:
Ulster Landing Park in Kingston, with more than 3,000 feet on frontage on the Hudson
River, and New Paltz Park, with more than 150 acres and a 50-meter pool.
Ulster County contains two tributaries of the Hudson River. Rondout Creek flows south
from the eastern Catskills into the Rondout Reservoir on the Ulster/Sullivan County line in
western Wawarsing, and then into a valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunks,
where it goes over the High Falls, eventually joining the Hudson at Kingston. Wallkill River
runs from northeastern New Jersey through Orange County into Ulster County where it
drains into the Rondout near Rosendale.
Visual Character of Wawarsing
Like Ulster County, the Town of Wawarsing’s visual character reflects its natural features.
The Shawangunk Ridge forms the southeastern boundary of the town and is both an
important element of the area’s water supply and a location of numerous plant and
animal habitats. Section IV-C, Flora and Fauna, will discuss these habitats in greater
detail. The Shawangunks’ five lakes, six waterfalls and more than 100 miles of roads and
trails also provide the area with recreational opportunities and scenic views. In
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-2
Wawarsing, much of the ridge is owned by land stewardship organizations such as the
Open Space Institute, the Nature Conservancy and the Palisades Interstate Parks
Commission.
Wawarsing also contains a number of water resources. The town is located largely in the
Rondout drainage basin, with a small portion of the town, south of the topmost ridges of
the Shawangunks, draining into the Wallkill River basin. Rondout Creek flows east from
the Rondout Reservoir to Napanoch and then north toward Kerhonkson and the Town of
Rochester. Other water features in Wawarsing include Sandburg Creek, Brandy Creek,
Shawangunk Creek, Wallkill River, South Gully, North Gully and Shingle Gully (Draft
Comprehensive Plan, 1969 Development Plan).
Visual Character of Cragsmoor
Cragsmoor’s position atop the Shawangunk Ridge, with its unusual geologic features and
habitats, affords the hamlet distinct character and scenic views. The uplifted white
conglomerate of the ridge forms a distinguishing pale cap that is easily recognizable from
a distance. Conglomerate is a type of rock made up of fragments – in this case round
quartz pebbles – that are held together by a cement-like binder. This composition results
in a visually unique and durable nonporous stone that is resistant to erosion and
abrasion. Because of this caprock, the Shawangunks contain unusual environments such
as a pitch pine barrens; a dwarf pine barrens; mountain wetlands with swamps, bogs and
lakes; and cave habitats with alpine characteristics. The resistant properties of the stone
also rendered it an important source of millstones during the 19th century, and in the 20th
century the stone’s dense texture made it a highly desirable building material that can be
seen in many Cragsmoor homes. Section IV-K, Cultural Resources, will further discuss the
area’s architectural features.
The most distinctive characteristic of the Shawangunks is the broad and ragged
escarpment along most of the east face of the range, exemplified by Sam’s Point, a
prominent lookout point of the Shawangunks about a quarter-mile east of the center of
Cragsmoor. This precipice and the rest of the southeastern ridge line were created when
glaciers tore away the eastern face of the mountain. The resulting formation includes
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-3
crevices, caves and rugged cliffs with sharp drops that present uninterrupted views
overlooking the Wallkill and Hudson Valleys below. The spot has been a popular tourist
destination since the mid-19th century and remains so today. Sam’s Point Preserve
encompasses 5,400 acres and was formed in 1997 by the Open Space Institute. The
Nature Conservancy currently manages the preserve, which also includes a recently
opened 3,000-square-foot conservation center.
Sam’s Point Preserve also features a series of ice caves, which foster a unique ecological
environment (discussed further in Section IV.C, Flora and Fauna) and were designated a
National Natural Landmark in 1967. Shortly after the initial designation, the Village of
Ellenville leased most of its mountain holdings to Ice Caves Mountain Inc., which
improved the access to the caves. The work included widening one of the natural fault
cracks in the stone and the trails over which thousands of paying visitors hike each
summer. The Open Space Institute purchased the caves in 1997 as part of the formation
of Sam’s Point Preserve.
