Pawling, NY

Walking Towards a Great Future

With Interconnectedness, Walkability, and Economic Development Top of the Mind, This Dynamic Town Has Everything to Look Forward to

 

“I’m from here, grew up on a family farm in this town and now I own a small business here too,” James Schmitt, Town Supervisor with Pawling, New York relays. Very proud to represent the beautiful, charming, and dynamic town of Pawling, Schmitt spends a considerable amount of time working to ensure that the traditional small town charm Pawling is known for is expertly balanced with the growth and renewal the town is currently experiencing.

Schmitt is also proud to have played a direct role in shaping the overall vision of the town of Pawling. He holds dear the town’s long-standing values and agri-history, and remains laser-focused on efforts to ensure that the amenities treasured by the town’s residents are well-supported. He is also openly welcoming additional businesses to the mix to add to the overall town fabric.

Overseeing a town that has so much to offer, Schmitt is busy looking at critical infrastructure priorities, hospitality, retail, and commercial expansion, as well as designing future growth to reflect walkability and interconnectedness to trails and parks adjacent to the downtown core.

The residents who call this idyllic town home, as well as the multitude of visitors who make the trek into the downtown corridor to take in the local bakeries and delights, have at their fingertips a diverse town that is poised to enjoy economic expansion.

Walking Through the Heart of Downtown

“One of the biggest things for me is walkability. We have a sidewalk plan in place where properties are redeveloped and sidewalks in front of them. We have a master plan that will give us the ability to eventually connect all parts of Pawling by sidewalk; the town, the parks, and the schools,” Schmitt elaborates.

Schmitt explains that the town’s goal is to be able to walk from the downtown area, and either continue to walk along the sidewalks, or take a bicycle up to Pawling’s 400-acre park and 50-acre lake, and then through to the schools and reconnect again.

“We want to promote walking and people getting out more and destressing,” he summarizes.

When residents do enter the main corridor, they are met with an array of local treasures that are mouth-watering and remain a tourist draw.

“There is our bakery and restaurant, McKinney and Doyle, which has been here for quite some time and pulls people all the way from New York City.”

“It is nothing short of fantastic,” he states.

As it grew in popularity, the bakery morphed into a restaurant and is now located on the main street’s corner, occupying a whole building with one side of the building devoted to the bakery and the other, a dining room and bar area. “The food is phenomenal,” he adds.

Not to be overshadowed, Schmitt references another local institution that is more than accustomed to drawing in the crowds: Vinny’s Deli.

“Vinny’s has been a staple in our community, and he has been featured on the Food Network a couple of times as well as different TV shows, and is constantly in the media,” Schmitt details.

The lead singer of the legendary band, Hall and Oates, Darryl Hall, has also opened a music venue in the thriving downtown core, bringing in different artists weekly.

“We get this huge attraction of people from all over the country who show up there.”

One aspect that Schmitt brings up when describing the town that is so close to his heart is the sheer diversity it offers.

“We are lucky. You have your blue collar workers all the way up to billionaires. There are not a lot of towns or communities that have that. We have private helipads, a disc golf course, and one of the oldest municipality-owned golf courses in the country, Dutcher Golf Course.”

“There are a lot of Manhattanites that reside here too,” he elaborates. “You are a stone’s throw away from New York City, and you have a train right into the village of Pawling.”

“Up here, you have clean air, open space, and a real master plan that is in place to bring in more restaurants and hospitality features.”

Infrastructure to Pave the Walk Ahead

The town recently completed a $12 million sewage treatment plant which will pave the way to more development along Pawling’s route 22 corridor and is currently undergoing sewer district expansions that will benefit the entire southern corridor of route 22 and Pawling.

“We are working with our congressman in securing some funding. We have over a million dollars in grant money that is going to be used towards this project.”

Making use of lands available is a process, Schmitt notes.

“We have strong zoning laws and large land costs.”

The town is working on its master plan and has gone as far as to form resident-focused committees to be involved in the town board and planning board.

“The goal is to be able to address the housing issue that New York State is facing, but to be able to address it in a way that the community wants to see it addressed,” Schmitt outlines. You can not take it [houses and development] once it is there.” This addition of a resident advisory role has helped identify growth areas within the municipality.

Some of the land that could see development, however, is protected or conservation land and must remain untouched; however, the planning board and advisory board help to identify areas that are ripe for development. “Instead of just the town boards, the town has these advisory boards that we have created because many hands make light work,” Schmitt says.

Walking Towards Business Growth

Pawling works very closely with its Chamber of Commerce and, in particular, its highly valued President, Diana Tomasetti.

“She is very involved in the community, attends town board meetings, always keeps us involved via email on what is going on and who is coming in, as well as what businesses we think we are missing and where we can add these businesses,” Schmitt details.

Summarizing his vision, Schmitt states, “We want to attract more business other than restaurants and hospitality.”

To this end, Schmitt mentions the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program, which allows businesses to lower their taxes initially, to help to become firmly established before they need to go through a full tax assessment.

“They [the program] will give them a set number of years, and then at the end of that time, the project would go to a normal assessment, allowing these businesses to not get beaten over the head tax-wise.”

“They get to come in, build their business, get their feet under them, become established, then by the time it is rolling out, the full assessment comes later and everybody wins.”

Walking Towards Continued Success

Schmitt is enthused about the many things that make his dynamic town so special. Near the top of the list is the relationship the town has with the school district.

“It is kindergarten through grade 12, and probably around 1100 kids, which is great because people love the smaller classroom sizes. Our teacher-to-student ratio is very good, and makes for a better education.

Boasting “incredible facilities,” Schmitt points to the completion of a top-tier multi-sports plex, which represents a welcome addition to the town.

“It is an astroturf multi-sports field for football, field hockey, and soccer with grandstands. It is brand new and well thought out. I think we are the envy of most sports fields in Dutchess County right now,” Schmitt highlights.

Schmitt also draws attention to the internationally recognized all-boys private school, Trinity Pauling, which is a venerable institution and staple in the community, attracting students from across the world.

“Its reputation precedes it,” Schmitt notes.

With so much to boast about, Schmitt turns his attention to what the next year or two will most likely bring.

“Our main focus is going to be to complete an update of our master plan for our community. This is very important because it shapes the vision for the next 12 to 15 years.”

“Figuring out what parcels of land we want to develop and what parcels we don’t want to see develop, and then putting the process in place is another top priority for us.”

“Continuing to push for our infrastructure as far as road updates and sewer is also a major thing, because this is not only good for development, it is also great for the environment,” Schmitt concludes.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Pawling, New York

What: A dynamic town 60 miles from New York City with a laid-back lifestyle packed with local amenities

Where: Dutchess County, New York