Before the boundary shifts: what New Paltz residents should ask
May 8, 2025.
The Entrepreneur.
Today, the Town and Village of New Paltz formally announced a joint public hearing for June 5 to consider the annexation of roughly 128 acres of Town land into the Village. The purpose: to allow a large new housing development to proceed under Village jurisdiction.
If that sounds like a paperwork issue, it’s not. It’s shift in power between The Town and The Village, between Supervisor and Mayor.
Annexation transfers authority — who gets to decide what’s built, how it’s taxed, and what rules apply. Once the land is annexed, the Town Board and Planning Board lose control. And unless there’s a clear agreement in place, Town taxpayers could still be on the hook for fire, EMS, schools, and roads — with no say in the process.
What’s being proposed
According to the petition filed by Beautiful Monster LLC and Andrews Wave LLC, the developers envision:
A multifamily apartment complex of over 200 units and 612 bedrooms
Shared amenities like a pool, clubhouse, and paved trails
A set-aside of 30 affordable units, though not under long-term covenant
Use of Village water and sewer infrastructure
The property sits just outside the Village boundary — which is why annexation is being requested.
What residents should be asking
With a public hearing now on the calendar, here are a few questions New Paltz residents deserve clear answers to:
Who will these units serve? Is this truly solving a local housing need — or expanding a student rental market?
What does “affordable” mean, and for how long? Is there any guarantee beyond the first lease?
Will the Town be compensated for emergency services, traffic impacts, and school enrollment?
What environmental protections apply? Are wetlands, wildlife corridors, and slope concerns being independently reviewed?
Why must annexation occur at all? Can intermunicipal coordination happen without transferring legal control?
Annexation is leverage — don’t give it away
As someone who’s worked in real estate, tech, and public–private partnerships, I’ve learned this:
You never give up leverage without securing value in return.
Right now, the Town has leverage. It can require intermunicipal agreements, environmental protections, and enforceable affordable housing covenants before the land is annexed. But that only happens if the public shows up, asks smart questions, and holds both boards to the standard we deserve.
We can build smarter
New Paltz needs houses but what it doesn’t need is higher taxes. Both The Town and The village have a responsibility to tax payers now and future generations not developers or ‘insiders’ looking to make a more profit.
If this annexation moves forward, let’s make sure it does so with clear rules, shared responsibility, and long-term community benefit — not just density and developer ROI.
June 5 is coming. Before the boundary shifts, let’s ask the questions that shape what’s built — and who it serves.