Bear Hill, at the southwest end of Cragsmoor, is the southernmost major precipice of the
Shawangunks. The overlook has sweeping views of the nearby Wallkill, Hudson and
Rondout Valleys, as well as extended vistas of the Catskills to the southwest and the
southern Shawangunks as they extend into New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Bear Hill has
historically been, and remains, a favorite recreational and painting spot for the summer
community of Cragsmoor. In 1978, the Bear Hill Preserve was created with the purchase
of 50 acres by the Cragsmoor community and deeded to the Cragsmoor Free Library; it is
managed today by the Cragsmoor Association.
Another striking feature of the Shawangunks is the series of five “sky lakes” found near
the ridge. The lakes – from north to south: Mohonk Lake, Lake Minnewaska, Lake
Awosting, Mud Pond and Lake Maratanza – all have extremely clear water, mostly as a
result of low nutrient levels and limited runoff basins. Maratanza, the southernmost of
these lakes and the second largest, was formed by glacial plowing and is contained in a
relatively shallow basin. This lake is found on a plateau-like area and, along with Sam’s
Point to the south, has been an important tourist attraction for at least 100 years.
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-4
Cragsmoor Historic District
The Cragsmoor Historic District, an area listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
was designated in 1996 and covers approximately 362 acres and contains 210
contributing features on 107 properties. Approximately 19.6 acres, or 21.5% of the
proposed project site is located within the Cragsmoor Historic District. This part of the
historic district is located in the northwest portion of the project site. It is important to note
that there are no contributing features of the historic district on the portion shared with the
proposed project site. The viewshed analysis which follows addresses views of the
proposed project from the five (5) view locations listed below, and from the historic district
where applicable under each of the five (5) view locations. Hence, the historic district view
impacts are identified and discussed principally within the Old Inn Road study under IV.B
2b(3), below. The portions of the proposed project within the historic district and which
will be viewable from the historic district are identified and discussed. The viewable
portions of the proposed development include the Teacher’s House and the Milarepa
Center. Although the Guest Teacher’s House and the Naropa Center are proposed to be
constructed on project property within the boundaries of the historic district, as discussed,
they will not be visible from the off-site portions of the historic district. Further, all
remaining portions of the proposed project will not be visible from the Cragsmoor Historic
District. The character of the Cragsmoor Historic District will be discussed in further detail
in Section IV.K, Cultural Resources (historical and archeological).
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-5
2. Anticipated Impacts
Views to and from the Site
This section contains an evaluation of visual impacts from identified viewpoints, using the
applicable DEC standards. A full copy of the DEC standards for assessing and mitigating
visual impacts may be found in Appendix N.
a. Areas previously identified as areas with views to and from the property in the
DEIS scope were as follows:
• Bear Hill Nature Preserve (1)
• Cragsmoor Road (2)
• Old Inn Road (3)
• Sam’s Point Preserve (4)
• Lake Maratanza has been added during the course of this study and is
referenced as area (5).
Figure IV.B-1 provides an overall topographic site map of the project area.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-1: TOPOGRAPHIC SITE MAP OF PROJECT AREA
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-7
b. Following is a narrative description of the attached graphic view shed analysis
describing the views; map, profile and photography analysis; and study results.
(1) Bear Hill (See Map #1.0, Figure IV.B-2: Bear Hill Photo Key.)
Bear Hill lies to the west of the project site and rises to a height elevation of
1,950 feet (approximately 200 feet above the average Mahamudra project
site elevation). Map 1.0, shown in Figure IV.B-2, indicates photographic
view directions for the photograph numbers indicated (PH-1, PH-2, etc.).
Upon completion of a visual inspection of the public viewing area at the
top of Bear Hill, it was apparent that all public viewing directions face
southwest (see Figure IV.B-4, photographs 3 and 4, which document these
views). The project site lies to the southeast. To view the project site, visitors
would be required to leave the trail and climb over rock outcroppings to
arrive at locations from where the project site may be viewed (see Figure
IV.B-3, photographs 1 and 2). There are signs which warn visitors not to
leave the trail and climb on these rocks.
