Jeff Kaplan defends role in Wawarsing Estates dispute

TL;DR

Attorney Jeff Kaplan addressed criticism at the April 9 town board meeting for representing the Wawarsing Estates developer.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)[[2]](https://www.facebook.com/ShawangunkJournal)
A proposed local law to adapt the old senior housing project was disputed by the planning board and pulled back after public opposition.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)[[3]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/whats-next-for-wawarsing-estates/904KMy)
Kaplan defended his role; the board thanked him and sent the law for further review by planning board and county.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)

The story at a glance

Attorney Jeff Kaplan, former Ellenville mayor for 20 years, spoke at the April 9 Wawarsing town board meeting to respond to criticism over his work as lawyer for the Wawarsing Estates senior housing developer. The criticism stemmed from a proposed local law to revive an old project by changing it for a new housing market, which split the town board and planning board before public pushback led to its withdrawal for workshopping. This is reported now as the board continues to handle the fallout and related items like a public hearing on the project.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)[[3]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/whats-next-for-wawarsing-estates/904KMy)

Key points

Jeff Kaplan, ex-Ellenville mayor and current attorney for Wawarsing Estates developer, gave a detailed defense at the meeting against recent public and official criticism.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)[[2]](https://www.facebook.com/ShawangunkJournal)
Proposed law aimed to adapt stalled senior housing project at Routes 44/55 and 209 to current market needs but faced planning board dispute and resident opposition.[[3]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/whats-next-for-wawarsing-estates/904KMy)[[4]](https://shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/01/08/wawarsing-estates-excites-crowd-at-busy-board-meeting/776FVm)
Law was nearly passed by town board, contested by planning board, then withdrawn after public comments for further workshopping.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)
Town Attorney Bill Collier clarified issues like confusion over "Wawarsing" naming in project documents.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)
Board approved referring the reworked local law to the planning board and Ulster County planning board for review.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)
Public hearing was scheduled for April 16 on Wawarsing Estates law but context suggests ongoing adjustments due to opposition.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)

Details and context

The Wawarsing Estates project at the corner of Routes 44/55 and 209 in Wawarsing, Ulster County, NY, has been stalled for years as senior housing but was revived with changes to fit market-rate or different needs, sparking debate over local laws and process.[[4]](https://shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/01/08/wawarsing-estates-excites-crowd-at-busy-board-meeting/776FVm)[[3]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/whats-next-for-wawarsing-estates/904KMy) Kaplan, who represented the applicant before, faced backlash likely for perceived conflicts or pushing the law without full planning input.[[2]](https://www.facebook.com/ShawangunkJournal)

Earlier, in March 2026, a related law was canceled at a town board meeting after petitioners opposed it, showing sustained resident concerns over density, environment, or process in this rural area.[[5]](https://shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/03/26/wawarsing-estates-law-canceled/502vVh) The planning board's role highlights standard local review tensions, where town boards sometimes move faster than advisors recommend.

Town board thanked Kaplan for his input, signaling civility amid the split, while Collier addressed specific complaints like naming mix-ups.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)

Key quotes

No direct quotes from Jeff Kaplan or others are available in accessible sources.

Why it matters

Local development disputes like this affect housing availability, infrastructure strain, and community character in small Ulster County towns.

For residents and developers, it means delays in senior or market-rate housing and highlights tensions between growth and preservation.

Watch for the planning board's review and any revised public hearing, though outcomes remain uncertain given past pullbacks.[[1]](https://www.shawangunkjournal.com/news/2026/04/16/jeff-kaplan-responds-to-criticism/667gWF)