Gardiner – A vast chunk of what environmentalists have called one of "the last great places on the planet" could become a rich man's private community under a plan being readied by a Gardiner man.

The proposal is for homes numbering "in the three figures" and an 18-hole golf course on the environmentally sensitive Shawangunk Ridge.

The 2,700-acre site is the Awosting Reserve, the private domain of Gardiner resident John Bradley. About 2,300 acres lie in Gardiner; the balance lies in the towns of Shawangunk and Wawarsing.

It's the biggest development proposal for the scenic ridge since the Marriott Corp. proposed a conference center in the early 1980s, slightly north of the present site. Environmental concerns and vociferous public opposition sank that plan, which resulted in the creation of the public Minnewaska State Park.

Roger Beck is president of Awosting Reserve, which is owned and controlled primarily by Bradley, who lives on the property. Beck said he expects opposition to the project.

"We know there will be any number of concerns raised," Beck said yesterday. "We need to be conscientious and address those to the best of our ability, and we intend to do so."

Beck has not presented plans to any municipal agency. Without exact plans, several environmental groups declined to give specific comment yesterday. But an environmental battle appears inevitable.

"This could have an horrendous impact on the ridge, depending on how it's handled," said Keith LaBudde, president of Friends of the Shawangunks.

The Shawangunk Ridge runs like a stony spine 50 miles south and west from Ulster through Orange and Sullivan counties and into New Jersey. Its soaring cliffs afford spectacular views as well as shelter for plentiful wildlife. It is home to rare plant life such as dwarf pines and has been a key focus of environmental efforts in the past decade. Environmental organizations have bought major portions of the ridge to keep it undeveloped.

Beck declined to say exactly how many houses the project would include, other than to say, "in the three figures." Beck has compared plans for the community to a planned community in South Carolina where homes cost from $250,000 to $7 million.

LaBudde said the primary environmental concerns could include the visual impact as well as water and sewage questions.

The Nature Conservancy has called the ridge "one of the last great places" on the planet. The conservancy has tried and failed to buy parts of Bradley's property over the years.

Beck met last week with a group of homeowners who live around Tillson Lake, where the golf course is likely to be located.

Morey Gottesman, one of those homeowners, has had a difficult relationship with Bradley. Several years ago, during an argument over water-access rights, Bradley put what Gottesman described as a "truncheon" through the windshield of Gottesman's car. Bradley was arrested and eventually paid for the damages, Gottesman said.

Bradley could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Beck said the goal of the development is conservation and an environmentally focused community.

Gottesman dismissed that claim: "They're out there to insure they develop every square inch they can. "

Houses, which would be built atop the ridge, would be single-family structures ranging in size from cabins to cottages to spacious "retreats."

The lots would range from half-acre to 2 acres and larger. Most would be on the larger side. Homes on smaller lots would be no more than 2,000 square feet. The upper size limit for the homes has not yet been set. Some of the homes would be clustered homes to preserve as much open space as possible. The community would require its own sewage treatment plant, Beck said.

The community could be gated, but that remains to be seen. Developers foresee people from urban areas to the south buying the homes and using them for both full-time and weekend use.

But much of the planning is not complete. "We are not really ready to go public," Beck said. "The goal has been to understand the land in great detail before we finalize the plan."

Everything from the hydro-geology to the wildlife and vegetative biology and archeology is under study. "We are gathering information so we don't submit a plan that is insensitive," Beck said.

Gardiner Supervisor Jack Hayes said developers told him they hope to submit plans to the town within the next couple of months.

The land is zoned for agricultural, residential and recreational use, Hayes said.

George Maury's family has owned the property bordering Tillson Lake since the late 1940s.

"It's going to change drastically around here," Maury said. "I don't think it is appropriate for the ridge."

Shawangunk Ridge

It's been called the backbone of the mid-Hudson region. What the Hudson River is to sailing and water sports, the Shawangunk (SHON-gum) Ridge is to rock climbing, hiking and biking.

It's the home of ice caves and sky lakes, endangered species and almost unbelievable natural beauty.

The ridge, which defines the southeastern edge of the Catskill region, was formed 300 million to 400 million years ago, about the same time as the Appalachian and Taconic mountains were formed.

The exposed bedrock is a conglomerate of quartz, with shale and limestone beneath. The composition of the ridge accounts for its appearance and its ecology, giving it its resistance to erosion, and soil that is often acidic and relatively infertile. The soil in the crags and ravines of the ridge, however, are often fertile and nonacidic.

Among the natural features of the ridge are waterfalls, world-famous cliffs, mountaintop lakes, nationally significant ice caves, and globally rare pitch pines.

Golden eagles and bald eagles live there, as do Cooper's hawks and red-shouldered hawks. The area is home to the peregrine falcon, the timber rattlesnake, several species of bats and many rare plants.

Eleven towns in three counties are considered part of the ridge.

In Orange County, they are Deerpark, Greenville and Mount Hope. In Sullivan County, Mamakating is part of the ridge. In Ulster County, the ridge towns are Shawangunk, Wawarsing, Gardiner, Rochester, New Paltz, Marbletown and Rosendale.
   
   Source: The Shawangunk Ridge Coalition
   For more, see:
   www.shawangunkridge.org
   www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/orange/legends/    

Who is John Bradley?

He's a blunt-talking ex-pilot whose New York consulting firm, Atwater Bradley, advises colleges and medical centers on development deals.

He's 70 years old, has a home in the city and one at Awosting Reserve near a 200-foot ravine and a 110-foot waterfall.

He's sparred with town officials and residents over land-use issues for years; former Gardiner Supervisor Marion Kells describes him as having a "lord of the manor" attitude toward townspeople.

He's also been described as "someone who really loves his land and is very supportive ... the ridge's biodiversity" by Glenn Hoagland, executive director of the nearby Mohonk Preserve.