Result: With the Bear Hill public viewing areas clearly facing in directions
other than toward the project site, the proposed project imposes no
impacts.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-2: MAP #1.0, BEAR HILL PHOTO KEY
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-3: PHOTOGRAPHS 1 AND 2
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
VViieeww ffrroomm nnoonn--ppuubblliiccllyy aacccceessssiibbllee ssiiddee
PPHH--11
SSiittee ooff MMiillaarreeppaa CCeenntteerr
SSiittee ooff TTeeaacchheerr’’ss HHoouussee
SSiittee ooff MMiillaarreeppaa CCeenntteerr
PPHH--22
VViieeww ffrroomm nnoonn--ppuubblliiccllyy aacccceessssiibbllee ssiiddee
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-4: PHOTOGRAPHS 3 AND 4-
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
VViieeww ffrroomm ppuubblliiccllyy aacccceessssiibbllee ssiiddee
PPHH--33
VViieeww ffrroomm ppuubblliiccllyy aacccceessssiibbllee ssiiddee
PPHH--44
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-5: PHOTOGRAPH 5
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-12
(2) Cragsmoor Road (See Map #2.0, Figure IV.B-6: Welcome House Parking
Lot/Cragsmoor Road View Shed including keyed location and view direction
of photographs.)
Cragsmoor road borders the eastern portion of the project site for
approximately 1,900 feet (see Map #2.0 in Figure IV.B-6: Welcome House
Parking Lot/Cragsmoor Road View Shed). No development is proposed
along Cragsmoor Road, except at the proposed curb cut (see Figure IV.B-
8, photograph 31, at the utility pole). The closest proposed developments
to Cragsmoor Road are the Welcome House (set back a minimum of 90
feet from Cragsmoor Road), and at the parking lot (set back a minimum of
150 feet from Cragsmoor Road). In Figure IV.B-7, photograph 7 is taken
at the proposed curb cut looking back into the proposed Welcome House
site. Photograph 8 of Figure IV.B-7 is looking from the Welcome House site
back toward Cragsmoor Road. Photographs 32 and 33 of Figure IV.B-8
look toward the proposed parking lot from Cragsmoor Road. These
photographs indicate the density of existing tree cover (leaf off), which will
remain preserved as part of the site plan approval, obscuring views to both
the Welcome House and the parking lot area. Views from Cragsmoor
Road to the Welcome House will be substantially more obscured than for
any existing structure currently on Cragsmoor Road. The proposed 2,500-
gross-square-foot Welcome House building will also be in keeping with the
scale and size of existing structures along Cragsmoor Road. In addition,
neither the Welcome House nor the parking area will be visible from the
Cragsmoor Historic District, which is at the northwest end of the project
site. The parking area and adjacent detention basins will require clearing
of some existing tree cover, while other portions of the proposed parking
detention basin area land are already open and cleared.
Result: Neither the proposed Welcome House nor the proposed property
entrance impose any visual impact greater than that already existing along
this part of Cragsmoor Road in relation to the other existing buildings and
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-13
driveway entrances. Any visual appearance of the Welcome House from
Cragsmoor Road will be substantially less than for other existing structures
due to the proposed greater building setback from the street and the
existing tree cover within the setback area, which will be preserved as part
of the site plan approval. The architecture will be designed in a contextual
character utilizing architectural materials found within the Cragsmoor
community and historic district (see Section IV.K, Cultural Resources
(historical and archeological)). Additional buffer and interior landscaping
will be provided within the parking area (see proposed mitigation). Except
for the above, no other Hermitage-related project development is
proposed along Cragsmoor Road, hence preserving the existing natural
visual character.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-6: MAP #2.0, WELCOME HOUSE PARKING LOT/CRAGSMOOR ROAD VIEW SHED
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-7: PHOTOGRAPHS 6, 7, AND 8
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--66 PPHH--77
PPHH--88
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-8: PHOTOGRAPHS 31, 32, AND 33
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--3311 PPHH--3322
PPHH--3333
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-17
(3) Old Inn Road (see Map #3.0, Figure IV.B-9: Teacher’s House/Old Inn
Road View Shed.)
Old Inn Road partially borders the northern boundary of the project site.
