Mayor’s Message June 2026
In June we celebrate both Juneteenth and Pride Month. It was on June 19, 1865 that Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved Black Americans were free. Juneteenth is a federal holiday that provides an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing pursuit of equality, justice, and opportunity for all Americans. Pride Month is a month-long observance dedicated to the celebration of LGBTQ pride, commemorating the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) culture and community. The first pride month celebrations were held in June 1970, following the Stonewall Riots in 1969. This month, we recognize the significance of these historic events, and reaffirm our commitment to building inclusive and equitable communities where every individual’s human rights are respected.
Paving on East Market to Rock City Beginning Soon
Be Prepared for frequent stops
Village Paving will be done during the night
East Market St. (State Route 308) is under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). They are responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of all designated State and Interstate highways. Local roads are maintained by individual municipalities or counties rather than the state.
NYS DOT will also be installing ADA ramps for crosswalks at the intersections on East Market street and Mulberry, North Parsonage and Beech. The intersection at North Parsonage is very important, as it will connect to our Pedestrian Improvement project (Safe Route to School) which was kicked off with an open house on May 20th, at the Rhinebeck High School we gathered lots of great input from residents who spoke to the engineers and reviewed the plans.
This project will improve accessibility, pedestrian safety, and connectivity throughout the area by upgrading existing sidewalks to meet ADA standards, constructing new ADA-compliant sidewalks and creating a short multi-use trail through Lions Mini Park.
Sidewalk improvements will include the installation of ADA-compliant curb ramps and enhanced pedestrian connections between Chancellor Livingston Elementary School and Stortini Drive. New sidewalks will be constructed along the south side of Knollwood Road from Stortini Drive to South Parsonage Street, and will continue along the east side of South Parsonage Street from Knollwood Road to South Street.
To better accommodate pedestrians and improve roadway safety, the centerlines along Knollwood Road (from Stortini Drive to South Parsonage Street) and South Parsonage Street (from Knollwood Road to North Park Road) will be updated with the proposed sidewalks, while keeping work almost entirely within the existing pavement limits.
The one-way section of North Parsonage Street will be re-striped to include a designated parking lane adjacent to the travel lane. In addition, a short sidepath will be constructed along the east side of North Parsonage Street between South Street and East Market Street to improve pedestrian and bicycle connectivity.
The project also includes the construction of three raised, stop-controlled intersections to help calm traffic and improve pedestrian visibility and safety. One raised intersection will be located at the three-leg intersection of Somers Drive and Knollwood Road. Two additional raised intersections will be constructed at the four-leg intersections of Knollwood Road and South Parsonage Street, and South Parsonage Street and South Street.
The new multi-use trail through Lions Mini Park will connect the sidewalk along South Parsonage Street to Rhinebeck High School and Bulkeley Middle School, creating a safer and more accessible route for students and community members. The trail will generally follow the alignment of the existing park paths.
We have overhauled our Villages Ecode. eCode360 is an online platform that houses municipal codes, and local laws for local governments across the United States. Designed and maintained by General Code (part of the International Code Council), it provides citizens, municipal staff, and professionals with a highly searchable, easy-to-use digital archive of local legislation. Jaden Annese was hired to assist in the office to help us revamp ECODE. He did a wonderful job. Over the course of this project, he completed several updates to the Village’s eCode system to improve organization and access to records. We cleaned out and reorganized the correspondence, department documents, meeting documents, and applications and forms sections. He then organized all 1,144 meeting minutes into a consistent structure. After that, he updated the overall aesthetic and layout of the homepage. He added a quick links section featuring commonly searched topics such as brush, noise, and sidewalks, along with a contact information section. He also began using a new scanner with OCR capabilities, allowing newly scanned documents to be searchable. Previously scanned files were image-based and not searchable. Using the new scanner, he digitized and uploaded all resolutions from the physical binder covering 2020 through 2026 into eCode, labeling all 120 documents. To view the improvements please go to: Home - Village of Rhinebeck, NY
Addressing Housing Shortage
New York State is facing a housing shortage that is affecting workforce stability and limiting local economic growth.
Executive Order 30 (2023) established the Pro-Housing Community Program, which prioritizes state funding for communities that support housing growth.
Certification as a Pro-Housing Community provides access to funding opportunities available only to certified municipalities, including up to $750 million in discretionary state funding for housing growth in the FY 2027 budget.*
Benefits of Pro-Housing Community Certification
Priority Access to State Funding: Certified Pro-Housing Communities receive priority access to a pool of up to $750 million in discretionary state funding.
Dedicated Infrastructure Fund: The budget includes a $100 million capital fund for infrastructure improvements, such as sewer and water system upgrades, in certified communities.
Revitalization Program Eligibility: Certification is now a required condition for communities seeking awards through the $100 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and the $100 million NY Forward program.
Technical Assistance Grants: The budget allocates $5.25 million in grants to assist local governments with the certification process and long-term planning for growth.
