Refinement of the Town's Land Subdivision Regulations
and Related Improvement Standards

The Town of Red Hook's Land Subdivision Regulations were comprehensively amended in 1988 and, therefore, require considerably less attention than the Town's Zoning Law. Potential strengthening of the Land Subdivision Regulations should, however, be considered in the following areas:

• Modification of "purpose statements" to the extent required to reflect the Town's Comprehensive Plan objectives;

• Establishment of more specific standards for the protection of historic, cultural and natural resources found within proposed subdivision tracts;

• Further encouragement of the use of cluster and conservation density subdivision techniques;

• Stronger consideration of aesthetics and design issues within the subdivision review and approval process;

• Establishment of variable improvement standards clearly related to the ultimate development density/demand placed on that improvement, including consideration of long-term operation, maintenance and replacement costs, with it recognized, for example, that the appropriate roadway (local street) standard within a minimum 10-acre lot conservation density subdivision may be significantly different than the appropriate roadway (local street) standard within a minimum 1-acre lot conventional subdivision; and

• Consideration of sensitive environmental resources, e.g. prime agricultural lands, stream corridors, steep slopes, aquifers and associated recharge areas, etc. as illustrated through an "open space index" prepared by the Conservation Advisory Council.