This portion of the site is partially located within the Cragsmoor Historic
District, which overlaps a part of the proposed project site (see Section IV.K
for further discussion of the historic district). There are two adjacent
neighboring lots which contain contributing residential structures exceeding
50 years in age. The proposed Teacher’s House, Guest Teacher’s House
and Naropa Center are proposed to be constructed on undeveloped
property within the Cragsmoor Historic District, while the Milarepa Center
is proposed to be constructed on undeveloped property outside the district
o Teacher’s House (See Map #3.0, Figure IV.B-9: Teachers
House/Old Inn Road View Shed, including keyed location and view
direction of photographs).
The Teacher’s House site is proposed between the two neighboring
contributing structures mentioned above: a 1920 gambrel-roofed
residential structure to the west and a 1905 vintage residential structure to
the east. Figure IV.B-13, Photographs 14 and 15 shows the 1920 and
1905 residences, respectively. A non-contributing structure sits across Old
Inn Road to the north, as shown in Figure IV.B-10, Photograph 9.
o Milarepa Center (See Map #3.1, Figure IV.B-15: Milarepa/Old Inn
Road View Shed, including keyed location and view direction of
photographs.
The proposed Milarepa Center site is not within the historic district but sits
directly adjacent. Views of the Milarepa Center will be substantially
obscured from the contributing 1920 and 1905 structures within the
historic district boundaries by existing tree cover, but the Center will be
partially visible from an existing residential structure not within the historic
district (see Figure IV.B-16, Photograph 17, and Figure IV.B-17,
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-18
Photographs 18 and 19). The Map #3.1 profile in Figure IV.B-15 indicates
a distance of approximately 420 feet to the proposed Milarepa site, and
1,270 feet to the proposed Bodhisattva Dharma Center site from the
existing residential structure shown in Figure IV.B-16, Photograph 17. From
this residential structure, an elevation drop of approximately 32 feet exists
to the Milarepa site, and a 95-foot drop exists to the Bodhisattva Dharma
Center site. Figure IV.B-18, Photographs 20, 21, 22 and 23 as keyed on
Figure IV.B-15, Map #3.1 indicate the dense tree cover looking toward
Old Inn Road and sequentially rotating to view toward the direction of
Cragsmoor Road.
o Guest Teacher’s House and Naropa Center (See Map #3.0, Figure
IV.B-9: Teachers House/Old Inn Road View Shed, including keyed
location and view direction of photographs).
The proposed Guest Teacher’s House and Naropa Center will be sited
behind existing tree cover to be preserved, and will not present any visual
impact to or from the historic district (See Figure IV.B-14, Photograph 34).
The Map #3.0 profile in Figure IV.B-9 indicates a distance of
approximately 1,750 feet and an elevation drop of approximately 190 feet
from the house shown in photograph 9 of Figure IV.B-10 to the proposed
Naropa site, further eliminating any possible view of the proposed Naropa
structures.
Result: No view impediments will be created (by any proposed
construction) from any existing structure on Old Inn Road (see Map #3.0
in Figure IV.B-9 for photograph key location and direction and Photograph
10 of Figure IV.B-10; see Map #3.1 in Figure IV.B-15 for photograph key
location and direction and Photograph 18 of Figure IV.B-17). The
proposed construction within and adjacent to the Cragsmoor Historic
District will not impact the visual and aesthetic resource presented by the
historic district.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-9: MAP #3.0, TEACHER’S HOUSE/OLD INN ROAD VIEW SHED
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-10: PHOTOGRAPHS 9,10, AND 11
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--99 PPHH--1100
PPHH--1111
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-11: PHOTOGRAPH 12
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-12: PHOTOGRAPH 13
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-13: PHOTOGRAPHS 14 AND 15
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--1144
PPHH--1155
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-14: PHOTOGRAPH 34
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-15: MAP #3.1, MILAREPA/OLD INN ROAD VIEW SHED
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-16: PHOTOGRAPHS 16 AND 17
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--1166
PPHH--1177
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-17: PHOTOGRAPHS 18 AND 19
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--1188
MMiillaarreeppaa ssiittee
PPHH--1199
MMiillaarreeppaa ssiittee
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-18: PHOTOGRAPHS 20, 21, 22, AND 23
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--2200 PPHH--2211
PPHH--2222 PPHH--2233
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-29
(4) Sam’s Point (See Map # 4.0, Figure IV.B-19: Sam’s Point/Teacher’s House
View Shed and Map # 4.1, Figure IV.B-20: Bodhisattva Dharma
Center/Sam’s Point View Shed including keyed location and view direction
of photographs).
