Center won’t offer what we need
I need to reply to Steve Hebert’s Sunday letter
supporting Patterson Crossing. Patterson Crossing isn’t
going to help Mr. Hebert buy a football, and he lives in
Holmes and still needs to drive to get to it. This isn’t
going to save him gas.
Not one of the “anti-Patterson Crossing crowd” has said
they don’t want it because of a sound barrier to I-84.
We don’t want the traffic on the roads that can’t handle
it. We don’t want it approximately 100 feet from our
property.
The Highlands has already hurt local business in Carmel.
The local Lake Carmel hardware store was forced to
close; now Dill’s is closing, both of which gave you
service and advice. You go to Home Depot, and there
isn’t anyone who knows anything about the stock. This
will be true of Patterson Crossing. It’s only going to
be big-box stores. The elderly as Mr. Hebert states
would appreciate shopping locally. Costco isn’t going to
help the elderly; we don’t buy in bulk.
The reason I moved up here was to enjoy the quiet area
and stress-free living at 82 years of age. Every person
who lives here knew you couldn’t walk to your local
store. Driving is part of the lifestyle.
Rose Wool
Carmel
Location not suited for development
In response to Mr. Hebert: When looking for a football,
do not go to Costco. Costco doesn’t sell footballs and,
if it did, you would probably have to buy five dozen.
But let’s say you do find a football in Costco: Be sure
to leave yourself an hour or two to wait in line while
people are purchasing 54-inch TVs or 128 oz. of Tide.
Then there is the parking lot. How many football fields
would fit in a Costco/Lowe’s parking lot? And, of
course, there will be a few new lights on Route 311 to
slow you down, too. There goes your afternoon of touch
football in the country.
I, too, would like to shop in Putnam but not at the
expense of 2,500 homes in Lake Carmel and the possible
demise of a lake. Let’s put development where
development belongs, along Route 22, Route 6 or even
Route 52. How about something in Holmes? Would that be
close enough for Mr. Hebert?
Virginia Villegas
Lake Carmel
Good morning all- if all else fails, is it possible
that we can get the barn for Tilly Foster and at least
save it as part of Putnam's historical legacy?
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Patterson is giving away
a very old barn
By MICHAEL
RISINIT
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: November 20, 2006)
PATTERSON - Free to good home: one century-old dairy
barn.
That's the offer from Patterson town leaders, provided
anyone interested in the structure - which once housed
hundreds of cows - comes and gets it.
The town acquired the building this month, the latest
twist in a decade of debate over dozens of homes planned
for a hilltop above the barn. Patterson officials said
the subdivision's future wasn't dependent on that of the
barn, which sits on a hairpin turn and ultimately needs
to make way for road improvements.
But erasing the barn from the landscape will not only
remove one of the last vestiges of the county's
agricultural roots, some neighbors say, but will also
make it easier to build more homes in the area than the
36 already planned.
"It's basically another way of turning our little
suburban paradise into another urban area," said
resident Bob Dumont. "When you widen the road, what's to
stop you from putting in 30 more homes?"
The faded red building on Bullet Hole Road has become a
symbol of Putnam County's transformation from farmland
to suburbia.
The barn was part of the last operating dairy farm in
the county when the cows came home for the final time in
1985. About 10 years later, plans sprouted to build
houses in nearby fields where the hay and corn that fed
the cows once grew. Neighbors worry the project, known
as Burdick Farms, will clog the narrow road with traffic
and pollute nearby wells.
"Whether the barn is there or the barn disappears, it
means nothing (for approvals to build)," said Town
Planner Rich Williams.
Williams said the town Planning Board would discuss the
proposal again next month. Several engineering details,
such as how to control stormwater running off the site,
need to be addressed.
The Planning Board, Williams said, was concerned the
development would worsen safety issues on Bullet Hole
Road and wanted to make sure there could be future road
improvements if needed.
To that end, developer Vincent Condito, who once owned
the barn, bought it back and transferred it to the town.
Town Supervisor Michael Griffin said the Town Board was
willing to wait at least six months for someone to
remove the approximately 8,400-square-foot building. At
least one person has expressed interest.
"If the general consensus from everybody is, 'No,
thanks,' we have to consider other options (such as
demolition)," said Griffin, who inspected the structure
on Friday. "At some point, there are aspects of that
road that probably need to be addressed. (The hairpin
turn) is one of them."
The Town Board last Wednesday gave Stephen Kursh, a real
estate businessman, until mid-December to evaluate the
barn and decide if he wanted it. Kursh on Friday said he
was seeking estimates to dismantle, move and rebuild it
as a home on his property in Greene County.
"It's a beautiful area and I've always fantasized about
living in a structure like that," said Kursh, 72, who
has investments in New York City and California.
Blanche Burdick, who worked the farm in its final years,
said the barn was there when her late husband, Henry,
was born on the property in 1921. She said the building
was even older because Henry's father was already
working the land. Other estimates date the structure to
between 1890 and 1910.
Residents over the years have tried to interest Putnam
County Executive Robert Bondi in buying and preserving
the 165 acres where the new homes would sit.
Reach Michael Risinit at
mrisinit@lohud.com
or 845-228-2274.
November 21, 2006
If Only The County Had $20 Million
Today, there was an article in the paper concerning the
eventual destruction of Burdick Farm and its historic
barn in Patterson and no one to save it. Well, this
would have been a no-brainer if the $20 million bond
fund had been approved by county residents in Nov of
2005. Not only this property but also the 166-acre UJA
on Pugsley Road adjacent to the Tilly Foster
Conservation Area, with a 10-acre set-aside for a
urgently needed Humane Society Facility. Unfortunately,
this purchase has been stymied by legislative
maneuverings.
Both of these properties and others along Pugsley Road
amounting to close to 1000 acres, were on County
Executive Bondi's preserve list. At a meeting over two
years ago, attended by a broad representation of the
environmental community and county officials, Mr. Bondi
outlined his grand vision to preserve significant
acreage threatened by development. Since we represented
several towns, he asked our opinion of potentially
threatened properties. For Bob Dumont and Edie Keasbey
from Patterson, Burdick Farm was on top of the list.
And so this farm - there are others in Patterson
occasionally listed in the pages of the Sunday NYTimes
magazine - is at the mercy of a distant developer
hell-bent to make the most out of his investment.
Perhaps it might be time for Patterson officials to
follow the lead of Southeast officials and consider a
bond fund to preserve the last vestiges of rural Putnam
County.
Isn't it time for every Putnam town to consider
funding the preservation of their open space,now before
it's too late?
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
September 29, 2006
Local Businessman Indicts Patterson
Crossing
Hi all
Please don't walk but run and get this week's issue of
the Putnam Courier. In it, the courageous owner of OSCOM
presents the most cogent reasons for opposing Patterson
Crossing from the standpoint of a local small
businessman. He really confirms what all of us have been
saying - Patterson Crossing will be the death knell of
many of the small businesses in the area. A real slap
in the face to the Patterson Chamber of Commerce and
Camarda's spin, asserting in the DEIS that the
by-product of PC will be "spin off businesses." He used
the right word - "spin."
