Conservation/Rural Development (C/RD) is the predominant land use designation within the Town of Red Hook. This category is characterized by the following blend of uses:

A fundamental concern of the Land Use Plan is the long-term preservation of agriculture in this area of the Town. Continued agricultural use should be encouraged due to its contribution to the Town's economy and rural character. To the extent possible, the conversion of productive agricultural lands, particularly those classified as "prime agricultural soils," to residential lots and other non-farm purposes should be discouraged.

Dutchess County has lost over 175 commercial farms over the past 20 years. Between 1982 and 1987 alone, the County lost 22 farms and approximately 13,000 acres of farmland. In 1940 there were more than 45 productive dairy farms in Red Hook. Today, only three remain, one of which is for sale.

While the problems facing agriculture are many and complex, appropriate land use controls can assist in the encouragement of agriculture. Accordingly, the Town should implement an affirmative program in support of agriculture, to the extent such is within the authority of local government. Such a program should minimally include:

Maintenance of "Agricultural Districts" under the New York State Agricultural and Markets Law is also consistent with this objective.

In reviewing residential development proposals that may be within the Conservation/Rural Development area, two existing land use tools van be effectively employed to assist in the preservation of open space, including the community�s productive agricultural lands, maintain its rural character, and reduce locational conflicts between residences and agriculture. These tools are the "conservation density subdivision" and the "cluster subdivision". Conservation density subdivisions are most practicable in a Town's lower-density zoning districts. They afford flexibility to landowners in read layout and design, and road frontage requirements, but only if landowners commit to permanent preservation of open space resources substantially in excess of minimum zoning requirements. "Cluster" development is an extremely flexible land use tool that varies conventional "cookie cutter" subdivision requirements to locate development in the less environmentally-sensitive areas of a site rather than spreading development uniformly throughout the site.

While some clusters are very tightly concentrated in a small section of a site in order to obtain maximum preservation of open space, cluster is very adaptable land-use tool, which can promote the achievement of other residential development objectives, including the delivery of varied types of housing units, varied lot sizes, and varied methods of ownership and control of preserved open space, Obviously, no single type of cluster is suited to every site, nor is use of the cluster technique the only possible way to preserve open space, Nonetheless, because of its great flexibility, and adaptability to different circumstances, cluster can be a very effective method of preserving a wide variety of desirable features, including productive environmental resources discussed in this Plan or identified during site-specific evaluation of a subdivider�s intended residential development project under the SEQR review process.

The Planning Board should learn more about the varieties and workability of cluster development and should routinely require a landowner to consider cluster alternatives when developing land in the Conservation/Rural Development area. Where the site involves significant, irreplaceable natural and cultural resources, such as prime agricultural lands, water resources, or historic sites, particular attention should be paid to requiring that the approved development plan protect these resources to the extent practicable.

The Town should also work with representatives of the agricultural and development communities in assessing, and then implementing if found to be viable, a transfer of development rights (TDR) program for the town. TDR is an innovative land use technique that was only recently authorized by the State Legislature for implementation by local municipalities in New York State. Basically, this concept allows for "development rights" to be separated from land ("sending zones") and sold for use in other areas of the Town ("receiving zones"). It results in preservation of the land from with the "development rights" have been sold. In the Town of Red Hook, the "sending zones" would likely be the more developable, yet environmentally-sensitive, lands within the Conservation/Rural Development area, including the prime agricultural lands, and the "receiving zones" would likely be the prospective higher density areas around the Village of Red Hook where development is preferred and the prospect is highest for municipally-approved central water and/or sanitary sewage facilities.

Due to their potential cumulative effect on the overall aesthetics and the quality of life within the Town's rural land areas and the additional service burdens that would be borne by the community, both large-scale residential development projects and use of the conventional lot-by-lot approach to subdivision layout should be discouraged on lands designated as Conservation/Rural Development.

To reflect the established development pattern, a permissible density of one dwelling unit per five acres should be maintained for that portion of the Conservation/Rural Development area lying to the west of NYS Route 9G. Elsewhere in the C/RD area a permissible density of one dwelling unit per three acres is recommended.

Use of limited development techniques, such as the previously-cited "conservation density subdivision" and the "transfer of development rights" mechanism should, however, be encouraged to reduce the amount of development that might actually be carried out within the Conservation/Rural Development area. These limited development techniques would, thus, complement the traditional zoning control of "minimum lot area", support the Town's objective that agricultural use remain the predominant land use and be consistent with the Land Use Plan's view that the Conservation/Rural Development area will not be served by either Municipal water supply and/or sanitary sewage facilities.

In addition to agricultural uses and compatible rural residential development, other conservation, recreation, education, and open space uses consistent with established land use patterns should be encouraged within the Conservation/Rural Development area. Specific consideration should also be given to the acquisition of a Town park site on Spring Lake to provide the Town's people access to this water body.