To guide the future development of the Town in accordance with a Comprehensive Plan designed to represent and promote the most beneficial and convenient relationship among the residential, commercial, industrial and public areas of the Town considering the suitability of each area for such uses as indicated by existing conditions, trends and development and changing modes in living, and have due regard for the use of land, building development and social, cultural and economic activity, both within the Town and with respect to the relationship of the Town to area outside thereof.

To secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other dangers.

To provide adequate light, air and privacy.

To prevent overcrowding of the land and undue congestion of population.

To promote the most beneficial relation between the use of land and buildings and the circulation of traffic throughout the Town, having particular regard to the avoidance of congestion of streets and provision of safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian traffic movements appropriate to the various uses of land and buildings throughout the Town.

To facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, schools, parks and other public requirements.

To protect and conserve the value of land and buildings and the social and economic stability of all parts of the Town.

To prevent the pollution of watercourses and wetlands; to safeguard the water table; to avoid hazardous conditions and excessive damage resulting from stormwater runoff and flooding; and to encourage the appropriate use and sound management of natural resources throughout the Town.

To preserve the natural beauty of the physiography of the Town, to protect the Town against unsightly, obtrusive and obnoxious land uses and operations to enhance the aesthetic aspect of the natural and man-made elements of the Town and to ensure appropriate development with regard to those elements.

To promote the preservation of the existing historic character of the Town and to encourage the development of uses which would add to or be in harmony with this character.

To provide adequate and suitably located areas for recreation activities.

To bring the gradual conformity of the uses of land and buildings throughout the Town to the adopted Town Development Plan and to minimize conflicts among the uses of land and buildings.

Pursuant to the provisions of § 44-0119 of the Environmental Conservation Law of the State of New York, the Town of Wappinger hereby adopts, as a statement of land use policies, principles and guides, the document entitled "Greenway Connections: Greenway Compact Program and Guides for Dutchess County Communities" dated March 8, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as "Greenway Connections"), by which action the Town of Wappinger becomes a participating community in the Greenway Compact.

Proposals to amend Greenway Connections may from time to time be made by the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council (hereinafter referred to as "Greenway Council") in response to request from participating communities. Within 90 days of receipt of any such proposal from the Greenway Council, the Town Board of the Town of Wappinger shall determine by resolution whether to accept or to reject such proposed amendment. Any proposed amendment so accepted shall be considered an amendment of Greenway Connections as adopted by the Town of Wappinger. Any proposed amendment rejected by the Town Board will not be considered to be an amendment of Greenway Connections for the Town of Wappinger, and notice of such rejection shall promptly be provided to the Greenway Council. Failure of the Town Board to accept such proposed amendment shall be deemed a rejection thereof

It is the stated policy of the Town Board of the Town of Wappinger that when the Town considers future enactments or amendments of its land use laws, rules or regulations, the Town Board shall consider the statement of land use policies, principles and guidelines contained in the Greenway Connections, in its deliberative process, and the Town Board shall, prior to enacting such land use law, rule or regulation, make a finding that such law, rule or regulation is consistent with the land use policies, principles and guidelines contained in Greenway Connections, to the extent the Town Board deems appropriate. All determinations made hereunder shall be deemed legislative decisions within the Town Board's legislative discretion.

The Town Board hereby finds that any Town reviewing Board, including but not limited to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, in its deliberations on any discretionary actions under the Zoning Law, shall consider the statement of policies, principles and guidelines in Greenway Connections as such reviewing Board deems appropriate and relevant in its determinations on such discretionary decisions.