Referred to: The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning & Transit

Committee (Chairman Briggs and Legislators Allen, Archer, Litts, Maloney, Maio,

and Wishnick)

Legislators Lynn Archer, Craig Lopez, and Mary Beth Maio, and Legislators

Gregorius, Provenzano and Wishnick offer the following:

WHEREAS, the County of Ulster purchased the 38.6-mile Ulster and

Delaware Railroad (U&D) corridor in 1979 to promote economic development

through expanded tourism and to provide recreational opportunities; and

WHEREAS, since 1983, the entire U&D corridor has been leased to a private

tourism railroad company, which entered a 25-year lease for the U&D corridor in

1991 that expires on May 31, 2016; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature has determined that it is critical to

establish a policy for the future uses of this important public asset following the

termination of the lease on May

- Page 2 -

Resolution No. 275 August 19, 2014

Establishing A Policy For A “Rail With Trail” Along The CountyOwned Ulster And Delaware Railroad Corridor

WHEREAS, the conversion of sections of the publicly-owned U&D corridor

into a rail trail from Kingston to and along the Ashokan Reservoir will serve to

connect three of the County’s rail trails, the Hudson Valley Rail Trail with the

planned extension to New Paltz, the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail with the opening of

the Rosendale Railroad Trestle into Kingston and the O&W Rail Trail with plans to

connect to Kingston creating an integrated rail trail network with access to the

Ashokan Reservoir and the Walkway Over the Hudson, maximizing quality of life

and economic development opportunities across the county; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature hereby establishes a policy to

support a segmented “rail with trail” plan to convert the U&D corridor to a rail trail

only in the segment between Kingston and Boiceville; and be it further

RESOLVED, in the furtherance of this policy for segmented rail with trail, the

Ulster County Legislature also hereby establishes a policy to support and encourage

the continued operation of a tourism railroad along an appropriate section of the

U&D corridor west of the Ashokan Reservoir; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature requests the County

Executive submit a plan outlining projects and secured funding sources to advance

planning and design for the rail trail conversion and on-going maintenance; and

develop and solicit a request for proposals for potential tourism railroads to operate

west of the Ashokan Reservoir in the future, as set forth herein and above; and, be it

further

RESOLVED, that no railroad tracks shall be removed in any segment

except by resolution of the Ulster County Legislature,

and move its adoption

ADOPTED AS AMENDED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: 18 NOES: 4

(Noes: Legislators Belfiglio, Donaldson, Greene, and Wawro)

 (Absent: Legislator Fabiano) 

- Page 3 -

Resolution No. 275 August 19, 2014

Establishing A Policy For A “Rail With Trail” Along The CountyOwned Ulster And Delaware Railroad Corridor

Passed Committee: The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning &

Transit on August 5, 2014

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

Legislator Archer motioned, seconded by Legislator Ronk, to amend the resolution

by adding language to the third WHEREAS, adding language to the third

RESOLVED, and adding an additional RESOLVED, as indicated above in bold font.

MOTION ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: 20 NOES: 2

(Noes: Legislators Greene, and Wawro)

 (Absent: Legislator Fabiano)

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

This is to certify that I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster have compared the

foregoing resolution with the original resolution now on file in the office of said clerk, and which was adopted by said

Legislature on the 19th Day of August, 2014, and that the same is a true and correct transcript of said resolution and of the

whole thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 20th Day of August

in the year Two Thousand and Fourteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature

Submitted to the County Executive this Approved by the County Executive this

21st Day of August, 2014. 28th Day of August, 2014.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella |s| Michael P. Hein

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk Michael P. Hein, County Executive

Ulster County Legislature