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How Would You Feel?
Dear Editor:
How would you feel if you spent three years of your time, energy, and $30,000 to protect yourself and property from an inappropriate, if not illegal development? If you were hung out to dry by the Philipstown Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Attorneys, Code Enforcer, Town Planner, and Town Board, you might feel angry, frustrated, outraged, and abandoned. Well, that is how the residents of Foundry Pound Road feel, because that is what has happened to them!
Three years ago, developer Alfredo DeVido started his movement toward building a 4-lot sub-division on Foundry Pound Road. Over time, the residents started to question what appeared to be irregular or possibly illegal building permits granted to Mr. Devido. They hired attorney Robert Gaudisio to look into the matter. This is what has happened since:
DeVido appears before the Z.B.A. with plans to take over the access road the Village uses to maintain the dam. He needs the square footage of the access road to redraw the property lines so he can squeeze in a fourth house. His attorney is the amazing Mr. Zutt. Mr. Zutt is arrogant and disrespectful to the members of the Z.B.A. This is pointed out in letters to the paper. At the next hearing Mr. Zutt reverses field and ingratiates himself to the Z.B.A. Mr. Humility himself. Furthermore, Mr. Zutt must have had an awakening? On one hand he is trying to take over the access road from the Village, on the other hand he has worked for the Village in the past. Maybe a conflict of interest here? He recuses himself. What a guy!
Mr. DeVido is also represented by surveyor Glenn Watson. Mr. Watson brings out charts, gives a history lesson on deeds, distorts facts and figures, and tries to explain to the Z.B.A. why it is okay to take the access road away from the Village.
Then we have the most egregious and offensive display of arrogance toward the Z.B.A. and the whole Philipstown community. An associate of Mr. Watson's stands before the Z.B.A. and is asked point blank; what happens if your seemingly inadequate storm water plan doesn't work, floods neighboring properties, and washes out Foundry Pond Road? After hemming and hawing, she answers- - " Well that would be a Town Problem." Bad Answer.
There is also the problem of structures on the property being
illegally moved, a real chess game here, and then finally demolished. With all of this, and only dealing with one of the six issues involved, the Z.B.A. passes the buck and turns the case ovr to the Planing Board. The Planing Board, ruled over by Town Planner Tim Miller and his trusty side-kick, chairman Andy Merante, conclude that since there are no structures on the property it is outside of their jurisdiction. They pass the buck.
There are too many other issues to go into here. But one thing is evident: the whole subdivision process failed the residents of Foundry Pound Road. On October 4 there will be a Town Board Meeting on these issues. Come support your neighbors.
Philip Vartanian North Highlands
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