Unfortunately, the Courier does not print letters on its
website. Anyone with a scanner? I don't have one. Should
be placed on all of our websites - given maximum
publicity,
Sincerely,
Ann
Good morning all - if you have not seen this article
from the Putnam Courier, I've attached it below.
Just a comment: When it came out, I received a
telephone call and the caller started singing, "Annie
Get Your Gun, Get Your Gun; Keep Them on the Run, on the
Run, on the Run."
For a minute, I was both amused and puzzled until the
caller told me about the article and Camarda's reference
to two respected organizations, Groton Watershed Clean
Water Coalition and Trout Unlimited. PC Coal. to
Preserve Open Space is a constituent member and I'm
their rep in P.C. Both have impeccable reputations and
for those who have been privileged to meet Dr. Marian
Rose, the President of CWCWC, know she is a woman of
high educational credentials (PhD Physics); manners and
totally dedicated to the conservation of our watershed
and to the residents of Putnam County.
In addition to the picture of Ray Mainiero, a stalwart
in the fight for residents' rights to to protect their
community on the front page and myself a few pages
later, there appeared Camarda with the caption -
"Camarda and supporter." - Smiling but not identified.
If you are not aware, let me tell you about the
"enforcer" oops, I mean "supporter." He is Robert
Buckley, erstwhile head of the Westchester Corrections
Officers Union. Buckley knows his job, following on
Camarda's heels, chained to his projects in Southeast,
Kent, and Carmel. An imposing and intimidating
presence, he can be seen taking notes, jotting down
who's who, ready to disrupt meetings and reporting back
to his "employer." I put the word "employer" in quotes
because I don't know for certain whether he is salaried
by Camarda. Nevertheless, he is "employed" by Camarda
to "protect" his interests by whatever means necessary.
Now what do we call that?
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Patterson Crossing comes under
attack
By: Eric Gross
09/22/2006
PATTERSON - Patterson Crossing, a 434,000 square foot
shopping center proposed for the Route 311 I-84 corridor
at the Patterson-Kent line, has come under attack.
Nearly 300 residents attended two public hearings last
week before the Patterson Planning Board that focused on
the project's draft environmental impact study-a
required document detailing the center's proposed impact
on the surrounding area.
The majority of those addressing the board voiced
objections citing quality of life issues. One man said
Patterson Crossing would have a "devastating impact" on
the Lake Carmel Park District. A woman told the
planners: "Your job is to protect the quality of life."
George Nikitovich traveled from Cross River to object.
"Putnam's motto of 'Come to Where the Country Begins'
will change to 'Come to Where the Rats and Run-off
Begin'," he said.
Paul Spiegel of Lake Carmel told the audience: "Bringing
a project of this magnitude to Putnam County will
attract the criminal element. Leaving our cars and homes
unlocked will only be a memory."
Another resident charged that Patterson Crosing would
increase costs despite any sales tax generated by the
stores.
Others like Henry Zemsky of Putnam Lake favored the
shopping complex. "Patterson needs the assessed
valuation. We don't have any commercial property.
Patterson's single largest landowner is a religion. If
that was a commercial piece of property or even
residences, it would bring us taxes. Patterson needs the
rateables that would be generated by this plan," he
said.
Toni Titone, another Patterson resident, agreed that her
town needed good development to lower taxes. "All I hear
is that taxes are too high. This project will lower our
taxes," she said.
Titone suggested that developer Paul Camarda add
buffering to the project to shield Lake Carmel homes
from the center's lights and noise.
Patterson Chamber of Commerce President Marsha Thompson
submitted petitions signed by 500 residents to the
planners supporting Patterson Crossing.
Kent Councilman Joseph D'Ambrosio received an ovation
when he told the board to "do the right thing and vote
down this project."
D'Ambrosio said the project was too big. "The problems
that will be generated are insurmountable. They will not
go away. Patterson's planners must use their heads and
say 'no.' The project is wrong. We must stand together
and do the right thing. People are not against
development. They want smart development-development
that works," he said.
Adam Greene of Brewster charged that Southeast's
"stupidity" 25 years ago cost Putnam County hundreds of
millions of dollars in sales tax revenue when local
officials failed to approve a major shopping complex
that later became the Danbury Fair Mall. "It was ours
for the asking. The mall was proposed not once or twice
but three times for Southeast. Finally, the developers
got sick and tired of the ridiculous Southeast
administration and moved a mile across the border into
Connecticut that welcomed the mall with open arms. I
hope we haven't forgotten about that expensive mistake,"
he said.
Christina Fatum of Lake Carmel said large scale
development comes with a price. "This is the country. We
want to keep it that way," she said.
Camarda listened to the discussion and debate from the
rear of the cavernous Patterson Recreation Center. He
told the Courier: "This project is in the best interests
of the residents of Putnam County. We are talking about
generating millions of dollars of sales tax each year.
Sales tax is a viable solution in easing skyrocketing
property tax."
Camarda said the project would not succeed until
all avenues were thoroughly reviewed. "Outside interests
including the Clean Water Coalition and Trout Unlimited
are hiring people to do anything they can to fault my
work. I have crossed all 't's' and dotted every 'i'
regardless of the hired guns who are here attempting to
shoot holes in my project."
Plans call for the shopping center to be constructed on
90 acres of land adjacent to Exit 18 along Interstate
84. Forty of the acres will be used for the center while
the remainder will remain green. Camarda hopes to locate
a Costco warehouse store, a Lowe's Home Center and
several other shops on the property.
©Putnam County Courier 2006
September 27, 2006
Good morning all
Yesterday I received 19 pages of comments from Watershed
Inspector General Tierney. Focus of course, was on water
quality but he had other comments as well - build out;
alternatives; traffic, impervious surfaces, pollutant
loading etc. I sent them on to Dr. Rose to put them on
her website so that we can all have a clean copy.
Sincerely,
Ann
Good morning all - Dear Uncle Vinnie - say it
isn't so. From John and all of us.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
What's Leibell's stand on shopping
center?
(Original publication: September 27, 2006)
The biggest and baddest man on our campus, far and away,
is state Sen. Vincent Leibell. I have always felt that
if he were to get on the phone with Paul Camarda
tomorrow, and say "Paul, look — find another location
for Patterson Crossing. You haven't purchased the land
yet. These are hard-working folks who just want to come
home, at the end of the day, to their peaceful lake
community. I support them," then Camarda would have to
listen.
