NEW: Letter to the Town Board: Preserve the character of New Castle. Say “No” to Summit

Monday, April 11, 2011
by Jean and Bruce Gavril

To the Town Board:

After five years of countless meetings, letters, back-and-forth debates with Summit Greenfield, and, finally, an environmental impact statement, the issue of the Reader’s Digest property boils down to a simple choice. Do we care enough about the character of our town to say a final “No” to this developer?

Summit Greenfield has shown that it is concerned about nothing but maximizing its profit from this property. In every interaction, it has tried to bully the Town Board, making ever more unreasonable demands, capped recently by taking legal action against the town. Now we learn they even refuse to cooperate with the high school in providing extra parking for graduation activities. This does not suggest that SG is inclined to be a good neighbor.

Even if the number of its proposed residential units were reduced, the density of this multi-family development is too much for the surrounding area. Major concerns about traffic, schools, parking and the environment remain. And if granted permission to build its first units, the developer is bound to come back again and again to try to build more.

This is the last piece of substantial commercial property in New Castle. Let it remain commercial. This assures tax revenues, eliminates concerns about our schools, and somewhat mitigates the horrendous traffic issue on Route 117. And it rids our town of continued demands from the developer in years to come.

Please do the right thing. Preserve the character of New Castle. Say “No” to Summit Greenfield.

Sincerely,

Jean and Bruce Gavril

Editor’s Note: The public hearing on seven zoning amendments for Chappaqua Crossing takes place tonight, Monday, April 11 at Town Hall, 7:00 p.m.
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