Noah Eckstein
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February 21, 2025
The Woodstock Planning Board is moving forward with its review of the Zena Homes project, agreeing Thursday to hire independent environmental and traffic consultants to assess its potential impact. Developers seek to reconfigure lot lines, reduce the number of parcels from three to two, and expand Eastwoods Drive—the only current access road, which runs through Woodstock.
Board members raised concerns about the project’s proximity to wetlands and potential traffic congestion. Despite the developers having submitted their own environmental and traffic studies, the board opted to conduct independent reviews, funded by a $10,000 escrow from the applicants.
“We knew there would be a bit of a road ahead,” said Zena Homes developer Evan Kleinberg. “They’re going to do their review, and when they have more professional opinions from their hired consultants, we’ll come back and have a more informed discussion about the impact.”
The Zena Homes proposal has faced significant pushback from residents and environmental advocates. Initially pitched as Woodstock National with plans for a golf course and 191 homes, the project was later scaled back to a 106-acre subdivision in Ulster. Developers say they have no plans to build on Woodstock’s 500+ acres, but opponents remain skeptical, citing concerns over the town of Ulster’s zoning code, deforestation, water access, and increased traffic.
The Planning Board will review findings from its consultants before making further determinations. No timeline was provided.
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.