Really, if you think about it, there's little difference
between Patterson Crossing and what happened to those
homeowners in New London, Conn. At least in that case,
there was monetary compensation, although most would
have preferred to keep their homes. Please don't say
that it's a local matter. This is as universal as it
gets. Should a private developer be allowed to radically
reduce the quality of life and the property values of
hundreds of families, under the specious assumption that
all citizens will benefit from reduced taxes? Isn't
this, essentially, turning private property into public
property?
Here's what Sandra Day O'Connor had to say in her Kelo
vs. New London dissent:
". . . the fallout from this decision will not be
random. The beneficiaries are likely to be those
citizens with disproportionate influence and power in
the political process, including large corporations and
development firms. As for the victims, the government
now has license to transfer property from those with
fewer resources, to those with more. The founders cannot
have intended this perverse result."
What is the senator's position on Patterson Crossing?
John Dondero , Mahopac
September 26, 2006
Hi all -
attached please find comments written re: DEIS -
Patterson Crossing. Hope you all wrote.
Sincerely,
Ann
September 20, 2006
. . . Local merchants being hypocritical
(Original publication: September 20, 2006)
Regarding your Monday story on Patterson merchants
calling for a lower speed limit on Route 22:
I guess this news finally tips the scales in favor of
mass schizophrenia. The organization supporting
Patterson merchants is the Patterson Chamber of
Commerce, the folks most vocal in their advocacy of the
proposed retail center on Route 311, a vital appendage
to Route 22. That's the same retail center that wishes
to add 1,200-plus vehicles/peak hour to these local
roadways. That retail center will be built and abandoned
before the state Department of Transportation gets
around to "study" the need to reduce speed limits.
What I can't figure is a group of merchants supporting
this increase in traffic suddenly having pangs of
conscience because of the speed limit on Route 22. I'm
all for reducing speed limits — and obeying those in
place (try going 20 mph around the Routes 164/311
intersection just for fun) — but how about not being
hypocritical by supporting huge commercial developments
that threaten to wreak havoc on our already overcrowded
roadways. Make Route 22 a safer experience for all
concerned though green, not greedy, growth. Mitigation
alone will not prevent horrendous accidents like the one
that was responsible for two fatalities recently at the
very intersection adjacent to the Patterson Crossing
entranceway.
If you truly desire safer driving conditions, reduce the
potential for greater volumes of out-of-town traffic
drawn to the area. Chances are a higher proportion of
automobile accidents that occur locally involve
out-of-area drivers not as familiar with local road
conditions.
Remember, only you can prevent forest buyers!
Bill Ullman, Lake Carmel
September 20, 2006
Good morning all -
First, if you had not seen my letter to the editor which
Jeff Green omitted publishing on his PlanPutnam
website, I am attaching it below. The other two
letters: Joan Castiner's and Kathleen McManus, were
published.
Can't minimize impact of project
(Original publication: September 19, 2006)
In one fell swoop, developer Paul Camarda attempted to
apply a "shrink wrap" to the massive Patterson Crossing
(Friday article) by comparing the 40 acres as "just a
drop in the bucket" to the 160,000 acres of county land
(The entire project is 90 acres). What he doesn't tell
you is that more than 80 percent, or over 130,000 acres,
comprise Fahnstock Park and lands in Putnam Valley,
wetlands and other unbuildable land.
If we shrink the land mass, then we shrink the impacts,
or so Camarda would like for you to think. What's 2,000
more cars in a parking lot; 17,000 cars on Route 311; an
8-acre leech field in one's backyard; a wall to
contemplate outside one's deck on balmy summer evenings
and a lake community destroyed. Ah, but the returns are
huge — not to the desperate working-class families (70
percent of whom must commute to make a liveable wage)
seduced by empty promises of tax reduction and
$10-an-hour jobs, but to Camarda, who is sitting on at
least a cool $20 million made in Carmel while living in
Ridgefield.
As of 2000, the Town of Patterson had over 11,764 acres
designated as "undeveloped/forested." Certainly 40 acres
is a drop in the bucket for Patterson. Yet county and
town officials and Camarda could find no other location
in sprawling Patterson than the one that is immediately
adjacent to one of the most densely populated,
working-class communities, Lake Carmel, with impacts
borne entirely by another town, Kent.
"Just a drop in the bucket," these 40 acres — so long as
the drops don't drop in Patterson's bucket.
Ann Fanizzi, Chair
Putnam County Coalition to Preserve Open Space
Additionally, as I wrote to several but not to all on my
e-mail list, Camarda's statement in the Risinit article
comparing a mere 40 acres of disturbance to the 160,000
acres of Putnam land, is his new distortion spin. It is
the spin that I sought to address in my letter and hope
that I debunked it effectively. And it is the subject
of the Kearsey letter in today's Journal News which I am
attaching below.
Watch for more of this attempt as I said to
"shrink wrap" this 40-acre, 439,000 sq ft development
so that its impacts to the community seem as
insignificant as the land it occupies.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Putnam has room for
development . . .
(Original publication: September 20, 2006)
My family and I strongly support intelligent commercial
development in Putnam County, specifically in the
corridors where it makes sense, such as the I-84, Route
6 and Route 52 corridors. While the Home Depot complex
has provided some very welcome relief, we need more.
As an environmentalist since high school in the 1970s, I
am disheartened to see so many of my fellow travelers be
lured onto the "No Development Anywhere" bandwagon. The
gas and time my family alone has wasted to travel to
Dutchess, Westchester or Fairfield counties to shop is
enough to make Thoreau turn over in his grave. Multiply
that by the countless other families in our area who
have to waste exponentially more of our invaluable
resources and their time to shop.
There are groups who want to stop any and every
development before they know anything about it. They are
very effective at drumming up opposition because many
decent people are too busy to look more deeply into the
issues before lending their signatures and voices.
I urge everyone, especially our public officials
entrusted to make the final decisions, to judge this and
every proposed development based on reason rather than
misguided rhetoric designed to scare us away from
intelligent development. If the Patterson Crossing
development would truly pollute Lake Carmel or have any
other disproportionately negative impact on our
community, those specific areas should be firmly
addressed. Otherwise, let's move ahead with an eye
toward balanced commercial, residential, and open space
land — there is plenty of room in Putnam for all of
these!
Brian Kearsey , Kent Cliffs
Good morning all - another writer who thinks
traffic is music to his ears - obviously tone-deaf.
Hasn't connected the dots between conserving the
environment and our own human survivability on this
planet. Interesting that he should mention frogs
because their rapid decline in population and instances
of embryonic deformity and adult disease is seen by
scientists as another indication of the rapid
deterioration of the environment due to human
activity. He doesn't understand that we are all
connected. Oh my.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Area needs more tax revenue . . .
(Original publication: September 14, 2006)
I have lived in Patterson since 2000, and my
family and I definitely support Patterson Crossing. The
idea of bringing in tax revenue (even if we have to kill
a few frogs or endure added traffic!) is music to our
ears.