The Sam’s Point Preserve Public Viewing Area lies far to the east of the
project site. The Map #4.0 profile shown in Figure IV.B-19 indicates a
horizontal distance separation of approximately 9,750 feet and an
elevation drop of approximately 435 feet from the Sam’s Point Public
Viewing area to the Teacher’s House site. The profile sight line indicates
that any view of the project site (including the Teacher’s House site) from
Sam’s Point is totally obscured by Losees Hill. The Map #4.1 profile
(shown in Figure IV.B-20) between the Sam’s Point Public viewing area and
the Bodhisattva Dharma Center (the tallest proposed building) indicates a
horizontal distance separation of approximately 9,500 feet and an
elevation drop of approximately 540 feet. The profile sight line indicates
that any view of the project site, and in particular the Bodhisattva Dharma
Center dome, will be obscured by Losees hill.
Result: There are no visual impacts to Sam’s Point Preserve from any
proposed buildings on the project site.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-19: MAP #4.0, SAM’S POINT/TEACHER’S HOUSE VIEW SHED
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-20: MAP #4.1, DHARMA CENTER/SAM’S POINT VIEW SHED
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-21: PHOTOGRAPH 24
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-33
(5) Lake Maratanza (See Map #5.0, Figure IV.B-22: Teachers House/Lake
Maratanza View Shed and Map # 5.1, Figure IV.B-26: Dharma
Center/Lake Maratanza View Shed including keyed location and view
direction of photographs).
Lake Maratanza is located approximately three-fourths of a mile north of
the Sam’s Point Preserve Public Viewing Area. Inspection of the trail system
on the west side of the hill leading up to the lake reveals fairly dense tree
cover consisting of approximately 5- to 6-foot-high pine evergreens. No
clearings or public viewing areas were observed along the trail system,
and no view of the project site was established. The lake is surrounded on
the west side by existing communication towers (see Figure IV.B-23,
Photograph 25). Further visual investigations were conducted from Old Inn
Road to determine if these towers were visible. It was determined that the
towers are first visible from the location of Old Inn Road indicated on Map
#5.0, Photograph 26 (see Figure IV.B-22 and Figure IV.B-24). No views of
the lakeside communication towers were visible from the project site. This
is due in part to obstruction by Losees Hill (see Figure IV.B-22, Map # 5.0,
and Figure IV.B-24, Photographs 27 and 28). Although the sight line
indicated on the profile indicates a potential view, it is obvious (from the
visual inspection conducted and documented from Old Inn Road) that the
existing tree cover (leaf off) fully obscures any views. Map #5.1 (shown in
Figure IV.B-26) documents the same conditions regarding the Bodhisattva
Dharma Center site view from Lake Maratanza. These two locations are
separated by a horizontal distance of 10,750 feet and an elevation drop of
approximately 550 feet. Again, the visual inspection reveals no view of the
lake towers from this building site.
Result: There are no visual impacts to Lake Maratanza from any proposed
buildings on the project site.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-22: MAP #5.0, TEACHER’S HOUSE/LAKE MARATANZA VIEW SHED
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-23: PHOTOGRAPH 25
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-24: PHOTOGRAPHS 26, 27, AND 28
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--2266 PPHH--2277
PPHH--2288
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-25: PHOTOGRAPHS 29 AND 30
WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
PPHH--2299
PPHH--3300
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS FIGURE IV.B-26: MAP #5.1, DHARMA CENTER/LAKE MARATANZA
-------WAWARSING, NY SOURCE: CERNIGLIA ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, P.C.
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-39
Impacts From Proposed Lighting:
Project site lighting will be low keyed, eliminating hot spots, glare and lumen
overflow onto adjacent properties. This approach will reflect the proposed
functional use of the site (worship through quiet meditation). Hence, lighting will
be provided by low landscape and site walk fixtures, bollards and other low profile
fixtures designed to shroud and direct light downward, with specific controls
limiting light spread and throw.
