Tell Woodstock to “Just say NO to Zena Development!”
The Town of Woodstock has the right to deny Zena Development the waivers and permits they would need to extend Eastwoods Drive through Woodstock’s Critical Environmental Area to reach the proposed subdivision site in the Town of Ulster. If there is no road, there is no subdivision. The Woodstock Planning Board must follow Woodstock’s regulations, and put the well-being of Woodstock residents first. Please join us in telling the Woodstock Planning Board to say NO to Zena Development!
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What roles do Woodstock and Ulster play?
Zena Development LLC has proposed a 30-lot luxury subdivision with a private recreation center in the middle of a high quality forest in the Town of Ulster. This Ulster parcel is land-locked. The Ruby Rod and Gun Club, who own property bordering Zena Development’s Ulster parcel to the east, have declined to grant Zena Development access through their lands. This means that the proposed subdivision could only be accessed by widening and extending Eastwoods Drive in the Town of Woodstock to the Woodstock-Ulster town line. The Town of Ulster has the right to issue a “positive” or “negative declaration” in the State Environmental Quality Review process, and to approve or deny the design and construction of Zena Development’s proposed subdivision. The Woodstock Planning Board has the right to approve or deny Zena Development’s proposed road construction to reach the subdivision. The Town of Ulster cannot force the Town of Woodstock to extend roads through Woodstock’s Zena Woodstock’s Critical Environmental Area (CEA).One access road or two?
According to Woodstock’s Subdivision Regulations, a subdivision of this size would require not one, but two access roads. Zena Development has requested many waivers from the Woodstock Planning Board, including a waiver that would allow them to use Eastwoods Drive as the sole access for the subdivision. If the Woodstock Planning Board denies this waiver, the proposed route of the required secondary access road would extend 9,800 feet through the sensitive forests and wetlands of the Zena Woods CEA, directly through foraging habitat of two endangered bat species, and drawing very close to an established Bald Eagle nesting location. Click here to look at a map of the proposed Eastwoods extension and potential route of the secondary access road. Not sure where Zena Development is? Check out this map in Google Maps!
Ignored by Ulster…Both Woodstock and Ulster wanted to be in charge of the “SEQR” (State Environmental Quality Review) environmental review of Zena Development’s proposed subdivision and road extension. Last fall, the NYS DEC granted “lead agency” status to the Town of Ulster, citing the larger footprint of the subdivision in Ulster vs the road extension in Woodstock. This gives Ulster the power to determine Zena Develompent’s impacts on both Ulster and Woodstock. However, in granting Ulster lead agency status, DEC commissioner Amanda Lefton noted that Ulster must work with Woodstock. The Woodstock Planning Board and Town Boards have written to the Town of Ulster Planning Board seven times requesting that the two towns communicate and coordinate on the review. Woodstock Supervisor Courtis even went to a Town of Ulster Town Board meeting in person to request coordination. Ulster has ignored all communications from Woodstock. They also ignored the 40+ letters they received from the public requesting a public hearing under SEQR. On August 11, 2026, the Town of Ulster Planning Board made the ridiculous decision to issue a negative declaration, immediately ending the environmental review process and officially finding that there would be no significant environmental impacts in Woodstock or Ulster.
Bad for Woodstock.
The Woodstock Planning Board’s Traffic Consultant deemed Zena Development’s proposed Eastwoods Drive extension to be unsafe, writing: “Given the current access plan, I believe these to be unacceptably excessive roadway lengths with regard to safety, since unexpected access road blockages could lead to delays in emergency response times for first responders – fire, police and EMS.” Zena Development’s own attorneys have stated that the proposed secondary access route would be detrimental to the Town, writing that the secondary access road “…could result in thousands of linear feet of new road and acres of additional tree clearing…” and that “Granting the requested waiver [for a single access road] is in the interest of the public health, safety and general welfare of the Town because completing a secondary access road creates redundant ground disturbance and tree clearing.”
WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR EMAIL
Put your message in your own words! Keep it short. It does not have to be perfect, as long as your letter is unique. Here is a suggestion for how to format your message:
Address your letter,
Example: Dear Woodstock Planning and Town Board members and Supervisor Courtis, Tell them who you are and why you are writing to them.
Example: I am writing as a resident of the Town of Woodstock because I am deeply concerned by Zena Development’s proposed subdivision and road extension.
Explain why you are concerned about Zena Development, and name the waiver that matches your concern. Zena Development has asked Woodstock to waive thirteen separate standards. By naming a waiver you turn your letter into a specific question the Planning Board has to answer. Click here to see all thirteen waivers and choose one to write about →
Example: I love walking my dogs in the Zena neighborhood, and I am concerned that Zena Development has not considered pedestrian safety in their subdivision plans. Zena Development has asked for a waiver from Woodstock Code § 202-32.G(4) which requires four-foot shoulders on a major road. How can a road be safe for pedestrians without shoulders? Respectfully request that the Woodstock Planning Board conduct the thorough review Zena Development’s project requires by taking these next steps. You may copy and paste this part of the letter:
I respectfully request that you take the following steps:
1) Hire an engineer to look at the safety of Eastwoods Drive
2) Order the environmental studies Hudsonia said were necessary to evaluate the project impacts on the Critical Environmental Area
3) Issue adequate responses to serious problems with the traffic study
4) Hold public hearings so our community has the opportunity to speak.
5) Request comments from Woodstock Fire, Police, and Highway Departments about the safety of Eastwoods Drive as it is now, and about the safety of Zena Development's proposed minimal "improvements."
6) Above all: follow Woodstock's own Town regulations! Protect the public health, safety and general welfare of our Town. Deny the many waivers requested by Zena Development for their dangerous and environmentally destructive access road proposals. I am writing specifically about Waiver [NUMBER], [NAME], under [CODE SECTION].Close your letter. Please include your address below your name to make it easy for the Woodstock Planning Board to tell where you are writing from.
Example: Sincerely,
Jane Doe123 Forest Road
Woodstock, NY 12498PICK A WAIVER
Your sixth request asks the Board to deny the waivers. Naming one makes it land.
The Planning Board reads a lot of letters, and the ones that get a response are the ones that raise something specific. If your letter names a single waiver and its code section, it becomes a question the Board has to answer rather than an opinion it can note and move past.
Pick the one closest to what you already know. If you drive the road, take the width. If you have waited on an ambulance, take the length. If you walk it, take the shoulders.
See all thirteen waivers and find yours →
Add one line to your letter, right after your sixth request:
> I am writing specifically about Waiver [NUMBER], [SHORT NAME], under [CODE SECTION].
Then say in your own words why that one matters to you. A few sentences is plenty.
WHERE TO SEND YOUR EMAIL
IMPORTANT: Please BCC szd@stopzena.org so we have a record that your letter was sent.
Here are all of the email addresses you need! This list includes Woodstock and Ulster officials. Although these emails target Woodstock officials specifically, we want Ulster officials to be aware of your emails as well!
planningzoning@townofulster.ny.gov, lhartmann@townofulster.ny.gov, mschatzel@townofulster.ny.gov, maryannd@townofulster.ny.gov, ulstersupervisor@townofulster.ny.gov, pcross@woodstockny.gov, jkerman@woodstockny.gov, jconrad@woodstockny.gov, JVescio@woodstockny.gov, jdrue@woodstockny.gov, gtartell@woodstockny.gov, mlauprete@woodstockny.gov, planning@woodstockny.gov, supervisor@woodstockny.gov, lricci@woodstockny.gov, losmond@woodstockny.gov, lkorolkoff@woodstockny.gov, rearls@woodstockny.gov, deputysupervisor@woodstockny.gov