Letter to the Editor
December 19, 2008
Open letter to the members of the Town and School Boards:
Jim and Barbara Runde
“Attached is an article that appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal on December 1, 2008, which reports that “senior age restricted housing” projects across the country are scraping age restrictions”
Open letter to the members of the Town and School Boards:
Attached is an article that appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal on December 1, 2008, which reports that “senior age restricted housing” projects across the country are scraping age restrictions. As the article points out, this is occurring not only because of falling demand for such age restricted housing in all parts of the country, but also because of the very real difficulties that most developers are having completing such developments in the current economy. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122809427244267951.html
This is another compelling reason why the proposed Chappaqua Crossing condo development at the Reader’s Digest site should be turned down. This project was bad for Chappaqua at the onset and has been made worse by the recent economic turmoil. To allow it to proceed, either now or in the future, when the long term changes in the real estate and housing markets have changed all of the fundamental assumptions behind this development proposal would be nothing short of reckless.
As you know, Summit/Greenfield has proposed building 278 condos at the Digest of which 222 would be “senior age-restricted,” 24 would be “affordable age-restricted,” and 32 would be “workforce.” In other words, 246 units initially would not have children, but 32 units would allow children. Since children will be on site from the beginning, it means that dropping the age restriction to allow more children will be especially attractive at this particular site.
The key takeaways from the article are as follows:
– there is declining demand for age restricted housing.
– as real estate values plunge, “warfare” erupts within age-restricted communities as residents seek younger buyers to protect their housing investment.
– developers are appealing for zoning changes before projects are even completed, as it becomes clear age-restricted projects will not sell out.
– condo association boards are making decisions to delete age restrictions, not the town board or school board.
Condo boards, owners and developers are all advocating the elimination of age restrictions in these communities.
Chappaqua Crossing will permanently change the character of our town and its schools. Once these 246 units allow children, we will need to accommodate 350 to 500 more students. At least one new school building will be required as well as redistricting and our taxes will increase substantially.
This article also calls into question many of the assumptions about traffic and infrastructure costs which are embedded in the DEIS which is currently under review by the Town Board. Hence, the DEIS may be fatally flawed.
The developers are obviously “playing for time” by asking you to process their application while they study their options, including flipping the project to another developer as economic events unfold.
We urge you to deny this application. This project is not consistent with the Town Development Plan, is too dense and its costs to the Town and those who live here and in surrounding areas far exceed any possible benefits to Chappaqua. The age restriction is a gimmick and can now be seen as not only unenforceable as a legal matter but also unenforceable as a practical matter. By this point, it appears clear that even Summit Greenfield admits, however begrudgingly, that the only way any age restrictions could possibly work would be if the Town of New Castle were to accept responsibility for prosecuting any and all instances in which the residents violate the age restrictions.
These developers bought the Digest knowing the existing zoning restrictions. They have already been given one zoning change. The developers do not deserve to be “bailed out” again.
Thank you
Jim and Barbara Runde
Chappaqua, NY 10514
