From: patriot246 [mailto:patriot246@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 3:41 PM
To: jwilsy@saugerties.ny.us
Subject: Letter to the Saugerties Town Planning Board
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 3:41 PM
To: jwilsy@saugerties.ny.us
Subject: Letter to the Saugerties Town Planning Board
Dear Ms Wilsey,
In your capacity as secretary of the Saugerties Town Planning Board will you please forward the letter below with attachment.
Thank you.
August 17, 2011
Mr. C. Howard Post, Chairman and Town of Saugerties Planning Board
Saugerties Town Planning Board
4 High Street
Saugerties, NY 12477
Dear Mr. Post,
On August 16, 2011 you presided over a “public hearing” regarding a project which includes the construction of 40 low income rental units in Glasco. After allowing Larry Regan from Regan Development Corporation to present his plans for over a half hour, the meeting was open for pubic comment and questions. In opening the meeting to the public Mr. Regan suggested to the public that he knew many of us were present out of concern about crime, impact on our schools, taxes and such issues and invited questions about those concerns. Mr. Post did not direct Mr.Regan from that those topics. After an hour and a half of sometimes heated discussion on socio-economic and natural resource issues, much was revealed about the plans that were not known. A school official pointed out that this project will cause a hike in school taxes translating into an extreme burden on the tax payers.
Many of us learned for the first time about NY State Law 581A and the negotiated deal with town officials to pay a total annual combined property and school tax of only $26,000 per year for the next 30 years for all of the 40 housing units, which includes 1,2 and 3 bedroom units. After allowing the public to question for well over an hour time Mr. Post announced to us that we, the public, had raised almost no issues which the planning board would consider. Though many of us asked to keep the meeting open your board took a vote which was tied and Mr. Post cast the decisive vote to close the meeting.
Today I consulted with a state assemblyman and also met with the DEC and learned that in fact the State Environmental Quality Review does provide for consideration of the issues you Mr. Post said the board would not address. This is the instrument that your board uses for its review. The Full Environmental Assessment Form Section C #11 asks whether the project will create a demand for any community provided services (recreation, education, police and fire protection),none of which have been addressed.
This project low income rental housing project which promises to be a financial burden on all property tax payers is being considered as the same plan which was approved for high end upscale revenue producing town houses several years ago before this recession. It is highly likely to create a need another classroom to our school and bring into our school district children with special needs that drives the cost of education to skyrocket.
I am writing this letter to you, Mr. Post to ask that the Town Planning Board to address all of the areas mentioned in the previous statement, to reconsider whether this is indeed the same plan and above all to consider the socio-economic impact on the Hamlet of Glasco and town of Saugerties.
Respectfully,
Proud life time resident of Saugerties
Attached link: SEQR Full Environmental Assessment Form with highlighted addressed areas.
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