Open letter to the town board: It’s time to say “no” to Summit Greenfield

July 24, 2009
by Jean and Bruce Gavril

To the Town Board:

For three years now, we have been hearing from Summit Greenfield about their plans for developing the Reader’s Digest property.  They have presented the community with rosy scenarios about tax benefits, affordable housing and the advantages of providing senior condo residences for empty-nesters in town. At the same time, they have demanded concessions in terms of more commercial development in the space.

Residents have been patiently listening to all of this, and at the same time questioning whether the project is right for our town. We have been skeptical about the density of the project, the inevitable and untenable traffic problems, the difficulty of enforcing age requirements and the possible effect on our schools and the downtown area. The idea of mixing residential and commercial activity in the same, relatively small acreage also seems problematic.

To add 278 condos, primarily in three-story apartment buildings, along with unlimited commercial space to a 120-acre campus in the middle of our residential hamlet isn’t reasonable development; it is inappropriate over-development. The bottom line is that this project would destroy the present, unique character of our town.

This should be the overriding consideration guiding the board in making its decision. It is time to say “No” to Summit Greenfield.

Sincerely,

Jean and Bruce Gavril
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Hearings continue on July 28

The public hearings on the draft environmental impact statement will continue on July 28 at town hall at 7:00 p.m. Residents can submit written comments between now and ten business days after the public hearing is finally closed, or they can come in person to address the town board at the hearing on July 28. 

The town board has mounted the DEIS and related documents on a dedicated website:

http://chappaquacrossingreview.mynewcastle.org/
and has set up an email address to receive comments from the community at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
A video of the June 23 public hearing is available on demand on NCCTV. Click here to see it. The first 30 minutes is the developer’s presentation followed by 90 minutes of comments and questions from 23 speakers.

For a complete listing of NewCastleNOW.org’s previous articles and letters to the editor on Summit Greenfield’s proposal for the former Reader’s Digest property, click here.

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