Our taxes have increased every year since we've been
here and are now over $12,000. We support every school
budget, as we have two children in the Carmel Central
School District, but if we can soften the increases, it
would obviously be welcome.
In addition, the idea of not always having to go to
either Danbury or Route 9 to shop is a definite plus.
Many of my neighbors feel the same way.
Good morning all - a series of missteps by the
developer? His first misstep was siting Patterson
Crossing right in residents' backyards. The other
missteps will come; the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact
Statement) falling into the Kent paper recycling bin and
ending on the production lines of the Scott and Marcal
Toilet Tissue Company.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Patterson Crossing
environmental hearings postponed
By MICHAEL RISINIT
mrisinit@lohud.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
New dates
The Patterson Planning Board will still meet as
scheduled tomorrow (6 p.m. in the Patterson Recreation
Center) to hold a public meeting about, but not a public
hearing on, the proposed Patterson Crossing shopping
center. The hearings, which were scheduled for
tomorrow and Thursday, will most likely take place Sept.
13 and 14. Written comments will probably then be due
Sept. 25. All of that will be decided tomorrow night.
(Original publication: August 22, 2006)
PATTERSON — Missteps by the developer and the
town have given neighbors and others several
more weeks to review a massive environmental study for
the Patterson Crossing shopping center.
The recent errors have also caused this week's
much-anticipated public hearings on the environmental
study to be rescheduled, most likely to next month.
"Everyone is like, 'Phew,' " said Elena Bao of Kent. "It
gives us a lot more time to check it out. It basically
gives us the time we needed."
The 434,050-square-foot proposed shopping center would
sit on the Patterson-Kent town border.
Concerned neighbors and professionals charged with
making sure the large retail center doesn't harm the
environment had balked this month at the short time they
were given to review the document.
After officially releasing the study Aug. 2, the
Patterson Planning Board had scheduled public hearings
for tomorrow and Thursday. Written comments were then
due Sept. 8.
All of the dates met the requirements set forth by state
law, but most of the time was during the final weeks of
summer, including the Labor Day weekend.
Some questioned whether that was enough opportunity to
review such a large document for such a major change to
the landscape.
Bao, Kent Planning Board Chairman Arthur Singer and
others wrote to the Patterson board, asking for more
time to review the study.
While those requests wouldn't have been
considered until tomorrow at the previously scheduled
public hearing, they have now become somewhat moot.
"They're going to get exactly what they want," Patterson
Planner Richard Williams said of those requesting more
time.
That's because the Patterson Planning Board published
notification of the public hearing only seven days in
advance, instead of the required 14. Plus,
developer Paul Camarda, as obligated by state law,
didn't mail a notice of the event to all property owners
within 500 feet of the proposed shopping center.
"If it means a delay of a few weeks, I have no
complaints," Camarda said of both paperwork missteps.
"My only thought is the town is being very careful in
making sure they dot their i's and cross their t's
legally, and I respect that."
08/18/2006
Good morning all
Eternal vigilance and knowledge of SEQRA paid off for
all of us opposed to Patterson Crossing. Hats off to
Elena who saw the discrepancy and brought it to the
attention of Rich Williams. The Public Hearing Notice
of the August 23/24th was in the Putnam Free Press and
caught my eye as it was located next to the Public
Notice concerning the new Municipal Law for Patterson
Kennels.
As you will recall, the change in zoning was a direct
and prompt response by Patterson Town officials at the
urging of outraged residents who complained that the
location of the kennel near their properties, disturbed
the enjoyment of their property. Johanna Groepl and
myself wrote a letter essentially stating that the same
standard should be used for Patterson Crossing.
So for your information, I'm copying verbatum the entire
Amendment to Chapter 154 - Zoning - Commercial Kennels
and Veterinary Hospitals. The Amendment is to replace
in its entirety Section 154-104.
154-104 - Hibby Kennels
A. On a lot of not less than ten (10) acres, a special
use permit may be granted, after a
public hearing by the Board of Appeals, in the R-4
residence district for a hobby kennel, provided that:
1. Said frontage and access for the lot shall be
on a state, county road or Town road.
2. No bulding, enclosure or run shall be closer than
two hundred (200) feet to any road or property line.
3. The maximum building coverage of all buildings and
structures including runsor pens shall be two percent
(2%)
4. Any pens or enclosures used for the housing of
animals shall be of a size suitable to allow for the
animal to exercise.
5. The maximum number of animals that may be kept at the
hobby kennel is six adult dogs over six months in age,
and not more than ten puppies less than six months in
age, provided that the puppies are parented by one or
more of the six dogs over six months in age.
6. The property shall be owner occupied and the primary
residence of the owner thereon. The hobby kennel shall
be an accessory use to the principal residence of the
site.
B. For the purpose of this Chapter, a hobby kennel is
an accessory us to a principal residence use of a
parcel, for the accommodation of not more than 6 adult
dogs of more than six months of age, in a building,
structure, compound, pen or case, or on the property,
and provided that the dogs are all owned by the owner of
the property.
C. Each and every adult dog kept on the property for
which a special use permit has been issued under this
Section shall be licensed in accordance with Agriculture
and Markets Law. A copy of said license shall be
maintained at the site and shall be immediately
presented upon request to any Official charged with
enforcement of this Section.
Section 2. This local law shall take effect
immediately.
Dated: August 10, 2006.
Sincerely,
Ann
ALERT!
Patterson Crossing PUBLIC HEARING Scheduled For
8/23/06 & 8/24/06
________________________________________________________
Notice Of Acceptance Of
Draft EIS And Public Hearing
Putnam County - The Planning Board
of the Town of Patterson, as lead agency, has accepted a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed
Patterson Crossing Retail Center. A public hearing on
the Draft EIS will be held on August 23, 2006
and August 24, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at the
Patterson Recreation Center, 65 Front Street, Patterson
, NY 12563. Public comment period ends September 8,
2006. The action involves the construction of a 434,050
s.f. retail center on a 90.46+ acre parcel which lies
within the Town of Patterson and the Town of Kent. The
project is located on the west side of Interstate Route
84 and the south side of NYS Route 311, Town of
Patterson and Town of Kent, Putnam County, approximately
1,700 feet west of the Ludingtonville Road intersection.
Contact: Richard Williams P.O. Box 470,
1142 Route 311, Patterson, NY 12563,
View Patterson Crossing's DEIS on PattersonNY.org..
Hi all - for your records. Now let the games
begin. Round 1 August 23rd and 24th.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Notice Of Acceptance Of Draft EIS
And Public Hearing
Putnam County - The Planning Board of
the Town of Patterson, as lead agency, has accepted a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed
Patterson Crossing Retail Center. A public hearing on
the Draft EIS will be held on August 23, 2006
and August 24, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at the
Patterson Recreation Center, 65 Front Street, Patterson
, NY 12563. Public comment period ends September 8,
2006. The action involves the construction of a 434,050
s.f. retail center on a 90.46+ acre parcel which lies
within the Town of Patterson and the Town of Kent. The
project is located on the west side of Interstate Route
84 and the south side of NYS Route 311, Town of
Patterson and Town of Kent, Putnam County, approximately
1,700 feet west of the Ludingtonville Road intersection.
