Rosewood Development: Growth Without Water Data is Not a Plan!

Dear Friends and Neighbors
The proposed Rosewood Development, spanning hundreds of acres across the Town of Thompson and the Village of Monticello, represents one of the largest residential projects the area has seen in years. Decisions of this magnitude demand careful, evidence-based planning. Yet the most fundamental requirement for responsible growth — a verified understanding of water availability is entirely absent.

Despite public acknowledgment that Sullivan County needs a comprehensive aquifer study, that study has not even begun. While partial funding has reportedly been identified, no work has been initiated, no data collected, and no findings released. Proceeding with planning for a project of this scale without knowing whether sufficient groundwater exists is not just premature — it is reckless.

Any meaningful aquifer study must be conducted during peak demand, not under average or off-season conditions. Sullivan County’s population swells dramatically during the summer months, when more than 100,000 additional people arrive for seasonal residences, tourism, camps, and recreational use. This is precisely when water systems are under the greatest strain. Studying groundwater availability outside of peak season would provide a false sense of security and fail to capture real-world conditions.

Water is not theoretical. It is finite. Once aquifers are overdrawn, recovery can take decades, if recovery is possible at all.

Beyond water supply, the Rosewood Development raises serious infrastructure concerns. Hundreds of new residential units translate into long-term demands on sewer systems, roads, emergency services, and municipal oversight. These systems are not infinite, and when capacity is exceeded, it is year-round residents who pay the price — through higher taxes, declining service levels, or costly infrastructure upgrades that were never clearly assigned at the outset.

Environmental review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) exists to prevent this exact scenario. It requires that cumulative impacts be understood before approvals are granted, not deferred until after construction begins. Advancing zoning changes and site planning while foundational data is missing undermines both the purpose and credibility of environmental review.

Equally unanswered is a question that goes to the heart of land-use policy: who is this development actually for?

There has been no clear public explanation of whether Rosewood is intended to meet local housing needs, provide workforce housing, offer options for seniors, or include affordability for low-income residents. Nor has there been any indication that it addresses homelessness or housing insecurity in the region. Without this clarity, it is impossible to assess whether the project serves the existing community or simply adds density disconnected from local realities.

Large developments should demonstrate public benefit — not assume it.

Finally, the issue that underlies all others remains unresolved: who pays? If water or sewer systems require expansion, if emergency services must scale up, or if roads and public infrastructure need upgrading, those costs must be clearly and legally borne by the developer. Without enforceable commitments, experience shows that financial responsibility too often shifts to municipalities and taxpayers after approvals are granted.

Good planning is about sequencing. You do not approve density before confirming water capacity. You do not plan growth before studying peak-season demand. And you do not commit communities to long-term costs without transparency and accountability.

Until a comprehensive aquifer study is conducted during peak summer conditions and until infrastructure capacity, fiscal responsibility, and community benefit are clearly established, advancing the Rosewood Development in Thompson and Monticello is not responsible planning.

Growth done right strengthens communities. Growth without water data puts them at risk.

Fallsburg's Future is a community network of concerned Fallsburg residents established in January 2016. Its Mission is to help guide the urban development of the town of Fallsburg and its five hamlets, to promote its sustainable economic development, protect the fragile beauty of its natural habitats and enhance the opportunities and quality of life for all its residents and visitors. We hope to curb the suburban sprawl that is threatening to overwhelm the town’s physical infrastructure and destroy the natural beauty that the area depends on for its future development. See us on Facebook and our website Fallsburgsfuture.com.