Rockland County, NY – It may be a thumbs down from the Rockland County Planning Department for a proposed Ramapo housing development, but owners of the site remain confident that the project will be able to proceed once it receives the necessary approvals from the town of Ramapo.
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The 28 acre Pascack Ridge site is situated in Spring Valley in the southeast portion of the town and is currently zoned R-15, medium density residential, allowing for approximately three houses per acre. The property’s owners are hoping to have the zoning changed to MR-12, multi-family, with an allowable 12 units per acre.
According to reports on LoHud.com, Alex Goldberger, vice president of Monsey Lumber, hopes to build 190 apartments on his 18.5 acre portion of the site while Charles Collishaw, who owns three acres of the site, wants to build 27 apartments on his parcel. There are currently no development plans for the remaining acreage of the Pascack Ridge site.
A press release sent out by Rockland County Executive Ed Day on November 18th confirmed that the Rockland County Planning Department disapproved the proposed amendments that would change the parcel’s zoning to allow higher density homes. The release cited numerous concerns including increased congestion, inadequate vehicle access, inadequate parking, utility constraints, sanitary sewer limitations, potential flooding and community character issues.
Attorney Ryan Karben, who represents Monsey Lumber, noted that despite the county’s disapproval, the development could still proceed if it receives the approval of four out of five town council members and that the town’s planning consultants are in favor of the proposed development.
Karben said that owners remain sensitive to concerns regarding the site.
“We will continue to answers all questions from neighbors and the reviewing agencies and we are confident that all concerns with respect to traffic and drainage have been sufficiently addressed by our experts,” Karben told VIN News. “We look forward to expanding the availability of housing to Ramapo residents of all backgrounds.”
Despite Karben’s assurances, Scott Salotto, director of strategic communications for Rockland County, was firm in his opposition to the planned housing development.
“This proposed zoning change is a prime example of inappropriate development,” said Salotto. “Rockland County cannot lay vulnerable to overzealous developers who ignore the will of the people at the cost of our infrastructure and quality of life. I commend our diligent planning department for protecting Rockland’s residents and natural resources from reckless down-zoning and out-of character-development.”
The property, located near the Clarkstown town border, has also met with disapproval from the town of Clarkstown, whose board unanimously adopted a resolution two weeks ago opposing the project.
Keep destroying Rockland…..What used to be a nice place to live has been turned into a dump with the constant overbuilding.
Here is a great idea. How about if they build 3 houses per acre, the way it is zoned. Somehow, I doubt that Goldberger and Karben live in a development with 12 apartments (plus the illegal subdivisions).
Go Ed Day.
This is going on in every county…every state..
by the goyim as well.
They build townhouses which are also dense housing,
but only by the yidden they complain…
They build mega shopping malls which create horrendous traffic jams…
but only when the yidden build do they complain…
and now come CASINOS which will definitely bring down the VALUES of the neighborhood..
AND I havent heard any complaints about that…
I love this builders!
They build this stuffed communities for needy, but themselves live in luxury houses with nice backyards.
All of them worry only how much $ they will be putting in their pocket, they could care less about the people that will be living there or the neigbours of that place.
One gvir in Lakewood recently got 14 duplexes approved on 2 acres, he gave the people 10 feet backyards, and sold it for 460,000 each! Why could not he build 5 houses like it was zoned for?
Because he would not make his $1,000,000!