Contact: Richard Williams P.O. Box 470,
1142 Route 311, Patterson, NY 12563, phone: (845)
878-6500, fax: (845) 878-2019.
Visit
www.newyorkwater.org
Good morning all
I am sharing with you a
letter I sent to residents in response to Paul
Camarda's letter. I realize that some of you may not
have received it since it may have been limited to those
closest to the project. In it he stresses his efforts
to make Patterson Crossing, the best ever in Putnam
County. We must be alert to his tactics and his letter,
I am certain, will be but the first in a series that
will be sent to residents as the DEIS approval process
continues.
Alone a voice, together a force.
Sincerely,
Ann
Good morning all - don't miss reading this
right on the nose letter from Elena. Just goes to show
you where the Patterson Town's priorities lie.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Patterson kennel flap barks up wrong
issue
(Original publication: July 17, 2006)
I was shocked when I read your July 12 article
"Patterson residents raise howl about kennel." I was
speechless when I read that the Patterson Town Board has
deemed this kennel issue an affront to the quality of
life for residents so serious that it warrants an agenda
item at the Town Board meeting, a public hearing in the
near future, and a zone change to protect Patterson
residents from the noise and smell of dogs!
Am I missing something here? Barking dogs . . .
deafening traffic from 1,200-plus cars per peak hour at
Patterson Crossing. A 3,000 square-foot kennel on 20
acres . . . the 439,500 square-foot Patterson Crossing
big-box retail center on 90 acres. Smell of dog urine
and feces . . . smell of of diesel fumes and car exhaust
from traffic and parking lots. Kennel setback 1,000 feet
from people's homes . . . Patterson Crossing right in
people's back yards!
Is this some kind of sick joke? The Patterson Town Board
listening intently and taking aggressive action to
protect residents from a dog kennel but doing and saying
nothing about Patterson Crossing?
Elena Bao, Carmel
Hi all
Couch Rd - not exactly "paved with good intentions."
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopnspaces.com
DEP
questions Patterson paving
By MICHAEL RISINIT
mrisinit@lohud.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 2, 2006)
PATTERSON — The town's highway chief went too far with
the blacktop on Couch Road, according to the New York
City Department of Environmental Protection.
The watershed oversight agency sent Highway
Superintendent Charles Williams a letter last month,
telling him he had illegally placed pavement within 100
feet of a stream without its permission. Williams had
paved Couch Road earlier in the month, after a state
appeals court ruled a neighbor couldn't halt the work.
The letter also told him to contact the DEP
within five days. Williams has yet to do that and
referred questions about the matter to Town Attorney Tim
Curtiss.
"I had the town engineer go out there and tell me where
to start and stop," Williams said, referring to the
paving.
The road and the waterway, called Jackson's
River, are in the city's watershed. Paving an area that
close to a stream could allow contaminants to wash off
the hard surface and into the water. While the state
appeals court said Williams could put down blacktop —
ending a long-running clash with some residents who
fought the project — he failed to satisfy the city's
requirements aimed at preventing water pollution.
The two matters are unrelated.
"We've reached out and given them some more time to come
in," said Charles Sturcken, the DEP's chief spokesman.
"We need to consider what actions to pursue, how to get
this enforced and how to remediate the situation."
Sturcken wouldn't discuss specifically how the DEP would
enforce its regulation but acknowledged that options
included a fine or having the pavement ripped up. Edie
Keasbey, a Couch Road resident, said she found the DEP's
involvement heartening.
"I just hope that DEP makes Charlie Williams obey the
laws," Keasbey said.
The stream flows east under Couch Road, a former dirt
road that now is paved except for a 30-yard stretch
where it crosses the stream. Williams posted a sign at
either end of that section, explaining it remained dirt
because of the city's rules.
"I didn't want people to think I ran out of blacktop,"
he said.
But the DEP contends that section isn't enough to
satisfy the requirement of no new blacktopped surfaces
within 100 feet of a waterway. Standing on the
blacktopped portion, the stream is within little more
than an arm's length where it runs parallel to the road.
Such work is allowable provided the town files — and the
city approves — a stormwater pollution prevention plan.
The plan would explain how rain and melting snow would
be stopped from carrying pollutants into the stream. One
method would be to construct a basin to collect the
contaminated water while the unwanted materials settle
out.
Williams started working on the road in late 2004. The
following spring, resident Karen Correll filed a lawsuit
claiming he failed to do the necessary environmental
review before paving. Work was put on hold until this
spring, when an appeals court upheld state Supreme Court
Justice Andrew O'Rourke's dismissal of the suit.
Curtiss, the town attorney, said he would look into the
latest developments. Town Supervisor Michael Griffin
said he was waiting to hear how the DEP wanted to
resolve the situation.
"It's a highway issue," Griffin said. "The Highway
Department hasn't requested any help from the Town
Board."
From: The Stop Patterson Crossing
Committee [mailto:info@stoppattersoncrossing.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2006 11:08 AM
To: info@stoppattersoncrossing.com
Subject: Save The Date - SPCC
Update Meeting - May 23, Tues, 7:30pm
Importance: High
Residents of Lake Carmel, Kent, & Patterson
- WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
Join Us For A
Stop Patterson Crossing Committee Update Meeting At
The
LAKE CARMEL COMMUNITY CENTER
May 23rd - Tuesday - 7:30 pm
- Information
- Brainstorming
- Planning a future without Patterson
Crossing
Directions To The Lake
Carmel Community Center:
Take Route 311 to Terry Hill Road, take right onto East
Lakeshore Drive,
take left onto Yorktown Road or Huguenot Road
StopPattersonCrossing.com
Phone: 845.661.8331
Good morning all - the Camp Herrlich purchase by the
County thru County Executive's Bondi efforts, Senator
Leibell, the DEP not only saves a "unique ecosystem" but
saves taxpayer dollars and provides recreation for many
hundreds of children who would otherwise not have had
this experience.
Can we visualize the alternative? Residential
development and sprawling commercial development
replacing this landscape. The consequences - increased
taxes, traffic congestion for all and an irreplaceable
loss of place.
Would anyone believe that there are those in the county
legislature who are impeding other open space purchases,
the latest amounting to over 100 acres to buffer the
area surrounding Tilly Foster? The preservation of
these acres is especially critical since both
residential and commercial developers have cast envious
eyes toward the pristine forests along Rte 312 and
Pugsley Road, adjacent to the Tilly Foster Conservation
Area. Instead of facilitating preservation and
expanding the conservation area, these legislators are
raising roadblocks to the purchase in the misguided
notion that they are saving taxpayer dollars.
