HURLEYVILLE — On Sunday afternoon, a crowd of residents and advocates gathered in Hurleyville for a peaceful protest against what organizers describe as unsustainable development in the Town of Fallsburg.

Led by Brett Budde, a farmer and community advocate from Mountain Dale, the “Love Our Land Parade” brought together families, musicians, and supporters to shine a light on the consequences of overdevelopment and failing infrastructure, especially in vulnerable areas near water sources.

“I feel like we had a fantastic turnout here,” Budde told the Democrat at the protest. “It was a really positive experience. Everybody was here to talk about the environment and public health, and we're asking very basic things of our town—they need to stand up and do the right thing.”

Budde, who has been vocal about zoning and water concerns, said his well went dry one summer—a problem he blames on dense development in areas that simply can't sustain it. 

“If you live in Rec-1 and don’t have town water, you’re gambling with your well,” Budde told the crowd during his speech. “It’s [affecting] not just your house—it’s your kids, your fire safety, your health.”

The event, part protest and part community celebration, featured a small parade, a dog costume contest, live performances, and volunteers handing out information about zoning and wetlands. Many attendees carried handmade signs with messages like “Water Is Life” and wore shirts that say Love Our Land. 

“We’re not just saying ‘no’ to bad development,” Budde said. “We’re saying ‘yes’ to something better. Yes to appropriate density. Yes to [protecting] wetlands. Yes to making sure our first responders have water when they need it.”

Fallsburg has begun the process of initiating a town-wide water study and is waiting on additional support from the county, but residents argue it’s not enough. Budde and others are pushing for a development moratorium in low-water areas until more is known about the aquifer and system capacity.

“This isn’t just a Fallsburg problem,” said Budde. “The water up here flows to New York City. If we don’t protect it, no one will.”