Pursuing Pro-Housing Community certification via the Resolution Pathway offers high benefits with manageable requirements.
Near-Term and Future Funding Opportunities
Certification positions Rhinebeck competitively for state funding
Community Impact
Certification strengthens the Village’s reputation and commitment to diverse housing for workforce, seniors, and families.
On behalf of the Village of Rhinebeck Board of Trustees, we have submitted the Village’s intent to apply for certification as a Pro-Housing Community under Executive Order 30 and the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) Pro-Housing Communities Program. The Village of Rhinebeck recognizes that housing affordability and housing supply are among the most pressing challenges facing our community today. The shortage of attainable housing at all levels threatens the viability of local businesses, undermines workforce retention, and diminishes the community vitality that has long defined Rhinebeck as a treasured Hudson Valley destination.
Like many communities throughout the Mid-Hudson Region, the Village of Rhinebeck—located within the Town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County and serving as a regional center for commerce and culture—faces rising home prices and rents that increasingly place the community out of reach for working families, seniors seeking to downsize and age in place, young adults hoping to remain in or return to the area, and the essential workers upon whom the Village depends. We understand that addressing these challenges requires deliberate and sustained local policy action, and we are committed to doing our part.
The Village of Rhinebeck has already taken significant steps to advance housing goals that align directly with the objectives of the Pro-Housing Communities Program:
New Comprehensive Plan. On September 24, 2024, the Village adopted a new Comprehensive Plan
Housing as a Core Priority. The Comprehensive Plan explicitly identifies housing diversity, affordability, and supply expansion as central priorities for the Village’s future. It outlines specific strategies to support a broader range of housing types serving residents across all income levels and life stages, including the creation of a new 40-acre Village Expansion District containing substantial vacant land within a half-mile walking distance of the Village Center.
Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC). In August 2025, the Village established the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee to systematically advance the Plan’s recommendations and ensure that its housing goals translate into concrete regulatory and policy actions.
Smart Growth Zoning Code Update. The Village secured a $165,000 Smart Growth Zoning Code Update Grant from the New York State Department of State. A Zoning Code Working Group operating as a subcommittee of CPIC is actively undertaking a comprehensive update of the Village’s zoning code to align local land-use regulations with the housing and smart growth objectives identified in the Comprehensive Plan.
NYS Plus One ADU Program. The Village has partnered with Hudson River Housing (HRH) to participate in the New York State Plus One ADU Program. In support of this initiative, the Village identified approximately 300 parcels containing carriage houses or two-car garages that may be suitable for conversion into accessory dwelling units, representing a significant opportunity to expand housing supply within the existing built environment.
Existing Zoning for Housing Diversity. The Village’s current zoning code already permits accessory dwelling units, two-family dwellings, and multifamily housing in appropriate districts, providing a strong regulatory foundation upon which the Village will continue to build.
In pursuit of Pro-Housing Community certification, the Village of Rhinebeck commits to the following actions:
Streamlined Permitting. The Village will continue to streamline permitting processes for multifamily housing, affordable housing, accessible housing, accessory dwelling units, and supportive housing in order to reduce barriers and accelerate the delivery of new housing opportunities.
Fair Housing. The Village commits to adopting and implementing policies that affirmatively further fair housing and ensure equitable access to housing opportunities regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
Regional Housing Needs. The Village will incorporate regional housing needs assessments into its planning and land-use decisions, recognizing that housing challenges extend beyond municipal boundaries and require coordinated regional responses.
Increased Development Capacity. The Village will work to expand residential development capacity through zoning amendments, density allowances, and other regulatory tools identified through the ongoing zoning code update process.
Broad Range of Housing Types. The Village will continue to support policies that encourage a diverse range of housing types—including mixed-use, workforce, senior, and supportive housing—to meet the evolving needs of current and future residents.
The Village is prepared to submit all required documentation in support of this application, including the Zoning Code Summary, zoning map shapefiles, housing permit data for the previous five years, and the Pro-Housing Community Resolution, as applicable. We respectfully request that HCR provide the Village with the submission link and any additional guidance necessary to facilitate a complete and timely application.
The Democratic Primary for Town Supervisor, early voting, which enables voters to cast their ballot before election day, is between June 13th through June 21st. Dutchess County voters may visit any early voting site in the county. In Rhinebeck the polls will be open from 9am to 5pm at Pavillion at Brookmeade, 34 Brookmeade Drive. The last day to vote is June 23rd. To find other sites please visit: 2026 Primary and General Election Early Voting
Happy Anniversary!
Please join me in celebrating our employee anniversaries:
DPW Superintendent Kyle Eighmy – 4 years
Officer Jon Rymer – 1 year
Officer Michael Whelan – 1 year
As always, please reach out to me with any questions or comments. You can reach me by phone 845-876-7015 ext 308 at Village Hall or via email:MayorBassett@Villgeofrhinebeck.gov