Monday, July 26, 2010
by Christine Yeres
In a press release dated July 23, developer Summit Greenfield returned its final environmental impact statement (FEIS) to the New Castle town board with a new alternative. The “Modified Project” includes construction of 199 non-age-restricted units, 20 of them units that would satisfy the county settlement’s requirements as “fair and affordable housing.” The developer also would retain 662,000 square feet of the existing office space, and donate 6.5 acres of land to the town for municipal uses.
The main difference between the new Modified Plan and the last new alternative presented in March (Alternative G) is the decrease in number of residential units, down from 250 to 199.
The three-volume FEIS was delivered to the New Castle town hall on Friday, July 23. “Town board members can’t comment,” said Supervisor Barbara Gerrard, “since we understand that the document contains some major changes that will take a while to absorb.”
According to the press release, “If the Town Board approves the Modified Project, Summit Development will withdraw its pending [petition for 278 units of housing],” in the interest of pursuing the Modified Plan. Although called a “final environmental impact statement,” the FEIS is a work in progress until the town board is satisfied that its content reflects town board members’ beliefs about the impacts of any proposed project. To read the release in its entirety, click Chappaqua Crossing Press Release: New “Modified Plan”.
The FEIS will be on the agenda for discussion in a joint work session of the town and school boards on August 10 at 7:00 p.m. at town hall.
Original Plan, April 2005:
Housing units: 348 units total, 292 market-rate, 56 affordable, a combination of senior and workforce, all age-restricted for 55+
Office space: 520,000 square feet
Land to town: 2 acres
Second Plan—“Proposed Action” in the current application for rezoning—July 2007:
Housing units: 278 units total; 222 units market-rate, age-restricted for 55+; 24 affordable senior units, 32 workforce units for families
Land to town: 2 acres
Alternative G, March 2010 “Developer proposes no age-restriction, 10% fewer units, 27% more office space, 6.5 acres for town,” NCNOW.org, March 26, 2010:
Housing units: 250 non-age-restricted, 38 (or 15%) affordable
Land to town: 6.5 acres
New Modified Plan released July 23, 2010:
Housing units: 199 units total; of those, 20 units of affordable (10%); all non-age-restricted
Land to town: 6.5 acres
Editor’s Note: Since this piece was published on Saturday, July 24, readers have posted comments, below.
To read background on this subject from our archives, click: Collected articles and letters to the editor on Reader’s Digest development.
Copyright 2012 NewCastleNOW.org