Currently, the development - Campus at Fields Corners is
completing the approval process for 143 single family
homes on the other side of Pugsley abutting the northern
edge of Tilly Foster. Despite litigation by the Town of
Southeast and opposition by the Coalition and residents
to prevent this development, it is going forward and
residents of the Brewster School District will have to
incur the burden of additional school taxes. Am I to
assume that for some of these legislators $75.1 million
school budget and the resultant taxes to maintain staff
and services, isn't enough?
Putnam County is indeed at a crossroads and this may be
our last opportunity to save land. Preserving land
should not be a pawn in political games; the losers will
be us, the residents and our children.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Putnam formally announces
purchase of Camp Herrlich
By MICHAEL RISINIT
mrisinit@lohud.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: May 12, 2006)
PATTERSON — For 83 years, the woods, cabins and lake of
Camp Wilbur Herrlich in Patterson have been a haven for
children.
Another summer of mosquito bites, campfires and canoeing
is coming up now that Putnam County owns the land and
the danger of it being sold to be used forhousing is
gone. Relief among staff, supporters and campers'
parents was evident yesterday after the county's
announcement that it had finalized its purchase of the
camp. The acquisition is also seen as an open-space
preservation move that protects a nearby, unique
ecosystem.
"It was Camp Herrlich, or it wasn't anywhere," Debra
Scofield of Patterson said of her two daughters'
summers. "It's a wonderful experience for every child."
The property's possible sale had threatened the long
tradition of inner-city and local children spending the
warmer months together on its 156 acres and 9-acre lake.
The camp also runs after-school programs and serves
about 5,000 children a year. A mix of government funding
allowed the county to buy the nonsectarian camp and
lease it back to its operator, Mount Tremper Outdoor
Ministries.
"We did it. We did it, we all did it," executive
director Bob Gentile said. "We are relieved, and we are
very, very happy for this day."
Gentile had labored to raise money to buy the camp since
2003, after the owner, Lutheran Social Services of
Metropolitan New York, announced it needed to sell the
land because of financial difficulties. The nonprofit
Mount Tremper has run the camp since 1979.
But the approximate $1.5 million purchase price seemed
insurmountable until local elected leaders stepped
forward.
The county agreed to spend $515,000 of the money
it received from New York City for signing the city's
watershed agreement. State Sen. Vincent Leibell,
R-Patterson, helped get $200,000 in state aid for the
acquisition. The rest, Deputy County Executive Frank Del
Campo said, is coming from the county's tobacco
settlement money.
"This was a successful outcome for the future of our
county," County Executive Robert Bondi said.
Bondi, Del Campo and Leibell were joined in the camp's
dining hall yesterday by Patterson Supervisor Michael
Griffin and several county legislators. The cooperative
effort is preserving wooded hillsides, a lake and a
stream that drain into Muddy Brook, which feeds the
Great Swamp and, ultimately, part of New York City's
water supply. The swamp is one of the state's largest
freshwater wetlands and home to rare plants, at least 90
breeding species of birds and a host of amphibians and
reptiles.
Outside, an American flag waved above the field where
two Canada geese wandered. Griffin, whose two daughters
attended the camp, termed it "the most restorative place
in Patterson."
Tucked in a hollow below Route 311 and Fair Street, the
camp also is hidden from everyday view. However, Gentile
said he expects the recent good fortune to raise its
profile.
"We're no longer Patterson's best-kept secret," Gentile
said. "We're here, and we're here to stay."
Good morning all - When some of us scan the Putnam
of the future, we will ask ourselves - how did this
happen? One shovelful of dirt at a time - paving here,
paving there until we take on the look and feel of the
very places we left. Is this the progress that some
have touted in recent letters to the editor?
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Patterson to pave historic
dirt road, and dishearten some residents
By MICHAEL RISINIT
mrisinit@lohud.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: May 4, 2006)
PATTERSON — Town Highway Superintendent Charles Williams
plans to soon finish what he started — the paving of
Couch Road — now that a recent state appeals court
ruling has given him the green light to do so.
But some residents yesterday, including one who filed a
lawsuit more than a year ago to stop the work, aren't
happy with the ruling.
"We all wonder where our tax dollars are spent. Soon we
will be able to drive down another yet perfect road to
nowhere," said Karen Correll, a Couch Road resident who
contended that the town failed to do the necessary
environmental review for the project.
She filed a lawsuit in March 2005 in state Supreme Court
in Carmel, part of a battle stretching back to the fall
of 2004 over covering the once completely dirt road with
blacktop. When the paving dispute began, 16 residents
signed a petition supporting the dirt version.
Neighborhood opposition even spurred U.S. Rep. Sue
Kelly, R-Katonah, to pull back $75,000 in funding she
had secured for paving the byway.
In June 2005, state Supreme Court Justice Andrew
O'Rourke dismissed Correll's suit, ruling the town
performed the necessary environmental review and work
could proceed. But then he ordered the town not to pave
while Correll's lawyer, Martin Ashley of Somers,
appealed the decision with the Appellate Division Second
Department in Brooklyn.
Ashley did that. On Monday, Patterson officials received
a two-paragraph decision from the appeals court
upholding O'Rourke's decision. Ashley yesterday said his
client was not going to pursue further legal action.
"The citizens of Patterson tried to preserve a scenic
and historic dirt road, but elected officials turned a
deaf ear to the will of the people," Ashley said in a
statement. "We fought a noble battle against arrogant
and unresponsive elected officials."
Couch Road runs between Route 164 and Cornwall Hill Road
and is about a mile long. Most of the road now is either
covered with ground-up asphalt, which was put down in
late 2004 in preparation for paving, or actual blacktop,
which was laid down in the summer, Williams said, as
part of routine, pre-winter maintenance.
Yesterday, Williams said crews would begin spreading
additional blacktop on the road this month. About 20
percent of it is still just dirt, and the sections
covered with the ground-up blacktop are bumpy. Williams
contends that dirt roads, with their mud, their
inability to be fully plowed in winter and their
dangerous ruts, are a traffic hazard and cost twice as
much to maintain as paved ones.
"I'm just doing my job, that's all," Williams said when
asked about the appellate court's affirmation.
Residents, though, assert a paved road will bring more
and faster traffic, making the byway ultimately unsafe
and damaging the neighborhood's rural character. No one
he spoke with, said Rick Correll, Karen's husband,
wanted the road paved.
"(It's) a job that as far as my neighbors and myself are
concerned, destroys the beauty of the area and creates a
dangerous, high-speed cut-through," Rick Correll said.
The road is named for Hezekiah Couch, a farmer and the
town's first highway superintendent.
"We've lost some history, but I don't think the
powers-that-be give a damn," said Edie Keasbey, who
lives in Couch's former home.
| From: |
The Stop Patterson Crossing Committee
<info@stoppattersoncrossing.com> |
| To: |
info@stoppattersoncrossing.com |
| Subject: |
Patterson Crossing Update |
| Date: |
Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:42:12 -0800 |
Hello All!
