![construction of new homes in the past 10 years have skyrocketed in the village of Kiryas Joel [James Estrin/The New York Times]](http://www.vinnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/kjbil.jpg "kjbil")
Goshen, NY – Orange County municipalities that fail to let county planners critique development plans in their communities could get a sharp reminder to do so when county lawmakers meet today.
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The Legislature is poised to pass a resolution declaring that local boards must comply with state law by referring certain building projects to the Planning Department for review before acting on those plans.
The declaration singles out no particular scofflaws. But the obvious impetus is frustration with officials in the Village of Kiryas Joel, who have never forwarded plans for the torrent of construction projects within their borders.
“I think this is the way that K.J. has the opportunity to do the right thing,” said Legislature Chairwoman Roxanne Donnery, D-Highland Falls. “There’s no intent to push them into anything except following the rules.
Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Even Michael Amo, Kiryas Joel’s representative on the Legislature, has no problem with the resolution, although he questions the purpose of announcing that a law must be obeyed — particularly one that most boards already follow.
“I kind of scratch my head and ask why the Legislature is getting involved in a law that has 95 percent compliance,” he said.
Orange County began enforcing the long-standing requirement more stringently several years ago, after years in which its municipalities were allowed to skip county referrals for most projects.
Most boards now comply with the law, although only sporadically in some cases, according to county planners. Their department analyzes several hundred building proposals a year to root out conflicts with neighboring communities and make recommendations to the host municipalities.
In rare instances, planners insist on rejecting an application or demand significant changes. Local boards can override those decisions through a super-majority vote, which means a majority plus one additional member.
Kiryas Joel and Unionville are the only communities that referred no subdivision requests in the last three years, Planning Commissioner David Church said.
Unionville, which has about 500 residents, issued building permits for only five new homes from 2005 to 2007. Kiryas Joel, which has around 21,000 people, permitted 652 apartments and 16 single- or two-family homes during the same period, according to Census Bureau records.
ABOUT TIME!!!! i remember when KJ used to be a nice place. now its so crowded, take for instance acres road where its so dangerous to drive through thanks to a greedy developer who decided to build a ghetto infamously dubbed “the lemberger ghetto” the problem is that the infrastructure, the small 1 lane acres road does not support such a large development. Ive got to point out though, that another developer, (Y.G.) who built the “atzei temurim” development is really a good decent place, and great example of good hearted, smart work. but the “chevron” (Y.S.) development, is a disaster, its a shame, for that KJ residents will be more then happy to have the county look over the plans.
i didnt even touch the issue of safety, this is a disaster in the making, so many kids playing in the streets while roads crowded with vehicles. “8 accidents where kids got hit by cars in 2008 is TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!