The Town of Gardiner in New York is taking steps to shut down a controversial glamping site, citing code violations and lack of environmental assessment. The Awosting Club, which rents out geo-domes for overnight stays and has a lodge for events, has been operating illegally on the Shawangunk Ridge for several years, according to the town.
The Gardiner Town Board recently passed a resolution denying the club’s application to continue its operations, citing pre-existing code violations, including the illegal running of a lodging business, illegally constructed geo-domes, and an illegal water supply and sanitation system. The resolution also notes that the club has not provided a state-mandated environmental assessment form with its application.
Glamping has become a popular addition to the hospitality landscape in the Hudson Valley, particularly in Ulster County. However, complaints about the Awosting Club’s ecological footprint and impact on the Palmaghatt Kill have been ongoing.
Camilla Bradley, owner of the Awosting Club, has disputed the town’s resolution, stating that it was “filled with misinformation.” She has called for solutions to be found together, rather than going to war.
However, it is unclear what legal action the town will take next. The club formally withdrew its campground application in a letter from Bradley’s attorney, Allan Rapplyea, which was sent on the same day the Town Board voted to deny the application.
Rapplyea claims that the Awosting Club’s use of the land is a “lawful, pre-existing nonconforming use” of the grounds due to the past use of the land by Girl Scouts camps and other camping sites.
Bradley’s father, John Bradley, previously attempted to develop over 2,000 acres of the Shawangunk Ridge he owned into a housing development with a golf course. Activists fought against the development, and the State of New York ultimately purchased over 2,500 acres of the property, which were added to the Minnewaska State Park Preserve. The Awosting Club sits on a portion of the original Bradley property.
Who would have thought that Camilla Bradley is actively seeking collaboration to resolve the site’s issues? It’s motivating to see. The community support for the preservation of the glamping site is truly invigorating.