This email is an update on the Patterson Crossing
project.
As you know, the Patterson Crossing project is currently
under review under New York's
SEQR process. Since early 2005, we have all
been anxiously waiting for Paul Camarda to submit
Patterson Crossing's DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact
Statement) to the Patterson Planning Board. He finally
submitted it to the board in February 2006, BUT.....the
Patterson Planning Board deemed the DEIS "incomplete"
because it failed to address all issues outlined in the
"scoping" documentation.
Click here to be directed to 2 memos which list the
items the Patterson Planning Board determined were
absent, incorrect, or unclear within the DEIS.
These documents are disturbing to say the least so they
are definitely worth taking the time to read.
The next step in the SEQR process for the Patterson
Crossing project is for Paul Camarda & company to revise
the DEIS per the Patterson Planning Board's comments.
Once the DEIS is re-submitted to the Patterson Planning
Board and the board deems it "complete", it'll be time
for all of us to be active in meaningful and visible
ways to demonstrate our opposition to the Patterson
Crossing project. We here at the Stop Patterson
Crossing Committee will do our very best to provide
ample notice about important upcoming events to ensure
we're able to successfully rally your support during
this critical time.
Please continue to raise awareness about Patterson
Crossing by forwarding this email to your friends and
family who live in Putnam County and also encourage them
to visit out website at
www.StopPattersonCrossing.com. Should you
have any questions please email us at
info@StopPattersonCrossing.com.
Thank you again for your support!
The Stop Patterson Crossing Committee
www.StopPattersonCrossing.com
March 12, 2006
Is Camarda Stupid or Insite
Engineering Sloppy?
Good morning all
Much has been made by some of the Patterson Crossing
analysis submitted by the Patterson Town Planner and
Engineer as clear evidence of Carmada' s stupidity or
In-Site's sloppiness. The whole episode brought to mind
a similar occurrence in Carmel and now even in Southeast
with respect to Camarda's method of operation.
It's par for the course. When Camarda first submitted
the DEIS for the Gateway/Fairways Project (hotel,
offices, restaurants and senior housing), it was riddled
with holes which the Watershed Inspector General,
Riverkeeper, CWCWC attorney, Jim Bacon and the engineer
engaged by the Coalition quickly discovered. Voluminous
comments were submitted to the Planning Board on this
project by the entities above, focusing on water
quality/stormwater issues and my own which focused on
the senior housing study submitted as support for the
300 housing units proposed and the traffic implications
for the congested Rte 6 west traffic.
And what did Camarda do? He went to the experts to
redress the problems - up to Albany and sat down with
Watershed Inspector General and Riverkeeper and promised
to redress all the deficiencies found. Let's face it,
if he had not, the project would have been dead on
arrival. Resolution of water quality issues are
paramount in any project approval. He not only did as
he was told but a letter from the Inspector General was
submitted to the Carmel Town Board (Lead Agency for the
project) which indicated that several changes had been
made i.e.off the slopes and footprint reduced by
designing the hotel to five stories instead of three;
recently changed to four floors. Camarda took it as an
endorsement and represented it as such at a Town Board
meeting much to the Inspector General's chagrin and my
dismay.
And the same scenario is being played out in the Town of
Southeast. He submitted documents short of perfect to
say the least. Will he again make the pilgrimage to
Albany to redress the deficiencies in the Patterson
Crossing documents? Who knows?
Let's not jump to conclusions and certainly let us not
draw comfort in thinking that Camarda is "stupid." He
ain't and he has been shown over and over again to be
quite a shrewd adversary.
Have a great day.
Sincerely,
Ann
Good morning all
Just a one-liner - its all that it deserves. The
Patterson Planning Board declared the Patterson Crossing
DEIS incomplete based on comments (not shared with
public) by Town Planner and Town Engineer -
Dufresne-Henry. Camarda got an incomplete grade this
time around. More homework.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Good morning all
About two weeks ago, I spoke to the Patterson Town
Planner who told me that the Planning Board will be
reviewing his comments and those of the town engineer.
It should be interesting.
By the way, let's keep our eye on Kent Manor and now
also ShopRite. ShopRite came before the Carmel Planning
Board last week with their plan to increase square
footage by 10,000 and increase parking. A public hearing
will be announced shortly on their application. It
appears that under a SEQRA Type 2 action, they were able
to separate it from the proposed Wilder Balter senior
housing complex, estimated at between 150 units and 300
units also on the same property. Take your pick.
Nothing like a little competition (COSTCO) or will it
be CORPORATE WAR. And Hanneford is getting its act
together for Putnam Plaza in Carmel. Lastly, just take a
gander at the extreme make-over of the A&P across the
way - really fresh.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
Patterson Crossing environmental
study to be unveiled
By MICHAEL RISINIT
mrisinit@thejournalnews.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
If you go
The Patterson Planning Board meeting begins at 7:30
p.m. tomorrow in Patterson Town Hall on Route 311 at
Front Street. The public is not expected to speak.
(Original publication: February 15, 2006)
PATTERSON — Residents along the Kent-Patterson border
are worried that a proposed shopping center will bring
traffic, light pollution and noise to their
neighborhood.
How the developer of the Patterson Crossing center
will address those issues and dozens of others will be
detailed in the center's draft environmental study. That
document is to be presented to the Patterson Planning
Board tomorrow at a meeting largely administrative but
one the center's opponents plan to attend anyway.
"Oh, you better believe I'm going to be there," said
Joan Castiner, a 12-year resident who lives in Kent's
Lake Carmel section on the project's western edge. "I
don't want to be asleep at the wheel. If there's
something I need to know, I want to hear about."
Carmel developer Paul Camarda unveiled plans for the
439,500-square-foot shopping center almost two years
ago. Since then, some, such as the Patterson Chamber of
Commerce, have supported the project and its promise of
tax dollars and shopping. Others have opposed the
center, concerned about its effects on the area's
quality of life.
The Planning Board tomorrow will determine if the
foot-thick environmental review addresses questions
about the center's impact on everything from wildlife to
water supplies. If the board accepts the document, it
can then be distributed to the public and other agencies
that also must review and approve the project.
"If it's determined to be complete, it just means
they (Camarda Development Co.) provided an answer. It
doesn't mean we like the answer," Patterson planner Rich
Williams said.
The shopping center would sit off Route 311 near
Interstate 84. Planned tenants include a Costco store
and a Lowe's home-improvement center. A spokesman for
Camarda Development said the company was "eager" to get
the Planning Board's feedback.
Bill Ullman, a Lake Carmel resident and member of the
Stop Patterson Crossing Committee, said the project's
watchdogs realize tomorrow's meeting will have little,
if any, opportunity for public comment. Regardless, he
said, a lot of people are expected to show up.
