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Emerald Ridge Development Stalled at Decision Crossroad on Access Road Length and Safety
Emerald Ridge 24-unit subdivision withMarsh Hill road widened from 18 feet to 22 feet (on left of photo) and a seconda ccess road created as shown on right ofphoto. Revised 13-unit Emerald Ridge subdivision with 31 acres (on right of photo) donated tothe Town as a permanent open space park.Marsh Hill road is only road in and out.
by Edward Paul Greiff
The Emerald Ridge developer Val Santucci and his engineers and his attorney David Steinmetz attended a special Putnam Valley Town Board meeting along with representatives of Putnam Valley's Fire Department, Ambulance Corps, Highway Department, Transportation, Planning Board, Comprehensive Plan Committee, Chazin, others and interested Town residents on Monday, March 26, 2007.
The Town Board held this multi joint meeting to gather input to support their vote on whether or not to accept the developer's plans for a thirteen unit subdivision with one access road that does not presently conform to the Town's specifications for such roads. And, although Mr. Santucci intends to widen the existing road from a non-conforming eighteen feet to a conforming twenty-two feet, the grade of the road will still remain a non-conforming fourteen percent instead of a maximum permissible eight percent grade. In addition the road will be lengthened from its permissible 1,200 feet to an impermissible 3,900 feet.
Mr. Santucci's attorney David Steinmetz pointed out that Mr. Santucci has always been a responsible developer and that is why he has reduced the number of units from 24 to 13 and donated 31 acres of land to the town that not only provides open space and a park but also acts as a buffer between the subdivision development and the CYO property that borders on the Emerald Ridge site.
Supervisor Sam Davis and Councilwomen Wendy Whetsel and Pricilla Keresey focused their arguments against accepting the Emerald Ridge plan because of safety issues relating to having just one access road with thirteen families and some fifty people living in the development, and the fact that the one road would not conform to the Town's specs.
Ann Spoonhour said she checked while everyone was talking and counted approximately sixty one-way roads that currently exist in Putnam Valley. She added that as a member of the Fire Department they have never had a situation where they could not get to someone's home. The Highway Department sands and salts the road when there is ice and snow, and the highway department cuts any trees that are in the way.
Fire Chief Bruce Johnson's remarks supported the argument that both the Fire Department and Ambulance Corps have always managed to get through in an emergency. They are very proud volunteers and the thought of not being able to do their job is just not an option - they will find a way.
A school transportation representative said that when they cannot get a school bus up the road they use much smaller vans and they have no problem.
Councilmen Bob Tendy and Dan Ricci are also concerned about safety but offered suggestions, such as cutting out dead or dangerous trees from the side of the road the way NYSEG does now to keep the electric lines clear.
Tendy and Ricci also argued for the constitutional right to develop one's property, and by reducing the number of units from twenty-four to thirteen Mr. Santucci is showing his willingness to compromise on his plans and provide responsible development.
In a previous meeting Putnam County Legislator Sam Oliverio strongly voiced his opposition to the proposed development as it stands now because of the nonconforming road specifications.
Another strong opponent to the development is Patty Villanova who said she has lived in Putnam Valley for fifty years and has worked hard to preserve what we have and she is opposed to any development that would destroy the rural character of the town and add to the town's infrastructure burdens.
When David Steinmetz spoke in response to the many comments made he inferred that a deal was made between Santucci and the Board that if Santucci changes his development plans they would drop the Moratorium being proposed.
Councilwoman Keresey was quick to jump on attorney Steinmetz's remarks and assured him that no such deal was ever made, inferred, or even contemplated. Davis and the rest of the Board supported Keresey.
The meeting had gone on for almost two hours and as the time approached 6pm Councilman Ricci, Councilwoman Keresey, and Councilman Tendy all had to leave for previous commitments. With their departure, the Town Board no longer had a quorum, Supervisor Sam Davis closed the meeting without taking a vote on Emerald Ridge, and left attorney Steinmetz standing at the podium with the issue still not resolved.
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