Deerpark, NY – It was standing room only at Town Hall last night for a public hearing on the proposed Basher Kill subdivision, which, if approved, would be the largest residential development in the town.
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But from the feedback provided by more than 60 skeptical people who attended the hearing, it looks as if the project’s developer, Orange County Holdings LLC, has an uphill battle on its hands.
The proposal calls for 354 single-family homes to be built on a 600-acre parcel on County Road 61 and Route 211.
This would consist of 161 town houses and 193 detached houses with lot sizes ranging from a quarter of an acre to an acre. The proposal also includes two retail developments, recreational facilities and a network of roads. The development would have its own water and sewer system.
At issue was a draft of an environmental impact statement that the developers were submitting for approval to the Deerpark Planning Board.
The Planning Board will not take a vote until much later. The Town Board has the final say on the project.
There have been rumors about the project since the developers put in the application. A persistent one has been that the development would be for a Hasidic community similar to Kiryas Joel. The developer stated in a Sept. 8 letter to Supervisor Gar Flieger that the subdivision has always been intended to be open to everybody.
Cuddlebackville fire officials told the Planning Board the subdivision would double the population and the EMS calls in the district.
Town officials say that the public comment period is likely to be extended.
If its a “hasidic” community, I am sure they will have their own Hatzolah branch, thus it would not “double the EMS calls in the district”. We “hasidim” take care of each other, and are usually not a burden on EMS.
We are also usually not a burden on the school system, as we have our own private schools, and transportation etc, though we pay not only for OUR schooling, but for theirs too, as we are taxpayers.
I hope this plan materializes.
under which satmar leadership would this town be under?
They are not concerned about too many EMS calls and overcrowded schools. That is a civilized way to cover up what they really feel. They don’t want a community of Jews in their backyard, plain and simple, that’s all.
Of course the excuse about fire and ems is bogus. So what if there will be more calls, they’ll be more tax dollars to cover it as well, wouldn’t there?
I don’t blame them for not wanting us in their backyards. Just drive through Kiryas Yoel, and you will see sheer lack of caring and self-respect. The front yards are unkempt, littered, and the fences dilapidated. In other words a real eyesore. Drive through any village, it is so pleasant. KY gets so much money from the sate and federal and they don’t even bother raising the flag in front of the village hall. etc. etc. Will you call me an antisemite? Perhaps anti schloch.
It’s not anti-semitism. I have been by many town meetings in many different townships and it’s always the same. The people that presently live in a town don’t want more development. I build developments that will cater to goyim and in most towns the community comes out in force against it.
And anon 7:49 and 9:11, it doesn’t make a difference whether we come with Hatzola. The town MUST figure out what the burden will be on the EMS before they approve a development of this size as they figure out what the traffic, environmental and all other effects this will take on the township. You can’t get up in front of a Planning Board and say “don’t worry about the EMS, we’ll take care of ourselves”. It doesn’t work that way. This is business as usual. Not special to keep the yidin out.
Anonymous 9:45,
Couldn’t have said it better myself. You can add to that they’re unfriendly to the natives and getting involved in scandal after scandal. I don’t blame the town at all.
I couldn’t agree more with the last comment.
Also hearing how zoning laws are being broken.
There is a sense of “we do as we wish and nobody tell us what to do.
Zoning Shmoning Boning,,,,,,WE need housing . I will say it i yiddish..men darf heiser…dont care under what names you call it.
No i’m not a self hating jew but i DO understand those people. They’re used to living a peacefull and tranquil lifestyle with NO traffic, NO HONKING, nice and clean enviroment etc etc
so why in the world WOULD they want more people living there??? THAT IS PRECISELY THE REASON THEY LIVE THERE because they DONT WANT ALOT OF PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD & they want the peace and quiet!!!
They’re not antisemites!!!
To add to my prior comment – in short, the chassidim have chosen to live apart. Well, if that’s what they want, they have to expect that the feeling will be mutual. You can’t have your gefilte fish and eat it too!
Look what happened to Lakewood. I am not a self hating Jew, but, I did like the town better when it was much less developed, even with less shopping (don’t need all those gashmiusdik stores – candy, bagels, tchachkas, eateries etc.). I myself would like to live in a really rural frum community that stays rural, houses not too close together, with a limitted amount of people that stays limitted.
So much understand for goyim. How about giving the “benefit of the doubt” to our brothers and sisters? especially before Rosh Hashonoh.
Anonymous Says:
If its a “hasidic” community, I am sure they will have their own Hatzolah branch, thus it would not “double the EMS calls in the district”. We “hasidim” take care of each other, and are usually not a burden on EMS.
We are also usually not a burden on the school system, as we have our own private schools, and transportation etc, though we pay not only for OUR schooling, but for theirs too, as we are taxpayers.
I hope this plan materializes.
09-11-2008 – 7:49 AM
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what kinda tax dollars are you talking about?
The majority of kaj and others like skver etc. are on every conceivable government program.
with out money and infrostructure you cant possibly build.
Saying that we will have our seweres and ems just doesnt cut it.
I agree with you anon 1:48.. land would be nice, and we can grow our own produce too. I wouldn’t mind a couple of chickens for my own eggs and mabye a goat or two. Seriosuly, not a bad idea. We could teach our kids repsonsibility and the halachot for keeping animals. As long as the walk to shul isn’t too bad, I would like it.
As far as the main issue, many local people oppose projects. I live in the burbs and it’s a fight to get anything done. Everything requires an environmental study, school study, traffic, etc. That applies whether it’s “religious” in nature or completely business related.
My parents wanted to put up a garage on their Catskills property. Even though there was a garage there before and my parents were erecting a smaller one, the town made my parents send every neighbor a registered letter inviting them to the zoning hearing. My parents were allowed to have people speak on their behalf, and people were free to oppose the project too.
This weekend a Chabad at an upstate university is celebrating their cornerstone dedication for their expanded center. The local town opposed them for years, not because of anti-Semitism. There was a legitmate traffic and water (drainage) concern. A guy I know up there, a Catholic, was instrumental in supporting Chabad -especially after they were able to work out the construction details.
So don’t assume everyone is out to prevent Jews from moving in. Plenty of people respect us for practicing our religion and our family values. They just want us to show respect to their communities.
Sorry, but KJ is not an eyesore. Definitely not to us city folks. Unless you consider a few children’s bikes on the lawn an eyesore. It’s a beautiful, LIVED IN town, not a museum.
If ANYONE would be permitted to live there,there would not be such a problem. To make a public part of town only permitted to one type of person,Jewish,Chassidic),no matter how good,is illegal and unfair. They buy the houses and then go on welfare?
KJ is far too crowded,houses too close together. It used to be rural, now it’s like a small city.Even if everyones yards were pristene it still is not so attractive. I knew the shtetl from its very beginning and it was much nicer before it got so big.
More of such developments should be established in America they should start five of such new developments every year there is a pressing need to have them
The area of Deerpark has all single family homes of 1/2 acre or more. It would not fit the area to have townhomes on small lots. It’s not zoned for that and it would be very hard to have the zoning changed. The people like the area because the homes are spread out, that’s why they moved there. I can see why they would not want the zoning changed. It’s all about maintaining a country atmosphere.
This proposed development is simply not wanted by the people.
And thank you, Shoshanna.