"We're not really in any position to officially
critique it until we formally get a copy," Ullman said.
February 09, 2006
Patterson Planning Board Meeting
Advertisement
Good morning all
Courtesy of Edie Keasbey is the following
announcement re: DEIS- Patterson Crossing. Please note.
It is not a Public Hearing.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
- Announcements -
Notice of Hearing
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Town of Patterson
Planning Board of a Special Planning Board Meeting to be
held on Thursday, February 16, 2006 at
7:30 PM or as soon thereafter as may be heard,
at the Patterson Town Hall, 1142 Route 311,
Patterson, Putnam County, New York to consider the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for "Patterson Crossing
Retail Center Site Plan" and any other such matters that
may be necessary. Please notice that this is not a
"Public Hearing" therefore the Planning Board will not
be soliciting public comments.
By Order of the Planning Board
Herb Schech, Chairman
Final Scoping Document for Patterson Crossing Retail
Center
Information on the Scoping Document for the Patterson
Crossing Retail Center is available on the
Planning Board page.
The 2005 budget for the Town of Patterson is
available on the Town Board
page.
Good morning all -
Just noticed this item in today's JN, another
sign that Putnam's dwindling open space i.e. farms are
ripe for development and Patterson is especially
vulnerable. Yesterday, I obtained the audited figures
for the Open Space Referendum which included absentee
ballots and county wide it lost by 353 votes (6,901 vs.
7257), much less than the unaudited figures of 700 that
I had obtained immediately after the November vote.
Unfortunately, 321 Patterson residents voted against it
(637 vs. 958 ). Nothing more needs to be said
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
For-sale sign clouds Patterson
farm's future
By MICHAEL RISINIT
mrisinit@thejournalnews.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: January 10, 2006)
PATTERSON — In a county where former farmland has
morphed into woods or subdivisions, the 127 acres for
sale between East Branch Road and Route 22 provides one
of the area's few open vistas.
Fields roll away to the buffer of trees delineating
where Haviland Hollow Brook flows and empties into the
Croton River. A red barn perches on a rise next to East
Branch Road. A for-sale sign stands next to the road, an
advertisement that's adorned the property for almost two
years and one that has residents wondering about the
property's future.
"It's such a nice piece of land that it must resemble
what most of Patterson looked like when farming was the
main activity in town," said Paul Calabrese, who drives
past the land every weekday morning on the way to his
job at a Stamford, Conn., technology research firm. "It
would be great to save it ... so future generations can
appreciate the beauty of Patterson."
Making a living from the land once was the way of
life in Patterson — its town seal features a farmer with
a pitchfork — but agricultural enterprises are few
today. The barn on East Branch Road has heavy
construction equipment, such as a crane, nosing around
its edges instead of the dairy cows that once roamed the
farmyard.
The property is listed with Houlihan Lawrence of
Somers for $1,999,999 and includes the land, the barn
and a milk house. Lee Zipp of Houlihan Lawrence said
he's seen "quite a bit of interest" in the property
since the fall, when the price was lowered again. It
originally was listed at $2.9 million and was reduced
once to $2.4 million.
"It's a great old farm," Zipp said. He declined to
elaborate on interest in the property but said he hoped
it would sell soon.
The property's listed uses include a possible horse
farm or other agricultural work. Town Planner Rich
Williams said most of the property was unbuildable
because of wetlands or poorly draining soils.
Williams estimated that construction could occur on
about 15 acres near the road.
The land appeals to two Putnam County preservation
groups because of its location in the Great Swamp, one
of the state's largest freshwater wetlands. As part of a
three-year preservation effort, Friends of the Great
Swamp has been working to purchase land in the wetlands.
"We're interested in protecting it," Jim Utter,
chairman of Friends of the Great Swamp, said of the
farm. "We'll see what happens."
The swamp preservation effort has been a group
approach, with the state and other organizations picking
up pieces of property. The $3.4 million land acquisition
program, announced in 2002, has preserved nearly 400
acres throughout Patterson so far.
In 2004, Putnam County Land Trust: Save Open Spaces
Inc. bought Mendel Pond in Patterson and about 20
surrounding acres as part of that work. Land Trust
President Judy Terlizzi said her group was aware of the
farm and its time on the market.
"It would be an important piece if it could be
preserved," she said.
The property is owned by Colonial River Farms of
Bedford Hills, according to town property records.
Attempts to reach someone associated with the company
were unsuccessful.
Putnam close to owning Camp
Wilbur Herrlich in Patterson
By MICHAEL RISINIT
mrisinit@thejournalnews.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
How to help
For more information about Camp Wilbur Herrlich, its
February school-vacation program or its campaign to
raise its portion of the $1.5 million purchase price,
visit www.campherrlich.org or call 845-878-6662.
(Original publication: January 3, 2006)
PATTERSON — Putnam County doesn't own Camp Wilbur
Herrlich — yet.
The 83-year-old camp in Patterson was in danger of
folding in 2004 until the county stepped forward to
finance most of its purchase price. County and camp
leaders said last week that the facility now is one
piece of paper away from Putnam's possession.
The 156-acre camp serves about 5,000 children a year
— both local and New York City kids — with summer
programs, after-school sessions and winter vacation
activities, such as its upcoming February session.
Putnam's effort to save the property brought relief to
campers and their parents.
The camp is almost a self-perpetuating community,
said Sue D'Apice, president of the Matthew Paterson
Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization.
"It's kind of like an institution," D'Apice said.
"Most of the kids who go to camp end up working there."
A real estate closing Wednesday of last week was
postponed until probably the middle of the month,
officials said. The county then will buy the camp from
Lutheran Social Services of Metropolitan New York. Faced
with financial difficulties, that group told the camp's
operator, Mount Tremper Outdoor Ministries Inc., in 2003
that it was selling the land.
The nonsectarian camp's staff and board then began
trying to raise about $1.5 million for the purchase.
Just weeks before its lease expired in October 2004,
Mount Tremper's final offer of a conglomeration of camp,
county and state money was accepted.
"Life is going on, nothing's stopped," said Bob
Gentile, executive director of Herrlich, which began in
1922 as a dying child's dream to create a summer camp
for urban youth. "People are still sending in pledges.
We're at the very end stages of this whole transaction."
The cooperative effort is preserving wooded
hillsides, a lake and a stream that drain into Muddy
Brook, which feeds the Great Swamp and, ultimately, part
of New York City's water supply. The county is spending
$500,000 of the money it received from New York City for
signing the city's watershed agreement.
State Sen. Vincent Leibell, R-Patterson, helped get
$200,000 in state aid for the acquisition, and the
county is borrowing roughly $700,000 — which will be
reimbursed by the camp.
Gentile said he would meet today with county
officials to complete a few details on the long-term
lease between the camp and Putnam.
In addition to the land, the facility tucked in a
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