Result: No visual impacts from proposed lighting are anticipated. In addition,
fixtures will provide light in conformance with the requirements of the Town of
Wawarsing Zoning Ordinance should such requirements exceed those described
above.
Impact on Cragsmoor Historic District
Letters were sent to the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and
the National Trust for Historic Preservation, requesting comments on any impact to
the visual character or views that the proposed project would have on the
Cragsmoor Historic District. A response was received from SHPO, indicating that it
cannot comment on the proposed project’s impact on the historic district and
believes the DEIS should include the plans, view shed analysis and other
information necessary to make a formal opinion of the proposed project. A copy
of this correspondence is found in Appendix C. The DEIS, which will be circulated
to SHPO, contains the analysis requested. To date, no response from the National
Trust for Historic Preservation has been received.
3. Proposed Mitigation
Minimal impacts have been identified for Cragsmoor Road (the parking area) and Old
Inn Road (proposed construction in or adjacent to the Cragsmoor Historic District).
Regarding Cragsmoor Road and the proposed parking area, new landscaping will be
provided throughout the proposed parking area within landscape islands located to limit
the number of uninterrupted parking spaces to the limits given in the Wawarsing Zoning
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-40
Ordinance, and in no case allowing more than 10 consecutive spaces. Lighting will meet
the requirements discussed above. In addition, a landscape buffer will be provided to
further screen the parking area from Cragsmoor Road. See Figures III-6 and III-7, for the
landscaping plan and landscape buffer area plan.
Regarding Old Inn Road, although the existing tree and shrub cover between the
properties along Old Inn Road and the Milarepa Center provides significant landscape
buffering, additional landscape buffering will be provided within the 50-foot side yard
setback between the north side of the Milarepa Center at and beyond the private
meditation buildings and the northerly property line. This buffering is not only intended to
provide further screening of views from the neighboring properties, but to create needed
privacy for the Milarepa Center use as well. The applicant further proposes that all
proposed construction within or adjacent to the Cragsmoor Historic District will require a
contextual and compatible architectural design to be reviewed and approved by the
Planning Board as part of the Special Permit/Site Plan review and approval process.
Further, this approach is intended to be applied to all proposed construction, except for
the Bodhisattva Dharma Center, which will be designed as a more traditional Buddhist
style building. As indicated above, the Bodhisattva Dharma Center’s proposed location is
in the middle of the project site and cannot be seen from any of the identified view areas.
Please see Section IV.K, Cultural Resources (historical and archeological) for further
discussion regarding architectural design.
As demonstrated above, any potential impacts to the community/visual character of the
Hamlet of Cragsmoor and the Cragsmoor Historic District occurring as a result of the
proposed project will be fully mitigated through appropriate landscaping and landscape
buffering, and the requirement of compatible designs that relate spatially and
architecturally to the existing collection of buildings located throughout the Cragsmoor
Historic District. Any special permit and site plan approvals will incorporate these design
standards, and the requirements for landscaping and buffering. These obligations will
accordingly be binding on the applicant and enforceable by law by the Town. These
measures are sufficient to assure that there will not be any significant adverse impacts on
visual character of the area. No impacts have been discovered which suggest that a
IV.B. Community Character/Visual
MAHAMUDRA BUDDHIST HERMITAGE DEIS October 2006 IV.B-41
conservation easement is either necessary or appropriate to mitigate the visual impacts
disclosed in the DEIS analysis. This is a privately owned site, and the conditions of special
permit and site plan approval are sufficient to impose a binding requirement for the
affirmative design and landscaping measures, based upon the applicant’s proposal to be
bound by such standards and the clear representations in the DEIS and the application
drawings. There is no innate quality of conservation easements that renders them an apt
technique to effectuate accomplishment of affirmative obligations of architectural design
or landscape screening. The ability of the Town to impose the buffering and design
standards as binding obligations of any approval are better suited to assure fulfillment of
this affirmative obligation. The Town has full power to enforce its own site plans and
special permits.
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