Village of Montgomery residents had mixed reactions to a public hearing for a local law that would move City Winery one step closer to final approval, praising the project for its creative use of a historic site and expressing concerns about traffic, noise and effects on community character.

City Winery will turn the old Montgomery Worsted Mills property into a fully operational vineyard and event space that includes a restaurant, a distillery, tasting rooms, 14 guest rooms, an outdoor ceremony and performance areas, and parking for approximately 300 cars and loading areas.

If enacted without revision, Introductory Local Law No. Two of 2018 would permit Planned Development Districts (PDD) in the Multi-Family Zoning (RM-1) District of the village and amend the zoning map to authorize a PDD for the 20-acre City Winery property.

Under the current code, PDDs are only allowed in the business and industrial zoning districts of the village, and City Winery sits in a RM-1 District.

Village resident Nina Snyder said she is in favor of the project because it fits the community’s character, it makes use of a historic property and she thinks City Winery will be a good neighbor.

“I feel as though it is a nice fit to the village,” Snyder said.

River Road resident Darrin Schechter said he was never sent a notice of the project and neither were his neighbors.

Greg Husinko, a resident of Factory Street, also said he never received a written notice of the project.

Schechter was very concerned about the noise that the project, and especially the stage, will produce and if it might have a negative effect on his property values.

“This is going to ruin every single family that lives on River Road,” Schechter said.

River Road hugs the Wallkill River before ending in an intersection and is directly across from the proposed project.

Mark Gridley, a resident of River Road, echoed Schechter’s concerns.

“This is 300 feet from me,” Gridley said. “This is gonna be loud.”

Project attorney Joe Catalano said the outdoor stage will only be used from 1 to 4 p.m. on weekends, and the applicant can include that stipulation as a part of the PDD. Once the PDD is approved, the noise hours will become a part of the zoning code. If the applicant breaks the hours, the village can issue penalties such as fines or a stop work order.

“It has real teeth behind it,” Catalano said.

Project architect Todd Zwigard said most of the outside activity will be contained to an outside courtyard surrounded by buildings on four sides. There will also be sound absorption treatments in the event space. The stage was also modified from the original plans to face away from the river.

“There is no intention whatsoever of allowing sound to be coming out of that event space,” Zwigard said.

The project’s noise impact evaluation concludes there will not be a significant increase in noise over those that are currently being experienced following mitigation measures.

Resident Don Berger said he is in favor of the winery, however he is concerned about drinking and driving and its proximity to several schools. Three schools open onto Factory Street, the access road to the project, and Berger said this is a concern with school children sharing the same street as patrons who have been drinking.

The portion of the street with access to the schools should be marked as a two-way street and school signage installed, Berger said.

Berger was also concerned about the railroad crossing on Factory Street and said the crossing should be upgraded with road improvements, gates and signage. The project should also undergo a cumulative impact study.

The applicant has agreed to clear vegetation from the crossing to improve visibility, replace existing cross back signs, add new yield signs and install railroad crossing pavement markings.

While further improvements at the intersection of 17K and Factory Street have been considered for previous projects, it was determined in the project’s traffic study that peak traffic hours for the winery will be on nights and weekends and will not coincide with nearby residences’ and businesses’ peak morning and evening weekday traffic hours, therefore improvements are not necessary.

While residents expressed concern about traffic on the narrow lane that is Factory Street, the street will most likely not be widened in order to preserve its historical character.

Other residents expressed concern about drinking at large events, such as weddings, and its effect on safety and community character.

“People spill out from weddings, especially fueled by alcohol and such. I mean those are people who are going to be in my front yard,” Husinko said.

Village of Montgomery Mayor Stephen Brescia asked that the applicant include security for large events to prevent inebriated guests from wandering from the premises and wreaking havoc.

A continuation of the public hearing will be on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at village hall.